Rama’s son. His birth is mentioned in Uttararamayana and Kathasaritasagara.

Sita, turned away by Rama, reached Valmiki’s hermitage. There she had a son, whom Valmiki named Lav. Once Sita took him to the river to give him a bath. Valmiki didn’t know this and panicked when he found the child missing. He feared that Sita would give up her life if her son was lost, and made a child in Lav’s image using his spiritual energy. Sita came back and finding a child similar to Lav asked Valmiki who it was. Valmiki told her what had happened and they named him Kush as per Uttararamayana and kathasaritasagara Alankaravatilambaka Taranga 1.

Rama wanted to conduct an ashwamedha. But as per the rules, he had to have a wife for it. But since Sita was no longer with him, they built a model of her and placed it near him, as per the scriptures and Vasishta’s instructions. This was conducted in Naimisharanya and Shatrughna started his journey with the yajna horse. He reached Valmiki’s hermitage on the banks of the Tamasa river and there, the horse was captured by Lav-Kush. They defeated him as well as Lakshmana and his army. Valmiki got them to release the horse and took them along with Sita to Naimisharanya to attend the yajna. Lav-Kush sang the Ramayana there. Rama recognised them and made them stay in his palace. There is a different version in the Kathasaritasagara. As per this, Valmiki conducted the upanayana and other ceremonies for Lav-Kush, and taught them weaponry. Once, they killed a wild animal and used it in Valmiki’s sacrificial offering. The sage became sick and Sita asked how it could be remedied. Valmiki said that Lav would have to get lotuses from Kuber’s stream and the flowers of the kalpavriksha from his garden. Then Lav-Kush together would have to make this offering on behalf of Valmiki. Lav immediately set out and got the necessary things, killing a few yakshas in the process. On his way back, he rested under a tree. During that time, Lakshmana was hunting for an ideal human sacrifice for Rama’s naramedha. He saw Lav and tried to capture him. At the end of a fierce battle, Lakshmana used the mohanastra to bind Lav, and took him to Ayodhya.

When Lav didn’t return Sita became worried. Valmiki used his divine sight to find out what had happened. He sent Kusha to get Lav back. This was when Rama was conducting the ashwamedha. Kusha fought his way to the yajna and then defeated Lakshmana too. Rama asked him who he was. He replied that he was Lav’s brother, and he had heard his mother Sita say that they were Rama’s sons. Rama hugged both of them and then brought back Sita from Valmiki’s hermitage as per Kathasaritasagara Alankaravateelambaka Taranga 1.

After Lakshmana’s death, Rama divided his kingdom and in Kosala, built Kushavati, with Kusha as its king. He also gave him32 of his 64 akshauhinis, 4 of his ministers and half of his wealth. He then built Sharavati in north Kosala, made Lav its king and gave him the remaining akshauhinis, ministers and wealth. Rama then gave up his life in the Sarayu as per Uttararamayana.

Kusha – Aditi – Nishadha – Nabhas – Pundarika – Kshemadhanva – Devanika – Riksha – Pariyatra – Bala – Vindorala – Vajranabha – Khagana – Vadhriti – Hiranyanabha – Pushya – Dhruva – Sudarshana – Agnipurna. After Agnipurna, there were only two kings – Shikhra, and Maru, with whom the Survanshis line ended.