Raghu

Raghu was a ruler of the Ikshvaku dynasty. According to the Raghuvamsha, he was son of King Dilīpa and his Queen Sudakshina. His name in Sanskrit means the fast one, deriving from Raghu's chariot-driving abilities. So celebrated were the exploits of Raghu, that his dynasty itself came to be known as the Raghuvamsha or the Raghukula after him. The history of his dynasty is elaborated upon by Kalidasa in his Raghuvamsha.

After acceding to the throne, he expanded his kingdom in all four directions. Later, on the instruction of his Guru Vashistha, he performed Vishwajit Yajna and gave all his wealth as Dāna. After completion of Yajna when all the wealth was given as Dāna, Sage Kautsa, a disciple of Vartantu came to Raghu, Kautsa who had asked his Guru Vartantu , "what should be given to him, his Guru Vartantu, as Guru-Dakshina?", to which his Guru Vartantu had replied, "your Seva would suffice". But Kautsa continued to insist upon getting him a Guru-Dakshina by which Guru Vartantu became annoyed when Kautsa had persisted repeatedly, and Vartantu said to him, "having learnt 14 Vidyas from me, you must give me 14 koti gold coins as Guru-Dakshina". Kautsa, being a poor brahmana,son of Devdatta of city of Paithan, worriedly left and he approached Raghu Raja, who was known as a man of his word and great wealth donator, washed Kautsa's feet with Earthen pot and was currently residing in a Mud hut having completed the aforementioned grand Vishwajit Yajna, and having donated the totality of his wealth, to whom Kautsa reluctantly asked him, Raghu, how he would be able to grant that which his Guru Vartantu had requested he provide as Guru-Dakshina, but Raghu insisted Kautsa to rest in his palace and assured him of giving the Guru-Dakshina within two or three days.

Raghu upon receiving instructions from his family Guru Vashistha to wage war on Indra's sevaka Kubera , commanded his army to gear up for invasion to Loka of Kubera on the following morning. When he was heading towards the Kuber Loka, his treasurer came to him and told him that Kubera, by the virtue of fear of Raghu, rained gold coins last night. Hence, Raghu gave those gold coins as Guru-Dakshina to Sage Kautsa and fulfilled his Vachan.