Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 12: Preparation for the Aśvamedha Sacrifice
Text 1.12.1
ततः काले बहुतिथे कस्मिंश्चित्सुमनोहरे।
वसन्ते समनुप्राप्ते राज्ञो यष्टुं मनोऽभवत्॥
tataḥ kāle bahu-tithe kasmiṁścit sumano-hare
vasante samanuprāpte rājño yaṣṭuṁ mano ’bhavat
tataḥ kāle bahu-tithe = after many days; kasmiṁścit = on a certain; sumano-hare = very charming; vasante samanuprāpte = day at the beginning of spring; rājñaḥ = King Daśaratha; yaṣṭum manaḥ abhavat = desired to perform the sacrifice.
After many days, on a certain very charming day at the beginning of spring, King Daśaratha desired to perform the sacrifice.
[1] sarvaṁ pāpmānaṁ tarati tarati brahma-hatyāṁ yo ’śvamedhena yajate (Śruti). rāja-sārvabhaumo ’śvamedhena yajeta (Smṛti).
[2] caitryāṁ paurṇamāsyāṁ prātar aśvamedhena yakṣye iti saṅkalpya sāṅgrahaṇyeṣṭyā yajata (Smṛti).
Daśaratha had been prosperous with all desirable objects of enjoyment, and yet he had been very unhappy without sons. He considered that this situation was due to his sinful reactions and that they will perish by the performance of an Aśvamedha sacrifice appropriate for his position. So, he resolved that he would perform it as prescribed in the Śruti and Smṛti scriptures [1].
When Sumantra had reminded him of this by his narration, on the pretext of being affectionate to his son-in-law, he brought Ṛśyaśṛṅga along with Śāntā. Then, at the right time, he started the preparation for the Aśvamedha sacrifice as he had previously planned.
He desired to perform the Sāṅgrahaṇī Iṣṭi (a preliminary ritual in the Aśvamedha sacrifice) on a certain very charming day, that is, on a distinguished Pūrṇimā free from astrological defects and inauspiciousness, that is, on the Pūrṇimā of the month Caitra. It is ordained in the scriptures that one should proclaim one’s resolution to undertake the Aśvamedha sacrifice early in the morning on Caitra Pūrṇimā and then perform the Sāṅgrahaṇī Iṣṭi ritual [2].