Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 15: The Demigods Appeal to the Lord for Protection
Text 1.15.31
ततः पद्मपलाशाक्षः कृत्वात्मानं चतुर्विधम्।
पितरं रोचयामास तदा दशरथं नृपम्॥
tataḥ padma-palāśākṣaḥ kṛtvātmānaṁ catur-vidham
pitaraṁ rocayām āsa tadā daśarathaṁ nṛpam
tataḥ = then; padma-palāśa-akṣaḥ = the lotus-eyed Lord; kṛtvā = made and; atmānam = Himself; catur-vidham = into four; pitaram = as His father; rocayām āsa = chose; tadā = while preparing to protect the world; daśaratham = Daśaratha; nṛpam = King.
Then, the lotus-eyed Lord made Himself into four and chose King Daśaratha as His father while preparing to protect the world.
[2] tasya yathā kapyāsaṁ puṇḍarīkam evam akṣiṇī.
1 One’s natural qualities are like the qualities of his father. Since Daśaratha had qualities similar to the Lord, He chose to appear as Daśaratha’s son.
After thinking about His place of birth amongst men, He chose Daśaratha as His father.
Lord Viṣṇu was padma-palāśākṣaḥ (“lotus-eyed”) as His eyes elongated due to His remembrance of the auspicious qualities of Daśaratha. His lotus-eyes indicate that He was desired to be seen by all; yet, He desired someone else [as His father]. According to the Śruti, the eyes of the Supreme Absolute Truth Personality of Godhead are as beautiful as the lotus [2]. This is a sign that Lord Viṣṇu is the Supreme Being.
Even though He is the Supreme amongst all, He chose to take birth. Just as those who take repeated birth desire freedom from it, He who is free from birth desired to take birth, and that too, in four forms, out of a consideration of Daśaratha’s extensive auspicious qualities. He accepted four forms in accordance with the division of the pāyasa that was divided among the queens.
The father of all thus desired that one of His sons should become His father. Pitā putreṇa pitṛmān yoni-yonau: “A father has a father in his son, because he may take birth as his own grandson.” Daśaratha was famous for his good qualities. So, He decided to become his son.1