Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 19: Viśvāmitra Requests Daśaratha to Give Rāma
Text 1.19.8
स्वपुत्रं राजशार्दूल रामं सत्यपराक्रमम्।
काकपक्षधरं शूरं ज्येष्ठं मे दातुमर्हसि॥
sva-putraṁ rāja-śārdūla rāmaṁ satya-parākramam
kāka-pakṣa-dharaṁ śūraṁ jyeṣṭhaṁ me dātum arhasi
sva-putram = your son; rāja-śārdūla = O tiger among kings; rāmam = Rāma; satya-parākramam = he is fixed on truthfulness; kāka-pakṣa-dharam = though He is a mere boy with side locks of hair; śūram = and heroic; jyeṣṭham = eldest; me = me; dātum arhasi = you should give.
O tiger among kings, you should give me your eldest son Rāma. Though He is a mere boy with side locks of hair, He is fixed on truthfulness and heroic.1
1 In Vedic dharma, kṣatriya boys keep side locks of hair until they complete their studies and training.