Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 20: Daśaratha Refuses to Give Rāma
Text 1.20.22
स त्वं प्रसादं धर्मज्ञ कुरुष्व मम पुत्रके।
मम चैवाल्पभाग्यस्य दैवतं हि भवान्गुरुः॥
sa tvaṁ prasādaṁ dharma-jña kuruṣva mama putrake
mama caivālpa-bhāgyasya daivataṁ hi bhavān guruḥ
saḥ tvam = you; prasādam = merciful; dharmajña = O knower of dharma; kuruṣva = may please be; mama = my; putrake = unto son; mama = of myself; ca eva = and; alpa-bhāgyasya = a person of meager fortune; daivatam hi = is the worshipable deity; bhavān = your Holiness; guruḥ = guru.
O knower of dharma, please be merciful unto my son. Your Holiness is the worshipable deity and guru of myself, a person of meager fortune.
Daśaratha considers himself a person of meager fortune for he is unable to carry out the sage’s request. Yet he pleads for the sage’s mercy by stating that he is his worshipable deity and guru.