Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 39: Sagara’s Sons Search for the Sacrificial Horse
Text 1.39.2
श्रोतुमिच्छामि भद्रं ते विस्तरेण कथामिमाम्।
पूर्वको मे कथं ब्रह्मन्यज्ञं वै समुपाहरत्॥
śrotum icchāmi bhadraṁ te vistareṇa kathām imām
pūrvako me kathaṁ brahman yajñaṁ vai samupāharat
śrotum icchāmi = I want to hear; bhadram te = auspicious unto You; vistareṇa = in detail; kathām imām = of this sacrifice of Sagara Mahārāja; pūrvakaḥ me = My predecessor; katham = how; brahman = O brāhmaṇa; yajñam vai samupāharat = how did conduct this sacrifice.
Auspiciousness unto you. I want to hear of this sacrifice of Sagara Mahārāja in detail. O brāhmaṇa, how did My predecessor conduct this sacrifice?
Lord Rāma’s “predecessor” refers to Mahārāja Sagara, the best of Lord Rāma’s royal predecessors.