Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 72: Daśaratha’s Charity Before the Wedding
Text 1.72.21
स गत्वा निलयं राजा श्राद्धं कृत्वा विधानतः।
प्रभाते काल्यमुत्थाय चक्रे गोदानम् उत्तमम्॥
sa gatvā nilayaṁ rājā śrāddhaṁ kṛtvā vidhānataḥ
prabhāte kālyam utthāya cakre go-dānam uttamam
saḥ = the; gatvā = went to and; nilayam = his residence; rājā = king; śrāddham kṛtvā = performed śrāddha; vidhānataḥ = as per scriptural regulations; prabhāte = early the next morning; kālyam = that is meant to be done at the right time; utthāya = having woken up; cakre = he performed; go-dānam uttamam = the excellent go-dāna ceremony.
The king went to his residence and performed śrāddha as per scriptural regulations. Having woken up early the next morning, he performed the excellent go-dāna ceremony that is meant to be done at the right time.
The go-dāna ceremony [here] is the samāvartana ceremony [for his sons]. The next verse describes a portion of that ceremony.