Canto 1: Bāla-kāṇḍa (Boyhood)Chapter 8: Daśaratha Decides to Perform the Aśvamedha SacrificeText 1.8.1
Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 8: Daśaratha Decides to Perform the Aśvamedha Sacrifice
Text 1.8.1
तस्य त्वेवम्प्रभावस्य धर्मज्ञस्य महात्मनः।
सुतार्थं तप्यमानस्य नासीद्वंशकरः सुतः॥
tasya tv evam-prabhāvasya dharma-jñasya mahātmanaḥ
sutārthaṁ tapyamānasya nāsīd vaṁśa-karaḥ sutaḥ
tasya tu evam-prabhāvasya = King Daśaratha had such power; dharma-jñasya = He knew dharma; mahā-ātmanaḥ = and was a great soul; suta-artham = to have a son; tapyamānasya = but he was in anxiety; na āsīt = as he did; vaṁśakaraḥ = to continue the dynasty; sutaḥ = son.
King Daśaratha had such power. He knew dharma and was a great soul. But he was in anxiety to have a son as he did not have a son to continue the dynasty.
The sage Vālmīki has described Daśaratha’s qualification as a dhārmika king to point out that he was fit to be a father for the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His incarnation. In this chapter, the author introduces the circumstances that led Daśaratha to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead which was appropriate for the Lord’s descent. This verse indicates that his anxiety to be described in verses to come is appropriate. He was engaged in austerity to have a son. Though he had all the ingredients to have a son, he did not have a son and so he was in anxiety.