Canto 1: Bāla-kāṇḍa (Boyhood)Chapter 8: Daśaratha Decides to Perform the Aśvamedha SacrificeText 1.8.23
Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 8: Daśaratha Decides to Perform the Aśvamedha Sacrifice
Text 1.8.23
ततः स गत्वा ताः पत्नीर्नरेन्द्रो हृदयप्रियाः।
उवाच दीक्षां विशत यक्ष्येऽहं सुतकारणात्॥
tataḥ sa gatvā tāḥ patnīr narendro hṛdaya-priyāḥ
uvāca dīkṣāṁ viśata yakṣye ’haṁ suta-kāraṇāt
tataḥ saḥ gatvā = having reached his home; tāḥ patnīḥ = his wives; nara-indraḥ = the king; hṛdaya-priyāḥ = dear to his heart; uvāca = told; dīkṣām viśata = get ready to be initiated into; yakṣye ahaṁ = a sacrifice that I am going to perform; suta-kāraṇāt = to obtain a son.
Having reached his home, the king told his wives dear to his heart, “Get ready to be initiated into a sacrifice that I am going to perform to obtain a son.
[5] patyur no yajna-saṁyoge (Aṣṭādhyāyī 4.1.33).
His wives (patnīḥ) were Kausalyā and others. Patnīḥ also indicates that they could participate in a sacrifice [5].