एतच्छ्रुत्वा रहः सूतो राजानमिदम् अब्रवीत्।
ऋत्विग्भिरुपदिष्टोऽयं पुरावृत्तो मया श्रुतः॥
etac chrutvā rahaḥ sūto rājānam idam abravīt
ṛtvigbhir upadiṣṭo ’yaṁ purā-vṛtto mayā śrutaḥ
etat = hearing; śrutvā = the king’s orders to prepare for the Aśvamedha sacrifice; rahaḥ = privately; sūtaḥ = Sumantra; rājānam = met the king; idam abravīt = and told him; ṛtvigbhiḥ = the priests headed by Vasiṣṭha; upadiṣṭaḥ = have instructed you to perform; ayam = a sacrifice; purā-vṛttaḥ = in an historical narration; mayā śrutaḥ = which I have heard about.
Hearing the king’s orders to prepare for the Aśvamedha sacrifice, Sumantra met the king privately and told him: The priests headed by Vasiṣṭha have instructed you to perform a sacrifice which I have heard about in an historical narration.
He then hints at the extraordinary reason for the descent of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in three chapters.
Sūtaḥ here indicates Sumantra who functioned as King Daśaratha’s charioteer and minister. He met the king privately, that is, he came to the inner quarters and spoke to the king.