Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 9: Conversation Between Sumantra and Daśaratha
Text 1.9.8
तस्य व्यतिक्रमाद्राज्ञः भविष्यति सुदारुणा।
अनावृष्टिः सुघोरा वै सर्वभूतभयावहा॥
tasya vyatikramād rājñaḥ bhaviṣyati sudāruṇā
anāvṛṣṭiḥ sughorā vai sarva-bhūta-bhayāvahā
tasya = because of the; vyatikramāt = transgress of dharma; rājñaḥ = king’s; bhaviṣyati = there will be; sudāruṇā = a very dreadful; anāvṛṣṭiḥ = drought; sughorā vai = and terrible; sarva-bhūta-bhayāvahā = so fearful to all creatures.
Because of the king’s transgress of dharma, there will be a very dreadful and terrible drought, so fearful to all creatures.
Sudāruṇā (“very dreadful”) indicates that the drought in Aṅga will last a long period of time. Sughorā (“very terrible”) indicates that the drought would spread throughout all parts of Romapāda’s kingdom.
NOTE. Bhagavad-gītā 3.14 states—yajñād bhavati parjanyo yajñaḥ karma-samudbhavaḥ: “Rains are produced by performance of yajña [sacrifice], and yajña is born of prescribed duties.” When dharma or prescribed duties are properly performed, then it is possible to perform yajna or sacrifice properly. When such yajñas are properly performed, then it rains. Otherwise, it doesn’t.