Canto 2: Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 1: Daśaratha Desires to Appoint Rāma as the Crown PrinceText 2.1.37
Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 1: Daśaratha Desires to Appoint Rāma as the Crown Prince
Text 2.1.37
वृद्धिकामो हि लोकस्य सर्वभूतानुकम्पनः।
मत्तः प्रियतरो लोके पर्जन्य इव वृष्टिमान्॥
vṛddhi-kāmo hi lokasya sarva-bhūtānukampanaḥ
mattaḥ priyataro loke parjanya iva vṛṣṭimān
vṛddhi-kāmaḥ hi = [my son] desires to enhance; lokasya = the world; sarva-bhūta-anukampanaḥ = He is compassionate upon all creatures; mattaḥ = than me; priyataraḥ = He is dearer; loke = to the world; parjanyaḥ = cloud; iva = like; vṛṣṭimān = a rain-bearing.
“[My son] desires to enhance the world. He is compassionate upon all creatures. He is dearer to the world than me, like a rain-bearing cloud.
Texts 37 to 39 reveal Daśaratha’s consideration of Rāma’s eligibility for kingship. “He desires to enhance the world” states that Lord Rāma bestowed unprecedented opulence to the world. By His charity, He removed the distress [of the recipients of His charity] like a cloud that showers rain.