Canto 2: Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa ()Chapter 1: Daśaratha Desires to Appoint Rāma as the Crown PrinceText 2.1.42
Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 1: Daśaratha Desires to Appoint Rāma as the Crown Prince
Text 2.1.42
दिव्यन्तरिक्षे भूमौ च घोरमुत्पातजं भयम्।
सञ्चचक्षे च मेधावी शरीरे चात्मनो जराम्॥
divy antarikṣe bhūmau ca ghoram utpātajaṁ bhayam
sañcacakṣe ca medhāvī śarīre cātmano jarām
divy = in the sky; antarikṣe = outer space; bhūmau = on earth; ca = and; ghoram = terrible; utpātajam = omens; bhayam = and frightening; sañcacakṣe ca = saw; medhāvī = the intelligent king; śarīre = in body; ca = as well as; ātmanaḥ = his; jarām = old age.
The intelligent king saw terrible and frightening omens in the sky, outer space and on earth, as well as old age in his body.
These omens are noted in the astrological texts. 10 The king was intelligent, that is, capable of noticing fine and subtle [indications through omens]. He saw these omens and informed his secretary about them.
Thus, there were two reasons for Daśaratha to coronate Rāmacandra.1
1. One reason was these omens portending his imminent death and the other was his previous bestowal of two boons to Kaikeyī. These were two possible obstructions to Rāma becoming the king and Daśaratha’s thoughts about them incited him to coronate Rāma as soon as possible before it became too late. Therefore they have been considered the two reasons for Rāma’s coronation.