Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 61: Kausalyā Condemns Daśaratha in Extreme Distress
Text 2.61.24

स तादृशः सिंहबलो वृषभाक्षो नरर्षभः।
स्वयमेव हतः पित्रा जलजेनात्मजो यथा॥

sa tādṛśaḥ siṁha-balo vṛṣabhākṣo nara-rṣabhaḥ
svayam eva hataḥ pitrā jalajenātmajo yathā

saḥ tādṛśaḥ = such; siṁha-balaḥ = with the strength of a lion; vṛṣabha-akṣaḥ = and the eyes of a bull; nara-ṛṣabhaḥ = a prince; svayam eva = own; hataḥ = has been destroyed; pitrā = by His father; jalajena = by that fish; ātmajaḥ = the offspring of a fish [is devoured]; yathā = just as.

Such a prince with the strength of a lion and the eyes of a bull has been destroyed by His own father just as the offspring of a fish [is devoured] by that fish!1

Tādṛśaḥ indicates Śrī Rāma was endowed with prowess beyond the range of speech and thought.

It is well-known that fish eat their offsprings.

1 King Daśaratha had not considered that Rāma would not accept the kingdom once it is given to Bharata. This convincing argument by Queen Kausalyā will sink the king to the depths of despair.