Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 100: Rāma Instructs Bharata About the Duties of a King
Text 2.100.9
कच्चिद्दशरथो राजा कुशली सत्यसङ्गरः।
राजसूयाश्वमेधानामाहर्ता धर्मनिश्चयः॥
kaccid daśaratho rājā kuśalī satya-saṅgaraḥ
rājasūyāśvamedhānām āhartā dharma-niścayaḥ
kaccit = is; daśarathaḥ = Daśaratha; rājā = King; kuśalī = healthy; satya-saṅgaraḥ = he is true to his promise; rājasūya-aśvamedhānām = of Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices; āhartā = he is an organizer; dharma-niścayaḥ = and a firm adherent of dharma.
Is King Daśaratha healthy? He is true to his promise. He is an organizer of Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices, and a firm adherent of dharma.
Did Bharata come to tell Rāma that Their father had become diseased? Rāma considered that [too]. King Daśaratha had been true to his promises. Considering that, did he repent and become unhealthy? This was Rāma’s inner intent. The king was an organizer, that is, a performer [of Rājasūya and Aśvamedha sacrifices].