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10
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
King Dasaratha, mighty promoter of
(the prosperity of) the kingdom, establish-
ed (and improved) that city, even as Indra
did in heaven.
 
तस्य त्वेवंप्रभावस्य धर्मज्ञस्य महात्मनः ।
सुतार्थं तप्यमानस्य नासीद्वंशकरः सुतः ॥
 
To that high-souled and duty-loving
king of such mighty fame, yearning for
a son, there was no son to carry on the
line.
 
स निश्चितां मतिं कृत्वा यष्टव्यमिति बुद्धिमान् ।
पुरोहितं वसिष्ठ च ये चान्ये द्विजसत्तमाः ।
तान् पूजयित्वा धर्मात्मा लक्ष्णं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥
 
Making up his mind to perform a sacri-
fice, the wise and duteous king honoured
the preceptor Vasishtha and other great
twice-born ones, and uttered pleasing
words thus :
 
मम लालप्यमानस्य पुत्रार्थं नास्ति वै सुखम् ।
तदहं यष्टुमिच्छामि शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा ॥
 
"For me, yearning for a son, there is
indeed no peace of mind. Therefore, I
desire to perform a sacrifice according to
the injunctions of the Sastras."