Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 12, Shloka 4
द्वादशः सर्गः — Aśvamedha-saṅkalpa
Daśaratha resolves on the Horse Sacrifice
ततो राजाऽब्रवीद्वाक्यं सुमन्त्रं मन्त्रिसत्तमम्।सुमन्त्रावाहय क्षिप्रं ऋत्विजो ब्रह्मवादिन:।।।।सुयज्ञं वामदेवं च जाबालिमथ काश्यपम्।पुरोहितं वसिष्ठं च ये चान्ये द्विजसत्तमा:।।।।
tato rājā 'bravīd vākyaṃ sumantraṃ mantrisattamam | sumantrāvāhaya kṣipraṃ ṛtvijo brahmavādinaḥ || suyajñaṃ vāmadevaṃ ca jābālim atha kāśyapam | purohitaṃ vasiṣṭhaṃ ca ye cānye dvijasattamāḥ ||
Alors le roi dit à Sumantra, le meilleur des ministres : « Sumantra, appelle sans tarder les prêtres officiants, les connaisseurs du Véda — Suyajña, Vāmadeva, Jābāli et Kāśyapa — ainsi que le prêtre de la lignée, Vasiṣṭha, et les autres brahmanes éminents ».
Thereafter the king said to Sumantra, "Summon immediately, Suyajna, Vamadeva, Jabali and Kasyapa, family priest Vasishta and other foremost and learned brahmins who are the official priests well-versed in the Vedas".
FAQs
Rāja-dharma: a ruler acts through qualified advisers and learned authorities, ensuring public acts (especially sacred rites) are grounded in knowledge and legitimacy.
Daśaratha orders Sumantra to quickly bring the principal priests and eminent brahmins required to conduct the Aśvamedha properly.
Daśaratha’s humility before sacred expertise and his administrative decisiveness in organizing a dharmic undertaking.