Shloka 8
द्वादशः सर्गः — Aśvamedha-saṅkalpa
Daśaratha resolves on the Horse Sacrifice
मम लालप्यमानस्य पुत्रार्थं नास्ति वै सुखम्।तदर्थं हयमेधेन यक्ष्यामीति मतिर्मम।।।।
mama lālapyamānasya putrārthaṃ nāsti vai sukham | tadarthaṃ hayamedhena yakṣyāmīti matir mama ||
«ខ្ញុំត្រូវបានក្តីប្រាថ្នាចង់បានព្រះរាជបុត្រកម្សាន្តចិត្តឆេះឆួល; ពិតប្រាកដណាស់ ខ្ញុំមិនមានសុខទេ។ ដូច្នេះ ខ្ញុំបានសម្រេចចិត្តថា ខ្ញុំនឹងប្រតិបត្តិយជ្ញា អશ્વមេធ»។
"There is no happiness for me. I am overwhelmed with grief as I have no son. Therefore, I intend to perform a horse-sacrifice.
FAQs
Satya in self-disclosure and dharmic channeling of desire: Daśaratha admits his suffering honestly and seeks a lawful remedy through sanctioned ritual rather than adharma.
Daśaratha explains to the priests why he wishes to undertake the Aśvamedha—his grief at being without an heir.
Truthfulness and self-restraint: he does not hide his motive, yet commits to a dharmically regulated course.