Chapter 10 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 10

Valmiki Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda

Verse 10.12

नहि तस्य पुरा देवी तां वेलामत्यवर्तत ॥ न च राजा गृहं शून्यं प्रविवेश कदाचन। ततो गृहगतो राजा कैकेयी पर्यपृच्छत ॥ यथापुरमविज्ञाय स्वार्थलिप्सुमपण्डिताम्।

nahi tasya purā devī tāṃ velāmatyavartata || na ca rājā gṛhaṃ śūnyaṃ praviveśa kadācana| tato gṛhagato rājā kaikeyī paryapṛcchata || yathāpuramavijñāya svārthalipsumapaṇḍitām|

English Meaning

Never before this that noble lady spent that hour (at any other place); nor had the monarch ever entered the empty apartment. Then the king entering the apartment asked (a sentinel) concerning Kaikeyi, not knowing that that unwise woman was hankering after her selfinterest, as on previous occasions not finding her he used to ask.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)