Chapter 20 — Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 20

Valmiki Ramayana — Ayodhya Kanda

Verse 20.23

देवि नूनं न जानीषे महद् भयमुपस्थितम्। इदं तव च दुःखाय वैदेह्या लक्ष्मणस्य च॥ गमिष्ये दण्डकारण्यं किमनेनासनेन मे। विष्टरासनयोग्यो हि कालोऽयं मामुपस्थितः॥

devi nūnaṃ na jānīṣe mahad bhayamupasthitam| idaṃ tava ca duḥkhāya vaidehyā lakṣmaṇasya ca|| gamiṣye daṇḍakāraṇyaṃ kimanenāsanena me| viṣṭarāsanayogyo hi kālo'yaṃ māmupasthitaḥ||

English Meaning

O worshipful one, certain it is that you know not the great impending calamity; It is for the distress of yours, Laksmana and Vaidehi, that shall I wend my way to the Daņdaka forest. What is the use of a seat to me then? Now is the time come when I deserve a seat made of Kusa grass.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)