यस्याः कृते नरव्याघ्रौ जीवनाशमितो गतौ। राजा पुत्रविहीनश्च स्वर्गं दशरथो गतः॥ क्रोधनामकृतप्रज्ञां दृप्तां सुभगमानिनीम्। ऐश्वर्यकामां कैकेयीमनार्यामायरूपिणीम्॥ ममैतां मातरं विद्धि नृशंसां पापनिश्चयाम्। यतोमूलं हि पश्यामि व्यसनं महदात्मनः॥
yasyāḥ kṛte naravyāghrau jīvanāśamito gatau| rājā putravihīnaśca svargaṃ daśaratho gataḥ|| krodhanāmakṛtaprajñāṃ dṛptāṃ subhagamāninīm| aiśvaryakāmāṃ kaikeyīmanāryāmāyarūpiṇīm|| mamaitāṃ mātaraṃ viddhi nṛśaṃsāṃ pāpaniścayām| yatomūlaṃ hi paśyāmi vyasanaṃ mahadātmanaḥ||
English Meaning
And her in consequence of whose act those foremost of men have come by crushing misfortune, and the king Dasaratha has gone to heaven, deprived of his son, wrathful and proud of her good fortune, setting her heart of wealth, Kaikeyi, dishonourable, although endowed with the semblance of honour, do you know this wicked one intent on sin as my mother. In her do I perceive the root of my mighty misfortune.
— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)