Chapter 58 — Uttara Kanda, Sarga 58

Valmiki Ramayana — Uttara Kanda

Verse 58.13

पृच्छन्तमसकृत्तं वै भार्गवं दीप्तचेतसम्। देवयानी तु संक्रुद्धा पितरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ अहमग्नि विषं तीक्ष्णमपो वा मुनिसत्तम। 'भक्षयिष्ये प्रवेक्ष्ये वा न तु शक्ष्यामि जीवितुम्॥

pṛcchantamasakṛttaṃ vai bhārgavaṃ dīptacetasam| devayānī tu saṃkruddhā pitaraṃ vākyamabravīt|| ahamagni viṣaṃ tīkṣṇamapo vā munisattama| 'bhakṣayiṣye pravekṣye vā na tu śakṣyāmi jīvitum||

English Meaning

The effulgent father having addressed his daughter repeatedly in this wise, Devayāni, enraged, replied, O foremost of ascetics, I shall either enter into fire water or drink poison, by no means I shall preserve this life of mine.

M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)