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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.17.25

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 17: Kausalyā learns of Rāma’s exile. Rāma tells Kausalyā that Bharata will inherit and he must leave, she collapses and laments their separation

In the sequence: she explains that she had endured neglect as a wife by hoping for happiness through her son, but now fears humiliation and isolation among her co-wives

2.17.25

yo hi māṃ sevate kaś cid atha vāpy anuvartate
kaikeyyāḥ putram anvīkṣya sa jano nābhibhāṣate

For whoever attends on me, or even shows me deference, that person, having regard for Kaikeyī's son, does not so much as speak to me.

Words: yo — whoever; hi — for; māṃ — me; sevate — serves, attends; kaś cid — anyone; atha vāpy — or even; anuvartate — shows deference, follows; kaikeyyāḥ — of Kaikeyī; putram — son; anvīkṣya — having regard for; sa — that; jano — person; nābhibhāṣate — does not address

Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki. Sanskrit: The Vālmīki-Rāmāyaṇa: Critical Edition, Oriental Institute, Baroda, 1960–1975 (gen. eds. G. H. Bhatt, U. P. Shah); IAST from GRETIL (Göttingen). Translation and word glosses: Claude Opus 4.6–4.7; summaries and sequences: ChatGPT Astra (machine-made). Numbering follows the Critical Edition, not the vulgate (e.g. Gita Press, valmikiramayan.net), so sarga and verse numbers can differ from those editions.