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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.66.29
Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 66: Kaikeyī’s disclosure. Bharata learns that Daśaratha died calling for the exiles, Kaikeyī admits arranging Rāma’s banishment and urges him to claim the throne
In the sequence: Kaikeyī says the King died calling for Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa and speaking of their future return
2.66.29
iti pṛṣṭā yathātattvaṃ kaikeyī vākyam abravīt
rāmeti rājā vilapan hā sīte lakṣmaṇeti ca
sa mahātmā paraṃ lokaṃ gato gatimatāṃ varaḥ
Thus questioned, Kaikeyī spoke the truth in words: “The king, wailing 'Rāma! Ah Sītā! Lakṣmaṇa!', that great soul, best of those who fare well, went to the highest world.”
Words: iti — thus; pṛṣṭā — questioned; yathātattvaṃ — according to the truth; kaikeyī — Kaikeyī; vākyam — word; abravīt — spoke; rāmeti — 'Rāma'; rājā — the king; vilapan — wailing; hā — alas; sīte — O Sītā; lakṣmaṇeti ca — and 'Lakṣmaṇa'; sa — he; mahātmā — great soul; paraṃ — highest; lokaṃ — world; gato — gone; gatimatāṃ — of those who fare well; varaḥ — best
Composed by Maharṣi Vālmīki, the ādikavi of the ādikāvya: the first poet of the first poem. 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.