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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 2.98.68

Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa, sarga 98: Bharata’s appeal and Rāma’s answer. Bharata asks him to restore the Kingdom, Rāma teaches the inevitability of loss, separation and death

In the sequence: he says ruling and maintaining a household are appropriate duties for Rāma at this stage of life → he asks Vasiṣṭha to install Rāma there in the forest and offers once again to stay if Rāma will not return → Rāma remains firm, while the gathering joins Bharata's appeal.

2.98.68

atha vā pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā vanam eva bhavān itaḥ
gamiṣyati gamiṣyāmi bhavatā sārdham apy aham

Or else, if you, turning your back on the city, will go from here to the forest, then I too will go along with you.

Words: atha vā — or else; pṛṣṭhataḥ kṛtvā — having turned (your) back; vanam eva — to the forest indeed; bhavān itaḥ — you, from here; gamiṣyati — will go; gamiṣyāmi — I shall go; bhavatā sārdham apy aham — I too together with you

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.