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Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 3.57.12

Araṇya Kāṇḍa, sarga 57: Lakṣmaṇa explains his departure. He recounts Sītā’s accusations after the false cry, Rāma insists that her harsh words should not have overridden his order

In the sequence: he recounts how the cry in Rāma's voice frightened Sītā and how he tried to reassure her that no enemy could overcome Rāma

3.57.12

kiṃnimittaṃ tu kenāpi bhrātur ālambya me svaram
visvaraṃ vyāhṛtaṃ vākyaṃ lakṣmaṇa trāhi mām iti
na bhavatyā vyathā kāryā kunārījanasevitā

For what reason, and by whom, taking on my brother's voice, was this word uttered in a distorted tone—'Lakṣmaṇa, save me!'? You should not indulge the distress that base women resort to.

Words: kiṃnimittaṃ — for what reason; tu — but, indeed; kenāpi — by someone; bhrātur — of (my) brother; ālambya — having taken up, imitated; me — my; svaram — voice; visvaraṃ — in a distorted voice; vyāhṛtaṃ — was uttered; vākyaṃ — word; lakṣmaṇa — O Lakṣmaṇa; trāhi — save; mām — me; iti — thus; na — not; bhavatyā — by you (respectful); vyathā — distress; kāryā — should be made, indulged; kunārījanasevitā — resorted to by base women

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.