Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 12: Kaikeyī Reaffirms her Demands
Text 2.12.21
ननु ते राघवस्तुल्यो भरतेन महात्मना।
बहुशो हि सुबाले त्वं कथाः कथयसे मम॥
nanu te rāghavas tulyo bharatena mahātmanā
bahuśo hi subāle tvaṁ kathāḥ kathayase mama
nanu = is certainly; te = your; rāghavaḥ = Rāghava; tulyaḥ = equal; bharatena = Bharata; mahā-ātmanā = to the great soul; bahuśaḥ = repeatedly; hi = because; subāle = good girl; tvam = you; kathāḥ kathayase = have told; mama = me [so].
Good girl, your Rāghava is certainly equal to the great soul Bharata because you have repeatedly told me [so].
Kaikeyī’s words of demand is in opposition to her happiness, and the proof is in her own words. She had repeatedly told Daśaratha that she considered Rāma equal to Bharata thus indicating that this is what she had actually felt in her heart.