Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 12: Kaikeyī Reaffirms her Demands
Text 2.12.48
एकाहमपि पश्येयं यद्यहं राममातरम्।
अञ्जलिं प्रतिगृह्णन्तीं श्रेयो ननु मृतिर्मम॥
ekāham api paśyeyaṁ yady ahaṁ rāma-mātaram
añjaliṁ pratigṛhṇantīṁ śreyo nanu mṛtir mama
eka-aham = for a single day; api = even; paśyeyam yadi aham = than seeing; rāma-mātaram = Rāma’s mother; añjalim = by [everyone] joining their palms in supplication [upon seeing her as the king’s mother]; pratigṛhṇantīm = being honored; śreyaḥ = would be better; nanu = indeed; mṛtiḥ = death; mama = my.
Indeed, my death would be better than seeing Rāma’s mother being honored even for a single day by [everyone] joining their palms in supplication [upon seeing her as the king’s mother].
Daśaratha had implied that he would give more enjoyment to Kaikeyī than to Kausalyā. But nevertheless, Kaikeyī wouldn’t tolerate the prominence that Kausalyā would attain. She expresses that in this verse.