Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 13: Kaikeyī Rejects Daśaratha’s Sorrowful Plea
Text 2.13.22
शून्ये न खलु सुश्रोणि मयेदं समुदाहृतम्।
कुरु साधु प्रसादं मे बाले सहृदया ह्यसि॥
śūnye na khalu suśroṇi mayedaṁ samudāhṛtam
kuru sādhu prasādaṁ me bāle sahṛdayā hy asi
śūnye = in an empty spot; na khalu = not; suśroṇi = with beautiful hips; mayā = I; idam = Rāma’s coronation; samudāhṛtam = have pronounced; kuru = have; sādhu = nicely; prasādam = mercy; me = upon me; bāle = O girl; sahṛdayā = good-hearted; hi = for; asi = you are.
O girl with beautiful hips, I have not pronounced Rāma’s coronation in an empty spot. Have mercy upon me nicely for you are good-hearted.
Daśaratha did not pronounce Rāma’s coronation privately, but in the presence of all.
Śūnye na khalu suśroṇi mayedaṁ samudāhṛtam can also be read as śūnyena khalu suśroṇi mayedaṁ samudāhṛtam. The first half of the verse would then mean, “O lady with beautiful hips, this wretched soul has [already] proclaimed Rāma’s coronation.”