Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 14: Daśaratha Grants Kaikeyī her two Boons
Text 2.14.3
आहुः सत्यं हि परमं धर्मं धर्मविदो जनाः।
सत्यमाश्रित्य हि मया त्वं च धर्मप्रचोदितः॥
āhuḥ satyaṁ hi paramaṁ dharmaṁ dharmavido janāḥ
satyam āśritya hi mayā tvaṁ ca dharmaṁ pracoditaḥ
āhuḥ = declare that; satyam hi = truthfulness; paramam = is the supreme; dharmam = dharma; dharmavidaḥ = who know dharma; janāḥ = people; satyam = of truthfulness; āśritya hi = it is on the basis of; mayā = that I; tvam = you [to fulfill what you promised me]; ca = and; dharmam = the dharma; pracoditaḥ = am impelling.
People who know dharma declare that truthfulness is the supreme dharma, and it is on the basis of the dharma of truthfulness that I am impelling you [to fulfill what you promised me].
Kaikeyī then anticipated that Daśaratha might ask her, “But how can I maintain my promise in a life crisis?” and then spoke the next verses.