Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 18: Kaikeyī Informs Rāma About the two Boons
Text 2.18.21
प्रियं त्वामप्रियं वक्तुं वाणी नास्योपवर्तते।
तदवश्यं त्वया कार्यं यदनेनाश्रुतं मम॥
priyaṁ tvām apriyaṁ vaktuṁ vāṇī nāsyopavartate
tad avaśyaṁ tvayā kāryaṁ yad anenāśrutaṁ mama
priyam = who please him [so much]; tvām = to You; apriyam = displeasing words; vaktum vāṇī na asya upavartate = he is unable to speak; tat = that; avaśyam tvayā = [but] You; kāryam = must; yat = which; anena = he; aśrutam = has promised; mama = me.
He is unable to speak displeasing words to You who please him [so much]. [But] You must carry out that which he has promised me.
Anticipating that Śrī Rāma would ask, “What is that [he has promised you]?” she gives a general idea of that promise in the next verse.