Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 23: Lakṣmaṇa’s Arguments
Text 2.23.14
मनसापि कथं कामं कुर्यास्त्वं कामवृत्तयोः।
तयोस्त्वहितयोर्नित्यं शत्र्वोः पित्रभिधानयोः॥
manasāpi kathaṁ kāmaṁ kuryās tvaṁ kāma-vṛttayoḥ
tayos tv ahitayor nityaṁ śatrvoḥ pitr-abhidhānayoḥ
manasā = in Your mind; api = even; katham = how; kāmam kuryāḥ tvam = can You fulfill the desire; kāma-vṛttayoḥ = who are so whimsical; tayoḥ tu = of these two people; ahitayoḥ = harmful; nityam = constantly; śatrvoḥ = inimical; pitr-abhidhānayoḥ = and why go by the name of “parents.”
Even in Your mind, how can You fulfill the desire of these two people who are so whimsical, harmful, constantly inimical and who go by the name of “parents”?