Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 24: Rāma Instructs Kausalyā
Text 2.24.37
अपीदानीं स कालः स्याद्वनात्प्रत्यागतं पुनः।
यत्त्वां पुत्रक पश्येयं जटावल्कलधारिणम्॥
apīdānīṁ sa kālaḥ syād vanāt pratyāgataṁ punaḥ
yat tvāṁ putraka paśyeyaṁ jaṭā-valkaladhāriṇam
api = can 1; idānīm = now; saḥ = that; kālaḥ = time; syāt = be; vanāt = from the forest; pratyāgatam punaḥ = returning; yat = when; tvām = You; putraka = my child; paśyeyam = I see; jaṭā-valkaladhāriṇam = wearing matted hair and bark.
My child, can that time when I see You returning from the forest wearing matted hair and bark be now?1
1 Rāmāyaṇa-bhūṣana: yat yatreti vārthaḥ.
Because Kausalyā could not tolerate not seeing Rāma even for a moment, she prayed that the time of His return after fourteen years be now itself.