Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 38: Rāma Requests the King to Take Care of His Mother Kausalyā
Text 2.38.7

अजीवनार्हेण मया नृशंसा कृता प्रतिज्ञा नियमेन तावत्।
त्वया हि बाल्यात्प्रतिपन्नमेतत्तन्मां दहेद्वेणुमिवात्मपुष्पम्॥

ajīvanārheṇa mayā nṛśaṁsā
kṛtā pratijñā niyamena tāvat
tvayā hi bālyāt pratipannam etat
tan māṁ dahed veṇum ivātma-puṣpam

ajīvana-arheṇa = I don’t deserve to live; mayā = I have; nṛśaṁsā = a cruel; kṛtā = committed to fulfill; pratijñā = promise; niyamena = on oath; tāvat = by now; tvayā hi = you; bālyāt = by your childishness; pratipannam = have gained; etat = this; tat = it; mām = me; dahet = will burn up; veṇum = [that destroys] it; iva = like; ātma-puṣpam = the flower of a bamboo.

“I don’t deserve to live. I have, on oath, committed to fulfill a cruel promise by now. You have gained this by your childishness. It will burn me up like the flower of a bamboo [that destroys] it.