Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 42: Daśaratha Goes to Kausalyā’s Residence in Distress
Text 2.42.7
ये च त्वामनुजीवन्ति नाहं तेषां न ते मम।
केवलार्थपरां हि त्वां त्यक्तधर्मां त्यजाम्यहम्॥
ye ca tvām anujīvanti nāhaṁ teṣāṁ na te mama
kevalārtha-parāṁ hi tvāṁ tyakta-dharmāṁ tyajāmy aham
ye = who; ca = and; tvām = on you; anujīvanti = subsist; na = am not; aham = I; teṣām = the caretaker of those; na = nor; te = are they; mama = my dependents; kevala-artha-parām = and are only interested in wealth; hi = because; tvām = you; tyakta-dharmām = you have rejected piety; tyajāmi = reject; aham = I.
And I am not the caretaker of those who subsist on you, nor are they my dependents. I reject you because you have rejected piety and are only interested in wealth.1
Here Daśaratha states that he is no more related to not only her, but even to those who are related to her.
Kaikeyī might wonder, “I am married to you with the sacred fire as the witness. How can I not be your dependent wife?” [That is answered in the next verse.]
GLOSS. Kevalārthaparām indicates that Kaikeyī was fully selfish and that she wanted to get rid of Rāma who did not possess a material body.1