Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 43: Kausalyā Laments for Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā
Text 2.43.18
साहं गौरिव सिंहेन विवत्सा वत्सला कृता।
कैकेय्या पुरुषव्याघ्र बालवत्सेव गौर्बलात्॥
sāhaṁ gaur iva siṁhena vivatsā vatsalā kṛtā
kaikeyyā puruṣa-vyāghra bāla-vatseva gaur balāt
sā aham = I; gauḥ = a cow; iva = like; siṁhena = [is deprived of its calf] by a lion; vivatsā = deprived of my child; vatsalā = am an affectionate mother; kṛtā = I have been; kaikeyyā = by Kaikeyī; puruṣa-vyāghra = O king; bāla-vatsā = with a young calf; iva = just as; gauḥ = a cow; balāt = forcibly.
O king, I am an affectionate mother like a cow with a young calf. I have been forcibly deprived of my child by Kaikeyī just as a cow [is deprived of her calf] by a lion.