Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 97: Rāma Instructs Lakṣmaṇa
Text 2.97.8
यद्विना भरतं त्वां च शत्रुघ्नं चापि मानद।
भवेन्मम सुखं किञ्चिद्भस्म तत्कुरुतां शिखी॥
yad vinā bharataṁ tvāṁ ca śatrughnaṁ cāpi mānada
bhaven mama sukhaṁ kiñcid bhasma tat kurutāṁ śikhī
yat vinā bharatam = in the absence of Bharata; tvām ca = You; śatrughnam = Śatrughna; ca api = and; mānada = respectful Lakṣmaṇa; bhavet mama = that I experience; sukham = happiness; kiñcit = any; bhasma tat kurutām = may burn to ashes; śikhī = a fire.
Respectful Lakṣmaṇa, may a fire burn to ashes any happiness that I experience in the absence of Bharata, You and Śatrughna.
Rāma wanted to say, “May a fire burn to ashes any happiness [that I experience] if it is unfavorable to the happiness of Bharata, Lakṣmaṇa and Śatrughna.” In other words, He did not want any happiness [that He couldn’t share with His brothers].
In this way, Rāma set aside Lakṣmaṇa’s thoughts. From the next verse, He talks about the actual facts [pertaining to Bharata’s arrival].
GLOSS. The verse means, “Respectful Lakṣmaṇa, may a fire burn burn Me to ashes if I experience any happiness in the absence of Bharata, You and Śatrughna.”