Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 97: Rāma Instructs Lakṣmaṇa
Text 2.97.17
यदि राज्यस्य हेतोस्त्वमिमां वाचं प्रभाषसे।
वक्ष्यामि भरतं दृष्ट्वा राज्यमस्मै प्रदीयताम्॥
yadi rājyasya hetos tvam imāṁ vācaṁ prabhāṣase
vakṣyāmi bharataṁ dṛṣṭvā rājyam asmai pradīyatām
yadi = if; rājyasya hetoḥ = for the sake of the kingdom; tvam = You; imām vācam = these words; prabhāṣase = speak; vakṣyāmi = I will tell; bharatam = Bharata; dṛṣṭvā = upon meeting Him; rājyam = the kingdom; asmai = to Lakṣmaṇa; pradīyatām = give.
If You speak these words for the sake of the kingdom, I will tell Bharata upon meeting Him, “Give the kingdom to Lakṣmaṇa.”
“These words” refer to the Lakṣmaṇa’s statements about inflicting violence upon Bharata.