Canto 2 -
Ayodhyā-kāṇḍa
Chapter 97: Rāma Instructs Lakṣmaṇa
Text 2.97.20
तद्वाक्यं लक्ष्मणः श्रुत्वा व्रीडितः प्रत्युवाच ह।
त्वां मन्ये द्रष्टुमायातः पिता दशरथः स्वयम्॥
tad vākyaṁ lakṣmaṇaḥ śrutvā vrīḍitaḥ pratyuvāca ha
tvāṁ manye draṣṭum āyātaḥ pitā daśarathaḥ svayam
tat vākyam = those words; lakṣmaṇaḥ = Lakṣmaṇa; śrutvā = upon hearing; vrīḍitaḥ = became embarrassed; pratyuvāca ha = and replied; tvām = You; manye = I think; draṣṭum = to see; āyātaḥ = come; pitā = Our father; daśarathaḥ = King Daśaratha; svayam = has personally.
Upon hearing those words, Lakṣmaṇa became embarrassed and replied, “I think that Our father King Daśaratha has personally come to see You!”
Out of embarrassment, Lakṣmaṇa changed the topic. In this world, when a man is refuted he changes the topic of discussion. [This is like that.]