Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 3: Virādha Carries Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa
Text 3.3.24
यथा चेच्छति सौमित्रे तथा वहतु राक्षसः।
अयमेव हि नः पन्था येन याति निशाचरः॥
yathā cecchati saumitre tathā vahatu rākṣasaḥ
ayam eva hi naḥ panthā yena yāti niśācaraḥ
yathā ca icchati = as he desires; saumitre = Lakṣmaṇa; tathā vahatu = carry Us; rākṣasaḥ = let the rākṣasa; ayam = the; eva = is actually; hi = because; naḥ = [the path] we [are meant to take]; panthā = path; yena yāti niśācaraḥ = taken by this rākṣasa.
“Lakṣmaṇa, let the rākṣasa carry Us as he desires because the path taken by this rākṣasa is actually [the path] we [are meant to take].”