Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 9: Sītā Requests Rāma to Give up His Weapons
Text 3.9.23
एवमेतत्पुरा वृत्तं शस्त्रसंयोगकारणम्॥
evam etat purā vṛttaṁ śastra-saṁyoga-kāraṇam
evam etat = this is what; purā = in the past; vṛttam = happened; śastra-samyoga-kāraṇam = because of being in contact with a weapon.
This is what happened in the past because of being in contact with a weapon.
She now states the conclusion of this history in the next verse.