Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 58: Rāma Reaches His Āśrama in Anxiety
Text 3.58.11
ब्रूहि लक्ष्मण वैदेही यदि जीवति वा न वा।
त्वयि प्रमत्ते रक्षोभिर्भक्षिता वा तपस्विनी॥
brūhi lakṣmaṇa vaidehī yadi jīvati vā na vā
tvayi pramatte rakṣobhir bhakṣitā vā tapasvinī
brūhi = tell [Me]; lakṣmaṇa = Lakṣmaṇa; vaidehī = Vaidehī; yadi = if; jīvati vā = is alive; na = not; vā = or; tvayi = when You; pramatte = were inattentive; rakṣobhiḥ = did the rākṣasas; bhakṣitā vā = eat up; tapasvinī = that austere lady.
Lakṣmaṇa, tell [Me] if Vaidehī is alive or not! Did the rākṣasas eat up that austere lady when You were inattentive?
The second line of this verse is an elaboration of [what could have caused Vaidehī’s death] if she was not [alive].