Canto 3 -
Araṇya-kāṇḍa
Chapter 71: Kabandha’s Past Life
Text 3.71.25
स त्वं सीतां समाचक्ष्व येन वा यत्र वा हृता।
कुरु कल्याणमत्यर्थं यदि जानासि तत्त्वतः॥
sa tvaṁ sītāṁ samācakṣva yena vā yatra vā hṛtā
kuru kalyāṇam atyarthaṁ yadi jānāsi tattvataḥ
saḥ tvam1 sītām = about Sītā; samācakṣva = tell [Me]; yena vā = who; yatra vā = and to which place; hṛtā = abducted her; kuru = do [Me]; kalyāṇam = favor; atyartham = this great; yadi = if; jānāsi = you know; tattvataḥ = the truth.
Tell [Me] about Sītā. Who abducted her and to which place? Do [Me] this great favor if you know the truth.
1 Technical note: saḥ tvam samācakṣva.
Lord Rāma wanted [Kabandha] to truthfully [answer these questions]. That was the favor He sought.