Ramayana 3.329a

When Rama saw his brother stand With none beside him, all unmanned, Eager he questioned why he came So far without the Maithil dame: "Where is my wife, my darling, she Who to the wild wood followed me? Where hast thou left my lady, where The dame who chose my lot to share? Where is my love who balms my woe As through the forest wilds I go, Unkinged and banished and disgraced,-- My darling of the dainty waist? She nerves my spirit for the strife, She, only she gives zest to life, Dear as my breath is she who vies In charms with daughters of the skies. If Janak's child be mine no more, In splendour fair as virgin ore, The lordship of the skies and earth To me were prize of little worth. Ah, lives she yet, the Maithil dame, Dear as the soul within this frame? O, let not all my toil be vain, The banishment, the woe and pain! O, let not dark Kaikeyi win The guerdon of her treacherous sin, If, Sita lost, my days I end, And thou without me homeward wend! O, let not good Kausalya shed Her bitter tears to mourn me dead, Nor her proud rival's hest obey, Strong in her son and queenly sway! Back to my cot will I repair If Sita live to greet me there, But if my wife have perished, I Reft of my love will surely die. O Lakshman, if I seek my cot, Look for my love and find her not Sweet welcome with her smile to give, I tell thee, I will cease to live. O answer,--let thy words be plain,-- Lives Sita yet, or is she slain? Didst thou thy sacred trust betray Till ravening giants seized the prey? Ah me, so young, so soft and fair, Lapped in all bliss, untried by care, Rent from her own dear husband, how Will she support her misery now? That voice, O Lakshman smote thine ear, And filled, I ween, thy heart with fear, When on thy name for succour cried The treacherous giant ere he died. That voice too like mine own, I ween, Was heard by the Videhan queen.