As the virtuous Lakṣmaṇa was speaking thus from affection, Rāghava, not bearing the blame cast upon his mother (Kaikeyi), said, My brother, you should by no means, tax our second mother. Do you talk of that lord of the Ikşvāku race, Bharata.
इत्येवं लक्ष्मणे वाक्यं स्नेहाद् वदति धार्मिके। परिवादं जनन्यास्तमसहन् राघवोऽब्रवीत्॥ न तेऽम्बा मध्यमा तात गर्हितव्या कदाचन। तामेवेक्ष्वाकुनाथस्य भरतस्य कथां कुरु॥