Standing with his face turned towards Ayodhyā, Śrī Rāma bids farewell to his birth-place and, sending back the people hailing from the countryside, who had come to see him, and crossing the frontiers of Kosala, Śrī Rāma reaches the bank of the holy Gangā. Alighting from the chariot under an Ingudī tree standing on the bank, he goes forward to meet Guha, the chief of the Nisādas, who had come to meet him. Nay, worshipping the evening twilight and taking water only (for food and drink), the prince lies down on the ground to repose for the night; while Sumantra, Guha and Laksmana spend the night talking together.
Having covered a long distance in the meantime, Śrī Rāma finishes his morning bath and devotions and, having crossed the Vedaśruti, Gomatī and Syandikā rivers, presses forward talking with Sumantra.
Told of Śrī Rāma’s departure for the forest by the citizens, who had gone out with Śrī Rāma and returned, unable as they were to find out the tracks of his chariot, their wives reproach Kaikeyī and break into lamentation.
The citizens that had followed Śrī Rāma in his journey to the forest woke to find Śrī Rāma and his party gone and begin to reproach themselves. Overcome with grief they hunt up the tracks of his chariot; but unable to find them, they helplessly return to Ayodhyā in utter despondency.
Having reached the bank of the Tamasā and thinking of the plight of the people of Ayodhyā, Śrī Rāma lays himself down on a bed of leaves bewailing the lot of his parents and feeling reassured by the thought of Bharata’s noble qualities; while Laksmana opens his dialogue with Sumantra on the divine excellences of Śrī Rāma. Waking up in the meantime, Śrī Rāma urges the charioteer-minister to drive the chariot in such a way as to put the citizens, that had accompanied them, off the scent and lead them to think that the chariot had turned back towards Ayodhyā instead of proceeding towards the forest. He then mounts the chariot alongwith Sītā and Laksmana and presses on to the forest.
When the citizens that followed Śrī Rāma in his journey to the forest refuse to return even when pleaded by Śrī Rāma in many ways, unable as they were to bear separation from him, Śrī Rāma, with Sītā and Laksmana, gets down from his chariot and begins to walk. The citizens try to deflect him from his course and persuade him to return, but in vain. At the close of the day they all reach the bank of the Tamasā.
Establishing the greatness of Śrī Rāma, Sumitrā, who is a pastmaster in eloquence, assuages Kausalyā’s grief.
The Lament of Kausalyā.
Śrī Rāma having departed for the forest in an exceptionally swift-going chariot, Daśaratha vainly seeks to cover the intervening distance on foot. The very dust raised by the chariot having disappeared after a while, the Emperor feels doubly disconsolate and drops to the ground. When Kaikeyī comes forward to support him, he scolds her and asks her not to touch his person. Kausalyā then lifts him up and persuades him to return. His personal attendants take him to the latterís apartments and, seeing him plunged in grief, Kausalyā seats herself beside him and begins to lament in various ways.
The ladies of the royal gynaeceum bewail the exile of Śrī Rāma and others and the citizens of Ayodhyā too are reduced to a miserable plight.
Going clockwise round Daśaratha (as a token of respect), Sītā, Rāma and Laksmana greet him. Accompanied by Sītā, Śrī Rāma salutes Kausalyā. Laksmana too hails Kausalyā first and then his own mother, Sumitrā. Sumitrā for her part tenders salutary advice to her son. The princes and the princess having mounted the chariot, Sumantra flicks the horses. The citizens that had assembled, closely follow the chariot; but unable to keep pace with its swift movement, they return desolate. Daśaratha too runs after the chariot alongwith Kausalyā and others, but being unable to walk begins to totter and stops short on the road yielding to the remonstrances of his wise ministers.
Sent away by Daśaratha, Sumantra gets a chariot ready to take Śrī Rāma and his party to the forest and Sītā adorns herself with jewels brought by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Kausalyā tenders opportune advice to her daughter-in-law and the latter bows to it. Śrī Rāma comforts Kausalyā and offers apology to his other mothers, who burst into a wail.
Incensed to hear the loud wailing of those present at the scene, on Sītā being dressed as a hermitess, Daśaratha reproaches Kaikeyī. While departing, Śrī Rāma entreats his father to take care of his mother.
Śrī Rāma urges his servants to fetch the bark of trees for being used as his wearing apparel. At this Kaikeyī herself brings them the desired dress, which both Śrī Rāma and Laksmana cover themselves with, taking off their princely robes. Sītā, however, finds it difficult to wear the bark supplied to her and ultimately puts it on over her own dress with the help of Śrī Rāma despite the remonstrances of Vasistha, who severely castigates Kaikeyī for her cruelty in exiling them.
Daśaratha instructs Sumantra to take a detachment of the army and the exchequer alongwith Śrī Rāma, to which Kaikeyī objects and insists on his being sent into exile without any resources on the analogy of Asamañja, son of the kingís forefather, Sagara. Another minister of the king, Siddhārtha by name, who was present there, opposes Kaikeyī and urges that the analogy of Asamañja, who was a perverse lad, could not be applied in the case of Śrī Rāma, who possessed an ideal character and deserved in every way to be installed in the office of Prince Regent. In the event of Kaikeyī vetoing the proposal, the king threatens to accompany the heir-apparent.
Hoping that by being provoked to anger Kaikeyī might come round and relax her insistence on sending Śrī Rāma into exile, Sumantra harshly reproaches her, reminding her of her mother’s misbehaviour towards her husband (Kaikeyī's father). Kaikeyī, however, remains adamant and does not budge even an inch from her purpose.
Apprised of Śrī Rāma’s arrival by Sumantra, Daśaratha commands him to usher in Śrī Rāma with his consort. Seeing the Emperor fall unconscious at the very sight of the heir-apparent, the ladies of the royal household start wailing piteously. On Śrī Rāma’s soliciting his permission to retire to the woods, the king enjoins him to take his father captive and ascend the throne. Śrī Rāma in his turn consoles his father by assuring him that he has no hankering for royal fortune and that to him obedience to his fatherís command is of utmost importance. Daśaratha, however, falls unconscious again at the very thought of his separation from Śrī Rāma and Sumantra as well as all the ladies of the gynaeceum follow suit.
Having distributed his immense riches among the Brāhmanas and others, Śrī Rāma, accompanied by Sītā and Laksmana, proceeds to his father’s gynaeceum to take leave of him. Remaining unruffled even on hearing en route the diverse talks of the citizens gathered here and there, with melancholy writ large on their faces, the royal trio reach their destination and urge Sumantra to apprise their royal father of their arrival.
Having received gifts of jewels and ornaments from Śrī Rāma and Sītā, Suyajña invokes divine blessings on the couple. Enjoined by Śrī Rāma, Laksmana then bestows silk costumes and ornaments etc., on the sons of Sage Agastya and others. Urged by his wife, a sage, Trijata by name, approaches Śrī Rāma and seeks riches from him. Śrī Rāma thereupon bestows on him thousands of cows and distributes his remaining wealth among other Brāhmanas as well as among his relations and dependants.
Hearing the dialogue of Śrī Rāma and Sītā, Laksmana seeks his permission to accompany him to the forest. Śrī Rāma desires him to stay in Ayodhyā in order to look after his mothers. But seeing his insistence, he agrees to take him as well and urges him to bring Suyajña and other Rsis, accounting them worthy of receiving gifts from him.
