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.

Though consoled by Śrī Rāma in many ways, Sītā did not change her mind and seeing her insistent on accompanying him, Śrī Rāma agrees to take her to the forest and asks her to prepare for the journey and to give away all her personal belongings in charity.

Sītā continues to implore Śrī Rāma to take her to the forest alongwith him. Śrī Rāma, however, is adamant and goes on consoling her and asking her to stay on in Ayodhyā.

Bringing home to Sītā the austerity and hardships of forest life, Śrī Rāma tries once more to dissuade her from her insistence on accompanying him to the forest.

Exhorted by Śrī Rāma to stay in Ayodhyā to look after his parents, Sītā submits in reply that she being his counterpart, her exile is implied in his and insists on her being taken with him since she would not be able to bear separation from him.

Beholding Śrī Rāma depressed in spirits and lustreless with frustration writ large on his countenance, Sītā, who knew nothing about the interruption of his installation and had been eagerly and joyfully awaiting his return, inquires about the cause of his dejection and is told how his installation has been stopped and how he is going to be sent into exile by his father, and exhorted to look after her father-in-law and mothers-in-law as before and to treat Bharata and Śatrughna as her own brothers or sons and never to harbour malice towards them.

Having received the motherís benedictions for the journey, Śrī Rāma falls at her feet and proceeds to the apartments of Sītā in order to see her.

Finding Śrī Rāma firm in his obedience to the command of his parents, Kausalyā (Śrī Rāma’s mother) urges him to take her alongwith him. On being told, however, that it was incumbent on a matron whose husband was alive to remain with the latter and serve him, she consents to Śrī Rāma’s departure to the forest.

Enraged to hear the exhortation of Śrī Rāma, Laksmana urges in reply that the word of their father was worth ignoring inasmuch as it was divorced from righteousness and, further emphasizing the predominance of personal effort over destiny, persuades Śrī Rāma to take up arms against those who interfere with his installation and occupy the throne of Ayodhyā by force. Śrī Rāma, however, pacifies Laksmana and impresses on him the imperative necessity of their carrying out the command of their father.

Śrī Rāma pacifies Laksmana, denying the instrumentality and laying the entire who was angry with Kaikeyī, by of Kaikeyī in his banishment blame on his own fate.

Consoling Kausalyā in her grief over the impending exile of Śrī Rāma, Prince Laksmana opposes the idea of Śrī Rāma’s leaving for the forest and, censuring Daśaratha, makes up his mind to accompany his eldest brother. Kausalyā too deters Śrī Rāma from going into exile, branding Kaikeyī’s command as unjust. Śrī Rāma, however, justifies the command on the ground of its being countenanced by the Emperor and requests his mother to grant him leave and perform auspicious rites connected with his departure.

Even as Śrī Rāma issued forth from the palace of Queen Kaikeyī, the inmates of the gynaeceum burst into a piteous wail, extolling the princeís virtues. Mother Kausalyā embraces and pronounces her benedictions on Śrī Rāma as the latter approaches her and falls at her feet. On being apprised of the circumstances that had brought him there, she falls to the ground overwhelmed with grief, and weeps bitterly expressing her deep sorrow.

Having agreed to leave for the forest, Śrī Rāma proceeds to take leave of his mother Kausalyā.

Questioned by Śrī Rāma as to what preyed on his father's mind, Kaikeyī tells him all that had happened in the meantime and sternly urges him to depart for the woods.

Śrī Rāma drives in state to his father’s gynaeceum, beholding en route the charms of Ayodhyā, hearing the blessings and encomia of his friends and relations and ravishing the eyes of all on-lookers, and on reaching his destination sends back his retinue and seeks the presence of his royal father alone.

Seeking the presence of Śrī Rāma, Sumantra communicates to him the Emperor’s command asking Sumantra to bring Rāma with him, and departs. Mounting his gold chariot and accompanied by Laksmana, who holds an umbrella over the formerís head and waves a pair of chowries in order to fan him, and followed by a number of elephants and horses, Śrī Rāma drives in state to see Daśaratha, listening en route to his own glory sung by jubilant men and women.

While going out of the gynaeceum to bring Śrī Rāma, Sumantra sees Vasistha and others as well as a number of kings waiting at the gate and hastens back to announce their presence to the king. He is, however, sent back to fetch Śrī Rāma and forthwith enters the latter's apartments.

Citing other instances of the Emperor’s fidelity to truth and threatening to lay down her life in the event of his not carrying out her wishes, Kaikeyī insists on his sending Śrī Rāma into exile at once and does not desist from her purpose even when railed at by her husband. In the meantime Sumantra makes his appearance in the gynaeceum and, extolling the Emperor, reminds him of his intention to install Śrī Rāma as Prince Regent and eventually leaves the gynaeceum in order to summon Śrī Rāmaa at the instance of the Emperor.