“ Renounced by Rāma, how shall ye, rendered widows, stay with the wicked Kaikeyi, co-wife with us? That one of free soul is our master, as he is the lord of yourself. Rāma has gone to the woods, forsaking regal dignity. Deprived of you as well as that hero, and overwhelmed with misfortune, how shall we live reprimanded by Kaikeyi? She that has renounced the king, Rāma, and Lakshmana along with Sitā— whom can such a one not renounce?" Thus with tears in their eyes, the wives of that descendant of Raghu, joyless and convulsed with a huge passion, displayed signs of sorrow. ”

“ Do thou, Oh my son, repair unto the forest, being profusely provided with fruits, roots and other things. May all the creatures of the sky, all those who breathe on this Earth, and all those deities who are hostile unto thee, contribute to thy welfare. May Sukra Soma, Sun, the lord of wealth and Death, protect thee, Oh Rāma, resorting to the forest of Dandaka. May fire, air, smoke and the mantras uttered by the Rishis protect thee, Oh descendant of Raghu, at the time of thy bathing. May the lord of creation, Rishis and all the remaining deities defend thee when dwelling in the forest. ”

“ O foremost of men, the people are attached unto thyself, the monarch, Bliarata, Satrughna, and myself, because of our various good qualities. I bewail our father as well as my illustrious mother. I fear lest lamenting ceaselessly, they become blind. But surely the virtuous Bharata will console our father and mother with words fraught with virtue, interest and profit. Reflecting again and again on Bharata's sincerity of soul, I do not, O mighty- armed one, bewail either my mother or my father. O foremost of men, that thou hast followed me is what is thy duty. ”

“ And the cool air does not blow, and no moon of mild appearance is seen, and no sun heats the world, all the entire Earth is overwhelmed with woe. And sons depend not upon their parents, hurbands on their wives, and brothers on brothers; and all forsaking each other, think of Rāma only. And deprived of sense, and oppressed by the load of sorrow, the friends of Rāma forsook their rest. Like the Earth with her mountains bereft of Purandara, Ayodhyā, bereft of Rāma, shook, agitated by fear and grief; and the citizens with elephants and warriors uttered exclamations of distress. ”

“ King Daçarātha will install Rāma as heir-apparent. I have been sunk in a fathomless fear; and am afflicted with grief and heaviness. And as if burning in fire I, seeking, thy welfare, have come unto thee. For, O Kaikeyi, great waxeth my grief on witnessing thy sorrow; and my advancement progresseth along with thine. There is no doubt about this. Born in a race of king thou art the queen of this lord of earth. Why dost not thou then realise the sternness of royal morality. Thy maintainer speaketh most morally; but is crafty for all that: he speaketh blandly, but hath a crooked heart. ”

“ On Rāma having passed the night there, Bharadwāja spoke unto him,—"Do thou trace thy steps to Chitrakuta filled with delicious fruits and roots. I deem that, O mighty Rāma, as a fit abode for thee, being, as it is, furnished with various kinds of trees, inhabited by crowds of Kinnaras, resounding with the cries of peacocks, and frequented by gignantic elephants. Do thou repair unto the famed Chitrakuta, holy, fair to the view, and abounding in countless fruits and roots. And in those forests range herds of elephants and deer; and these, O Rāghava, thou wilt behold. ”

“ Surely, Bharata should be slain by me. O Rāghava, fault find I none in slaying Bharata; slaying a former wronger, one doth not reap unrighteousness. O Rāghava, there is religious merit to be reaped by slaying Bharata, who had formerly done us wrong. On this one being slain, you will rule the entire earth. To day shall Kaikeyi lusting after the kingdom, with grief behold her son slain in battle by me, like a tree riven by an elephant. I will also kill Kaikeyi along (with the hump-backed one) , and her friends. Let the earth today be freed from foul sins. ”

“ When Bharata hath been installed and Rāma gone to the woods, I will, O hump-backed one, furnish thy hump with a garland made, O beautiful one, of well melted gold. And when I shall have attained my object and be happy, I will smear thy hump with sandal paste. O hump-backed one, I will prepare for thy face an excellent tilaka of gold; as well as other ornaments. Wearing elegant apparel, thou wilt go about like a very goddess. With an incomparable countenance challenging the moon himself, thou wilt attain pre-eminence, defying thy foes. ”

“ Rāghava ever serveth thee as a mother. Why thou art then bent upon wronging him? It is to bring down destruction upon myself that through ignorance I brought unto this house thee like unto a serpent of virulent poison. When all men show their regard for Rāma's virtues, for what transgression shall I forsake my dear son? I may renounce Kauçalyā or Sumitrā or the kingdom, or life itself; but Rāma, filled with affection for his father, will I not renounce. I experience supreme delight on beholding my first-born; and when I see him not, I lose my senses. The world may exist without the Sun ”

“ And, O Satrughna, see how fast these cars yoked with steeds and driven by skilful charioteers, are proceeding in the forest. And behold these beauteous peacocks, which, being frightened, take refuge in the mountain —the home of feathered tribes. This country appears to me exceedingly lovely. This abode of the ascetics is like onto the way to heaven itself. Male and female deer and Prishatas in the forest, beautiful to look at, appear as if variegated with flowers. Now let the soldiers go advisedly and search this forest, so that they light upon those chiefs of men, Rāma and Lakshmana. ”

“ What wrong hast thou come by either through me, or Rāma ever engaged in thy welfare? On beholding Rāma plunged in sorrow, fathers will forsake sons, and wives attached unto their husbands will forsake them, and the entire earth will be affected with ill-humour. When I hear him coming, adorned like unto a son of the celestials, I rejoice on casting my eyes on him, and I feel as if I had regained my youth. Men may do without the Sun, and the wielder of the thunder-bolt not raining, but none, I apprehend, can live, on witnessing Rāma repairing hence. ”

“ And, O Rāma, the regions I have conquered by my asceticism do thou destroy with that foremost of arrows: let there be no delay about it. Even from thy handling of this bow I know thee to be the chief of the celestials even that eternal one, the slayer of Madhu. Hail to thee, O vanquisher of foes! And all these celestials assembled are beholding thee, of unparalleled deeds, and without an antagonist in fight.—And, O Kākutstha, neither ought I to be ashamed (because of this discomfiture) ; I have been baffled by the lord himself of the three worlds. ”

“ When, hearing that those heroes have come, will Ayodhyā adorned with standards and garlands, attain fame, with her populace filled with joy? When, seeing those foremost of men returned from the forest, will the city overflow with delight, like the ocean on the occasion of a Parva? When will the mighty-armed hero enter the city of Ayodhyā, placing Sitā" before him on the car,—like unto a bull having his bovine mate before him? When will people by thousands shower fried paddy upon my sons on the road, as those repressors of foes will enter the city? ”