He now invoked in his heart the gracious goddess Sharada, who rose from the holy lake of his soul to his lotus mouth. Bharata’s speech, fraught with pure wisdom, piety and prudence, resembled a lovely swan. (As he mentally invoked the gracious goddess, from the depths of his soul there came to his lotus mouth a swan-like strain full of pure wisdom, piety and goodness.)

With the eyes of prudence he saw that the whole assembly was faint with love. He made obeisance to all and, invoking Sita and Rama, spoke as follows:

‘O Lord, you are my father and mother, my friend, my guru and my master; you are the object of my adoration, my best benefactor and reader of my heart, sincere and best of masters, the root-foundation of amiability, the protector of the suppliant, all-knowing and all-wise,

- all-powerful friend of those who take refuge in you, quick to appreciate merit and drive away vice and sin. You are the only master like yourself, my lord, and there is no enemy of his master like myself!

In my folly I assembled a host and came here in defiance of the commands of my lord and my father. In the world are good men and bad, high and low, nectar and immortality, venom and death;

- but nowhere have I seen or heard of anyone who even in though could frustrate Rama’s will. Yet I have been altogether presumptuous, and my Lord in his love has taken my presumption as a token of affection and an act of service.

Out of his own grace and goodness my Lord has done me a good turn; my failings have become my adornments and my fair fame has spread all around.