- and after considering the place and the time, the occasion and the assembly, the all-merciful and all-wise Rama, the steadfast upholder of righteousness, self-possessed, master of policy, ocean of truth, love, amiability and joy, maintainer of justice and affection,

- spoke words that were the quintessence of all eloquence, salutary in the end and sweet as the moon’s nectar to hear: ‘Bharata, my brother, you are the champion of righteousness, perfectly conversant with the world and the Vedas, an adept in the art of love.

For purity of thought, word and deed, your only equal, dear brother, is yourself. In this assembly of gurus and in such distressing circumstances how can I glorify the virtues of a younger brother?

You are conversant, dear brother, with the custom of the Solar race, and know how truthful and how affectionate our father was. You are also alive to the gravity of the occasion and the honour due to this assembly and our gurus, and all that is in the mind of our friends and foes and neutrals.

You know what everyone’s duty is and what is best for you and me and the duty we should observe. Though I have complete confidence in you, yet I say something suited to the occasion.

In the absence of our father, dear brother, only the favour of Vasishtha, the guru of the Solar line, has upheld us; otherwise all our subjects, our kinsmen, our people and ourselves would have been ruined.

If the sun sets before time, tell me who in this world will not be troubled? Such a calamity, brother, had Providence ordained, but the sage Vasishtha and the lord of Mithila have saved us all.