With Bharata’s permission his servants and ministers all left and began each to attend to his own duties. The people in both camps were sore distressed at the news and began to prepare for the return journey.

The two brothers adored their Lord’s lotus feet and bowing to Rama’s will, set out on their journey. They supplicated the sages, the anchorites and the forest deities and honoured them again and again.

Having greeted Lakshmana and made obeisance to him, both placed on their heads the dust of Sita’s feet, and receiving her loving benediction, the root of all fair blessings, set out on their journey.

Rama and his younger brother (Lakshmana) bowed to king Janaka in humble supplication
and praised him in many ways: ‘Moved by compassion for us, my lord, you gave greatly suffered by coming all the way to this forest with your retinue.

Be pleased now to grant me your blessing and return to your city.’ At this the monarch mastered his emotion and departed. The Lord also treated with honour the sages and other Brahmans and holy men and bade farewell to them with the same respect as is due to Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Shiva).

Then the two brothers called on their mother-in-law (Sunayana) and having adored her feet and received her blessing, came back. Next, to Vishvamitra, Vamadeva and Jabali, the loyal kinsfolk, the citizens and their ministers.

- Rama and his brother made humble obeisance, as was most befitting, and bade them all farewell. The gracious Lord courteously dismissed all the men and women, high, middle-class and low.