Leaving the children and old men at home, all the citizens accompanied him. Raghunatha made his first day’s halt on the bank of the river Tamasa.

When Rama saw his people so overpowered with love, his tender heart was sore distressed; for Raghunatha, the holy Lord, is all compassion and readily touched by the grief of others

Addressing them in affectionate, gentle and tender tones, he did his best to dissuade them, repeatedly instructing them in their moral duty, but in their fondness they would not turn back.

As Rama could not afford to take leave of his amiable disposition and loving nature, he was in a dilemma. At last, overcome by grief and weariness, the people fell asleep, a divine delusion also helping to benumb their minds

When two watches of the night had passed, Rama addressed his minister in endearing terms; ‘Friend, so drive the chariot that the tracks of the wheels are all effaced; by no other means can our object be accomplished.’

Bowing their heads to the feet of Shambhu (Shiva), Rama, Lakshmana and Sita mounted the car, and the minister (Sumantra) immediately drove it away now in one direction and now in another, confusion the tracks.

At day-break all the people awoke. ‘Raghunatha has gone!’ they loudly exclaimed. Nowhere could they find the tracks of the chariot; they ran about in all directions, crying, ‘Rama! O Rama!’