When they passed by the village, men and women ran out to have a look at them; they found in the sight of their lord the fruition of their lives and sadly turned homeward, sending their hears to bear them company.

Courteously Rama dismissed the students, who returned with their heart’s desire fulfilled. Having crossed the river, they al stopped to bathe in Yamuna’s stream, which was dark as Rama’s own body.

When those who dwelt upon the river banks heard of their arrival, they all ran to see them, forsaking whatever they were doing. On beholding the beauty of Lakshmana, Rama and Sita, they congratulated themselves on their own good fortune.

Their hearts were seized with intense longing, but they hesitated to ask their names and where they lived. Such of them, however, as were advanced in years and clever could somehow guess who Rama was.

They related the whole story to the rest, telling them how Rama had come to the woods in obedience to is father’s bidding. They were all sad to hear this and lamented, saying: ‘The king and queen have done ill.’

At that moment there arrived an ascetic, an embodiment of spiritual glow, young in years and charming in appearance, of a nature unknown to the poets; he was in the guise of a recluse and devoted to Rama in thought and word and deed

As soon as he recognized his own adored divinity, his eyes were bedewed with tears and he trembled with emotion and fell prostrate to the ground in a state of ineffable rapture