With such fond remarks they filled their eyes with tears and added, ‘How can they, who are so delicate, traverse so difficult a road?’

Overmastered by love, the women felt as uneasy as the chakavi at eventide. As they reflected on the tender lotus feet of the princes and the rough road, the women said in piteous tones with their hearts stirred with deep feeling:

‘At the touch of their tender, rosy feet the very earth shrinks as shrink our hearts! If the lord of the universe chose to exile them into the woods, why did he not strew their path with flowers?

If we can obtain from God the boon of our asking, let it be, friend, that we keep them ever in our eyes Those men and women who had not come to time, were unable to see Sita and Rama.

When they heard of their exquisite beauty, they anxiously asked: ‘How far, brother, must they have gone by this time?’ the stronger of them ran on and saw the princes, and returned rejoicing, having obtained the fruition of their lives.

The frail women, the children and the aged, however, wrung their hands and lamented. In this manner, wherever Rama went, the people were smitten with love.

So in very village there was similar rejoicing at the sight of Rama, the moon of the lily-like Solar race. Those who had learnt by hearsay of the circumstances leading to Rama’s banishment imputed blame to the king and queen.