With this in mind pray tell me a place where I may go with Sita and Lakshmana (Sumitra’s son) and build a pretty hut of leaves and grass and make my dwelling for a time, O gracious sir.’

On hearing Raghunatha’s spontaneously simple speech, the enlightened seer exclaimed, ‘Well said indeed! Why should you not speak thus, O Banner of the house of Raghu, eternal guardians of the bounds of the Vedas?

You are the custodian of the bounds of the Vedas and the Lord of the universe and Janaki is Maya (Illusion), who at your gracious will creates, preserves and dissolves the world. As for Lakshmana, he is no other than the thousand-headed Shesha (Serpent King), the supporter of the earth and sovereign of all created things, both animate and inanimate. Having assumed a kingly form for the sake of the gods, you are out to slay the demon host.

Your being, O Rama, is beyond the range of speech and reason, incomprehensible, unutterable and infinite, described ever by the Vedas as “Not thus, not thus”!

This world is just empty show and you are its spectator; you make even Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva dance like puppets. Even they comprehend not your mysteries; who else, then, could discover you as you are?

Only he knows you to whom you make yourself known; and the moment he knows you he becomes one with you. It is by your grace, Raghunandana, that your votaries learn to know you, who touch the devout soul like soothing sandalwood.

Your body is all consciousness and bliss, immutable; it is the competent alone who realize that it is altogether free from material impurities. It is for the sake of saints and gods that you have assumed a human semblance and speak and act as do worldly monarchs.