The men and women of the city also did reverence and were delighted to see the divine stream, and after bathing prayed with folded hands: ‘May our devotion to Ramachandra’s feet never grow less!’

Bharata exclaimed, ‘Your sands, O holy stream, are the bestowers of happiness on all, the very cow of plenty to your votaries; with folded hands I ask of you only this boon: spontaneous devotion to the feet of Sita and Rama.’

Thus after bathing and receiving his guru’s commands and on learning that all the queens had bathed, he had the tents shifted.

The people took up their lodging here and there and Bharata made sure that all had come and comfortably settled. After worshipping the gods and taking leave of them, the two brothers (Bharata and Shatrughan) went up to Rama’s mother (Kausalya).

Bharata paid honour to all his mothers, rubbing and pressing their feet and speaking many tender words. Then having left them to the dutiful care of his brother, he himself summoned the Nishada chief,

- and went hand in hand with him, his body fainting with excess of love. He asked his friend to show him the spot – and thus assuage a little the agony of his eyes and soul -

- where Sita, Rama and Lakshmana had slept at night. Even as he spoke, the corners of his eyes were filled with tears. The Nishada chief was distressed at Bharata’s words and quickly brought him to the spot -