I have reaped the fated fruit of my own actions and have now sought refuge in you. Protect me, my Lord!’ when the all-merciful Lord heard his most piteous plea, O Bhavani, he let him go with the loss of one eye.

Although in his infatuation Jayanta had antagonized him and therefore deserved to die, the Lord had compassion upon him and set him free. Who is so merciful as Rama?

Raghunatha stayed on at Chitrakuta and performed exploits of many kinds grateful as nectar to the ear. Rama then thought to himself, ‘People will throng here, now that they all know who I am.’

Taking leave of all the sages, therefore, the two brothers (Rama and Lakshmana) left the place with Sita. When the Lord came to Atri’s hermitage, the great sage rejoiced at the news.

Trembling with emotion, Atri sprang up and ran to meet him, and seeing him come, Rama too advanced hurriedly and was falling prostrate before him, but the sage (raised him and ) clasped him to his bosom and bathed the two brothers in tears of affection.

His eyes were gladdened by the sight of Rama’s beauty. Then he reverently escorted them to his own hermitage, where he worshipped them and addressed them in gracious terms and offered them such roots and fruit as the Lord’s soul relished.

As the Lord took his seat, Atri (the chief of sages), supremely wise, feasted his eyes on his loveliness, and then folding his hands in supplication, he sang this hymn of praise: