Now, Lord, I will go with you to see my guru; I am not putting you, Lord, under any obligation.’ The compassionate Lord saw through the sage’s cleverness and took him with him, both the brothers smiling.

Discoursing as he went on the incomparable excellence of faith in himself, the king of the gods arrived at the hermitage of the sage (Agastya). Sutikshna at once went to the guru and prostrating himself before him, spoke as follows:

My lord, the son of the sovereign of Kosala, the support of the world, has come to visit you, Rama, accompanied by his brother and Videha’s daughter (Sita), to whom, sir, you make your prayer night and day.’

As soon as he heard this, Agastya started up and ran, and at the sight of Hari his eyes filled with tears. The two brothers fell at the sage’s lotus feet, but the sage raised them and clasped them to his bosom with the utmost affection.

Courteously inquiring after their welfare, the enlightened sage conducted them to an exalted seat and then paid the Lord all possible reverence, saying, ‘There is none so blessed as I.’

All the other sages assembled there were exceedingly delighted to behold the fountain of joy.

As he sat in the midst of the assembly of sages with his face turned towards all (and their eyes all fastened upon his moon-like face), they all looked like a bevy of partridges gazing on the autumn moon.