Very dear to me are the citizens of Ayodhya, a city that grants its inhabitants a home in my own heaven hereafter and is the abode of perfect bliss.’ The monkeys rejoiced to hear the Lord’s words and cried, ‘Blessed is Ayodhya that Rama has praised!’

When the Blessed Lord, the ocean of compassion, saw all the people coming out to meet him, he bade the chariot approach the city and touch down there. Then the car came down to land.

Having alighted from the car, the Lord directed Pushpaka to return to Kubera. At Rama’s bidding, it departed, full of mingled joy and sorrow at parting.

With Bharata came all the people, emaciated in body by their separation from Raghubira. When the Lord saw such great sages as Vamadeva, Vasishtha and others, he laid his bow and arrows on the ground

And ran with his brother to clasp his guru’s lotus feet, every hair of their bodies bristling with delight. Vasishtha, the lord of sages, embraced them and asked after their well-being. ‘By your favour,’ said the Lord, ‘all is well with us.’

The lord of the houses of Raghu, the champion of righteousness, greeted all the Brahmans and bowed his head before them. Then Bharata clasped the Lord’s lotus feet, ever worshipped by gods and sages, Shiva and Brahma.

Bharata lay prostrate on the ground and would not be raised, but Rama, the ocean of grace, pressed him to his bosom perforce. Every hair on his swarthy form stood erect and his eyes, as lovely as the newly opened lotus, were flooded with tears.