Desirous of seeing Rama, Vasishtha, taking before him the wives of
Dacaratha, proceeded towards the hermitage. And as the wives of the king
were going slowly by the Mandakini, they discovered the landing-place
which was used by Rama and Lakshmana. Thereupon Kaucalya, with her eyes
filled with tears and her countenance rendered pale, observed unto the
forlorn Sumitra as well as the other wives of the king, "Sacred like
unto a first wife, in this forest this is the landing-place of those
unfortunate ones of untiring energy, who had been deprived of the
kingdom. From here, O Sumitra, doth thy son, Saumitri, ever vigilant,
personally procure water for my son. Although thy son performeth a
servile office, yet he is not to blame: (the performance of) that alone
which serves no purpose of his brother possessed of many perfections,
could bring blame upon him. To day let thy son, who doth not deserve
such toilsome work, cease to perform that office which is fraught with
hardships fit only for the base." That lady of expansive eyes happened
to see on the earth the _Ingudi pinda_, which had been placed by Rama
for his sire on the _darbha_ with their tops pointing southwards. Seeing
this, which had been placed on the ground by Rama disconsolate for his
sire, the noble Kaucalya addressed all the wives of Dacaratha, saying,
"Do ye behold this that hath been duly offered to the high-souled
descendant of Raghu--lord of the Ikshvaku race--by Raghava. I do not
deem this as fit fare for that magnanimous monarch resembling a
celestial, who had enjoyed every luxury (in life). Having enjoyed this
earth bounded by the four seas, how can that lord of the world,
resembling on earth the mighty Indra, feed on this _Ingudi pinda_?
Nothing appeareth to me more deplorable in this world than this that the
auspicious Rama hath offered an _Ingudi_ cake unto his father. Seeing
the _Ingudi pinda_ offered by Rama unto his father, why doth not my
heart break into a thousand shivers? Now the tradition in vogue among
men, appearth to be true, viz., that "the fare that is partaken by a
person, is also partaken by his deity." Then those that were co-wives
with her, consoled the distressed Kaucalya; and, (entering the asylum),
beheld Rama like an immortal dropped from the celestial regions. Seeing
Rama, who had been deprived of every comfort, his mothers, overwhehhed
with grief and distress, began to shed tears, lamenting. Raising his
mothers, that foremost of men, Rama, true to his promise, took hold of
those lotus feet of theirs. And those ones furnished with expansive
eyes, (on their turn) by means of their fair hands of delicious feel
furnished with soft fingers and palms, fell to rubbing the dust off
Rama's back. After Rama had done, Sumitra's son also, seeing all his
mothers, with sorrow gently paid his reverence unto them with affection.
Thereat, as they had treated Rama, all the ladies treated that one
sprung from Dacaratha, Lakshmana, graced with auspicious marks. Sita
also with her eyes filled with tears, having taken hold of the feet of
her mothers-in- law, stood before them in distressful guise. Embracing
that woeful one in banishment, even as a mother doth her daughter,
Kaucalya, smitten with grief, said, "The daughter of Videha's King, and
the daughter-in-law of Dacaratha, and the wife of Rama himself--why doth
such a lady undergo misery in the lone forest? O Vaidehi, beholding thy
face like unto a lotus heated under the sun, or a lily that hath been
crushed, or like unto gold covered with dust, or the moon enveloped by
clouds, grief begot of this vortex of disaster that is in my mind,
fiercely burneth me, as fire consumeth a structure." As his wretched
mother was thus speaking, Bharata's elder brother, Raghava, approaching,
took the feet of Vasishtha. Having taken hold of the feet of the priest
resembling a flame, and of accumulated energy,--like unto that lord of
the immortals, Indra, taking the feet of Vrihaspati, Raghava sat down
with him. Then behind them (Rama and Vasishtha), along with his own
counsellors, and principal citizens, and generals, and persons of
eminent piety,--sat the virtuous Bharata in the presence of his elder
brother. Seeing Raghava in the guise of an ascetic, flaming in grace,
the exceedingly powerful Bharata with joined palms sat down in company
with his brother, like the great Indra of controlled faculties in
presence of Prajapati. "What will Bharata, having bowed unto Raghava and
paid him homage, will say to him?" --this intense curiosity arose in
(the minds of) all the noble persons present there. And Raghava having
truth and forbearance, and Laksmana endowed with magnanimity, and
Bharata possessed of righteousness, surrounded by their friends,
appeared (there) like unto the three fires surrounded by Sadasyas.