Removing his father’s dead body from the vessel full of oil and cremating it with the help of articles befitting an Emperor, and offering libations of water to the spirit of the deceased on the bank of the Sarayū, as enjoined by Vasistha, Bharata returns to Ayodhyā.

Swearing that what had already come to pass in the shape of exile of Śrī Rāma, Sītā and aksmana and the resultant death of the King-Emperor was not to his liking, Bharata moves with Śatrughna to the apartments of his stepmother, Kausalyā, who speaks unkindly to him taunting him with the remark that his mother, Kaikeyī, had rendered good offices to him by securing for him the kingdom of Kosala, sought after by him. Bharata, however, politely denies on a number of oaths all complicity in the machinations of his vile mother. Thereby coming to know of his heart, the guileless Kausalyā places Bharata on her lap and weeps bitterly.

Severely reproaching his mother once more, and making up his mind not only to bring back Śrī Rāma from the forest and crown him king, but also to go into exile for fourteen years in order to redeem his elder brother’s vow; Bharata, who is filled with rage at the thought of the mischief wrought by his mother, cannot contain his grief and falls unconscious on the ground.

Bitterly reproaching Kaikeyī in many ways, and cutting her to the quick by his caustic remarks, Bharata takes a vow before her to bring back Śrī Rāma from the forest, install him on the throne of Ayodhyā and wait upon him as an attendant to offend her.

Entering his father’s apartments and not finding him there, Bharata moves to his mother’s apartments and, having communicated to her the welfare of his maternal grandfather and others on being questioned by her, inquires of her the whereabouts of his father. Kaikeyī then breaks to him the news of his father’s death, attributing it to Śrī Rāma’s exile and holding herself responsible for the latter, and after comforting him calls upon him to get himself installed on the throne after finishing his father’s obsequies.

When Bharata reaches Ayodhyā after crossing many streams and rivers and passing through different territories and finds the city cheerless and wearing a deserted look, he sets about brooding and speculating as to what may be the reason for this and, speaking to the charioteer about it, enters the palace dejected and disconsolate.

While Bharata was narrating to his friends the dream seen by him the previous night, the messengers from Ayodhyā arrive in his presence and, bowing low to Bharata, communicate to him the orders of Sage Vasistha. Having heard of the welfare of all from the mouth of the messengers, the prince takes leave of his maternal grandfather and others and departs for Ayodhyā.

Finding Bharata oppressed and sad, his friends try to beguile him by means of music and narration of stories. But when the prince does not return to his normal mood even then, they inquire of him as to what makes him pensive and Bharata tells them how he saw a bad dream the previous night.

With the concurrence of Mārkandeya and other sages, Vasistha despatches messengers to call back Bharata and Śatrughna from their maternal grandfatherís. They leave forthwith for the capital of Kekaya and quickly enter that city.

Attributing the rise and fall of a kingdom to the presence and disappearance of its ruler, Mārkandeya and other great sages, who attended the kingís court the following day, urge Vasistha to install any of the princes on the throne immediately.