Establishing the greatness of Śrī Rāma, Sumitrā, who is a pastmaster in eloquence, assuages Kausalyā’s grief.

The Lament of Kausalyā.

Śrī Rāma having departed for the forest in an exceptionally swift-going chariot, Daśaratha vainly seeks to cover the intervening distance on foot. The very dust raised by the chariot having disappeared after a while, the Emperor feels doubly disconsolate and drops to the ground. When Kaikeyī comes forward to support him, he scolds her and asks her not to touch his person. Kausalyā then lifts him up and persuades him to return. His personal attendants take him to the latterís apartments and, seeing him plunged in grief, Kausalyā seats herself beside him and begins to lament in various ways.

The ladies of the royal gynaeceum bewail the exile of Śrī Rāma and others and the citizens of Ayodhyā too are reduced to a miserable plight.

Going clockwise round Daśaratha (as a token of respect), Sītā, Rāma and Laksmana greet him. Accompanied by Sītā, Śrī Rāma salutes Kausalyā. Laksmana too hails Kausalyā first and then his own mother, Sumitrā. Sumitrā for her part tenders salutary advice to her son. The princes and the princess having mounted the chariot, Sumantra flicks the horses. The citizens that had assembled, closely follow the chariot; but unable to keep pace with its swift movement, they return desolate. Daśaratha too runs after the chariot alongwith Kausalyā and others, but being unable to walk begins to totter and stops short on the road yielding to the remonstrances of his wise ministers.

Sent away by Daśaratha, Sumantra gets a chariot ready to take Śrī Rāma and his party to the forest and Sītā adorns herself with jewels brought by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Kausalyā tenders opportune advice to her daughter-in-law and the latter bows to it. Śrī Rāma comforts Kausalyā and offers apology to his other mothers, who burst into a wail.

Incensed to hear the loud wailing of those present at the scene, on Sītā being dressed as a hermitess, Daśaratha reproaches Kaikeyī. While departing, Śrī Rāma entreats his father to take care of his mother.

Śrī Rāma urges his servants to fetch the bark of trees for being used as his wearing apparel. At this Kaikeyī herself brings them the desired dress, which both Śrī Rāma and Laksmana cover themselves with, taking off their princely robes. Sītā, however, finds it difficult to wear the bark supplied to her and ultimately puts it on over her own dress with the help of Śrī Rāma despite the remonstrances of Vasistha, who severely castigates Kaikeyī for her cruelty in exiling them.

Daśaratha instructs Sumantra to take a detachment of the army and the exchequer alongwith Śrī Rāma, to which Kaikeyī objects and insists on his being sent into exile without any resources on the analogy of Asamañja, son of the kingís forefather, Sagara. Another minister of the king, Siddhārtha by name, who was present there, opposes Kaikeyī and urges that the analogy of Asamañja, who was a perverse lad, could not be applied in the case of Śrī Rāma, who possessed an ideal character and deserved in every way to be installed in the office of Prince Regent. In the event of Kaikeyī vetoing the proposal, the king threatens to accompany the heir-apparent.

Hoping that by being provoked to anger Kaikeyī might come round and relax her insistence on sending Śrī Rāma into exile, Sumantra harshly reproaches her, reminding her of her mother’s misbehaviour towards her husband (Kaikeyī's father). Kaikeyī, however, remains adamant and does not budge even an inch from her purpose.