Apprised of Śrī Rāma’s arrival by Sumantra, Daśaratha commands him to usher in Śrī Rāma with his consort. Seeing the Emperor fall unconscious at the very sight of the heir-apparent, the ladies of the royal household start wailing piteously. On Śrī Rāma’s soliciting his permission to retire to the woods, the king enjoins him to take his father captive and ascend the throne. Śrī Rāma in his turn consoles his father by assuring him that he has no hankering for royal fortune and that to him obedience to his fatherís command is of utmost importance. Daśaratha, however, falls unconscious again at the very thought of his separation from Śrī Rāma and Sumantra as well as all the ladies of the gynaeceum follow suit.

Having distributed his immense riches among the Brāhmanas and others, Śrī Rāma, accompanied by Sītā and Laksmana, proceeds to his father’s gynaeceum to take leave of him. Remaining unruffled even on hearing en route the diverse talks of the citizens gathered here and there, with melancholy writ large on their faces, the royal trio reach their destination and urge Sumantra to apprise their royal father of their arrival.

Having received gifts of jewels and ornaments from Śrī Rāma and Sītā, Suyajña invokes divine blessings on the couple. Enjoined by Śrī Rāma, Laksmana then bestows silk costumes and ornaments etc., on the sons of Sage Agastya and others. Urged by his wife, a sage, Trijata by name, approaches Śrī Rāma and seeks riches from him. Śrī Rāma thereupon bestows on him thousands of cows and distributes his remaining wealth among other Brāhmanas as well as among his relations and dependants.

Hearing the dialogue of Śrī Rāma and Sītā, Laksmana seeks his permission to accompany him to the forest. Śrī Rāma desires him to stay in Ayodhyā in order to look after his mothers. But seeing his insistence, he agrees to take him as well and urges him to bring Suyajña and other Rsis, accounting them worthy of receiving gifts from him.

Though consoled by Śrī Rāma in many ways, Sītā did not change her mind and seeing her insistent on accompanying him, Śrī Rāma agrees to take her to the forest and asks her to prepare for the journey and to give away all her personal belongings in charity.

Sītā continues to implore Śrī Rāma to take her to the forest alongwith him. Śrī Rāma, however, is adamant and goes on consoling her and asking her to stay on in Ayodhyā.

Bringing home to Sītā the austerity and hardships of forest life, Śrī Rāma tries once more to dissuade her from her insistence on accompanying him to the forest.

Exhorted by Śrī Rāma to stay in Ayodhyā to look after his parents, Sītā submits in reply that she being his counterpart, her exile is implied in his and insists on her being taken with him since she would not be able to bear separation from him.

Beholding Śrī Rāma depressed in spirits and lustreless with frustration writ large on his countenance, Sītā, who knew nothing about the interruption of his installation and had been eagerly and joyfully awaiting his return, inquires about the cause of his dejection and is told how his installation has been stopped and how he is going to be sent into exile by his father, and exhorted to look after her father-in-law and mothers-in-law as before and to treat Bharata and Śatrughna as her own brothers or sons and never to harbour malice towards them.

Having received the motherís benedictions for the journey, Śrī Rāma falls at her feet and proceeds to the apartments of Sītā in order to see her.