Citing other instances of the Emperor’s fidelity to truth and threatening to lay down her life in the event of his not carrying out her wishes, Kaikeyī insists on his sending Śrī Rāma into exile at once and does not desist from her purpose even when railed at by her husband. In the meantime Sumantra makes his appearance in the gynaeceum and, extolling the Emperor, reminds him of his intention to install Śrī Rāma as Prince Regent and eventually leaves the gynaeceum in order to summon Śrī Rāmaa at the instance of the Emperor.

Further tormented by Kaikeyī through her importunity to have the boons granted by the Emperor implemented, the latter piteously wails his lot and reproaches her. The sun having set in the meanwhile, the Emperor continues till the following morning his solicitations to Kaikeyī to allow Rāma to be installed as Prince Regent. But, Kaikeyī remaining adamant, the king in his extreme anguish of mind sinks down unconscious on the floor and, on regaining his consciousness, stops all music pertaining to the occasion of the king’s quitting his bed.

Extolling the virtues of Śrī Rāma and showing him undeserving of exile, the Emperor endeavours to dissuade Kaikeyī from her pertinacity in sending Śrī Rāma into exile. Quoting the examples of Hariścandra and others, Kaikeyī, however, redoubles her insistence. The Emperor for his part rebukes her in harsh words and goes the length of falling at her feet in order to bring her round but in vain.

Egged on by Kaikeyī to grant her desire, Daśaratha gives his word of honour to her to that effect. Invoking the presence of gods as witnesses and reminding the Emperor of what took place during the conflict of gods and demons, Kaikeyī asks of him the two boons promised by him in the shape of exiling Śrī Rāma for a period of fourteen years and installing Bharata as Prince Regent.

Having told off Sumantra and others to get together necessaries for the installation of Śrī Rāma, Daśarathaa calls on Kaikeyī to break the happy news to her. Not finding her in her apartments, however, he makes inquiries from the portress, who tells him of her presence in the sulking-chamber. The Emperor calls on her there and, lifting her up, cajoles her.

Kaikeyī, whose heart was poisoned by the malicious gossip of Mantharā as aforesaid, takes a vow to see that Rāma is sent into exile and Bharata installed as Prince Regent, and asks Mantharā herself how to secure that consummation. Mantharā tells her how in the course of a conflict between gods and demons, in which Daśaratha’s help was enlisted by the gods, the queen, who had accompanied her husband to the field of operations and had rendered valuable assistance to him at a critical juncture, was offered a couple of boons, which she had kept in abeyance. Mantharā now asks Kaikeyī to demand the banishment of Rāma and the installation of Bharata against the two promised boons. Kaikeyī accordingly throws away her ornaments and lies down on the bare floor in the sulking-room in a sullen mood.

While Mantharā was thus trying to impress on Kaikeyī’s mind that the installation of Śrī Rāma on the throne of Ayodhyā would spell disaster to Bharata, Kaikeyī for her part went on harping on Śrī Rāma’s virtues and maintained that his installation as Prince Regent was quite welcome to her. Mantharā, however, goes on labouring her point and urges Kaikeyī to interrupt the installation

Beholding the festivities and finding Kausalyā bestowing large gifts of money on the Brāhmanas, Mantharā, a hunchback hereditary maid- servant of Queen Kaikeyī, who had accidentally ascended the roof of the palace, inquires of Śrī Rāma’s erstwhile nurse the occasion for the festivities and, on being told of Śrī Rāma’s forthcoming installation, feels enraged and, approaching Kaikeyī, instigates her to stop the installation. Kaikeyī, on the other hand, feels rejoiced over the news and gifts her a jewel as a token of her pleasure.

Enjoined by sage Vasistha, Śrī Rāma undertakes a vow to bathe early next morning, worship the gods and sleep for the night on a mat of Kuśa grass. On waking up the next morning, he says his Sandhyā prayers and Brāhmanas wish him a propitious day. The citizens decorate the city in order to give it a festal appearance and it is thronged with men eager to witness the installation of Śrī Rāma as Prince Regent.

At the instance of the Emperor, Vasistha calls at Śrī Rāma’s palace and instructing him alongwith Sītā to fast for the night, returns to Daśaratha. Permitted by the sage, the Emperor adjourns the assembly and retires to the gynaeceum.