Rāma at Prayāga

When Rāma, the prince of Ayodhyā, was sent away by his father to live in the forest for fourteen years, he came with his wife Sītā and his brother Lakṣmaṇa to the place where the Yamunā joins the Gaṅgā. Look at the smoke rising near Prayāga, Lakṣmaṇa, he said, the banner of the holy fire. The sage must be near. We have come to the meeting of the rivers; you can hear their waters striking together.

As the sun was going down they reached the hermitage of Bharadvāja. They found the sage among his pupils, just as he had finished tending the sacred fire, a man firm in his vows, who saw with the eye that austerity gives. Rāma joined his hands and greeted him with Lakṣmaṇa and Sītā, and said, Sir, we are the sons of Daśaratha, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. This is my wife Sītā, the daughter of Janaka, who has followed me into the forest, and this is my brother, who followed me when my father sent me away. At our father's command we will go into the forest and live by dharma on roots and fruits.

Bharadvāja brought them a cow and water of welcome, gave them food of the forest, and gave them a place to stay. At long last I see you here, Rāma, he said. I have heard of your exile, which you did not deserve. This place where the great rivers meet is holy and lovely and apart from men. Stay here in happiness.

But Rāma said, Sir, the people of the city and the countryside are near. If I stay here where I am easy to find, they will come crowding to see Sītā and me. Show me some lonely place for a hermitage, where Sītā may be happy.

Then Bharadvāja said: Ten krośas from here, my son, there is a mountain where you can live, holy and lovely on every side, where great sages go. It is called Citrakūṭa. Langurs and monkeys and bears live there. As long as a man looks on the peaks of Citrakūṭa, his mind turns to good things and away from evil. Many sages have spent a hundred autumns there in austerity and gone to heaven. Or stay here with me, Rāma, for your time in the forest.

That night they talked of many wonderful things, and in the morning Rāma asked leave to go. Bharadvāja said a blessing for their journey, and walked a little way after them, as a father walks with his sons. He told them the way: follow the Yamunā westward to the old crossing, make a raft and cross, go to the great dark banyan where Sītā should fold her hands and pray, and go on a krośa further into the forest of palāśa and jujube and bamboo. That path to Citrakūṭa, he said, I have walked many times. It is pleasant and safe from forest fires. Then he turned back, and Rāma said to Lakṣmaṇa, We have reaped the fruit of our good deeds, since the sage looks on us with such kindness.