Siddhārtha, the chief minister, spoke earnestly to Queen Kaikeyī, “O Queen, if you see any fault in Rāghava, speak it truly today; then Rāma shall be exiled. But to abandon one who is blameless and devoted to the righteous path would destroy even Indra’s radiance, for such an act stands against dharma itself. Enough, O Queen, with Rāma’s fortune being ruined by you; you must also guard yourself from public reproach, O auspicious one.” Hearing Siddhārtha’s words, King Daśaratha, weary and grief-stricken, turned to Kaikeyī and said, “You do not wish to heed these words, which are for your own good, though they may sound harsh. You do not know what is beneficial for me or for yourself. You have chosen a cruel path, and your conduct has strayed from the way of the good. Today, I will follow Rāma, renouncing the kingdom, comfort, and wealth; you and Bharata, with all the king’s people, may enjoy the kingdom as you wish for a long time.” Thus ends that portion of the tale, and now begins the next, as told in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa. Hearing the words of the chief minister, Rāma approached his father with humility and deep respect. “O King,” he said, “since I have renounced all pleasures and will live in the forest on forest fare, what need is there for an escort? I have abandoned all attachments. For one who, after giving away an excellent elephant, still sets his mind on the enclosure, what use is the bond of a rope to him, when the noble elephant is already gone? So, O best of the virtuous, what use have I for an army, O lord of the world? I permit all to return; let them bring me only garments of bark. And bring both the spade and basket, for I must dwell in the forest for fourteen years.” Then Kaikeyī herself, shameless before the assembled court, brought the garments of bark to Rāghava and said, “Put these on.” Rāma, the tiger among men, accepted the garments of bark from her, set aside his fine cloth, and donned the ascetic’s attire. Lakṣmaṇa too, leaving aside his splendid garments, took up the ascetic’s covering before his father. Sītā, clad in silk, looked upon the bark garment with fear, like a frightened doe seeing a snare. The daughter of Janaka, adorned with auspicious marks, took the kusa-grass garment from Kaikeyī, her eyes cast down, deeply troubled and ashamed. Her eyes brimming with tears, knowing and devoted to righteousness, she spoke to her husband, who was like a king among Gandharvas. “How do the sages dwelling in the forest wear such bark garments?” she asked, unskilled in such matters, and fainted again and again. Taking a piece of bark in her hand, she awkwardly placed it around her neck, standing there embarrassed and unpracticed. Seeing her plight, Rāma, foremost among the righteous, quickly came to her and himself tied the bark garment over Sītā’s silk attire. As Rāma tied the garment on Sītā, the women of the inner apartments wept, their eyes streaming with tears. Completely dependent, they said to Rāma, radiant with splendor, “Child, this noble lady is not meant for such a forest dwelling. By the command of your father you go to the lonely forest; let our seeing her be fulfilled, O Lord. Go to the forest, dear child, with Lakṣmaṇa as your companion; this blessed lady is not fit to dwell in the forest like an ascetic. Grant us this request, son: let Sītā, the radiant one, remain here; you, ever devoted to righteousness, do not wish to stay now yourself.” Hearing their words, Rāma, son of Daśaratha, tied the bark garment on Sītā, who was equal to him in character. When she had taken the bark garment, the king’s venerable priest, his eyes filled with tears, restrained Sītā and spoke to Kaikeyī: “You have gone too far, evil-minded Kaikeyī, disgrace of your lineage; having deceived the king, you do not abide by what is right. Sītā, lacking in proper conduct for the forest, must not go, O Queen; she will perform her proper duties for Rāma here. For all who are married, their wives are their very selves; considering her as his own self, Rāma will protect the earth.” Now, as Vaidehī prepares to depart for the forest together with Rāma, the priest and the people declare, “We will follow them from here, if this city is to be abandoned. The guards too will go, wherever Rāghava goes with his wife, along with the people who live by him, the kingdom, the city, and its attendants. Bharata, together with Shatrughna, clad in bark, will dwell in the forest, following Kakutstha, their elder brother, as he lives there. Then, with the earth emptied of people and only trees remaining, you alone will rule, wicked one, standing against the welfare of the people. For that will not be a kingdom where Rāma is not king; that forest will become the kingdom where Rāma dwells. Bharata does not wish to rule the land not given by his father, nor to live with you as a son, if he is truly born of the king. Even if you rise from the earth to the sky, he who knows the conduct of his ancestors will not act otherwise. Thus, by you, greedy for your son, a wrong has been done to your own child; in this world, there is no one who is not devoted to Rāma. Today, Kaikeyī, you will see beasts, wild animals, birds, and trees all turning toward Rāma as he departs.” Thus, amidst tears and sorrow, the hearts of all in Ayodhyā turned toward Rāma, as he prepared to go forth into the forest, bearing the love and devotion of all beings behind him.