Rāghava, accompanied by his ministers, made arrangements for their stay and then followed behind the chief priest, Vasiṣṭha, as they proceeded to meet the sage Bharadvāja. As soon as Bharadvāja saw the illustrious Vasiṣṭha approaching, he rose swiftly from his seat, instructing his disciples to bring offerings, for Vasiṣṭha was in their company. With great reverence, Bharadvāja welcomed his guests, offering them water to wash their feet and presenting fruits in the proper order. After these acts of hospitality, the virtuous sage kindly inquired about the well-being of their families. Knowing well the ways of King Daśaratha, Bharadvāja asked after the army, the treasury, the king’s friends, and the ministers in Ayodhyā, though he pointedly did not mention the king himself. In return, Vasiṣṭha and Bharata asked Bharadvāja about his own health, the sacred fires he maintained, the trees of his hermitage, his disciples, and the wild creatures—both animals and birds—that lived nearby. Having exchanged these courtesies, Bharadvāja, bound by affection for Rāma, turned to Bharata and asked, “For what purpose have you come here, you who now govern the kingdom? Tell me everything, for my mind is uneasy.” He continued, “Kausalyā gave birth to Rāma, the destroyer of enemies and the bringer of joy, who, along with his brother and wife, has long been exiled to the forest. He, so renowned, was sent here by his father—who acted under a woman’s influence—to dwell in the forest for fourteen years. Surely, Bharata, you do not intend any harm toward that innocent one, seeking to enjoy the kingdom unopposed with your younger brother?” Hearing these words, Bharata’s eyes filled with tears, his voice choked by sorrow as he replied, “I am undone if even you, revered one, could think this of me. Please do not suspect me of any wrongdoing, nor admonish me so. My mother spoke those words in my absence; I neither wished for them nor do I accept them. I have come here only to seek out that tiger among men, to win his favor, to bring him back to Ayodhyā, and to bow at his feet. Out of compassion, please tell me, O revered one, where is Rāma, the lord of the earth, at this moment?” At this, urged by Vasiṣṭha and the other priests, the wise sage Bharadvāja spoke kindly to Bharata. “Your conduct is worthy, O tiger among men, scion of Raghu—reverence for elders, self-restraint, and adherence to virtue. I know this is firmly rooted in your heart; I questioned you only to further enhance your renown. I know that Rāma, the knower of righteousness, is with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa; your brother dwells on the great mountain Citrakūṭa. Tomorrow you shall go there, after resting here tonight with your counselors. Grant me this wish, O wise one, so skilled in fulfilling desires.” Reassured by these words, the noble Bharata replied, “So be it,” and resolved to spend the night in that sacred hermitage. Thus concludes the ninetieth chapter of the glorious Ayodhyā Kāṇḍa in the sacred Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, the first epic. With the decision made to stay, the sage Bharadvāja invited Bharata, Kaikeyī’s son, to be his guest. Bharata, ever humble, said, “Revered one, you have already shown me every courtesy—foot-washing, offerings, and hospitality—just as is proper in the forest.” Bharadvāja, smiling gently, replied, “I know your heart is full of affection, Bharata, and you are pleased by even the simplest gesture. Yet I wish to offer food to your entire army; my affection is as it should be, and you are worthy, O lord of men. But why have you left your forces at a distance and come here alone? Why did you not approach with your army, O best of men?” With palms joined in respect, Bharata answered, “Revered one, I did not bring my army here out of fear of disturbing you. Whether it be the king or the prince, it is our duty to protect ascetics from harm within the realm. The finest horses, men, and mighty elephants follow me, covering the earth, but I have ensured that they do not harm the trees, the water, the land, the huts, or anything in the hermitages. For this reason, I came to you alone.” Hearing this, Bharadvāja instructed, “Bring the army here.” Obediently, Bharata arranged for his forces to approach. Then, entering the fire-hall, drinking water, and purifying himself, Bharadvāja prepared to extend his hospitality. For this, he called upon Viśvakarman, the divine architect, saying, “I summon Viśvakarman and Tvaṣṭṛ; I wish to offer hospitality—let all be arranged for me here. I summon the three guardians of the worlds, the gods led by Śakra; let all be arranged for me here.” He continued, “Let all the rivers—those that flow eastward and westward, on earth and in the sky—come here today in every way. Let some flow with mead, others with well-prepared wine, and others with cold water as sweet as sugarcane juice. I summon the divine Gandharvas—Viśvāvasu, Haha, and Hūhū—and all the celestial Apsarases and Gandharvīs: Ghṛtācī, Viśvācī, Miśrakeśī, Alambusā, Nāgadantā, Hemā, and Himā, born on mountain slopes.” Thus did the great sage Bharadvāja prepare to honor Bharata and his retinue with a hospitality worthy of the gods themselves.