As Bharata stood before Rama, his heart heavy with sorrow and longing, Rama spoke gently to his brother, urging him to fulfill their sacred duties. “O Bharata, knower of righteousness,” Rama said, “free our father, the king, from his debts on my account, and honor both our father and mother. Long ago, it is heard, the renowned sacrificer Gaya sang a celebrated hymn for his father at Gaya itself. Because a son saves his father from the hell called Put, he is called ‘putra’—one who protects or leads his father.” Rama continued, “Many sons should be born, virtuous and learned, for among them, even if many are gathered, perhaps one will go to Gaya. All royal sages have believed this, O delight of the kings; therefore, O best of men, save our father from hell, O lord. Go to Ayodhya, Bharata, win the favor of the people, together with Shatrughna and all the twice-born. I, too, shall enter the Dandaka forest without delay, accompanied by Vaidehi and Lakshmana.” He then spoke with warmth and clarity, “You, Bharata, become king yourself over men; I shall be king of the forest-dwellers and wild beasts. Go today, rejoicing, to the great city, and I too, rejoicing, shall enter Dandaka. May the rays of the sun, O Bharata, make your head cool with shade during the rainy season; I shall happily rest in the deep shade of these forest trees. Shatrughna, skilled and wise, will be your companion; Saumitri is known to me as my chief friend. We four excellent sons, O king, will follow the path of truth—do not grieve, Bharata.” Thus ended the one hundred and seventh sarga in the glorious Ayodhya Kanda of the ancient epic, the holy Ramayana composed by Valmiki. As Rama comforted Bharata, the eminent Brahmin Jabali spoke up, his words contrary to righteousness. “Well done, Raghava, but let not your mind be so fruitless, like that of an ordinary man, for you possess the noble mind of the virtuous. Who is truly related to whom? What belongs to whom, and by whom is anything possessed? Each being is born alone and perishes alone. Therefore, Rama, the man who clings to ‘mother’ and ‘father’ should be regarded as mad; truly, there is no one who belongs to anyone.” Jabali continued, “Just as a man, traveling to another village, may stay somewhere for a while, then leave that dwelling and settle elsewhere the next day, so too for people, father, mother, and home are merely temporary abodes; the good do not become attached to them. Having abandoned your father’s kingdom, O best of men, you should not take up this painful, difficult, and thorny path. Consecrate yourself as ruler in prosperous Ayodhya; the city, with its single braid, now awaits you. O prince, enjoy the royal pleasures of Ayodhya, which are of the highest value, just as Indra delights in his heavenly realm. You are not Dasaratha, nor is he you; there is another king now, so do as he commands.” He explained further, “A father is only the seed of a being, as are the white and red fluids; joined with the mother’s womb, that is the birth of a man here. That king has gone to the place where he must go; such is the course for mortals, yet you grieve in vain. Those who are devoted to wealth and duty, I grieve for them and not for others; for after suffering here, they meet destruction after death. People perform the Ashtaka rites, thinking they are for the ancestors; but see, what can a dead man eat except food that decays? If what is eaten here by one person could reach the body of another, then one could offer shraddha for someone abroad, but that would not be wholesome food. These texts, composed by the wise, are only for encouraging gifts: ‘Sacrifice, give, be initiated, perform austerity, renounce.’ Therefore, O wise one, fix your mind on ‘there is nothing beyond this’; follow what is evident, and set aside what is unseen. With this understanding, which sees the nature of all people, accept the kingdom as Bharata urges you.” Thus ended the one hundred and eighth sarga in the glorious Ayodhya Kanda of the ancient and revered Ramayana composed by Valmiki. Hearing Jabali’s words, Rama, foremost among the truthful, replied with deep devotion and unwavering understanding. “You have spoken words here for my pleasure and desire, which appear as duty but are not, and seem wholesome but are not truly so. A man without restraint, engaged in wicked conduct, and seen as one of broken character, does not gain respect among the virtuous. Whether noble or not, heroic or self-regarding, it is only character that reveals a man, whether he is pure or impure.” Rama spoke firmly, “One who is ignoble but appears noble, or who lacks purity yet seems pure, who is unmarked yet seems marked, or of bad conduct yet seems virtuous—if I were to pursue unrighteousness under the guise of righteousness, abandoning what is good and neglecting proper conduct, it would bring confusion to the world. Some discerning man, aware of right and wrong, would consider me in the world as wicked and a disgrace among people. To whom shall I offer my conduct, and by what means shall I attain heaven? For, living by this course of action, which is lacking in integrity, I would not fulfill my vow.” He concluded, “The entire world follows the path of desire; as are the ways of kings, so are the ways of their people. Truth and compassion are the eternal duties of kings; therefore, the kingdom is rooted in truth, and upon truth the world stands firm.” Thus ended the one hundred and ninth sarga in the glorious Ayodhya Kanda of the ancient epic, the holy Ramayana composed by Valmiki.