In vain the old king pleaded; the favorite wife insisted so vehemently that when morning dawned the bewildered old rajah sent for Rama to ask his advice.

Although this prince fully expected to be crowned that day, he was far too virtuous not to perceive that a promise must be kept at any cost, so without a murmur he prepared to go to the forest of Dandaka and dwell there in hermit garb fourteen years.
"The orders of my sire," he cried, "My will shall ne'er oppose: I follow still, whate'er betide, The path which duty shows." His first duty, however, was to return to his palace to inform his wife that they must part; but, on hearing what had occurred, Sita piteously begged to share his fate, although he eloquently described the hardships to which she would be exposed should she venture to accompany him.

Her wifely devotion was, however, proof against all he could urge, for she declared with tears there was no happiness for her save at his side.
"With thee is heaven, where'er the spot; Each place is hell where thou are not." Hearing this declaration, Rama finally consented to take her with him, and, bidding farewell to father and mother, left the city, accompanied by his wife and favorite brother (Lakshman) and escorted by his mourning subjects.
His father, broken-hearted at parting with his favorite son, took to his bed, which he was never to leave again confiding to Rama's mother that he was being sorely punished for a sin of his youth.

It seems that, while out hunting one night, hearing a gurgle by a stream, and fancying some wild beast was there drinking, he let fly a shaft, which only too surely reached its goal.

Startled by a human cry, the rajah rushed down to the river, only to discover that he had mortally wounded a youth who had come down to draw water for his blind parents.
"Then in the dusk I heard the sound of gurgling water; Quickly I took my bow, and, aiming toward the sound, shot off the dart.
A cry of mortal agony came from the spot,--a human voice Was heard, and a poor hermit's son fell pierced and bleeding in the stream." Before dying this lad implored his slayer to hasten back to the hermitage with water, as the old people were longing for a drink.