Ayodhya Kaanda
73 - Sri Rama, Sita and Laksmana proceed to the woods and slip past the citizens buried in slumber
Chaupais
Description
All the people woke up at daybreak. "The Lord of Raghus has gone!" they loudly exclaimed. Nowhere could they find the tracks of the chariot and ran about in all directions crying "Rama, O Rama!" It seemed as if a bark had foundered in the ocean, as a result of which the party of merchants that had boarded it felt much agitated. Everyone explained to the other how Rama had forsaken them perceiving their distress. They condemned themselves and praised the fish (that died as soon as they were taken out of water), and said to one another; "A curse on our life without the Hero of Raghu's race! If God has torn us from our beloved, why did He not vouchsafe death to us on our asking?" Thus wailing in a variety of ways they all returned to Ayodhya full of remorse. The anguish of parting was terrible beyond words. Everyone survived in the hope of seeing Rama on the expiry of the term of exile.