Ayodhya Kaanda
97 - Bharata takes a dip in the Mandakini and arrives at Citrakuta; Bharata and others meet one another, mourn the kingís death and perform his Sraddha (obsequies)
Chaupais
Description
Finding Sita and all the queen-mothers shaken with emotion the wise Guru bade them all sit down. Declaring the nature of the world to be illusory the lord of sages gave them some discourse on spiritual matters. He then announced the king's departure to heaven and the Lord of Raghus was deeply pained to hear of it. Thinking the king had died on account of love for Him the firmest of the firm was much agitated. Hearing the unpalatable news, which was cruel as the thunderbolt Laksmana, Sita and all the queens broke out into lamentations. Nay, the whole assembly was sore stricken with grief as though the king had died that very day. The chief of sages then comforted Sri Rama, who with all those present there bathed in the heavenly stream. The Lord fasted that day abstaining even from water. And even though persuaded by the sage none else took a drop of water either.