Hari Om.
Let us begin the fifty fifth sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
The exile of the trio began. After spending a night at the banyan tree all by themselves, the trio resumed the next morning and walking along the river gangA and yamunA, they reached the holy hermitage of sage bharadwAja who welcomed them earnestly and offered great hospitality. After the welcome courtesies, the sage sat down with the trio and they exchanged various narrations. He offered them stay at the hermitage for the duration of the exile. But rAma politely refused since their stay in the ASram would bring visitors from nearby villages and that can potentially disturb the routine of the place. Then the sage pointed to the sylvan chitrakUTa mountains blessed with bounty and sparsely populated. rAma liked the idea. They rested in the hermitage of bharadwAja that night. Onwards…
Morning dawned following the night that was spent at the hermitage of the sage bharadwAja. The princes went abd paid their respects to the sage as they started. The sage blessed them for an auspicious journey and accompanied them some distance like a father would accompany his sons. After a while, the effulgent sage began to address the truthful rAma –
“O best among men, after reaching the confluence of ganga and yamunA, go west along the swiftly flowing yamunA. After reaching a well known place of ancient repute there, make a raft and cross over the river ansSumati (yamunA). Upon crossing the river at that point, on the southern side, you shall see a giant lush green banyan tree. Many realized people have made this tree their abode. Let sItA offer her prayers here. You may rest there a bit or proceed as per your convenience. Within a mile or so from that tree, you will find a lush green forest and a number of bamboo, palASa and jujube trees. That path to chitrakUTa is lovely indeed; I have traversed that several times. That path is smooth and safe. You won’t encounter forest fires there. Take that path”.
rAma was very happy to learn the detailed instructions about the course they should adopt from the affectionate sage. He paid his obeisance to the sage and requested the sage to return to his hermitage. Sage bharadwAja took leave and went back. rAma was touched by the warm affection and guidance of the sage and told lakshmaNa how fortunate they were to have received his instructions and guidance.
As instructed the trio proceeded along the swift flowing yamunA and wondered how to cross over. They made a raft tying logs of wood together and on top of that spread bamboo bars. On top of that they spread the fragrant roots of the uSira grass. On that raft, lakshmaNa cut the branch of a berry tree and made a seat for vaidEhi. She felt a tad bashful to step on to the float. As she did, helped by rAma, she looked verily like goddess lakshmi. After she boarded the boat, rAma placed their paraphernalia and the duo boarded the raft and they sailed on yamunA. As they crossed the river yamunA, sItA prayed to the river with folded hands to bless them with a safe stay in the forests and happy return to ayOdhyA, upon which she would propitiate the river goddess. As she did so, the southern bank was reached. They alighted and walked in the direction advised by the sage bharadwAja and soon reached the gigantic banyan tree indicated by sage bharadwAja.
As advised by the sage bharadwAja, sItA offered her prayers to the huge tree and circumambulated it wishing a safe exile and successful completion of vow for rAma and prayed for her reunion with mother kausalyA and sumitrA. rAma was pleased at this sincerity and obedience of sItA and upon that he asked lakshmaNa to walk at the front as they enter the forest along with sItA and that he would follow them behind wielding his weapons. Their gait resembled that of mighty elephants as they walked into the forest. rAma instructed lakshmaNa to fetch any fruit or flower that sItA wishes for as they moved. She would curiously ask about a plant or a tree or a flower which she had not seen before. As instructed by rAma, lakshmaNa fetched a variety of fruits and flowers for her.
एकैकं पादपं गुल्मं लतां वा पुष्पशालिनीम्।
अदृष्टपूर्वां पश्यन्ती रामं पप्रच्छ साऽबला।।2.55.30।।
She was ecstatic to behold the scenic banks and waters of yamunA filled with the cackle of swans and cranes. As they entered the forest, the brothers hunted deer suitable for sacrifice and consumed the meat.
Moving about they entered the forest reverberating with the cries of peacocks, shrills of monkeys and trumpets of the elephants. Having reached a place fit to stay, they rested there.
Here we conclude the fifty fifth sarga of the ayOdhyA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
