The news reached the chamber of Rama and Sita, as also all around the palace, that something grossly inopportune has happened to the king, and that he is ill in the chamber of Kaikeyi. The prime minister - Sumanta - was summoned by the king to fetch Rama to the chamber of Kaikeyi.

When Rama reached there he saw his father lying semiconscious on the floor full of grief and pathos. His eyes were filled with tears of desperation and sorrow. Rama pleaded with Kaikeyi to tell him what had happened to his father. When the whole story of the promises etc. was told, Rama understood the situation very well. He knew that both King Dasharatha and himself are caught in a situation that demanded supreme sacrifice. Bharata was not present in Ayodhya during all these happenings.

Rama was full of praise for Kaikeyi. Said he,

"O mother, you have bestowed a great honour upon me by asking for these two promises. Firstly, I agree with you that Bharata would be a better king than I. Secondly, what of fourteen years of forest life! Time will fly with wink of the eyes. But I must be grateful to you for giving me the opportunity to be close with the nature. Moreover, I shall personally look after the conditions of subjects in far off places of our kingdom. I would be more than happy to redress their grievances. And most importantly, I shall get the rare opportunity to submerge myself in spiritual practices to seek the God. The daily hectic life of the king otherwise also comes in the way of God realization and meditation. And last but not the least, to uphold the word given by the parents is the duty of every son, even if it puts him to utmost suffering. It is a rare opportunity offered to anyone to die for the honour of his father."

Thus Rama genuinely felt nothing at such an arduous predicament. Everyone present was stunned to listen to the brave and high thinking of Rama. Respect for Rama doubled in everyone's heart. But the daughter of Janaka - Janaki (i.e. Sita), the newly married wife of Rama, was not be left behind. After seeking permission from her mother-in-law, she spoke with dignity and composure to her husband, "O Lord, I will also accompany you to the forest."
Instantly many objections were raised by Queen Kausalya, Prime Minister, and Rama himself that for the newly wedded queen it would not be proper to leave the comforts of the palace and seek difficult life of the forest. Moreover, her in-laws needed her care more than the able-bodied husband. Kaikeyi has not asked her to accompany her husband.

But Sita was not to be so easily put off. With firm determination she said to Rama, "Please do not deny me the chance of serving you when you need it most. I am your shadow, I have taken wedding vows to be with you in joy and sorrow, in palace or in jungle, in life and death. I cannot remain alive without you. If you still insist that I should stay here with your parents, I declare that I will jump in the river Sarayu after your departure!"

At last when every effort of persuasion failed, Rama conceded to the request of Sita, his wife, to accompany him. And then comes the extreme sacrifice of a brother for elder brother. Laxmana who was watching all the proceedings with some emotions,insisted that he should follow since both Seeta and Rama have been like a mother and father to him.He vowed that he would protect them and serve them and canot leave without them . Next day the trio Rama, Laxmana, and Sita gave up the royal silk and the valuables and put on simple clothes fit for the forest life: robes of sanyasin. Sita still looked pretty without her ornaments, but every heart in Ayodhya was filled with despair and remorse. Every eye was wet with the tears of separation and sorrow. The palace was filled with the silence of grief. Around the palace every inch of land was occupied by the people of Ayodhya. In time, Dasaratha lost the will to live. His heart simply gave out. Ayodhya mourned the loss of their king. In a few days, Rama, Lakshmana and Sita crossed the river Ganges searching for a land undisturbed and isolated from everyone. Soon they reached Chitrakoot, a beautiful place with many trees and streams. It was paradise. They built a small hut near a stream.