said these words unto Rama, Matali worshipped that
son of Raghu, and having obtained the leave of that
foremost of wielders of weapons, he went away, on
that same chariot of solar effulgence. And Rama
also, with Sumatra’s son and Vibhishana, and
accompanied by all the monkeys with Sugriva at their
head, placing Sita in the van and having made arrangements
for the protection of Lanka, recrossed the ocean by
the same bridge. And he rode on that beautiful
and sky-ranging chariot called the Pushpaka that was
capable of going everywhere at the will of the rider.
And that subduer of passions was surrounded by his
principal counsellors in order of precedence.
And arriving at that part of the sea-shore where he
had formerly laid himself down, the virtuous king,
with all the monkeys, pitched his temporary abode.
And the son of Raghu then, bringing the monkeys before
him in due time, worshipped them all, and gratifying
them with presents of jewels and gems, dismissed them
one after another. And after all the monkey-chiefs,
and the apes with bovine tails, and the bears, had
gone away, Rama re-entered Kishkindhya with Sugriva.
And accompanied by both Vibhishana and Sugriva, Rama
re-entered Kishkindhya riding on the Pushpaka car
and showing the princess of Videha the woods along
the way. And having arrived at Kishkindhya, Rama,
that foremost of all smiters, installed the successful
Angada as prince-regent of the kingdom. And accompanied
by the same friends as also by Sumitra’s son,
Rama proceeded towards his city along the same path
by which he had come. And having reached the
city of Ayodhya, the king despatched Hanuman thence
as envoy to Bharata. And Hanuman, having ascertained
Bharata’s intentions from external indications,
gave him the good news (of Rama’s arrival).
And after the son of Pavana had come back, Rama entered
Nandigrama. And having entered that town, Rama
beheld Bharata besmeared with filth and attired in
rags and seated with his elder brother’s sandals
placed before him. And being united, O bull of
Bharata race, with both Bharata and Shatrughna, the
mighty son of Raghu, along with Sumitra’s son,
began to rejoice exceedingly. And Bharata and
Shatrughna also, united with their eldest brother,
and beholding Sita, both derived great pleasure.
And Bharata then, after having worshipped his returned
brother, made over to him with great pleasure, the
kingdom that had been in his hands as a sacred trust.
And Vasishtha and Vamadeva then together installed
that hero in the sovereignty (of Ayodhya) at the eighth
Muhurta[105] of the day under the asterism called Sravana.
And after his installation was over, Rama gave leave
to well-pleased Sugriva the king of the monkeys, along
with all his followers, as also to rejoicing Vibhishana
of Pulastya’s race, to return to their respective
abodes. And having worshipped them with various
articles of enjoyment, and done everything that was
suitable to the occasion, Rama dismissed those friends
of his with a sorrowful heart. And the son of
Raghu then, having worshiped that Pushpaka chariot,
joyfully gave it back unto Vaisravana. And then
assisted by the celestial Rishi (Vasishtha), Rama performed
on the banks of the Gomati ten horse-sacrifices without
obstruction of any kind and with treble presents unto
Brahmanas.’”