‘While the fault is Lakshmana,’ he thought, ‘the sage’s wrath is against me. Sometimes meekness too begets much evil. A crooked man is reverenced by all; Rahu swallows not the crescent moon.’

Said Rama, ‘Cease from wrath, O lord of sages; the axe is in your hands and here before you is my head. Do that, my lord, which may assuage your anger; believe me to be your servant.

How can there be any fight between a master and her servant? Give up your anger, O noble Brahman. It is only because he saw you in the garb of a warrior that the boy spoke rudely; he cannot be blamed for it.

When he saw you armed with an axe, bow and arrows, the boy took you for a warrior and got excited. Though he knew your name, he did not recognize your person, and answered you as a man of his lineage would answer.

Had you come as a sage, the child, O holy sir, would have placed the dust of your feet on his head. Forgive the error of one who did not know you; a Brahman should have plenty of mercy in his heart.

What equality, my lord, can there be between you and me? We are as far apart as head and feet. Mine is a small name consisting of the single word is a small name consisting of the single word ‘Rama’, but yours is a long one, Rama-of-the-Axe.

Where as my bow, divine lord, has but one string, yours has nine most sacred threads (viz., the Brahmanical cord). I am thus inferior to you in every way; therefore, O holy sir, pardon my offence..’ (Guna is the name for both ‘bowstring’ and ‘virtue’. The cardinal virtues are said to be nine in number: shama, dama, tapa, shaucha, kshama, saralata, jyana, viyana, and astikata.)