Sometime after the exodus of the sages, Rama too moved away from Chitrakuta as memories of Bharata's visit of the places where he had seen his mother and met with his people kept coming back to him. Their journey soon brought them to the Ashram of sage Atri who, along with his wife Anasuya, gave them a warm and fatherly welcome. He told them that for a period of ten years, while the world went through a great famine,Anasuya had not only kept producing roots and fruit but had also kept the Ganga flowing. A lady of relentless discipline, she had spent ten thousand years in penance. "Anasuya who is steeped in dharma and endowed with many a virtue is like a mother to you, pay her obeisance," said Atri.Sita did so, to that sagacious lady, devoid of anger and jealousy, who was true to her name and worshipped the world over.

Anasuya, old, wrinkled and fragile, looked at Sita with great affection and said, "Sita, you are so fortunate and your duty to dharma is commendable. Leaving behind your parents, relatives and position you follow Rama during his years of exile. Those noble women, who love and serve their husbands regardless of their being sinful or righteous, will ascend to the land of gods. There is no kinsman closer than a husband but women without character disregard these norms and fall prey to their passions. Abandoning dharma they become women of ill repute.Walk the path of dharma with your Lord."