Shloka 3.8.2
सुतीक्ष्णाश्रमप्रस्थानम् (Departure from Sutikshna’s Hermitage)
उत्थाय तु यथाकालं राघवस्सहसीतया।उपस्पृश्यसुशितेन जलेनोत्पलगन्धिना।।।।
atha te ’gniṃ surāṃś caiva vaidehī rāma-lakṣmaṇau | kālyaṃ vidhivad abhyarcya tapasvi-śaraṇe vane || udayantaṃ dinakaraṃ dṛṣṭvā vigata-kalmaṣāḥ | sutīkṣṇam abhigamya idaṃ ślakṣṇaṃ vacanam abruvan ||
Then Vaidehī (Sītā), Rāma, and Lakṣmaṇa, in that forest which was a refuge for ascetics, duly performed the morning worship of the sacred fire and the gods. Beholding the rising sun and freed from all taint, they approached Sutikṣṇa and spoke to him gentle words.
In the morning Rama and Sita got up in time and took bath in cool, lily-fragrant water.
Dharma is shown as reverence toward sacred powers (Agni, devas, Sun) and toward realized teachers (ṛṣis). Right action is performed first, and speech is made gentle and appropriate afterward.
After completing morning worship in the ascetics’ forest refuge, Rāma, Sītā, and Lakṣmaṇa approach the sage Sutikṣṇa to speak and seek leave for onward travel.
Humility and reverence: they approach a sage only after completing prescribed duties and with courteous speech.