Verse four of the Ramayana Chaupai
Vishwa mitra munishwar aiye, Dashrat bhoop se vachan suniye
O the great Sage Vishwamitra came and told these words to father Dashrath
sang mein bhehe Laxman Raam
send Lakshman and Ram with me
Ram Siya Ram Siya Ram A jai jai Ram
In the fourth verse we begin our journey with the Lord. Dasharatha meets sage Vishwamitra with all honor and obedience, offering whatever the sage would desire, as this is the dharmic or right way to greet a sage who has mastered the self and merged with the immortal Self. However, when he learns what the Sage wants, his two precious children for a journey into the world filled with danger and unknown, the King balks at the very principles that he represents as king of the sun dynasty (Surya Vamsha). Dasharath and the dynasty heritage that he up holds is known far and wide for always following their word. The visiting sage Vishwamitra hotly reminds him of the great calamity that will come about if he goes against his word. The preceptor of the sun dynasty quickly advises the king which dharma would be the higher, a king's would over ride that of a father's. The preceptor of the sun dynasty reassures Dasharatha that Vishwamitra is more than capable of protecting his two sons, Rama and Lakshmana. He also points out that this journey is for the elevation of the two prince's reputation and education. Dasharatha is now more at peace with his Guru's recommendation and sends the great sage and his son's off into the world with all honor.
Sage Vishwamitra is a messenger from the divine that comes to take Lord Rama and us away with him on an adventure beyond our imagination. This can seem frightening at first, and the protective part of our personalities which is our Father Dasharatha wants us to remain safe even if it means going against a divine calling. However, the Lord is with us always there is nothing to fear in a journey into the world, nothing can harm one who is identified with the Lord. Rama is teaching us this through his play, taking our role as the student to begin a education with Sage Vishwamitra as his Guru. Through this education we gain fame and skills that will help us fulfill our divine role in the world. When our first teacher (Dasharatha), who remains always within us wanting nothing but our well being, is reminded by its teacher (Guru of the Sun Dynasty) that journey into the world is safe and beneficial with the right guidance (Sage Vishwamitra), our protective instinct surrenders and even supports this awakening to the divine will. And so we embark on our journey with the Lord, well protected by divine wisdom, provided that we follow Rama's example and surrender to a wise teacher that is realized through discernment and discrimination.