Now hear the sacred narrative of royal duties and consecration, as recounted by Agni to the sage Vasiṣṭha. It was in ancient times that Puṣkara approached the illustrious Rāma and inquired about the true responsibilities of a king. Agni, recalling this revered exchange, began to narrate: Puṣkara spoke, declaring that all things in the realm arise from the king’s duties. A king must be a destroyer of his foes, a steadfast protector of his subjects, and one who is adept in the art of punishment. He should surround himself with wise ministers and choose a queen who bears the marks of virtue. When the time is right, the king, with proper ceremony, should undertake the consecration, bearing the burden of rule for a year. In the matter of ritual bathing—whether for the living or the deceased—there is no fixed time prescribed. Such a bathing, performed with sesame and mustard seeds and in the presence of the family priest, is to be observed for a year. Once victory is proclaimed for the king, he should seat himself upon the auspicious throne, announce safety to his people, release those held in fortresses, and grant freedom to the guardians of the realm. Before the formal consecration by the priest, the rites of Indra and pacification must be performed. On the day of consecration, the king should fast and offer oblations into the sacred fire, reciting the prescribed mantras. He must invoke the Vaiṣṇava, Indra, Sāvitrī, and universal deities’ mantras, along with those that bestow auspiciousness, welfare, long life, and remove fear. The Aparājitā vessel, crafted of gold, filled with fragrant substances and flowers, is to be placed on the southern side of the fire and reverently worshipped. The fire itself must be auspicious: its flame should turn clockwise, shine like heated gold, roar like a chariot or cloud, and be free from smoke. Its blaze should be upright, fragrant, shaped like a svastika, steady and clear, great and resplendent, without sparks—truly auspicious. During the ritual, no cats, deer, or birds should pass through the center. The king must then purify himself with earth collected from various sacred and symbolic places: from a mountain peak for his head, from the top of an anthill for his ears and mouth, from Indra’s abode for his neck, and from the royal arena for his heart. His right arm is cleansed with earth from an elephant’s tusk, his left with earth from a bull’s horn. His waist is purified with earth from the entrance of a courtesan’s house, his thighs with earth from the sacrificial ground, his knees with earth from the cowshed. The shanks are cleansed with earth from the horse-stable, and his feet with earth from a chariot wheel. Seated on the auspicious throne, the king’s head is anointed with the five sacred products of the cow. The four chief ministers are then anointed: in the east, a brāhmaṇa with a golden pitcher of ghee; in the south, a kṣatriya with a silver pitcher of milk; in the west, a vaiśya with a copper pitcher of curds; and in the north, a śūdra with water from an earthen vessel. The Bahvṛca priests, excelling in Vedic recitation, perform the king’s consecration, employing honey, kuśa-grass water, and the prescribed vessels. The fire-protection rite is performed for all present, and the mantras of royal consecration are proclaimed. The king is anointed with a golden vessel pierced with a hundred holes, while the mantras ‘yā oṣadhīḥ’, ‘oṣadhībhyaḥ’, and ‘rathetyukta’ are recited, together with fragrant substances. Offerings of flowers, seeds as a brāhmaṇa, jewels, hope, silver, and water drawn from sacred grasses are made for the gods. The king is touched with the Yajurveda and Atharvaveda, with fragrant substances, and his head and neck are adorned with yellow pigment and water from all sacred fords. The ceremony is accompanied by singing, musical instruments, fly-whisks, and fans, as a pot containing all medicinal herbs is carried before the king. The priest, seated upon a bed covered with tiger skin, gives the king a honey-mixture and performs the tying of the turban. The crown is fastened in five or six folds, and the king enters, adorned with the fixed insignia and draped in the skin of a bull or vṛṣadaṃśa. His seat is covered with the hide of an island animal, lion, or tiger. The usher presents the ministers, counselors, and other dignitaries. The king honors the priests with gifts—cows, goats, houses, and more—for a year, and worships the twice-born with excellent gifts of land and food. After circumambulating the fire and bowing to his teacher, he respectfully touches a bull and a cow with calf and pays homage to the mantra-reciter. Mounting first a horse, then an elephant, the king is honored and proceeds, accompanied by his army, circumambulating along the royal road. Puṣkara then declared: Thus anointed, with his ministers, the best of kings should set forth to conquer his enemies. The king must appoint a commander, whether brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya, of noble lineage and versed in political science. The usher should be skilled in policy, the messenger pleasant-spoken, strong, and never lacking. He must carry betel, not be a woman, be devoted, and able to endure hardship. The minister for treaties and war should be expert in the six policies of statecraft. The sword-bearer must be a protector, the charioteer skilled in military matters, and the superintendent of the kitchen wise and efficient in managing the great kitchen. Members of the assembly should be learned in law, the scribe proficient in letters, the summoners timely and beneficial, and the doorkeepers trustworthy. The inner gatekeeper should be skilled in jewels and wealth, the physician learned in Ayurveda, and the superintendent of elephants expert in their care. Thus, with all these rites performed and worthy persons appointed, the king is established as the protector and guide of his realm, upholding dharma and securing the welfare of his people.