There is no city to be found anywhere that can compare to Ayodhya. It stands alone in its glory, for Hari himself—Lord Vishnu—dwells within its bounds. With what could such a city ever be equated? Ayodhya is truly sacred, a place of divine presence, a city of immense greatness. Again and again, in sheer delight, one exclaims: “Ah, Vishnu! Ah, the holy place! Ah, Ayodhya! Ah, the great city!” So overwhelming is the joy that, repeating these words, Dharma himself began to dance, his heart brimming with bliss. Moved by compassion upon witnessing Dharma’s dance, Dharma bowed in humility and, with great reverence, offered praises to Hari. He saluted Vishnu, whose divine feet are venerated even by Shankara. With devotion, he offered salutations to the Lord whose feet are worshipped by Brahma and all the gods. He bowed to those lotus feet, to Padmanabha—Vishnu whose navel is a lotus—and offered repeated salutations. “Om,” he intoned, “reverence to Yoga-Nidra, whose true form is contemplated by the greatest yogis. I bow to you, the one with beautiful hair, a fine nose, a lovely forehead, and the bearer of the discus. To you with handsome arms and graceful thighs, I offer my salutations. Again and again, homage to Keśava, the peaceful one, who took the form of the dwarf.” Pleased by these heartfelt praises, Hṛṣīkeśa—Vishnu, noble-minded and compassionate—spoke about dharma. “Ask a boon, O knower of dharma, whatever you desire most in your heart. Whoever, without laziness, praises me with this very hymn, I will establish you here, O teacher of the world, by your own name. Simply by remembering me, a person is freed from the sins of Dharma Hari, the mighty. If one bathes in the sacred waters of the Sarayu with a pure mind, gives gifts, performs homa, recites japa, and feeds Brahmins here, then any sin committed—whether knowingly or unknowingly—is destroyed by the proper expiation. Whether through ignorance or knowledge, or even by the punishment of a king, here too, expiation must be performed with diligence. For here, in this very place, Lord Vishnu himself dwells directly, ever worshipful and devoted.” He further declared, “On the eleventh day of the bright fortnight of Āṣāḍha, O best of the twice-born, one who bathes at the gate of heaven and beholds Dharma Hari, the mighty, attains great merit. Thus, in the southern direction, there lies the best mine of gold.” At this point, Vyāsa interjected, filled with curiosity. “O blessed one, knower of truth, tell me—how did the shower of gold occur? Please recount all this to me in detail, O virtuous one, for hearing of such things brings great wonder to people.” In response, the tale was told: Long ago, there was a king of the Raghu line, a scion of the illustrious Ikṣvāku dynasty. His fame spread instantly, for he defeated hostile forces, his valor scorching all opposition. The radiance of his spotless glory covered the ten directions. With a mighty fourfold army, he subdued many lands and vanquished the foremost kings, surpassing them in strength. Having conquered all directions and amassed a treasury of jewels, Kākutstha—the great king—arrived at that sacred place, his heart eager to perform sacrifice. He honored the sage Vasiṣṭha, as well as Vāmadeva and Kaśyapa, and beheld other foremost sages who had gathered from many holy places. Seeing all these sages assembled, shining like blazing fires, the illustrious Kākutstha approached them with proper respect. He greeted all the excellent twice-born sages with great reverence, honoring the assembly of the wise.