Having performed their sacred baths, everyone dressed in pure white garments, their minds calm, intent, and purified. In that gathering, none showed any sign of dejection, fear, or overwhelming sorrow; a serene anticipation filled the air. The people of the kingdom, desiring to witness the king’s great liberation, assembled in vast numbers. Not only humans, but bears, monkeys, demons, and all the city’s inhabitants came together. Even those beings who had become invisible within the city joined the gathering. All creatures, whether moving or unmoving, who could behold Kakutstha, were present. In Ayodhya, not a single living being remained absent, not even the subtlest form of life. Then, Kakutstha—Rama—proceeded, traveling half a yojana westward, until he reached the river. At that very moment, Brahma, the grandsire of all the worlds, descended to that place where Rama stood at the very gate of heaven. Brahma was surrounded on all sides by hundreds of millions of divine aerial chariots, radiant and splendid, their brilliance earned through countless virtuous deeds. From above, a shower of blessed flowers, swift and carried by the wind, rained down upon them. Rama then touched the sacred waters of the Sarayu river with his feet. The assembled hosts recognized his divinity: “You are the lord of the worlds, O god, yet none truly knows you. You are inconceivable, a great and imperishable wonder, upholding all that exists.” At Brahma’s word, Rama himself entered the sacred waters, and the gods, delighting in Vishnu, worshipped him as the best among gods. The Sādhyas, the hosts of Maruts, Indra and those led by Agni, the Suparṇas, Nāgas, Yakṣas, as well as Daityas, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas—all these divine and semi-divine beings—rejoiced, their desires completely fulfilled. Then the mighty and radiant Vishnu spoke to Brahma, the grandsire: “All these people have come here out of affection for me.” Hearing this, Brahma, the Lord of all worlds, replied: “At this holy place, which is the very gateway to heaven, one should meditate solely on Rama. All those called Saṃtānika, after departing from the world of Brahma—from whom gods and demons of various bodies have arisen—the sages, nāgas, and yakṣas also shall go to their respective abodes.” Thus, they all entered the Sarayu, which was filled with water at that time. Abandoning their human bodies, they ascended into celestial vehicles. There, having relinquished their earthly forms, they assumed divine bodies. Attaining the highest state, they entered the world of the gods, leaving their mortal shells behind at that sacred moment. Remembering the mighty Lord, the teacher of the worlds, all of them journeyed to heaven. From then on, that holy place became renowned as Gopratāra. O brāhmaṇa, even if such union is attained after hundreds of births, there is no doubt that at Gopratāra, Hari is firmly established through devotion. Even a learned person who bathes at Gopratāra is certainly purified. Especially in the sacred month of Kārtika, those who have mastered their senses should bathe there; people come to Ayodhya especially to bathe at Gopratāra. There has never been, nor will there ever be, a holy place equal to Gopratāra. One becomes sinless, abandoning all impurity, possessing a pure body and clad in white garments. O virtuous one, whatever divine holy places exist upon the earth, on the day of Gopratara, one should perform recitation, offerings into the fire, bathing, and giving gifts according to one’s ability. In the month of Kartika, by attaining this sacred place, one reaches the merit of all other holy sites as well.