When seven long years had passed with a child still growing in her womb, the queen, overwhelmed by the burden, struck her womb with a stone. From this act, a son was born, and he was named Ashmaka. Ashmaka’s line continued through his son, Mulaka. In a time when the Kshatriya lineage faced utter destruction on earth, Mulaka was saved by the quick-thinking women of his family, who encircled him, unclothed, shielding him from harm. For this reason, he became known as “protected by a shield of women.” From Mulaka descended Dasharatha, and then Ilivila, followed by Vishvasaha. Vishvasaha’s son was the illustrious Khatvanga. During a great battle between the gods and demons, the gods called upon Khatvanga, who valiantly slew the demons. Pleased by his deeds, the gods invited him to heaven and offered him a boon of his choosing. Khatvanga humbly asked only to know the span of his remaining life. The gods replied, “Only a single moment remains for you.” Hearing this, Khatvanga, resolute and serene, descended from heaven in his celestial chariot, filled with divine qualities, and addressed those around him. He proclaimed that never had even his own self been dearer to him than the Brahmins, nor had he ever strayed from his duty. He had always maintained an equal vision toward all beings—gods, humans, animals, birds, trees, and more—just as the eternal Lord does. With unwavering steps and a mind fixed upon that blessed Lord whom the sages worship, he meditated upon the Supreme Soul, the Guru of the gods, whose form is beyond description, pure existence itself, manifest as Vāsudeva. In that moment, Khatvanga merged his own self into the Supreme Self and attained liberation then and there. The ancient Seven Sages once sang a verse in his honor: “No one equal to Khatvanga will ever exist on earth.” For Khatvanga, having returned from heaven with only a moment to live, united the three worlds through his wisdom and truthfulness. From Khatvanga was born Dīrghabāhu, then Raghu, then Aja, and from Aja, Dasharatha. To Dasharatha, the blessed, lotus-naveled Lord himself, for the sake of preserving the world, manifested as his four sons—Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, and Śatrughna—each a portion of his own being. Even as a boy, Rāma was called by Viśvāmitra to protect his sacrifice. There, he slew the demoness Tāṭakā, struck Mārīca with an arrow and cast him into the ocean, and destroyed Subāhu and other fiends. By his mere presence, he freed Ahalyā from her curse. At the house of King Janaka, Rāma effortlessly broke the mighty bow of Śiva, winning Sītā, daughter of the earth and Janaka, as his bride through his strength. He humbled Paraśurāma, the terror of all kṣatriyas and the pride of the Bhārgava line, stripping him of his arrogance. Obeying his father’s command, Rāma renounced all desire for the kingdom and entered the forest, accompanied by Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa. There, he slew Virādha, Khara, Dūṣaṇa, Kabandha, and the mighty Vāli. Rāma bridged the ocean, destroyed the entire race of Rākṣasas, and after slaying Rāvaṇa, he reclaimed Sītā—who had been abducted—purified by the ordeal of fire, praised by the gods, and free from all taint, bringing her back to Ayodhyā. Maitreya, the ceremony of Rāma’s coronation was so grand that it could not be described even in a hundred years, but listen to it briefly. Surrounded by Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, Śatrughna, Vibhīṣaṇa, Sugrīva, Aṅgada, Jāmbavat, Hanumān, and others, all with joyful hearts, Rāma was served with parasols and fans. All the gods—Brahmā, Indra, Yama, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Kubera, Īśāna, and more—honored him. The sages—Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva, Vālmīki, Mārkaṇḍeya, Viśvāmitra, Bharadvāja, Agastya, and others—sang his praises, as did the reciters of the Ṛg, Yajur, Sāma, and Atharva Vedas. The air was filled with the music of veena, flute, drums, conch, kahala, gomukha, and other instruments. Amidst all the kings, Rāma, delight of the Raghu line, beloved of Sītā and his brothers, was seated on the throne and ruled the kingdom of Kosala for eleven thousand years, ensuring the protection of the worlds. Bharata, too, displayed great valor, slaying three crores of Gandharvas in battle as he sought to conquer their realm. Śatrughna, strong and mighty, slew Lavaṇa, the Rākṣasa son of Madhu, and established the city of Mathurā. Thus, through their extraordinary strength, valor, and heroic deeds, Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, and Śatrughna—destroyers of the wicked—established righteousness in the world and eventually ascended to heaven. The people of Kosala who were devoted to these divine incarnations also attained their world, sharing in their consciousness. Rāma, destroyer of evil, had two sons: Kuśa and Lava. Lakṣmaṇa’s sons were Aṅgada and Candraketu; Bharata’s were Takṣa and Puṣkala; Śatrughna’s were Subāhu and Śūrasena. From Kuśa, the line continued: his son was Atithi, followed by Niṣadha, then Anala, Nabhā, Puṇḍarīka, Kṣemadhanvan, Devānīka, Ahīnaka, Ruru, Pāriyātraka, Devala, Vatsala, Utka, Vajranābha, Śaṃkhana, Ādyuṣitāśva, and Viśvasaha. From Viśvasaha was born Hiraṇyanābha, the great yogi, to whom King Jaimini was a disciple and from whom Yājñavalkya learned yoga. Hiraṇyanābha’s son was Puṣya; from him came Dhruvasaṃdhi, then Sudarśana, Agnivarṇa, Śīghraga, and finally Maru. That Maru, having taken up the discipline of yoga, even now remains in the village of Kalāpa, ever steadfast in his practice.