He who was born to uphold righteousness brought destruction upon Subāhu and the other tormentors who threatened the peace of sages. By his very glance, he released Ahalyā from the curse that had bound her, restoring her to purity. At the house of King Janaka, he effortlessly broke the mighty bow of Śiva, a feat none before him could accomplish. Thus, by triumphing in the trial of strength, he won as his bride Sītā, the daughter of Janaka, who had arisen from the earth herself. He subdued Paraśurāma, the terror of all kṣatriyas and the blazing pride of the Bhārgava lineage, humbling his arrogance and quelling his wrath. Obedient to his father’s word, and disregarding all longing for kingship, he entered the forest in exile, accompanied by his devoted wife and loyal brother. There, he slew many formidable foes: Virādha, Khara, Dūṣaṇa, Kabandha, and even the mighty Vāli. When his beloved Sītā was abducted, he bridged the vast ocean, annihilated the entire race of Rākṣasas, and, after slaying Rāvaṇa, he rescued Sītā. She returned to him, purified by the ordeal of fire, praised by the hosts of gods, and utterly free from blemish. Together, they returned to Ayodhyā. Maitreya, the auspicious ceremony of Rāma’s coronation was so magnificent that even a hundred years would not suffice to describe it fully. Briefly, know this: attended by Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, Śatrughna, Vibhīṣaṇa, Sugrīva, Aṅgada, Jāmbavat, Hanumān, and many others, all radiant with joy; served with parasols and fans; honored by the gods—Brahmā, Indra, Yama, Nirṛti, Varuṇa, Vāyu, Kubera, Īśāna, and more; praised by the sages Vasiṣṭha, Vāmadeva, Vālmīki, Mārkaṇḍeya, Viśvāmitra, Bharadvāja, Agastya, and others; lauded by reciters of the four Vedas; with music, dance, and auspicious sounds from every world—veena, flute, drums, conches, and more—Rāma, the delight of the Raghu line, beloved of Sītā and his brothers, was enthroned amidst all the kings for the protection of all the worlds. He ruled the kingdom of Kosala for eleven thousand years. Bharata, during his conquest of the Gandharva realm, slew three crores of Gandharvas in battle. Śatrughna, mighty and valiant, 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 destroyed the wicked, established order in the world, and, when their work was done, ascended to heaven. Those among the people of Kosala who were devoted to these divine incarnations also attained their world, sharing in their consciousness. Rāma, the destroyer of the wicked, had two sons, Kuśa and Lava; Lakṣmaṇa had Aṅgada and Candraketu; Bharata had Takṣa and Puṣkala; Śatrughna had Subāhu and Śūrasena. Kuśa’s son was Atithi, and from Atithi came Niṣadha. From Niṣadha was born Anala, then Nabhā, then Puṇḍarīka, whose son was Kṣemadhanvan. From him came Devānīka, then Ahīnaka, then Ruru, then Pāriyātraka, then Devala, then Vatsala, then Utka, then Vajranābha, then Śaṃkhana, then Ādyuṣitāśva, and from him, Viśvasaha was born. From Viśvasaha came Hiraṇyanābha, the great yogi, to whom King Jaimini was a disciple and from whom Yājñavalkya learned yoga. Hiraṇyanābha’s son was Puṣya, then Dhruvasaṃdhi, then Sudarśana, then Agnivarṇa, then Śīghraga, and then Maru was born. This Maru, having taken up the path of yoga, even now resides in the village of Kalāpa, and in a future age, he will restore the kṣatriya lineage of the Solar dynasty. Maru’s son was Praśuśruka, whose son was Susandhi; then came Amarṣa, then Sahasvān, then Viśvabhava, then Bṛhadbala, who was slain by Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, in the great Bhārata war. These are the principal kings of the Ikṣvāku line; whoever hears their deeds is freed from all sins. Among the sons of Ikṣvāku, there was one named Nimi, who began a thousand-year sacrificial session and chose Vasiṣṭha as his chief priest. Vasiṣṭha replied that he had already been chosen by Indra for a five-hundred-year sacrifice, but would come to Nimi after that. When the king gave no reply, Vasiṣṭha, understanding his intent, performed Indra’s sacrifice. Meanwhile, Nimi performed his own sacrifice with other priests, such as Gautama. When Indra’s sacrifice was completed, Vasiṣṭha eagerly returned, saying he would now perform Nimi’s rite. But seeing Gautama already officiating and that the king had not refused him, Vasiṣṭha, angered, assigned another rite to Gautama and cursed Nimi, saying, “Because you did not reject me, you shall become without a body—Videha.” The awakened king replied, “Because you, my wicked teacher, cursed me while I slept, without speaking to me, a curse shall fall upon you as well.” Having said this, Nimi gave up his body. Owing to that curse, the energy of Vasiṣṭha entered the radiance of Mitra and Varuṇa, and from their union with Urvaśī, Vasiṣṭha obtained another body. Nimi’s body, exceedingly beautiful and fragrant, did not decay or suffer corruption, but remained as if freshly dead. At the completion of the sacrifice, the priests requested a boon for the sacrificer from the gods. Nimi spoke, “O blessed ones, there is no greater suffering than the separation of body and soul. Therefore, I wish to dwell in the eyes of all beings and not take on a body again.” The gods granted this, and from then on, all beings began to blink. Since Nimi had died without a son, the sages, fearing the land would be without a ruler, churned his body in the forest. From this, a boy was born, called Janaka, as he was born from the act of birth. His son was Videha, and because he was his father, he was called Vaideha. From Mathana came Mithi, then Udāvasu, Nandivardhana, Suketu, Devarāta, Bṛhadukūtha, Mahāvīrya, Satyadhṛti, Dhṛṣṭaketu, Haryaśva, Maru, Pratibandhaka, Kṛtaratha, Kṛti, Vibudha, Mahādhṛti, Kṛtirāta, Mahāroma, Suvarṇaroma, Hrasvaroma, and then Sīradhvaja was born. While Sīradhvaja was performing a sacrifice for the sake of a son, Sītā, his daughter, arose from the furrow. Sīradhvaja’s brother was Kuśadhvaja, lord of Sāṅkāśya. Sīradhvaja’s wife was Bhānumatī, and from her came Śatadyumna, then Śuci, then Ūrjjacavaha, then Satyadhvaja, then Kuni (or Kriṇi), then Añjana, then Ṛtujit, then Ariṣṭanemi, then Śratāyu, then Sūryāśva, then Sañjaya, then Kṣemāri, then Danena, then Mīnaratha (or Mānaratha), then Satyaratha, then Sātyarathi, then Sātyaratharupagu, then Śruta, then Śāpa, then the brilliant Suvarjjā, son of Mitrāvaruṇa, then Subhāsa, then Suśruta, then Jaya, then Vijaya, then Ṛta, then Sunaya, then Vītahavya, then Sañjaya, then Dhṛti, then Bahulāśva, then Kṛti, in whom the line of Janaka is established. These are the kings of Mithilā, many of whom were rulers devoted to the knowledge of the Self. At this, Maitreya said, “O venerable one, you have recounted to me the descendants of the Sun. Now I wish to hear of the royal descendants of Soma as well. Please tell me, O Brāhmaṇa, about those whose illustrious line still endures, whose fame remains steadfast and whose faces are radiant with grace.” Śrī Parāśara replied: “Listen, O best of sages, to the lineage of Soma, renowned for its splendor, in which many kings of the earth have arisen, as recounted in order.