As the sacred sacrifice was being performed, the supremely noble sage Kuśa, son of Brahmā, addressed King Kuśanābha. He spoke with gentle authority, “O son, a virtuous and righteous son, equal to yourself, shall be born to you. Through him, you will obtain a son named Gādhi and your fame shall endure forever in this world.” Having spoken thus, Kuśa rose up into the sky and departed to the eternal realm of Brahmā. In due time, to the wise and noble Kuśanābha, a supremely righteous son was indeed born, and he was named Gādhi. Then, O descendant of Kakutstha, Viśvāmitra said, “That Gādhi, renowned for his righteousness, is my father. I am called Kauśika, born in the illustrious lineage of Kuśa, O delight of the Raghus. “My elder sister, O Rāghava, steadfast in virtue, is named Satyavatī. She was given in marriage to the sage Ṛcīka. That supremely noble Satyavatī, faithful to her husband, ascended to heaven in her very body, and became the great river Kauśikī. Divine, with pure and lovely waters, Kauśikī rests upon the Himālaya, and for the welfare of the world, she became a sacred river. “Therefore, I dwell happily by the side of the Himālaya, bound in affection with my sister Kauśikī, O delight of the Raghus. That virtuous Satyavatī, established in truth and righteousness, devoted to her husband and greatly fortunate, became Kauśikī, the foremost among rivers. Indeed, O Rāma, by observance I left her and came here; I reached Siddhāśrama and have been perfected by your energy. “O Rāma, this is the account of my birth and lineage, and of the land, as you have asked me, O mighty-armed one. Now, O descendant of Kakutstha, midnight has passed as I have been telling these stories; seek your rest now. May good fortune be yours, and may nothing hinder our journey. “All the trees are still, the wild animals and birds have withdrawn, and the directions, O delight of the Raghus, are cloaked in the darkness of night. Twilight is slowly fading, and the sky, as if adorned with countless eyes, shines with the light of stars and constellations. The cool-rayed moon rises, dispelling the darkness of the world, delighting the minds of living beings with its gentle radiance. All the night-dwelling creatures move about here and there, as do hosts of yakṣas, rākṣasas, and fierce, flesh-eating spirits.” Having thus spoken, the great sage, radiant with immense brilliance, fell silent. All the assembled sages honored him, exclaiming, “Excellent, excellent!” They praised the greatness of the Kuśika lineage, always devoted to righteousness. The descendants of Kuśa are noble souls, comparable to Brahmā himself, foremost among men. “Especially you, illustrious Viśvāmitra, are renowned; and Kauśikī, the best among rivers, brings glory to your lineage.” Praised by the delighted sages, the glorious son of Kuśika entered into sleep, like the sun setting at day’s end. Rāma and Saumitri, somewhat amazed, praised the foremost sage and then also took their rest. Thus concludes the thirty-fourth chapter, and the thirty-fifth begins. Having spent the remainder of the night on the banks of the Śoṇa river, together with the great sages, when the night had grown bright, Viśvāmitra spoke, “The night is over, Rāma; the early dawn is upon us. Rise, rise, may all be well with you; prepare yourself for our onward journey.” Hearing these words, Rāma performed his morning rites and, ready to depart, addressed Viśvāmitra: “This Śoṇa river is beautiful, with pure, deep water and gleaming sandbanks. By which path, O sage, shall we cross?” Viśvāmitra replied, “This is the path I have indicated, by which the great sages travel.” Thus instructed, the company of sages, along with Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, set forth, observing the varied forests along their way. After traveling a great distance, when half the day had passed, they beheld the Jāhnavī, the foremost of rivers, frequented by sages. Seeing that sacred river, where swans and cranes dwelled, all the sages, together with Rāma, were filled with joy. On its bank, they arranged their lodging, and after bathing according to custom, they offered oblations to the ancestors and deities. Having performed the fire rituals and partaken of the offerings, which were as sweet as nectar, they entered the auspicious bank of the Jāhnavī, their hearts joyful. Surrounding the great-souled Viśvāmitra on all sides, and seated properly, Rāma, his mind delighted, addressed the sage: “Revered one, I wish to hear about Gaṅgā, the river that traverses three worlds. How did she, after conquering the three worlds, become the foremost of rivers?” Prompted by Rāma’s words, the great sage Viśvāmitra began to recount the origin and birth of Gaṅgā: “O Rāma, Himavat, the lord of mountains and great source of minerals, had two daughters of incomparable beauty upon the earth. Their mother was Menā, the lovely, slender-waisted daughter of Meru, and beloved wife of Himavat. From her, O descendant of Raghu, was born Gaṅgā, the eldest daughter of Himavat; the second daughter was Umā by name. “Then, desiring to accomplish the work of the gods, all the deities approached the lord of mountains and sought his eldest daughter, Gaṅgā, the river that flows in three paths.