As the story unfolds, the king, steadfast in his purpose, follows the sacred course of the Ganga all the way to the ocean. There, he enters the depths of the earth, the very place where the sons of Sagara had been reduced to ashes. With reverence, he immerses their ashes in the holy waters of the Ganga. At that auspicious moment, Rama, Brahma—the lord and grandsire of all worlds—appears and speaks to the king. “O tiger among men,” Brahma declares, “the sixty thousand sons of the great Sagara have been delivered. They have ascended to heaven, just like the gods themselves. As long as the ocean’s waters exist in this world, O king, all the sons of Sagara will remain in heaven, enjoying divine status.” Brahma continues, “This Ganga will be your eldest daughter. She will be renowned throughout the world by your name, thanks to your noble deed. The divine Ganga is called Tripathaga, and also Bhagirathi, for she traverses three paths—thus she is remembered as Tripathaga. You, O king, are the ancestor of all these forefathers. Perform the water-rite and fulfill your vow.” He reminds the king, “This wish was not attained by your illustrious and righteous predecessor. Likewise, Aṃśumān, whose brilliance was unmatched, sought to bring the Ganga but could not fulfill his vow. The royal sage Dilipa, virtuous and equal to the great sages in brilliance, whose asceticism matched my own and who upheld the warrior’s duty—Dilipa, your father, O fortunate one, whose radiance even surpassed yours, was also unable to bring the Ganga, though he desired it sincerely. But you, O best of men, have surpassed them all. You have attained the highest and most esteemed fame in the world. This descent of the Ganga has been accomplished by you, O destroyer of foes; through this, you have reached the great abode of righteousness.” Brahma instructs, “Immerse yourself, O best among men, in the water as is proper. Be pure and obtain the fruit of merit. Perform the water-rite for all your forefathers—may you fare well. I shall depart to my own realm; you may go, O king.” Having spoken these words, the lord of the gods, the grandsire of all worlds, departs as he had come, returning to his divine realm. Then Bhagiratha, the royal sage, performs the excellent water-rite for the Sagaras, renowned, according to proper order and custom. Having completed the rites and purified himself, the king enters his own city, prosperous and content, and rules his kingdom as the best among men. The people rejoice upon receiving their king; freed from sorrow and distress, they become prosperous and content. Thus, the expanse and glory of the Gaṅgā is described. “May you fare well, O Rāma,” the sage concludes, “for the time of twilight is passing. Blessed, renowned, life-giving, fruitful, and leading to heaven is he who causes this tale to be heard among Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, and others. His ancestors are pleased, as are the gods; this narrative of the descent of Gaṅgā bestows long life and is auspicious. Whoever hears this, O descendant of Kakutstha, attains all desires; all sins are destroyed, and both lifespan and fame increase.” Thus ends the forty-fourth chapter in the Bālakāṇḍa of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. As the next chapter begins, Rāghava, having listened to Viśvāmitra’s words, is filled with wonder. Together with Lakṣmaṇa, he addresses the sage: “O Brāhmaṇa, what you have told is most marvelous—the sacred descent of Gaṅgā and even the filling of the ocean. The night has passed for us as if in a moment, as we pondered your entire story. That whole night, together with Saumitri, passed for me while reflecting on the auspicious tale of Viśvāmitra.” At dawn, when the day is clear, Rāghava, destroyer of enemies, completes his morning rites and speaks to Viśvāmitra: “The blessed night has passed, and the supreme story has been heard. Let us cross the sacred river, the best of streams, the threefold-flowing Gaṅgā.” A boat, easily crossed by sages of virtuous deeds, arrives swiftly upon learning that the venerable one is present. Hearing Rāghava’s words, Kauśika arranges for the crossing of the entire assembly of sages. Having reached the northern bank and honoring the group of sages, they settle on the bank of the Gaṅgā and behold the city of Viśālā. Then, the eminent sage, together with Rāghava, swiftly goes to the delightful and splendid city of Viśālā, radiant like heaven itself. Rāma, wise and respectful, with joined palms, asks Viśvāmitra about the excellent and vast city: “O great sage, which royal lineage is established here in Viśālā? I wish to hear—may good be yours—for I am greatly curious.” Hearing these words, the foremost among sages begins to recount the ancient history of Viśālā. “Listen, Rāma, to the tale of Indra as I have heard it. Hear truly what happened in this land, O descendant of Raghu.” Thus the story continues, flowing from the sacred descent of Gaṅgā to the ancient tales of Viśālā, as told by the sage Viśvāmitra.