The royal sage Dilipa, a man of great virtue and brilliance who rivaled even the sages in his asceticism and upheld the warrior’s sacred duty, once sought to bring the holy river Ganga to earth. Yet, O highly fortunate one, though your father Dilipa—whose radiance was even greater than yours—earnestly desired to accomplish this, he was unable to do so. But you, O Bhagiratha, best among men, have surpassed even that noble vow. You have attained the highest and most esteemed fame in the world, for it is through your efforts that the descent of the Ganga has been accomplished. In doing so, O destroyer of foes, you have reached the supreme abode of righteousness. Now, O foremost among men, immerse yourself in these holy waters as is proper. Purify yourself and obtain the fruit of merit. Perform the water-rite for your forefathers, and may all be well with you. My task here is complete; I shall return to my own realm. You too may go, O king. Having spoken thus, the lord of the gods, Brahma, the grandsire of all the worlds, departed as he had come, returning to his renowned celestial abode. Then Bhagiratha, the royal sage, performed the excellent water-rite for the Sagaras—his ancestors—following the proper order and sacred tradition. After completing these rites and purifying himself, the king entered his own prosperous city and, endowed with virtue and fortune, ruled his kingdom as the best among men. The people rejoiced at the return of their king, O Raghava. Freed from sorrow and distress, prosperous and content, they welcomed him with happiness. Thus, O Rama, I have described to you the sacred expanse and story of the Ganga. May you fare well, and may all good be yours, for the time of twilight is passing. Blessed indeed is he—renowned, life-giving, fruitful, and destined for heaven—who causes this story to be heard among Brahmanas, Kshatriyas, and all others. His ancestors and the gods themselves are pleased. This narrative of the descent of Ganga bestows long life and is supremely auspicious. Whoever hears this, O descendant of Kakutstha, has all desires fulfilled, all sins destroyed, and enjoys increased lifespan and fame. Thus ends the forty-fourth sarga in the Balakanda of the glorious Valmiki Ramayana, the first poem. Let the forty-fifth sarga now be heard in the glorious Valmiki Ramayana, Balakanda. Having listened to the words of Visvamitra, Rama—together with Lakshmana—was filled with wonder and addressed the sage: “O Brahmana, what you have told us is truly marvelous—the sacred descent of Ganga and the very filling of the ocean. O subduer of foes, the night has passed for us in a moment as we pondered your wondrous tale. The entire night, together with Saumitri, passed as I reflected on your auspicious story.” Then, at dawn, when the day was clear, Rama, destroyer of enemies, having completed his morning rites, spoke to the ascetic Visvamitra: “The blessed night has passed, and we have heard your supreme story. Let us now cross the sacred river, the best of streams, the threefold-flowing Ganga. Indeed, a boat—easily crossed by the sages of virtuous deeds—has arrived swiftly upon learning of your presence, venerable one.” Hearing these words of the great-souled Rama, Kaushika arranged for the crossing of the entire assembly of sages. Having reached the northern bank and duly honoring the sages, they settled upon the shore of the Ganga and beheld the splendid city of Vishala. Then the eminent sage, together with Rama, swiftly entered the delightful and radiant city, which shone like heaven itself. Rama, wise and humble, with joined palms, questioned the great sage Visvamitra about the excellent and vast city: “O great sage, which royal lineage is established here in Vishala? I wish to hear, for I am greatly curious—may good be yours.” Hearing Rama’s words, the foremost among sages began to recount the ancient history of Vishala: “Listen, Rama, to the tale of Indra as I have heard it. Hear truly what happened in this land, O descendant of Raghu. In the earliest age, the Krita Yuga, there existed the mighty sons of Diti and the greatly fortunate, powerful, and righteous sons of Aditi. Then, O tiger among men, these great souls deliberated: ‘How might we become immortal, ageless, and free from disease?’ As these wise ones pondered, the thought arose among them: ‘By churning the ocean of milk, we shall obtain its essence.’ Having resolved to churn the ocean, they used Vasuki, the serpent, as the rope and Mount Mandara as the churning rod. With great energy, they began to churn. After a thousand years, the serpent, used as the rope, began to emit deadly poison from its heads, biting the rocks with its fangs. A blazing, fire-like, dreadful poison called Halahala arose, and by it the entire world—gods, asuras, and humans—was scorched. Then the gods, seeking refuge, approached the great god Shankara, Lord of Beasts, Rudra, and praised him, crying, ‘Save us, save us!’ Thus addressed by the gods, the Lord of lords of gods appeared there, and then Hari, bearing the conch and discus, manifested. Hari, smiling, spoke to Rudra, the wielder of the trident: ‘What has arisen here while the gods were churning—this which is yours, O best of gods, and which has appeared before the gods—standing here at the forefront, accept this poison, O Lord.