As King Janaka beheld the two radiant youths standing before him, he was filled with wonder and reverence. He offered his blessings and asked, “Who are these two young men, whose valor equals that of the gods? Their gait is like that of mighty elephants and lions, their bearing heroic, resembling tigers and bulls in strength.” He noted their eyes, wide and beautiful as lotus petals, and observed the swords, quivers, and bows they carried. In the bloom of youth, they stood together with the grace and beauty of the divine Aśvins. “They seem to have arrived here by chance, like immortals from the heavenly realms. How have they come here on foot, for what purpose, and whose sons are they, O venerable sage?” Janaka inquired further. He continued, “These two adorn the land as the sun and moon adorn the sky. They are alike in stature, in bearing, and in movement. Why have these best of men, bearing such excellent weapons, come upon this difficult path? I wish to hear the truth from you.” Hearing these words, the sage Viśvāmitra recounted all that had transpired: how the brothers had stayed at Siddhāśrama, and how they had slain the Rākṣasas, just as Viśvāmitra himself had witnessed. The king listened with astonishment as Viśvāmitra spoke. Honoring their valor and lineage, Janaka received the two sons of Daśaratha as honored guests, showing them the respect and hospitality due to their station and might. After spending one night there, receiving the highest hospitality from the noble-minded king, the two Raghavas continued their journey towards Mithilā. As they approached the auspicious city of Janaka, all the sages accompanying them praised Mithilā, exclaiming, “Excellent, excellent!” and honored her greatly. In a grove near Mithilā, Rāghava noticed an ancient, deserted, yet charming hermitage. Curious, he turned to the foremost of sages and asked, “O venerable one, this place seems to be a hermitage, yet it is devoid of ascetics. Whose hermitage was this?” Hearing Rāghava’s question, the great sage Viśvāmitra, skilled in speech, replied, “Indeed, I shall tell you truly whose hermitage this is, and why it stands deserted, cursed in anger by a great soul.” He continued, “This was once the hermitage of the illustrious Gautama, O best of men, resplendent and revered even by the gods. Here, long ago, together with his wife Ahalyā, Gautama practiced austerities for many thousands of years.” Viśvāmitra then recounted the ancient tale: “Knowing Gautama’s absence, Indra, lord of Śacī, took on the guise of a sage and approached Ahalyā. He spoke to her, ‘Those who desire union, O slender-waisted one, wait for the proper season with composure. But I desire union with you now.’ “Ahalyā, recognizing Indra disguised as a sage, was swayed by curiosity for the king of the gods and, lacking sound judgment, consented to his request. After their union, she said to Indra, ‘I am satisfied, O lord of gods; now go quickly from here. By all means, protect both yourself and me from Gautama.’ “Indra laughed and replied, ‘O beautiful-hipped one, I am satisfied and will depart as I came.’ Thus, after their union, he left the hut at once. “But as Indra hurried away, fearful of Gautama, he saw the great sage returning. Gautama, difficult to approach for gods and demons, endowed with the power of his austerities, shone like blazing fire, carrying sacred fuel and kuśa grass. Seeing him, Indra’s face grew pale with fear. “Gautama, seeing Indra in his own form, spoke in anger, ‘Assuming my form, you have committed this wrongful act, O wicked-minded one. Therefore, you shall become fruitless.’ As Gautama, filled with great wrath, pronounced this curse, the testicles of the thousand-eyed Indra immediately fell to the ground. “Having thus cursed Indra, Gautama also cursed his wife, saying, ‘For many thousands of years you shall dwell here, sustained only by air, fasting, scorched by penance, lying on ashes, unseen by all beings. When Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, comes to this dreadful forest, then you shall be purified. By receiving him as a guest, free from greed and delusion, you shall, with joy, regain your own form and come to me.’ Having spoken thus, the great sage Gautama, possessed of immense austerity, left the hermitage and went to the beautiful peaks of the Himalaya to continue his penance.” As Viśvāmitra finished the tale, he said, “Hear now the next chapter in this glorious story.” Indra, rendered fruitless and filled with fear, approached the gods—Agni at their head, along with the Siddhas, Gandharvas, and Charanas—and spoke, “By causing an obstacle to Gautama’s penance and provoking his anger, I have acted for the sake of the gods. Yet, by his wrath, I have been made fruitless, and Ahalyā has been rejected. By his great curse, I have deprived him of his penance. Therefore, O best of gods, all of you, together with the sages and Charanas, should make this act, performed for the sake of the gods, fruitful for me.” Hearing Indra’s plea, the gods, with Agni at their head, approached the Pitṛs and, together with the Maruts, said, “This ram is intact, while Indra has been rendered without testicles. Take the testicles of the ram and quickly give them to Indra. The ram, made fruitless, will bring supreme satisfaction, and for the joy of you all, those men who offer rams will obtain inexhaustible fruit, and you shall grant them abundant rewards.” Thus, the tale of Gautama, Ahalyā, and Indra was revealed to Rāma and the sages, as they journeyed onward toward Mithilā, learning the sacred histories of the land through the words of the wise.