King Janaka, his heart filled with admiration, spoke to the illustrious sage Viśvāmitra. “O revered one, I have heard from the noble Rāma himself, and in the presence of the assembly, of your countless virtues. Many tales of your greatness have reached my ears since I entered this hall. Your asceticism, your strength, and your virtues, O son of Kuśika, are truly immeasurable—they have no end.” He continued, “My delight in these wondrous stories is inexhaustible, O best of sages. Yet the time for my daily duties draws near, for the sun is setting on its course. Tomorrow, at dawn, please come to see me again, O illustrious one. You are always welcome here—please grant me leave for now.” Thus addressed, Viśvāmitra, the eminent sage, praised Janaka, the best of men, and graciously dismissed him. Janaka, pleased and content, then rose. Together with his teachers and relatives, the lord of Mithilā respectfully circumambulated the sage before departing. Viśvāmitra, righteous-souled, returned to his own abode, accompanied by Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa and honored by all the great-souled ones present. As the next day dawned, pure and auspicious, King Janaka completed his morning rituals and summoned the great-souled Viśvāmitra, along with Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa of the Raghu dynasty. He honored the sage with all rites prescribed by scripture, then turned to the sons of Raghu and spoke warmly, “Welcome, revered ones! What may I do for you, O faultless ones? Please command me, for I am ready to serve.” Viśvāmitra, skilled in speech, replied to Janaka, “These two are the sons of Daśaratha, famed kṣatriyas. They wish to see the excellent bow that is in your possession. Please show it to these princes, whose wishes are always fulfilled. After beholding the bow, they may depart as they desire.” Janaka responded, “O great sage, let me tell you why this bow is here. Long ago, Devarata, the eldest of King Nimi’s line, received this bow as a sacred trust. At the time of Daksha’s sacrifice, the mighty Lord Shiva, in anger, strung this bow and shattered the gods, declaring, ‘Because you gods did not grant me my share of offerings, I shall destroy your precious and divine forms with this bow.’ The gods, distressed, sought to appease Bhava, and at last, Lord Shiva was pacified. Pleased with the gods, he bestowed upon them this radiant bow. “In time, the bow was entrusted to my ancestor, the illustrious king. And as I was once ploughing the field, there arose from the furrow a maiden—Sītā, named for the furrow itself. She, born of no womb, grew up as my own daughter, a gift of the earth. “Many kings came, O best of sages, seeking Sītā’s hand, for all the rulers of the earth desired her. But I declared, ‘I shall not give my daughter except as a prize for prowess.’ All the kings assembled in Mithilā, eager to prove their strength, and for their test, the bow of Shiva was brought forth. Yet none could so much as lift the bow, let alone string it. Seeing their strength fail, the kings were disappointed and, in anger, laid siege to Mithilā. For a full year, they beset the city, their resources dwindling away. “In my distress, I performed austerities and propitiated all the hosts of gods. Pleased, the gods granted me a great army, and the defeated kings, routed in battle, fled in all directions. Thus, the bow remains here, a symbol of supreme radiance and strength. “O steadfast sage, I will show this bow to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa. If Rāma can string it, I shall give my daughter Sītā, born of the earth and not of a womb, to the son of Daśaratha.” Hearing these words, Viśvāmitra turned to the king and said, “Show the bow to Rāma.” King Janaka immediately instructed his ministers, “Bring forth the divine bow, adorned with fragrant garlands.” Obeying his command, the ministers entered the city. With great effort, fifty hundred strong men strained together to move the massive eight-wheeled chest that housed the bow. Bearing the well-wrought iron chest, those mighty ministers, shining like gods, brought it before King Janaka, ready for the momentous test that awaited.