King Janaka, filled with joy and reverence, addressed the assembly: “May auspiciousness be yours. I give my daughter Sītā, who rivals the daughters of the gods and has been won by valor, to Rāma. And I give my second daughter, Urmilā, to Lakṣmaṇa. I declare this three times, without a shadow of doubt, and with the greatest happiness I bestow these two brides upon you, O best of sages.” Turning to the king, Janaka continued, “O King, arrange for the gifting of cows to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, and perform the sacred ancestral rites. Then, with blessings upon you, conduct the wedding ceremony. Today is the auspicious Maghā constellation; on the third day, when the Uttara Phalgunī star presides, let the wedding be performed for Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, with all the proper gifts and rituals.” Now begins the seventy-second sarga of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa. When Janaka had spoken thus, the great sages Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha turned to the valiant king and spoke: “O best of men, the lineages of the Ikṣvākus and the Videhas are deep and immeasurable; truly, none can equal them. The union of Rāma with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa with Urmilā, O King, is fitting both in righteousness and in beauty. “But now, listen further: here stands King Kuśadhvaja, my younger brother, a knower of righteousness. To this noble king belong two daughters, unmatched in beauty upon this earth. We seek these maidens as brides for your sons. For Bharata and the wise Śatrughna, O King, we request these two daughters, for these great souls. All your sons—Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, and Śatrughna—endowed with beauty and youth, are equal to the guardians of the world, their valor like that of the gods themselves. Let the noble house of Ikṣvāku, O king of righteous deeds, be joined with yours in this alliance, free from all anxiety.” Hearing the words of Viśvāmitra and the counsel of Vasiṣṭha, Janaka, with hands joined in respect, replied to the eminent sages: “Blessed indeed is this lineage, for which you two foremost sages yourselves command such a fitting alliance. So be it—may it be auspicious! Let the daughters of Kuśadhvaja become the wives of Śatrughna and Bharata. On a single day, O great sage, let the four mighty princes take the hands of the four royal maidens. “The wise praise the marriage ceremony performed under the Phalgunī stars, when Bhaga and Prajāpati preside. Let the wedding take place then, on the following day. Having spoken these gentle words, King Janaka rose, hands joined, and addressed the sages once more: ‘A supreme righteousness has been done for me; I am your disciple as well. Here are the chief seats—please, be seated, O foremost sages. As Ayodhyā is to Daśaratha, so is this city to me; there is no doubt in authority—please act as you see fit.’” As Janaka of Videha spoke thus, King Daśaratha, descendant of Raghu, delighted, replied to the lord of Mithilā: “You two brothers, kings of Mithilā, are young and possess countless virtues; sages and assemblies of kings have been honored by you both. May you enjoy well-being and prosperity. We shall return to our abode and duly perform the ancestral rites.” Having sought Janaka’s leave, King Daśaratha, renowned for his greatness, proceeded swiftly, with the two chief sages at the forefront. Upon reaching his residence, Daśaratha performed the śrāddha ceremony as prescribed by tradition. Rising early the next morning, he carried out the most excellent gifting of cows. For the sake of his sons and in accordance with dharma, he gave one hundred thousand cows to the Brahmins, each individually. Altogether, the supreme king gave four hundred thousand cows—each furnished with golden horns, with calves, and fit for milking with bronze vessels. Raghunandana, affectionate toward his sons, gave much wealth besides to the twice-born, fulfilling the sacred gifting of cows for their sake. Then, surrounded by his sons who had completed the gifting, the king shone like gentle Prajāpati himself, encircled by the guardians of the worlds. Now begins the seventy-third sarga of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa. On the very day the king performed the supreme gifting of cows, the heroic Yudhājit arrived. He was the son of the king of Kekaya, and the maternal uncle of Bharata. Having greeted the king and enquired after his welfare, Yudhājit spoke: “The king of Kekaya, out of affection, sends his greetings and wishes well-being to all for whom you care. O king, my maternal uncle, the lord of the earth, wishes to see his sister’s son; for that reason I have come to Ayodhyā, O descendant of Raghu.” He continued, “Having heard that your sons have come to Mithilā for marriage, together with you, I have come to Ayodhyā, desiring to see the son of my sister.” Hearing this, King Daśaratha welcomed his dear guest with the highest honor and hospitality. Together with his noble sons, Daśaratha spent the night there. Rising again in the morning, having performed all the sacred rites, the wise king, with the sages at the forefront, proceeded to the sacrificial enclosure. At the auspicious hour of victory, adorned with all ornaments, Rāma, together with his brothers, performed the festive and sacred wedding rites, marking the beginning of a new and blessed chapter for all.