King Janaka, having spoken with wisdom and care, was advised by the great sage Viśvāmitra to make arrangements for the gifting of cows for Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa and to perform the ancestral rites. Only after these sacred duties, he said, should the marriage ceremony be conducted, wishing Janaka good fortune. Today, Viśvāmitra explained, was the day of the Maghā constellation, and on the third day, under the auspicious star Uttara Phalgunī, the wedding should be performed. For Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, the king was to prepare the auspicious gifts. The seventy-second sarga of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa, unfolds as the king of Videha, Janaka, is addressed by Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha. Together, these eminent sages praised the noble lineages of the Ikṣvākus and the Videhas, declaring them immeasurable and unmatched. They affirmed that the union of Rāma with Sītā and Lakṣmaṇa with Urmilā was both righteous and beautiful. Viśvāmitra then drew Janaka’s attention to his younger brother, King Kuśadhvaja, a man of righteousness. He had two daughters, unmatched in beauty, and Viśvāmitra requested that they be given in marriage to Bharata and Śatrughna, the wise sons of King Daśaratha. The sons of Daśaratha, he declared, were equal to the guardians of the world, their valor rivaling that of the gods. This alliance would unite the noble houses of Ikṣvāku and Videha in harmony. Hearing these words, Janaka, with reverent hands joined, spoke to the sages. He considered his lineage blessed to be chosen for such an alliance by these foremost sages. He agreed with joy: let the daughters of Kuśadhvaja become the wives of Bharata and Śatrughna. On a single day, he proposed, let the four mighty princes—Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, and Śatrughna—take the hands of the four royal maidens. The wise, he said, praise the marriage ceremony under the Phalgunī stars, when Bhaga and Prajāpati preside. Having spoken gently, Janaka rose and offered the chief seats to the sages, declaring his city as dear to him as Ayodhyā was to Daśaratha. He invited them to act as they saw fit, trusting their wisdom. Daśaratha, delighted by Janaka’s words, praised the two kings of Mithilā for their youth and virtues, and for honoring sages and kings alike. He wished them well-being and prosperity, and announced his intention to return to his abode to perform the ancestral rites. With the sages Viśvāmitra and Vasiṣṭha at the forefront, Daśaratha swiftly proceeded to his residence. There, he performed the śrāddha ceremony according to prescribed rites. Rising early the next morning, he carried out the finest gifting of cows, giving one hundred thousand cows to the Brahmins for the sake of his sons, each cow individually. In total, Daśaratha gave four hundred thousand cows, adorned with golden horns, accompanied by calves, and fit for milking with bronze vessels. Out of affection for his sons, he bestowed much wealth besides upon the twice-born, fulfilling the sacred gifting of cows. Surrounded by his sons, who had participated in these rites, Daśaratha shone like Prajāpati encircled by the guardians of the worlds. As the seventy-third sarga begins, on the day of the supreme gifting of cows, the heroic Yudhājit arrived. He was the son of the king of Kekaya and the maternal uncle of Bharata. Yudhājit greeted Daśaratha, conveying his father’s affectionate wishes for well-being and expressing the king of Kekaya’s desire to see his sister’s son, Bharata. He explained that, upon hearing of the sons of Daśaratha coming to Mithilā for marriage, he had hastened to Ayodhyā to see Bharata. King Daśaratha welcomed his dear guest warmly, honoring him with the highest hospitality. Together with his noble sons, he spent the night in comfort. The next morning, after performing the rites, Daśaratha, guided by the sages, went to the sacrificial enclosure. At the auspicious hour of victory, Rāma and his brothers, adorned with ornaments, performed the festive and auspicious rites. Vasiṣṭha, placed at the forefront with other great sages, approached King Janaka. He spoke on behalf of Daśaratha, who, together with his sons, had performed the auspicious rites and now desired the giver. Thus, the stage was set for the sacred union of the royal houses, under the guidance of sages, with all rites and gifts performed in accordance with dharma, and the blessings of elders and guests bestowed upon the four princes and their brides.