When King Janaka of Videha had spoken, the great sage Viśvāmitra, accompanied by Vasiṣṭha, addressed the valiant king Daśaratha. “O best of men,” they said, “the lineages of the Ikṣvākus and the Videhas are deep and immeasurable—there is truly no one who can equal them. The union of Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa with Sītā and Urmilā is perfectly fitting, both in righteousness and in beauty.” Viśvāmitra then continued, “Now, O foremost of men, listen to my words. Here stands King Kuśadhvaja, my younger brother, known for his devotion to righteousness. This noble king has two daughters, unmatched in beauty upon the earth. O best of men, we seek these daughters as brides for your sons Bharata and the wise Śatrughna, those great souls. All your sons, endowed with beauty and youth, are equal to the guardians of the world; their valor is like that of the gods. Let the noble house of Ikṣvāku, O king of righteous deeds, be joined to yours, free from any anxiety, by this alliance.” Hearing these words of Viśvāmitra and the counsel of Vasiṣṭha, King Janaka, with joined palms, addressed the two eminent sages. With gratitude, he declared, “Blessed indeed is this lineage for whom you two foremost sages personally command such a fitting alliance. So be it—may it be auspicious for you! Let the daughters of Kuśadhvaja become the wives of both Śatrughna and Bharata. On a single day, O great sage, let the four mighty princes take the hands of the four royal maidens. On the following day, O Brāhmaṇa, the wise praise the marriage ceremony under the Phalgunī stars, when Bhaga and Prajāpati preside.” Having spoken these gentle and respectful words, King Janaka rose with joined palms and addressed both sages: “A supreme act of 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 thus spoke, Daśaratha, delighted, replied to the lord of the earth: “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 attain well-being and prosperity; we shall return to our abode and duly perform the ancestral rites.” Having asked the king’s leave, Daśaratha, renowned for his greatness, proceeded swiftly, placing the two chief sages at the forefront. Once he reached his residence, he performed the śrāddha ceremony according to prescribed rites, and at dawn, he carried out the finest 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. In total, he gave four hundred thousand cows, adorned with golden horns, with calves, and fit for milking with bronze vessels. Raghunandana, ever affectionate toward his sons, gave much wealth besides to the twice-born, offering the gifting of cows for their sake. Then the king, surrounded by his sons who had performed the gifting of cows, shone like Prajāpati himself amidst the guardians of the worlds. At this point, the seventy-third sarga of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa, begins. On the very day that the king performed the supreme gifting of cows, the heroic Yudhājit arrived. He was the son of the king of Kekaya, the maternal uncle of Bharata. Having greeted the king and enquired after his welfare, Yudhājit spoke: “The king of Kekaya, out of affection, sends greetings of well-being; for those whose welfare you desire, he conveys that all is well. O king, my maternal uncle, the lord of the earth, wishes to see his sister’s son; for that purpose, I have come to Ayodhyā, O descendant of Raghu. Having heard that your sons have come to Mithilā for marriage, together with you, O king, I have hastened to Ayodhyā, desiring to see my sister’s son.” King Daśaratha welcomed his dear guest with the highest honor and hospitality. Then, together with his noble sons, he spent the night there. With the new dawn, after performing the necessary rites, the wise king, placing the sages at the forefront, went to the sacrificial enclosure. At the auspicious hour, adorned with all ornaments, Rāma and his brothers performed the festive and sacred rites. Placing Vasiṣṭha at the front, along with other great sages, the venerable Vasiṣṭha approached and spoke to King Janaka of Videha: “King Daśaratha, together with his sons who have performed the festive and auspicious rites, the foremost among men, desires the giver. Indeed, all purposes are accomplished through the giver and the receiver; fulfill your own duty by performing this excellent marriage.” Thus addressed by the exceedingly generous and high-souled Vasiṣṭha, the illustrious knower of supreme dharma, King Janaka, replied: “Who stands as my doorkeeper, waiting for whose command? What deliberation exists in my own house, as if this kingdom were yours?” Thus, in great joy and reverence, the sacred marriage alliance was prepared, guided by the wisdom of sages and the blessings of the noble lineages.