After much deliberation, the assembled ministers decided to approach the king and said, “We shall bring the sage here, and in this there will be no fault.” Acting upon this counsel, the king of Anga arranged for Rishyasringa, the sage’s son, to be brought to his kingdom by the courtesans. As soon as this was done, rain fell upon the parched land, ending the drought, and the king gave his daughter Shanta to Rishyasringa in marriage. Thus, Rishyasringa became your son-in-law, O King, and it is he who will grant you sons. This much, as foretold by the sage Sanatkumara, I have now related to you. Delighted upon hearing this, King Dasharatha turned to Sumantra and asked, “Tell me, by what means was Rishyasringa brought here?” Sumantra respectfully replied, “Hear from me, together with the ministers, exactly how Rishyasringa was brought to Anga.” King Romapada, together with his ministers and priest, devised a plan that was safe and blameless. They knew that Rishyasringa, dwelling in the forest, devoted to austerities and study, was completely unacquainted with women, with worldly pleasures, or with any kind of enjoyment. “By means of sense-objects, delightful and alluring, which disturb the minds of men, we shall quickly bring him to the city,” they resolved. “Let beautiful courtesans, adorned with ornaments, go there; by employing various means of persuasion, they will bring him here, having been treated with honor.” Hearing this, the king agreed with his priest, and the counselors prepared to act accordingly. The chief courtesans, having received their instructions, entered the great forest. Not far from the hermitage, they sought an opportunity to meet Rishyasringa. Rishyasringa, the steadfast son of the sage, always dwelled in the hermitage, content in the company of his father, never venturing far. From birth, this ascetic had never laid eyes on a woman, a man, or any being from the city or kingdom. Adorned in varied attire and singing with sweet voices, the women approached the sage’s son and addressed him: “Who are you, O Brahmin? What are you doing here? We wish to know. You wander alone in this dreadful, deserted forest—tell us, please.” The women, whose forms and beauty were unlike anything he had ever seen, stirred his heart, and he resolved to speak to them about his father. “Our father is Vibhandaka, and I am his own son. My name and deeds are known in the world as Rishyasringa. Our hermitage is nearby, O beautiful ones. I will offer you all proper hospitality here, according to custom.” Hearing the sage’s son, the women resolved to visit the hermitage, and so they all went there. Upon their arrival, Rishyasringa welcomed them, saying, “Here is water for washing, here is water for your feet, here are roots and fruits for you.” Receiving his hospitality, the women became eager, but, fearing the sage Vibhandaka, they quickly decided to depart. “O Brahmin, here are our finest fruits as well—please accept them, noble one, and eat without delay,” they said, offering him sweet cakes and delicious foods. Filled with joy, they embraced him. Tasting those offerings, the innocent Rishyasringa thought, “These are fruits,” for he had never tasted such things before, having always dwelled in the forest. After taking leave of him and informing him of their vows, the women, still fearful of his father, departed as they had planned. After the women had gone, Rishyasringa, descendant of Kashyapa, became troubled at heart. Distressed and restless, he wandered about, his thoughts dwelling on the visitors. The next day, the valiant son of Vibhandaka, splendid in appearance, returned to the place where he had met them, his mind filled with longing. There he saw the same charming, well-adorned women. Upon seeing the approaching sage, their hearts filled with joy. They drew near and said, “Gentle one, come to our hermitage. There are many wondrous roots and fruits here; surely, a special destiny awaits you in this place.” Hearing their heartfelt words, Rishyasringa resolved to go with them, and the women led him away from the forest. As the great-souled sage was being brought to the city, the gods, pleased, suddenly showered rain upon the land, delighting all the people. With the coming of the rain, the ascetic sage arrived in Anga. The king went out to greet him, bowing his head to the earth in reverence. With proper hospitality, the king offered him water and earnestly sought his favor, careful not to anger the sage. He brought Rishyasringa into the inner chambers and, according to custom, gave him his daughter Shanta in marriage, with a tranquil mind. The king thus attained great joy. Thus, the great and radiant Rishyasringa dwelled in Anga, honored and fulfilled, together with his wife Shanta. Now, O King, listen as I recount further beneficial words, as spoken by that wise and foremost deity. In the lineage of Ikshvaku, there will be a highly righteous king named Dasharatha, renowned for his truthfulness.