When all the preparations for the great sacrifice had been completed with care by devoted men, the king was invited to proceed from his residence to the sacrificial ground. He was told to behold the site, surrounded on all sides by offerings of every desirable thing, a place so perfectly crafted it seemed shaped by the mind itself. Following the guidance of both Vasiṣṭha and Ṛśyaśṛṅga, the lord of the earth, King Daśaratha, set out on an auspicious day, under a favorable star. At the sacrificial ground, the foremost Brahmins, led by Vasiṣṭha and with Ṛśyaśṛṅga at their head, began the sacred rites. Everyone entered the enclosure, performing each act in strict accordance with scripture and proper rule. The illustrious king, accompanied by his wives, undertook the vow of consecration, marking the beginning of the great ritual. When a full year had passed and the sacred horse returned, the king’s sacrifice commenced on the northern bank of the Sarayū River. With Ṛśyaśṛṅga at their head, the eminent Brahmins performed the grand Aśvamedha sacrifice for the high-souled king. The officiating priests, learned in the Vedas, conducted the rites precisely, moving about according to scripture and established custom. They performed the Pravargya and Upasada rites as prescribed, and carried out all additional rituals according to the sacred texts. After honoring the Brahmins, the eminent sages, filled with joy, performed the morning Soma-pressing rites. The Indra offering was duly made, and the sinless king was consecrated. Then, the midday Soma-pressing began, followed by the third pressing, all conducted in the proper order by the foremost Brahmins. Ṛśyaśṛṅga and the others, skilled in mantras and precise pronunciation, invited the best of the gods, beginning with Indra. With sweet and gentle chants, the Hotṛ priests invoked the gods and offered shares of oblations to the dwellers of heaven. Not a single oblation was omitted or misplaced; everything was conducted flawlessly, as if Brahmā himself was overseeing the ritual, and all was secure. During these days, no one was seen weary or hungry. Every Brahmin was knowledgeable, and all attendants were proper. The Brahmins ate, their patrons ate, the ascetics ate, and the mendicants also ate. The elderly, the sick, women, and children likewise partook, yet despite constant eating, no one felt full. Heaps of food, as vast as mountains, were prepared daily. Men and groups of women from various regions were well provided with food and drink at the great sacrifice. The foremost of the twice-born praised the food, declaring it delicious and well-prepared. Rāghava heard them say, "Ah, we are satisfied—may you be blessed!" Well-adorned men served the Brahmins, while others, with polished jeweled earrings, attended upon them. During intervals between rituals, wise and eloquent Brahmins engaged in many debates, each eager to surpass the others in reasoning. Day after day, the skilled twice-born, prompted as prescribed, performed all rites at the sacrificial ground according to the scriptures. Among the king's officiants, there was none ignorant of the six Vedāṅgas, none undisciplined or unlearned, and no Brahmin unskilled in debate. When the sacrificial posts were raised, six were made of Bilva wood, and likewise of Khadira; others were made with leafy branches. One post was crafted from śleṣmātaka wood, another from devadāru wood—only these two stood there, each with arms outstretched for grasping. All the posts were constructed by those skilled in the scriptures and sacrificial rites, adorned with gold for the splendor of the sacrifice. There were twenty-one sacrificial posts, each set with twenty-one jewels and decorated with twenty-one garments. All were firmly and skillfully made by craftsmen, set in their proper places according to rule, eight-sided and smooth in form. Covered with garments, worshipped with flowers and fragrances, they shone like the radiant Seven Sages in the sky. Bricks were made to proper measure and rule, and the altar fire was laid by Brahmins skilled in constructing altars. The altar for the lion among kings was built by learned Brahmins in the form of Garuḍa with golden wings, triple-layered, and composed of eighteen parts. Animals were assigned for each deity as prescribed; serpents and birds were also designated according to scripture. A horse and aquatic creatures were included as required by the sages. Three hundred animals were fixed at the sacrificial posts, along with the best jewel among horses for King Daśaratha. Kausalyā attended to the horse in every way, and with great joy, released it with three knives. With a steady mind, together with the bird, Kausalyā, desiring righteousness, spent a whole night there. The Hotṛ, Adhvaryu, and Udgātṛ priests joined the king’s wives by hand and led another around as well, completing the sacred rites with devotion and precision.