After performing the Pravargya and Upasada rites exactly as the sacred texts instructed, the twice-born Brahmins diligently completed all the additional rituals required by scripture. Once these were accomplished, the eminent sages—honored and filled with joy—gathered at dawn to begin the morning Soma-pressing, observing every detail of the prescribed rites. The offering to Indra was made in proper form, and the sinless King Daśaratha was consecrated. Then, following the ordained sequence, the midday Soma-pressing commenced. In due course, the third Soma-pressing for the great-souled king was also performed, all in strict accordance with the scriptures, by the foremost among the Brahmins. There, R̥śyaśr̥ṅga and the other learned priests, masters of mantras and their precise intonation, invoked the best of the gods, beginning with Indra. With sweet and gentle chants, the Hotṛ priests called the deities and offered them their shares of the sacred oblations, each portion destined for the dwellers of heaven. Not a single offering was missed or incorrectly performed; every act was executed flawlessly, as if by Brahmā himself, and all was conducted in complete safety. During those days, no one was seen weary or hungry; every Brahmin was learned, and every attendant was worthy and proper. The Brahmins always ate their fill, as did those under their patronage, the ascetics, and the mendicants. The elderly, the sick, women, and children were also fed; yet, though all partook constantly, none ever felt overfull. Each day, mountains of food were prepared—heaps as vast as hills—cooked to perfection. Men and groups of women from many regions, drawn to the great sacrifice, were all provided ample food and drink. The foremost of the twice-born praised the fare, declaring it delicious and well-prepared. Rāghava heard their voices, saying, “Ah, we are satisfied—may you be blessed!” Well-adorned men served the Brahmins, while others, with gleaming jeweled earrings, attended to their needs. In the intervals between rituals, wise and eloquent Brahmins engaged in lively debates, each striving to surpass the others in reasoning. Day after day, the skilled twice-born priests, prompted by tradition, performed all the sacrificial rites upon the sacred ground, following the scriptures without error. Among the king’s officiants, none lacked knowledge of the six Vedāṅgas, none were undisciplined or unlearned, and every Brahmin was adept in debate. When the time came to raise the sacrificial posts, six were made of Bilva wood, and six of Khadira; the same number were again fashioned from Bilva, with others made of leafy branches. One post was crafted from śleṣmātaka wood, and another from devadāru, each fashioned with outstretched arms for grasping, as prescribed. All these posts were constructed by those skilled in scriptures and sacrificial rites, and for the sake of the sacrifice’s splendor, they were adorned with gold. In total, there were twenty-one sacrificial posts, each set with twenty-one jewels and decorated with twenty-one garments. The craftsmen built them firmly and skillfully, placing each in its proper spot, making them eight-sided and smooth in form. Covered with fine garments, worshipped with flowers and fragrant substances, the posts shone like the radiant Seven Sages in the sky. Bricks were then made to exact measure, and the altar fire was laid by Brahmins expert in the art of altar construction. For the lion among kings, the altar was built in the form of Garuḍa, with golden wings, triple-layered, and composed of eighteen parts, all according to the learned Brahmins’ designs. Animals were designated for each deity as prescribed, with serpents and birds also assigned in accordance with scripture. A horse and aquatic creatures were similarly allotted by the sages, following the sacred texts. Three hundred animals were fixed at the sacrificial posts, and the finest among horses was chosen for King Daśaratha. Queen Kausalyā herself attended to the horse in every way, and with great joy, she released it with three knives as the ritual required. With steady mind and desiring righteousness, she spent the whole night there alongside the bird. The Hotṛ, Adhvaryu, and Udgātṛ priests joined the king’s wives by hand, leading another around as well, as prescribed. The chief officiant, self-controlled and accomplished, took the fat of the bird and poured it into the fire with proper ritual. At the right moment, the king inhaled the smoke-scent of the fat, dispelling sin from himself in the prescribed manner. All sixteen priests then cast the horse’s limbs into the fire according to the rules of the sacrifice. For other rites, oblations are made on plakṣa branches, but for the Aśvamedha, a vessel of reeds is used, as ordained. The Aśvamedha sacrifice is declared by the Brahmins to last three days, as set forth in the Kalpasūtra. The first day is arranged as the Catuṣṭoma rite; the second as Ukthya, followed by the enumerated Atirātra, and many subsequent rites, all performed as prescribed by scripture. Thus, Jyotiṣṭoma, Āyuṣī, and Atirātra were conducted, as were Abhijit, Viśvajit, Āptoryāma, and the great sacrifice itself. The king, enhancer of his lineage, then gave the eastern direction to the Hotṛ, the western to the Adhvaryu, and the southern to the Brahman priest. To the Udgātṛ, he gave the northern direction. This is the prescribed donation at the great horse sacrifice, established long ago by Svayambhū.