As the grand Aśvamedha sacrifice reached its sacred culmination, the Hotṛ, Adhvaryu, and Udgātṛ priests approached the queens, leading them by the hand in the prescribed ritual manner. Another of the king’s wives was also guided into the ceremony. The chief officiating priest, a master of self-control and scriptural knowledge, took the consecrated fat of the sacrificial bird and, with utmost reverence, poured it into the blazing fire as ordained in the scriptures. At the appointed moment, King Daśaratha himself inhaled the fragrant smoke rising from the burning fat, performing the act with precise discipline. This ritual inhalation purified him, driving away all sin. The sixteen priests then proceeded to cast every limb of the sacrificial horse into the fire, each act performed exactly according to the sacred rules. For most sacrifices, oblations are made on branches of the plakṣa tree, but the Aśvamedha requires a vessel woven from reeds, as tradition prescribes. The Aśvamedha itself, as taught by the Brahmins in the Kalpasūtra, is a three-day rite. The first day is arranged as the Catuṣṭoma ceremony. On the second day, the Ukthya and the enumerated Atirātra rites are performed, followed by many other prescribed rituals. Among these were the Jyotiṣṭoma, Āyuṣī, and another Atirātra, as well as the Abhijit, Viśvajit, Āptoryāma, and the grand concluding sacrifice. King Daśaratha, the glory of his lineage, then made the traditional gifts: he 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. Such donations at the great horse sacrifice were established long ago by Svayambhū himself. Having completed the sacrifice perfectly, Daśaratha, foremost among men and the pride of the Ikṣvāku dynasty, presented the lands to the presiding priests. Gladdened by his generosity, the priests, now purified and free from sin, addressed the king: “O protector of the earth, only you are fit to rule this world. We have no need for these lands, nor the ability to govern them. Our devotion is to self-study and spiritual practice. Grant us, instead, some other form of compensation.” They continued, “Give us a jewel, a precious gem, gold, or cows—whatever you deem appropriate, O best of kings. We have no use for the land.” Thus requested by the learned Brahmins, Daśaratha generously bestowed upon them one million cows. He gave ten crores of gold and four times that amount in silver, which the priests then distributed among themselves. To the venerable Ṛṣyaśṛṅga and the wise Vasiṣṭha, the foremost Brahmins, the gifts were divided with care and propriety. All present, their hearts gladdened, received their shares joyfully. Daśaratha then honored those who had assisted in the sacrifice, giving them gold with great attention. He presented crores of Jāmbūnada gold to the Brahmins, and to a poor Brahmin, he gifted the finest hand ornaments. To any who requested, the descendant of Raghu gave freely, ensuring all were satisfied. When the Brahmins were content, Daśaratha, overwhelmed with joy, bowed low before them. The Brahmins, in turn, pronounced many blessings upon the generous and heroic king who had given away the earth itself. Thus, with a delighted heart, Daśaratha attained the supreme merit of the sacrifice—a rite renowned for removing sin, leading to heaven, and being difficult for kings to accomplish. Then, King Daśaratha addressed the sage Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, saying, “O noble one, perform for me that sacred rite which will increase my lineage.” Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, steadfast in his vows, replied, “O King, you will be blessed with four sons who will bring glory to your family.” Hearing these sweet words, Daśaratha, his heart swelling with joy, bowed reverently to the sage and spoke again. Now, listen to the next chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa. After a moment’s contemplation, Ṛṣyaśṛṅga, regaining his composure, addressed the king, who was learned in the Vedas. “I will perform for you a sacrifice for the sake of sons, using mantras from the Atharvaśirsa, following all the proper procedures.” With these words, he began the ritual for progeny, offering oblations into the sacred fire, reciting the prescribed mantras. As the ritual commenced, the gods, along with Gandharvas, Siddhas, and eminent sages, assembled in the heavens to receive their shares of the offering. Gathered as tradition dictates, the gods spoke to Brahmā, the creator of the worlds: “O Lord, by your favor a Rākṣasa named Rāvaṇa torments us all with his might. We cannot restrain him. Out of affection, you granted him a boon, and so we must honor him, enduring all his oppression. That wicked one agitates the three worlds, despises them, and even seeks to violate Indra, king of the gods. He transgresses against sages, Yakṣas, Gandharvas, Brāhmaṇas, and Asuras, emboldened by your boon and made arrogant by it.” They continued, “The sun does not burn him, the wind does not blow near him, and even the ocean, seeing him, does not stir its waves. Therefore, O Lord, we are greatly afraid of this terrifying Rākṣasa. You must devise the means for his destruction.” Thus addressed by all the gods, Brahmā pondered and then spoke: “The means for this evil one’s destruction is now known. He himself declared, ‘I am invulnerable to Gandharvas, Yakṣas, gods, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas,’ and I affirmed it accordingly.” Thus, the stage was set for the fulfillment of the gods’ prayers and the king’s longing for sons—events that would shape the destiny of the worlds.