As the gods and all beings of the worlds, led by Brahma, gathered in distress over the growing menace of Ravana, they turned to Vishnu, the lord of the gods and foremost among immortals. With reverence, they implored him: “Turn your mind, O god, to the destruction of the enemies of the gods and men in this world.” Thus praised and honored by all, Vishnu addressed the assembly of righteous gods. He spoke words of reassurance: “Abandon fear, and may good be yours. For your welfare, I will slay Ravana in battle—together with his sons, grandsons, ministers, counselors, kin, and allies. When I have destroyed that cruel and formidable terror of gods and sages, I shall dwell among men for eleven thousand years, protecting the earth throughout that time.” Granting this boon, the self-possessed Vishnu comforted the gods. Contemplating his descent among humans, the lotus-eyed lord then divided himself into four forms. At that moment, he chose King Dasharatha as his earthly father. The gods, sages, Gandharvas, Rudras, and Apsaras, witnessing this, praised Madhusudana—slayer of Madhu—with hymns extolling his divine form. They prayed earnestly, “Remove that arrogant Ravana, fierce in energy, swollen with pride, hater of the lords of the gods, roaring and a thorn to ascetics—O savior of ascetics, rid us of this terror. Having slain that fierce Ravana and his forces, come to the heavenly world, freed from all distress and cleansed of all sin, guarded by Indra.” Meanwhile, on earth, King Dasharatha performed a great sacrifice, longing for sons. As the sacrificial rites reached their climax, from the sacred fire emerged a wondrous being of incomparable brilliance and immense strength. He was dark, clad in red garments, with a red mouth and a voice resounding like a drum. His tawny hair and beard gleamed, and his form shone like the sun, adorned with divine ornaments and auspicious marks, as tall as a mountain peak and as valiant as a lion. In his hands, he bore a vessel made of refined gold with a silver lining, filled with celestial pāyasa—divine porridge—holding it close with his broad arms as one would a beloved wife. King Dasharatha, beholding this marvelous being, joined his palms in reverence and said, “O Lord, you are welcome! What shall I do for you?” The radiant messenger, born of the Creator, replied, “O King, by worshipping the gods, you have now obtained this. Take this divine pāyasa, made by the gods, which grants offspring, is blessed, and increases health. Give it to your worthy wives, saying, ‘Eat this.’ Through them, O king, you shall obtain the sons for whose sake you have performed this sacrifice.” Delighted, Dasharatha accepted the golden vessel with a bowed head, honoring the divine being with deep joy and walking around him in reverence. Having fulfilled his wondrous purpose, the celestial messenger vanished, leaving the king filled with supreme happiness, as if a poor man had found great wealth. The inner chambers of the palace glowed with joy, shining like the autumn sky lit by the beams of the moon. Entering the women’s quarters, Dasharatha addressed Kausalya: “Receive this pāyasa, for the sake of obtaining a son.” He gave half of the pāyasa to Kausalya. From her share, he gave another half to Sumitra. The remaining half he gave to Kaikeyi, and then, reflecting, he gave the last portion—like nectar—again to Sumitra. Thus, the wise king distributed the divine pāyasa among his queens. Having received the celestial food, all the noble wives of the king felt honored and filled with great joy. Each, having partaken separately of the excellent pāyasa, soon conceived, their brilliance radiant like fire and the sun. Thus, in fulfillment of the gods’ prayers and the boon granted by Vishnu, the divine descent was set in motion, and the world awaited the birth of Rama and his brothers, destined to bring about the end of Ravana’s tyranny.