When King Daśaratha received the pāyasa—a divine nectar prepared by the gods—his heart overflowed with joy, as if a destitute man had suddenly discovered great wealth. The wondrous being who had delivered this radiant offering, renowned for its marvel, had accomplished its task and vanished from sight. Within the palace, the inner chambers sparkled with happiness, their brilliance likened to the autumn sky aglow with moonlight. Daśaratha entered these chambers and addressed Kausalyā, his queen: “Receive this pāyasa, that you may obtain a son.” He gave half of the pāyasa to Kausalyā, and from that half, he divided a further portion for Sumitrā. For the sake of a son, he gave the remaining half to Kaikeyī, and once again, the last portion—sweet as nectar—was bestowed upon Sumitrā. Reflecting carefully, the wise king ensured Sumitrā received her share, thus distributing the pāyasa separately among his wives. Receiving the divine pāyasa in this manner, each noble queen felt deeply honored, their hearts swelling with joy. Having partaken of the excellent offering, each soon conceived, their radiance likened to fire and the sun. Seeing his wives pregnant, King Daśaratha found peace of mind, his delight matching that of Indra in heaven, honored by gods, perfected beings, and sages. Now, listen to the seventeenth sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa. When Viṣṇu entered the state of being a son to the great-souled Daśaratha, the self-born Lord addressed all the gods, saying: “For the truthful and heroic king, who seeks the welfare of all, create powerful helpers for Viṣṇu, able to assume any form. Let them be masters of illusion, valiant, swift as the wind, skilled in policy, endowed with intelligence, and equal to Viṣṇu in valor. Let them possess irresistible strength, unknown means of defeat, and divine forms, fully endowed with the qualities of celestial weapons, as if they had partaken of ambrosia. Among the foremost Apsarases, in the bodies of Gandharva women, among the daughters of Yakshas and Nagas, and in the Riksha and Vidyadhari women; in the bodies of Kinnari women and Vanara females, you shall create sons in the form of monkeys, equal in might.” The Lord added, “Already before, I created Jambavan, the foremost of bears, who was born suddenly from my own yawn.” Thus instructed, the gods promised obedience and began to beget sons in the forms of monkeys. Great sages, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, Nagas, and Charanas also produced heroic sons, destined to dwell in the forests. Indra begot Vali, the lord of the monkeys, equal to Mahendra himself; the Sun, best among the shining ones, begot Sugriva. Brihaspati begot Tara, the wisest and most excellent among the chief monkeys. Kubera’s son was the illustrious Gandhamadana, and Vishvakarma begot Nala, the great monkey. Nila, son of Agni, shone with a radiance like fire, surpassing all others in energy, fame, and valor. The Ashvins, renowned for beauty and wealth, begot Mainda and Dvivida, esteemed for their appearance. Varuna begot Sushena; Parjanya, the mighty, begot Sharabha. Hanuman, the illustrious son of Vayu, was born with a body firm as a thunderbolt and speed equal to Garuda. These heroes, of immeasurable strength and valor, able to assume forms at will, were as mighty as elephants and mountains, possessing great power and splendid bodies. Bears, monkeys, and those with cow-like tails were quickly born, each according to the form, appearance, and valor of the respective deity. Each was born exactly resembling that deity, each one separately; among the Golangulas, some were born with slightly superior prowess. Similarly, monkeys were born among the Riksha and Kinnari women. The gods, great sages, Gandharvas, Garuda, and renowned Yakshas, Nagas, Kimpurushas, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, and Uragas—all delighted—begot thousands of sons. The celestial singers also produced heroic sons who roamed the forests—monkeys of immense size, all dwellers of the woods. From the foremost Apsarases, Vidyādharīs, Nāga maidens, and Gandharvīs were born those endowed with the power to assume forms and strength at will, moving about as they pleased. All these beings were like lions and tigers in pride and strength, wielding rocks as weapons, and thriving among trees and mountains. They bore claws and fangs as weapons, skilled in every form of combat, able to shake the king of mountains and shatter the sturdiest trees. With their speed, they could agitate the ocean, rend the earth with their feet, and leap across vast seas. They could enter the sky, seize clouds, and capture wild elephants roaming the forest. Their roaring cries could bring down birds in flight; such were the forms of the monkeys born with the power to change shape at will. Hundreds and hundreds of thousands of mighty leaders of monkey troops were born, chiefs among the monkeys, ready to fulfill their destined roles in the world.