After the noble queens of King Daśaratha had each partaken separately of the excellent pāyasa, a wondrous transformation came upon them. Their radiance grew, glowing with a brilliance like fire and the sun itself, for they had conceived. Seeing his beloved wives bearing the promise of children, the king's heart was finally at peace. Delight flooded him, his joy rivaling that of mighty Indra in his heavenly court, honored by gods, perfected beings, and sages alike. Now, listen to the next part of this sacred tale from the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa. When Viṣṇu, the Preserver, had entered the world as a son to the great-souled King Daśaratha, the self-born Lord Brahmā spoke to all the assembled gods. “For this truthful and heroic king, who seeks the welfare of all beings, create powerful helpers for Viṣṇu—beings able to assume any form at will. Let them be masters of illusion, valiant and swift as the wind, skilled in policy, endowed with intelligence, and equal to Viṣṇu in valor. Grant them irresistible strength, unknown means of defeat, and divine forms. Let them possess all the qualities of celestial weapons, as if they had tasted ambrosia itself.” Brahmā continued, “Among the foremost of the Apsarases, in the bodies of Gandharva women, among the daughters of Yakshas and Nagas, and among the Riksha and Vidyadhari women, as well as among the Kinnari 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 suddenly born from my own yawn.” Thus instructed by the Lord, and having promised to fulfill his command, the gods and celestial beings set about their task. Great sages, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, Nagas, and Charanas all produced heroic sons, destined to dwell in the forests. Indra begot Vali, the lord of the monkeys, who was equal in might to Indra himself. The Sun, best among the shining ones, begot Sugriva. Brihaspati, the wise preceptor of the gods, begot Tara, the most excellent and discerning among the monkeys. Kubera, the lord of wealth, fathered the illustrious Gandhamadana, while the divine architect Vishvakarma begot Nala, the great monkey. Agni, the fire god, sired Nila, who shone with a radiance like fire and surpassed all others in energy, fame, and valor. The Ashvins, renowned for their beauty and wealth, begot Mainda and Dvivida, both admired for their handsome forms. Varuna, lord of the waters, begot Sushena, and Parjanya, the rain-giver, begot Sharabha. Hanuman, the illustrious son of Vayu, was born with a body firm as a thunderbolt and in speed rivaled Garuda, the king of birds. These heroes, immeasurable in strength and valor, could assume any form at will. Mighty as elephants and mountains, they possessed great power and splendid bodies. Bears, monkeys, and those with cow-like tails were quickly born, each in the form, appearance, and valor of their divine progenitor. Some among the Golangulas, those with cow-like tails, were born with slightly superior prowess. Similarly, monkeys were born among the Riksha and Kinnari women. Gods, great sages, Gandharvas, Garuda, and renowned Yakshas, as well as Nagas, Kimpurushas, Siddhas, Vidyadharas, and Uragas, joyfully begot thousands of heroic sons. The celestial singers also produced sons who roamed the forests—monkeys of immense size, all dwellers of the woods. From the foremost Apsarases, Vidyādhari women, Nāga maidens, and Gandharvi women, 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 at home among the trees and mountains. They bore claws and fangs as weapons and were skilled in every kind of warfare. They could shake the king of mountains and shatter even the sturdiest trees. With their speed, they could agitate the ocean, rend the earth with their feet, and leap across vast seas. They could soar into the sky, seize clouds, and capture wild, intoxicated elephants in the forest. Their thunderous roars could bring down birds in flight. Such were the forms of the monkeys, born with the power to change shape at will. Hundreds of thousands of mighty leaders of monkey troops were born—chiefs among the monkeys. They became the foremost of troop leaders and produced even more heroic monkeys. Others, by the thousands, accompanied the bear-like ones on their journeys. Some took to various mountains and forests, but all served Sugrīva, son of the Sun, and Vālin, son of Indra. All the monkey chiefs gathered around these two brothers, as well as Nala, Nīla, Hanumān, and other leaders of the monkey troops. Endowed with the strength of Garuḍa and skilled in battle, they roamed about, overpowering lions, tigers, and great serpents. The mighty and long-armed Vālin, of vast prowess, protected the monkeys with bear-like tails by the strength of his arms. By these heroes, the earth—with its mountains, forests, and oceans—was filled, diverse in form and marked by various features. These monkey troop leaders, mighty as masses of clouds or mountain peaks, covered the earth with their fearsome forms, all for the sake of aiding Rāma. Thus concludes this portion of the sacred story. Now, listen to the next sarga.