Now, listen attentively to the seventeenth chapter of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa. When Viṣṇu, the Supreme Lord, had taken birth in the house of the great-souled King Daśaratha, becoming his son, the self-born Lord Brahmā addressed all the assembled gods. With a voice resonant with both command and compassion, he said, “For the sake of this truthful and heroic king, who seeks the welfare of all beings and strives for the good of us gods, you must create powerful helpers for Viṣṇu—beings who can take any form at will.” He instructed them further: “Let these helpers be masters of illusion, valiant, swift as the wind, skilled in policy, endowed with intelligence, and equal to Viṣṇu himself in valor. Let them be irresistible in strength, invincible, and radiant with divine forms. Let them possess all the qualities of celestial weapons, as if they had partaken of the nectar of immortality.” The Lord then directed: “Among the foremost of the Apsarases, in the bodies of Gandharva women, the daughters of Yakṣas and Nāgas, among the Rikṣa and Vidyādhari maidens, as well as among Kinnarī and Vānara females, you shall create sons in the form of monkeys, equal in might.” Brahmā recalled, “Already before, I myself created Jāmbavān, the foremost of bears, who was suddenly born from my own yawn.” Thus addressed by the Lord and promising to carry out his command, the gods and celestial beings set about their task. Each, according to his power and station, begot sons in the forms of monkeys. Great sages, Siddhas, Vidyādharas, Nāgas, and Cāraṇas also produced heroic sons, destined to dwell in the forests. Among these, Indra begot Vāli, the lord of the monkeys, whose might equaled Indra himself. The Sun, best among the shining ones, begot Sugrīva. Bṛhaspati, the preceptor of the gods, begot Tārā, the wisest and most excellent among the chief monkeys. The illustrious Gandhamādana was born to Kubera; Viśvakarma, the divine architect, begot Nala, the great monkey engineer. The radiant Nīla, son of Agni, shone with a brilliance like fire, surpassing all in energy, fame, and valor. The Ashvins, famed for their beauty and wealth, begot Mainda and Dvivida, both renowned for their handsome appearance. Varuṇa begot a monkey named Sushena, and Parjanya, the rain-giver, begot Sharabha. Most illustrious among them all, Hanumān was born as the son of Vāyu, the wind-god—his body firm as a thunderbolt, his speed rivaling Garuḍa himself. All these heroes, immeasurable in strength and valor, were able to assume forms at will. They were as mighty as elephants and mountains, possessed of great power and splendid bodies. Bears, monkeys, and those with cow-like tails sprang into being, each one reflecting the form, appearance, and valor of the deity who sired them. Each was born exactly resembling his divine father, and among the Golāṅgulas, some even surpassed their sires in prowess. Similarly, monkeys were born among the Rikṣa and Kinnarī women. The gods, great sages, Gandharvas, Garuḍa, and renowned Yakṣas; Nāgas, Kimpuruṣas, Siddhas, Vidyādharas, and Uragas—all delighted in the task and begot thousands of offspring. The celestial singers, too, produced heroic sons—monkeys of immense size, all destined to roam the forests. From the foremost Apsarases, Vidyādharīs, Nāga maidens, and Gandharvīs were born those endowed with the power to assume forms and strength at will, moving freely as they pleased. All these beings were like lions and tigers in pride and strength, wielding rocks as weapons, and at home among trees and mountains. They bore claws and fangs as weapons, were skilled in the use of every weapon, able to shake the king of mountains and shatter even the sturdiest trees. With their speed, they could agitate the ocean, lord of rivers, rend the earth with their feet, and leap across vast seas. They could soar into the sky, seize clouds, and capture wild, intoxicated elephants of 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 monkey hosts. They became the foremost of troop leaders and also produced heroic monkeys themselves. Others, in thousands, accompanied the bear-like ones on their journeys. Some took to various mountains and forests, all serving Sugrīva, son of the Sun, and Vāli, 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 Vāli, 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—became filled, diverse in form and marked by various features. The 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. Now, listen to the eighteenth sarga. When that great horse sacrifice was completed, the gods received their shares and departed as they had come. Having fulfilled his vows and rituals, King Daśaratha, accompanied by his wives, entered the city with his servants, army, and vehicles, his heart filled with joy.