King Daśaratha was cherished by his four illustrious sons, each one dearer to him than life itself, and their love for him was equally profound. The king’s joy was boundless, much like the Grandfather of the gods, as he beheld his sons endowed with knowledge and adorned with every virtue. They were modest, renowned, omniscient, and farsighted—each radiant and powerful among men. Daśaratha rejoiced in their excellence, just as Brahmā, lord of the worlds, delights in his own creations. His sons, noble and strong like tigers, were devoted to Vedic study, steadfast in serving their father, and thoroughly trained in the science of archery. Seeing their maturity and accomplishments, Daśaratha began to contemplate arranging their marriage rites. Gathering his teachers and relatives, the righteous king pondered this matter with his ministers. While he was deep in thought, the great sage Viśvāmitra, resplendent and of immense splendor, arrived at the palace, seeking an audience with the king. He spoke to the gatekeepers, “Quickly announce the arrival of Kauśika, son of Gādhi.” The attendants, stirred by his command, hurried to the king’s palace and informed Daśaratha that Viśvāmitra had come. Upon hearing this, Daśaratha, accompanied by his priests, became attentive and filled with joy. He went forth to greet the sage, just as Indra would approach Brahmā. Seeing Viśvāmitra, blazing with radiance and firm in his vows, Daśaratha’s face shone with delight. He respectfully offered water for welcoming, and the sage accepted the arghya according to scriptural rite. Viśvāmitra inquired about the king’s welfare and prosperity—how things fared in the city, the treasury, the kingdom, among relatives and friends. He also asked whether his vassals and neighboring enemies had been subdued, and whether both divine and human duties had been properly performed. Meeting Vasiṣṭha, the foremost sage, Viśvāmitra greeted him and inquired about his well-being, as well as that of the other seers present. All were glad at the sage’s arrival and entered the king’s residence, where they took their seats as was fitting. Daśaratha, his mind delighted, addressed Viśvāmitra, honoring him deeply: “Your arrival is like receiving nectar, like rain in a drought, like the birth of a son to one without children, like regaining what was lost, or the joy of a great fortune. O great sage, I welcome you! What is your highest wish? What shall I do, so gladdened by your presence? “You are worthy of my reverence, O Brāhmaṇa. By good fortune you have come. Today my birth is fulfilled, and my life well-lived. Because I have seen the lord of Brāhmaṇas, my night has become auspicious. Once called a royal sage, your brilliance was kindled by austerity. Now you have attained the status of a Brahmarṣi, and are worthy of my manifold worship. This is a wondrous and supremely pure event for me. By your presence, O lord, I have come into a field of merit. Tell me what purpose you seek, for which you have come. I wish to be favored by you, and to contribute to your purpose. You, steadfast in vows, ought not hesitate to state your request. I am indeed the agent in all things, yet you are my divine protector. This great fortune has come to me, and all this supreme righteousness arises from your arrival.” Hearing these heartfelt words, spoken with humility and reverence by Daśaratha, whose virtues and fame were renowned, the eminent sage Viśvāmitra was filled with supreme joy. Now begins the nineteenth section of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Bāla Kāṇḍa. Hearing the wondrous and detailed words of the lion among kings, the radiant and mighty Viśvāmitra spoke, his hair standing on end. “Such conduct is fitting for you alone, O tiger among kings, and for none other on earth, born of a great lineage and bearing the name of Vasiṣṭha. “What I hold in my heart, the resolve for this task, you must accomplish, O tiger among kings; be true to your promise. I observe a vow for the sake of its fulfillment, O best of men, yet two demons, able to assume any form at will, obstruct it. When the vow has been performed many times and is near completion, these two powerful and well-trained demons, Mārīca and Subāhu, appear. They shower the altar with streams of flesh and blood, and when the vow is thus defiled, its completion is hindered. Exhausted and discouraged, I withdraw from that place; yet, O king, I do not have the mind to give way to anger. “Such is the situation: the practice is thus, and the curse is not lifted there. O tiger among kings, you must give me your son Rāma, whose valor is true. You should give me your eldest son, Rāma, the heroic youth with hair like a crow’s wing. Protected by my own divine power, he is capable. He will destroy those demons who are the spoilers, and I will bestow upon him manifold blessings—there is no doubt. “By him, fame will be attained in all three worlds, and those two cannot stand against Rāma in any way. No one other than Rāma, son of Raghu, is able to slay those two, who are arrogant in their strength and bound by the noose of time.