Viśvāmitra, the illustrious sage, addressed King Daśaratha with great gravity and warmth. “O tiger among kings,” he said, “such noble conduct as you have shown is fitting for you alone on this earth—descended from a great lineage and bearing the name of Vasiṣṭha. What I hold in my heart, the resolve I have made, you must now fulfill; be true to your promise. “I am observing a sacred vow, intent on its completion, O best of men. Yet, two demons—capable of assuming any form at will—constantly obstruct me. Whenever my sacrificial rite nears completion, these two formidable and cunning demons, Mārīca and Subāhu, appear. They shower the altar with torrents of flesh and blood, defiling the sacrifice and hindering its fulfillment. “Exhausted and disheartened, I am forced to withdraw each time. Yet, O king, I do not allow anger to sway my heart. This is the situation: the practice is thus, and the curse upon the rite is not lifted. Therefore, O lion among kings, you must give me your son Rāma, whose valor is true. “Give me your eldest son, Rāma—the heroic youth with hair as dark as a crow’s wing. Protected by my own divine power, he is more than capable. He will destroy these demons who disrupt the sacrifice, and I will bestow upon him manifold blessings—of this, there is no doubt. “Through him, fame will spread across all three worlds, and those two fiends cannot stand against Rāma in any way. No one but Rāma, the son of Raghu, can slay these two, who are arrogant in their strength and bound by the noose of time. They are not equal to the great-souled Rāma, O king; nor should you let your affection for your son deter you from righteousness. “I promise you this: those two demons will be slain. I know Rāma, the great-souled one whose valor is true. Vasiṣṭha himself, radiant in ascetic power, and all those steadfast in austerity, know him as well. If you desire righteousness and supreme fame on earth—if you desire steadfastness, O king—then, with your ministers’ approval, you should grant me Rāma. “Let Vasiṣṭha and all your counselors consent, and you should give me your son Rāma, who is dear to you and unattached. The period of the sacrifice is ten nights, and Rāma, the lotus-eyed, will not be delayed beyond that time, as I have said.” Having spoken thus, the great and radiant sage Viśvāmitra fell silent. Hearing these auspicious words, King Daśaratha was seized by intense sorrow. He trembled and became faint, and, regaining his senses, rose from his seat—his heart and mind pierced by the sage’s request, deeply troubled and wavering. Now, listen as the story continues. For a moment, Daśaratha was insensible with grief. When he recovered, he spoke in a trembling voice: “O noble sage, my Rāma, lotus-eyed, is not yet sixteen years of age. I do not see him fit for battle with the Rākṣasas. “I command a vast army, an Akṣauhiṇī, and I am its master. With this force, I will go and fight those night-roaming demons myself. My servants are valiant and mighty, skilled in the use of weapons—they are fit to face the hosts of Rākṣasas. You should not take Rāma. “I myself, bow in hand, will protect you at the forefront of battle. As long as I have life, I will fight the night-dwellers. Your vow will be fulfilled and kept safe; I will go there—you should not take Rāma. “He is but a boy, untrained in knowledge of strength and weakness, not yet endowed with the power of weapons, nor skilled in battle. He is not fit to face the Rākṣasas, who fight with deceit. Separated from Rāma, I cannot endure even for a moment. “To live, O best of sages, I cannot bear to be without Rāma. But if you, O noble one, insist on taking Rāghava, then take him with me, accompanied by a fourfold army. O Kauśika, I am already sixty thousand years old. He was obtained with great difficulty; you should not take Rāma. Of my four sons, my affection for him is supreme. “You should not take Rāma, the eldest and foremost in righteousness. What is the power of these Rākṣasas? Whose sons are they, and who are they? How strong are they, and who protects them, O best of sages? And how should Rāma oppose such foes? “Should I, with my own forces or with cunning warriors, confront them in battle? Tell me everything, O revered one—how should I face them in war? One must stand firm against those of wicked intent, for the Rākṣasas are exceedingly proud of their strength.” Hearing these words, Viśvāmitra replied, “There is a Rākṣasa named Rāvaṇa, born in the lineage of Paulastya. Granted a boon by Brahmā, he greatly troubles the three worlds. He is immensely powerful, surrounded by many Rākṣasas, and is said to be the lord of the Rākṣasas. “He is the brother of Vaiśravaṇa and the son of the sage Viśravas. Yet, O mighty king, he himself does not directly disrupt the sacrifice. Urged by him, two Rākṣasas of immense strength—Mārīca and Subāhu—are set to disrupt the sacred rite.” Thus Viśvāmitra revealed the true nature of the threat, and the hearts of all present were filled with awe and concern.