King Daśaratha, his heart brimming with love and concern, addressed the sage Viśvāmitra with deep emotion. “My Rāma, with eyes like lotus petals, is not yet sixteen years old. I do not see him fit to face the Rākṣasas in battle. Look upon my army, an entire Akṣauhiṇī, over which I am lord and master—it is vast and mighty. With this force, I myself shall go and confront those night-roaming demons. “These servants of mine are valiant and skilled in arms, well-trained for battle against the Rākṣasas. Surely, they are the ones fit for such a task; you should not take Rāma. I myself, bow in hand, will stand at the front to protect you. As long as I have life in my body, I will fight the night-dwellers to ensure your vow is fulfilled, without hindrance or danger to you. Let me go instead—you should not take Rāma. “He is but a boy, untrained in knowledge, unknowing of strength or weakness. He has not yet mastered the power of weapons, nor is he skilled in the ways of war. The Rākṣasas are deceitful in their fighting—he is not fit to face them. And, O best of sages, I cannot bear to be without Rāma even for a moment; to live without him is unthinkable for me. But if you insist, O noble one, and desire to take Rāghava, then let him go only with me, accompanied by my fourfold army. O Kauśika, I am already sixty thousand years old. He was obtained with great difficulty, and of all my four sons, my affection for him is supreme. “You should not take Rāma, my eldest and foremost in righteousness. Tell me—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? How should Rāma oppose such foes? Should I, with my own forces or with cunning warriors, face them in battle? O revered one, tell me all—how I should confront them in war. For one must stand firm against those of wicked intent, and the Rākṣasas are exceedingly proud of their strength.” Hearing these anxious words, Viśvāmitra replied, “There is a Rākṣasa named Rāvaṇa, born in the lineage of Paulastya, who, having received a boon from Brahmā, greatly troubles the three worlds. He is immensely powerful, surrounded by many Rākṣasas, and is said to be their lord. He is the brother of Vaiśravaṇa and son of the sage Viśravas, yet he himself does not directly disrupt the sacrifices. Instead, at his urging, two Rākṣasas of immense strength—Mārīca and Subāhu—are sent to disturb the sacred rites. “Therefore, O knower of righteousness, show favor to my son. I am of little fortune, and you, revered one, are like a deity to me. Gods, Dānavas, Gandharvas, Yakṣas, birds, and serpents alike cannot withstand Rāvaṇa; how then could humans hope to face him in battle? Rāvaṇa takes the strength of even the mighty in combat. Thus, I am unable to fight him or his forces, even with my own strength or together with my sons. Against one so powerful and skilled in war—like an immortal—I cannot prevail. “O Brāhmaṇa, I will not give my young son, nor will I send the boy, even though my two sons are equal to Sunda and Upasunda in battle. Those two, Mārīca and Subāhu, who disrupt the sacrifice, are mighty and well-trained—I will not give my son. With my friends and allies, I myself will go to fight one of them; otherwise, I can only implore you, along with your kinsmen.” As Daśaratha spoke thus to the chief of the twice-born, a great anger flared within the son of Kuśika, Viśvāmitra. Like fire brightly kindled and fed with ghee in a sacrifice, the sage’s wrath blazed forth. Now listen to the twenty-first sarga of the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa. Hearing the king’s words, choked with affection, the sage Kauśika, filled with anger, replied, “You who once gave your word now seek to break your promise. Such reversal does not befit the house of Raghu, nor this noble lineage. If this is your decision, O King, I shall depart as I came. O descendant of Kakutstha, may you be happy and well-regarded, even though you have broken your word.” As the wise Viśvāmitra was seized by anger, the entire earth trembled, and great fear arose among the gods. Perceiving that the whole world was struck with terror, the great sage Vasiṣṭha—steadfast and virtuous—spoke to the king: “Born in the line of Ikṣvāku, you are as if Dharma itself incarnate—steadfast, virtuous, and illustrious. You should not abandon righteousness. Rāghava is renowned in all three worlds as one devoted to righteousness; adhere to your own duty, for you should not bear the weight of unrighteousness. “He who, having promised ‘I will do it,’ fails to act as he has spoken, destroys the merit and fruits of his good deeds. Therefore, send Rāma. Whether skilled in weapons or not, the Rākṣasas will not be able to harm him, for he is protected by the son of Kuśika, as nectar is guarded by fire. “Viśvāmitra is righteousness embodied, foremost among the mighty, surpassing all in knowledge, and wholly devoted to austerity. He alone knows the various weapons in all the three worlds, among moving and unmoving beings; no other man knows them, nor will any come to know. Neither gods, nor sages, nor immortals, nor Rākṣasas, nor the foremost Gandharvas, Yakṣas, Kinnaras, or great serpents know them. All the weapons, whose sons were supremely righteous, were once given to Kauśika by Kṛśāśva when he ruled the kingdom.” Thus, in the assembly, the tension and fear were met with wisdom and guidance, as the fate of Rāma’s journey was decided by the counsel of the sages and the steadfast adherence to righteousness.