Then, with a voice sweet and gentle, as if wishing to please, the newcomer addressed them, saying, “My child, know me as a friend of your father.” Hearing this, Rāma, believing him to be indeed his father’s friend, honored the guest with due respect. Then, eager to know more, Rāma inquired after his lineage and his name. The twice-born one, thus questioned, responded to Rāma’s words by recounting his own origin and ancestry, which arose from all beings. “O mighty-armed Rāghava,” he began, “in ancient times, the progenitors of creatures were established. Listen as I recount them all from the beginning. Kardama was the first among them, followed by Vikrita. Then came Shesha, Samshraya, and Bahuputra, who was powerful. Sthanu, Marichi, Atri, and the mighty Kratu; Pulastya, Angiras, Prachetas, and also Pulaha. Daksha, Vivasvan, Aparā, and Arishtanemi, O Rāghava; and Kashyapa, radiant among them, was the last of these great progenitors. It is well known, O Rāma, that Daksha, the progenitor, had sixty illustrious daughters, all of great fame. Kashyapa accepted eight of these slender-waisted maidens: Aditi, Diti, Danu, and Kālaka; Tāmra, Krodhavasā, Manu, and Anala. Pleased, Kashyapa then spoke to his daughters, saying, ‘You shall bear sons who will be lords of the three worlds, equal to me.’ With this intent, Aditi, Diti, and Danu, along with Kālakā and the others, brought forth offspring. From Aditi were born the thirty-three gods, O subduer of foes—Ādityas, Vasus, Rudras, and the Aśvins. Diti gave birth to sons who became the renowned Daityas. Naraka and Kālaka were also born, as well as Kālakā; and Tāmra gave birth to five daughters: Krauñcī, Bhāsī, Śyenī, Dhṛtarāṣṭrī, and Śukī, all famous in the world. Krauñcī bore owls, Bhāsī gave birth to herons, Śyenī to hawks and powerful vultures, Dhṛtarāṣṭrī to swans and all kinds of geese. That radiant one also gave birth to chakravāka birds. Śukī bore Natā, and Natā’s daughter was Vinatā. O Rāma, ten daughters, born from wrath, also came forth from her: Mṛgī, Mṛgamandā, Harī, Bhadramadā, Mātaṅgī, Śārdūlī, Śvetā, Surabhī, Surasā, and Kadrū. All the deer were the offspring of Mṛgī; from Mṛgamandā came bears, as well as from Sṛmarā and Camarā. Bhadramadā bore a daughter named Irāvatī, whose son was Airāvata, the great elephant, lord of the world. From Harī came the monkeys and the ascetic vanaras; from Śārdūlī were born the langurs and tigers. Mātaṅgī gave birth to elephants, Śvetā to the elephant of the quarters. Surabhī bore two daughters: Rohiṇī and the illustrious Gandharvī. Rohiṇī gave birth to cows, Gandharvī to horses. Surasā bore the serpents, and Kadrū bore the nāgas. Manu, from the great-souled Kaśyapa, begot humans—Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas, Vaiśyas, and Śūdras. From his mouth were born the Brāhmaṇas, from his chest the Kṣatriyas, from his thighs the Vaiśyas, and from his feet the Śūdras, so tradition tells. Anala gave birth to all the trees bearing virtuous fruits. Vinatā, granddaughter of Śukī, and Kadrū, sister of Surasā—Kadrū gave birth to a thousand earth-supporting serpents, the nāgas, and Vinatā had two sons: Garuḍa and Aruṇa. From Aruṇa, I was born, and Sampāti is my elder brother. Know me as Jaṭāyu, son of Śyenī, O subduer of foes. If you wish, I will be your companion while you dwell here, for this forest is a difficult stronghold, haunted by beasts and rākṣasas. Dear one, I will protect Sītā when you depart with Lakṣmaṇa.” Hearing these words, Rāma honored Jaṭāyu, embraced him joyfully, and bowed, recalling how his father had often spoken of their friendship. There, Rāma entrusted Sītā, princess of Mithilā, to the care of that mighty bird, and then, with Lakṣmaṇa, journeyed to Pañcavaṭī, eager to destroy his enemies like fire consumes moths. Let the seventeenth sarga now be heard. Having completed his morning ablutions, Rāma, with Sītā and Saumitri, left the bank of the Godāvarī and made his way to his own hermitage. Together with Lakṣmaṇa, he approached the hermitage, performed the morning rituals, and entered the leaf-hut. There Rāma dwelt happily, honored by the great sages, and sat in the leaf-hut with Sītā. The mighty-armed Rāma shone like the moon adorned with patterns, and with his brother Lakṣmaṇa, he engaged in various conversations. As Rāma sat, his mind absorbed in stories, a certain rākṣasī arrived there by chance. She was Śūrpaṇakhā, sister of the rākṣasa Daśagrīva. Approaching Rāma, she beheld him, radiant as a celestial.