As the journey continued, the venerable sage Viśvāmitra turned to Rāma with gentle, affectionate words, urging him, “Take water, my child, so that the proper time is not lost.” He then bestowed upon Rāma the collection of sacred mantras known as Bala and Atibala, saying, “Receive from me these mantras. With them, you will never know fatigue, fever, nor any change in your appearance.” Viśvāmitra assured Rāma that no mischievous spirits would overpower him, whether he was asleep or careless; in strength of arms, none on earth would equal him. The sage continued, “In all the three worlds, O Rāma, there will be none your equal; as you recite Bala and Atibala, O Rāghava, my son. O sinless one, in good fortune, generosity, wisdom, clarity of intellect, or in answering and replying, there is no equal to you in the world. When this dual knowledge is attained, none shall be your equal; for Bala and Atibala are indeed the mothers of all knowledge. Hunger and thirst will not afflict you when you have learned Bala and Atibala, O descendant of Raghu.” Viśvāmitra urged Rāma, “Take up these two sciences, O delight of the Raghu lineage, for the protection of all people. When these two are studied, fame will arise on earth; these sciences, endowed with brilliance, are indeed the daughters of the grandsire. O descendant of Kakutstha, you alone are worthy to receive them; indeed, all virtues are present in you—there is no doubt about this. These, gathered through austerity, will manifest in many forms.” Receiving these teachings, Rāma, pure and joyful-faced, touched water in reverence. As the sun, radiant with a thousand rays, shone brilliantly like in autumn, the duties were entrusted to Viśvāmitra, the son of Kuśika. That night, Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and Viśvāmitra spent their time happily on the banks of the Sarayu. Though the two noble sons of King Daśaratha rested on an unsuitable bed of grass, the loving words of Viśvāmitra made the night shine with happiness. With the arrival of the next chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bāla Kāṇḍa, the night passed, and the great sage Viśvāmitra addressed Kakutstha, who lay on a bed of leaves. “O Rāma, son of Kausalya, blessed with noble offspring, the early dawn is approaching; arise, tiger among men, for the daily divine duties must be performed.” Hearing these generous words, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa bathed, offered water, and recited the supreme prayer. Completing their morning rites, the mighty heroes, full of joy, respectfully greeted Viśvāmitra and stood ready for departure. As they set out, the heroes saw the divine river, the threefold stream, at the auspicious confluence of the Sarayu. There, they beheld a sacred hermitage belonging to sages of purified souls, who had practiced supreme austerity for thousands of years. Filled with great joy at the sight, the two sons of Raghu spoke to Viśvāmitra, “Whose is this sacred hermitage? Who dwells here, O revered one? We wish to hear, for our curiosity is indeed great.” Viśvāmitra smiled and replied, “Listen, Rāma, to whom this ancient hermitage belonged. Kāma, the embodied god of love, once saw Śiva here engaged in austere penance, steadfast in discipline. When the Lord of the gods, newly wed, was proceeding with the hosts of Maruts, that evil-minded one dared to disturb him, and was rebuked by the great-souled one. O descendant of Raghu, then Rudra struck him down with a glance, shattering all the limbs of that wicked one. His body was destroyed and consumed by the anger of the Lord of the gods, and Kāma was rendered bodiless. From that time onward, O Rāghava, he became known as Anaṅga, the bodiless one, and the place where his body fell is called Aṅgaviṣaya, the blessed region. This is the sacred hermitage of that one, and these are his ancient disciples, O hero, devoted to righteousness; among them, no sin is found.” Viśvāmitra proposed, “Let us spend the night here today, O Rāma of auspicious vision, between these two holy rivers; tomorrow we shall cross over. Let us all, pure in mind, approach this sacred hermitage; here our stay will be most excellent, and we shall pass the night in comfort.” Having bathed, performed their recitations, and offered oblations, the group conversed, and the ascetics gazed upon them with eyes long practiced in austerity. Recognizing Viśvāmitra and the princes, the sages, filled with supreme joy, approached with delight and offered water for washing feet, water for welcome, and hospitality to the son of Kuśika. Afterwards, they performed the rites of hospitality for Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, and having received due honor, delighted them with pleasant stories. Then, as was proper, those focused sages performed the evening prayers, joined by the resident ascetics and those of virtuous vows. There, in the hermitage of Kāma, they dwelt most happily; the sage Kauśika, righteous and foremost among ascetics, entertained the princes with delightful tales. With the dawn of the next chapter, the day was clear. The two destroyers of enemies, Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, having completed their morning rites, approached the riverbank with Viśvāmitra leading. All the great-souled sages, firm in their vows, prepared a fine boat and spoke to Viśvāmitra, “Please board the boat, with the princes at the forefront; travel safely and let there be no delay caused by time.” Viśvāmitra, having agreed and honored those sages, crossed the river that flows to the ocean, together with the two princes, thus continuing their sacred journey.