Viśvāmitra, the illustrious sage, looked upon Rama, descendant of Kakutstha, and declared with conviction, “You alone are worthy to receive these gifts; all virtues reside in you—there can be no doubt.” The powers Viśvāmitra had gathered through intense austerity would manifest themselves in many forms, and with a pure heart and joyful countenance, Rama performed the ritual of touching water. As the sun, radiant with a thousand rays and shining as brightly as in autumn, illuminated the scene, Viśvāmitra entrusted all responsibilities to the son of Kuśika. That night, the three—Viśvāmitra, Rama, and Lakṣmaṇa—spent their time happily on the banks of the Sarayu. The two noble sons of King Daśaratha rested upon a humble bed of grass, lovingly attended by the words of Viśvāmitra. The night seemed to shimmer with happiness itself. Now begins the twenty-third chapter in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Bāla Kāṇḍa. When the night had passed, the great sage Viśvāmitra addressed Rama, who was lying on a bed of leaves. “O Rama, son of Kausalya, blessed with noble offspring, the early dawn is approaching. Arise, tiger among men, for the divine daily duties must be performed.” Hearing these generous words, Rama and Lakṣmaṇa, heroic princes, bathed, offered water, and recited the supreme prayer. Their morning rites complete, the mighty brothers, filled with joy, respectfully greeted Viśvāmitra, whose asceticism was profound, 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 of this holy place, 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, the foremost among sages, smiled and replied, “Listen, Rama, to whom this ancient hermitage belonged. Kāma, the god of love, so named by the wise, 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 Kāma dared to disturb him, and was rebuked by the great-souled Śiva. Then, O descendant of Raghu, Rudra struck him down with a glance, shattering all the limbs of that wicked one. Here, his body was destroyed and consumed by the anger of Śiva, 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 Kāma, and these are his ancient disciples, O hero, devoted to righteousness; among them, no sin is found. 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.” They bathed, performed their recitations, and offered oblations. As they conversed, the ascetics gazed upon them with eyes long practiced in austerity. Recognizing the visitors, the sages, filled with supreme joy, approached with delight and offered water for washing feet, water for welcome, and hospitality to Viśvāmitra. Afterwards, they performed the rites of hospitality for Rama and Lakṣmaṇa, and having received due honor, delighted them with pleasant stories. 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. Now begins the twenty-fourth chapter. At dawn, when the day was clear, Rama and Lakṣmaṇa, destroyers of enemies, completed their morning rites and 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. In the midst of the river, they heard a sound, intensified by the agitation of the water. Seeking the source of this sound, Rama, filled with curiosity, questioned the eminent sage, “What is this tumultuous noise of the water breaking apart?” Viśvāmitra began to explain, “On Mount Kailasa, Rama, a supreme lake was created by the mind. By Brahma, O tiger among men, this Mānasa lake was formed; from it, the river flowed forth and approaches Ayodhya. The sacred Sarayu, originating from the lake, sprung from Brahma’s lake; this incomparable sound of hers reaches the Jahnavi. Born from the disturbance of the waters, Rama, offer your respectful salutation.” Then, both Rama and Lakṣmaṇa, exceedingly righteous, made their salutations. Having reached the southern bank, the two brothers, swift in movement, proceeded onward. There, they saw a forest of terrifying appearance, and the journey continued under the guidance of the son of Kuśika.