As the two sons of Raghu, Rama and Lakshmana, journeyed onward with the illustrious sage Viśvāmitra, they came upon a most sacred and tranquil hermitage. Their hearts were filled with joy at the sight, and, with reverence, they turned to Viśvāmitra and asked, “O revered one, whose hermitage is this? Who dwells here? Our curiosity is great, and we wish to hear its story from you.” Hearing their eager words, the great sage smiled gently and replied, “Listen, Rama, and I will tell you to whom this ancient hermitage once belonged. Here, Kāma, the god of love, so named by the wise, once beheld Lord Śiva engaged in deep, unwavering penance. At that time, Śiva, newly wed, was traveling with the Maruts, the wind-gods. Seized by desire, Kāma sought to disturb Śiva’s meditation. The great Lord, angered by this audacity, rebuked him. “O descendant of Raghu, with but a glance, Rudra shattered Kāma’s body, consuming him with his wrath. Thus, Kāma was rendered bodiless, destroyed by the Lord of the gods. From that moment, he became known as Anaṅga, the bodiless one, and the place where his body fell is called Aṅgaviṣaya, the blessed region. This is that sacred hermitage, and these are his ancient disciples, O hero—ascetics devoted to righteousness, among whom no sin is found. “Let us rest here tonight, O Rama of auspicious vision, between these two holy rivers. Tomorrow, we shall cross over. Let us approach this holy hermitage with pure minds; our stay here will be excellent, and we shall spend the night in comfort.” Following the sage’s guidance, Rama, Lakshmana, and Viśvāmitra performed their evening ablutions, recitations, and offerings. As they conversed, the ascetics of the hermitage, their eyes bright with the light of long austerity, gazed upon the visitors. Recognizing Viśvāmitra and the princes, the sages approached joyfully, offering water for washing feet and for welcome, and extending heartfelt hospitality to the son of Kuśika. Having honored their guests, the sages then performed the rites of hospitality for Rama and Lakshmana, delighting them with pleasant stories. As evening fell, the focused sages, joined by the resident ascetics and those of virtuous vows, completed their evening prayers. Thus, in the hermitage of Kāma, they dwelt happily, and Viśvāmitra, righteous and foremost among ascetics, entertained the princes with delightful tales. When dawn broke and the sky was clear, Rama and Lakshmana, destroyers of enemies, completed their morning rites and approached the riverbank, Viśvāmitra leading the way. The great-souled sages, steadfast in their vows, prepared a fine boat and said to Viśvāmitra, “Please board, with the princes at the forefront. Travel safely and let there be no delay.” Viśvāmitra agreed, honoring the assembled sages, and together with Rama and Lakshmana, crossed the river that flows to the ocean. As they reached the middle of the stream, they heard a mighty sound, the water agitated and roaring. Curious, Rama turned to the sage, asking, “What is this tumultuous noise of the waters breaking apart?” Viśvāmitra began to explain, “Listen, Rama. On Mount Kailasa, a supreme lake was created by the mind of Brahma—this is the Mānasa lake. From it, the sacred river Sarayu flows forth, approaching Ayodhya. This incomparable sound is the voice of the Sarayu as she joins the Jahnavi. Born from the disturbance of the waters, you should offer your respectful salutation.” Hearing this, Rama and Lakshmana, ever righteous, offered their salutations to the sacred river. Having reached the southern bank, the two princes swiftly moved onward. Soon, they came upon a forest of terrifying aspect. Rama, seeing its dense, ominous growth, filled with the cries of crickets and the harsh calls of birds and beasts, asked Viśvāmitra, “O sage, why is this forest so dreadful? It is crowded with fearsome creatures—lions, tigers, boars, elephants—and thick with trees of many kinds: dhava, ashvakarna, kakubha, bilva, tinduka, patala, and jujube. What is the reason for such desolation?” The great sage Viśvāmitra, radiant with ascetic energy, replied, “Listen, child of Kakutstha, to the origin of this dreadful forest. Once, these were two prosperous regions, Malada and Karusha, created by the gods. Long ago, after Indra slew the demon Vritra, he was overcome by impurity. Hunger and the sin of Brahma-hatya entered the thousand-eyed one. The gods and ascetic sages, seeing Indra thus afflicted, bathed him with sacred vessels, removing his impurity. Here, upon this very earth, they deposited that impurity, as well as Karusha. “Once freed from his taint, Indra was restored to his former glory. Pleased, he granted a boon to this land: these two regions would become renowned throughout the world. The Maladas and Karushas, bearing the impurity of my body, were praised by the gods, who said to Indra, ‘Well done, well done, O lord of the heavens.’” Thus, guided by Viśvāmitra’s wisdom and the blessings of the sages, Rama and Lakshmana learned the sacred stories of the land through which they traveled, their hearts filled with wonder and reverence.