As twilight descended upon the forest freshly liberated from Tāṭakā’s terror, the gods themselves gathered above, their voices resounding in the air. Turning to the great sage Viśvāmitra, radiant with the power of his austerities, they spoke, “O Brāhmaṇa, bestow your knowledge upon Rāghava. He is worthy, devoted, and steadfast in following you. A great task awaits the prince, one that will fulfill the purpose of the gods.” With these words, the divine assembly, delighted, vanished into the heavens. Honoring Viśvāmitra’s presence, the evening deepened. The sage, his heart gladdened by Rāma’s victory over Tāṭakā, embraced the prince’s head with affection and said, “O Rāma, blessed one, let us remain here tonight. At dawn, we shall journey together to my hermitage.” Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, rejoiced at these words. That night, he rested happily amidst Tāṭakā’s forest, which, freed from its curse, now shone with a beauty reminiscent of the celestial Caitraratha grove. The gods and siddhas sang Rāma’s praises for his noble deed, and as dawn broke, he awakened beside the sage, ready for the path ahead. With the new day, Viśvāmitra, renowned and serene, turned to Rāghava with a gentle smile. In a voice filled with warmth, he said, “O illustrious prince, your valor has pleased me deeply. Out of great affection, I shall now grant you all the divine weapons. With these, you shall conquer any foe—be they gods, asuras, gandharvas, or serpents—subduing them in battle.” Viśvāmitra continued, “Receive the mighty Daṇḍa-cakra, the Wheel of Righteousness, the Wheel of Time, the fierce Discus of Vishnu, and Indra’s own discus. Take the thunderbolt missile, Shiva’s trident, the Brahmaśiras weapon, and the missile of Īśa. I bestow upon you the supreme Brahma missile and two auspicious maces, Modakī and Śikharī. Accept the blazing noose of Dharma, the noose of Time, the Varuna noose, and the supreme Varuna missile. I give you two thunderbolts, dry and wet, the Pinaka missile, the Nārāyaṇa missile, and the beloved Agneya missile, called Śikhara.” He went on, “I grant you the Vāyavya missile, the Hayashira, and the Krauncha missile; two spears, the dreadful Kankāla, the mace, the skull, and the Kiṅkiṇī. All these are for the destruction of the Rākṣasas. Receive the Vidyādhara missile, the Nandana, the jewel among swords, and the Gandharva missile, Mohana. I give you the Prasvāpana, Praśamana, Varṣaṇa, Śoṣaṇa, Saṃtāpana, and Vilāpana missiles; the irresistible Mādana missile, the Mānava missile, and the Piśāca missile, also called Mohana. Accept the Tāmasa, Saumana, Saṃvarta, and Mausala missiles; the Satyam, Māyāmaya, and Sauram called Tejaḥprabha, which drains the power of others. Take the Soma missile, Śiśira, the dreadful Tvaṣṭra, the fierce Bhaga, the Śīteṣu, and the Mānava. All these weapons, capable of assuming any form, of immense power and excellence, I bestow upon you.” Having purified himself and facing east, the great sage Viśvāmitra joyfully imparted to Rāma the supreme mantras that governed all these weapons—knowledge difficult even for the gods to attain. As Viśvāmitra chanted, the splendid weapons themselves appeared before Rāghava, radiant and conscious, their hands joined in reverence. They spoke with devotion, “O Rāghava, we are your servants. Whatever you desire, we shall accomplish, and may all be auspicious for you.” Thus addressed by these mighty beings, Rāma’s spirit became serene, and he saluted Viśvāmitra with gratitude and humility, his heart brimming with delight as they prepared to continue their journey. As they walked, Rāma, pure and joyful, turned to the revered sage and spoke, “O holy one, I have received these weapons and am now unconquerable, even by the gods. Yet, I wish to learn the means to withdraw them, as well.” Pleased by Rāma’s wisdom and discipline, Viśvāmitra, steadfast and pure, instructed him in the methods for withdrawal—teaching the mantras and techniques for Satyavanta, Satyakīrti, Dhṛṣṭa, Rabhasa, and Pratihāratara, and the ways to both summon and restrain the weapons. Thus, under Viśvāmitra’s guidance, Rāma mastered not only the use but also the restraint of every divine weapon, fully prepared for the great tasks that lay ahead.