The sage Viśvāmitra, addressing Rāma, spoke with warmth and reverence. “O best of men, Janaka, the king of Mithilā, is about to perform a most righteous sacrifice. Let us journey there together. You too, O tiger among men, shall accompany us; for you are worthy to witness the wondrous, precious bow kept there. “This bow, O best of men, was once presented in the assembly by the gods themselves—a bow of immeasurable power and awe, shining supremely at the sacrifice. Its strength is such that neither gods, nor gandharvas, nor asuras, nor rākṣasas, nor any human has been able to string it. Many mighty princes have sought to test its power, but none have succeeded. “That bow belongs to the great-souled king of Mithilā. There, O descendant of Kakutstha, you will see both the bow and the wondrous sacrifice. The king of Mithilā, ever praised by all the gods, requested this supreme bow as the fruit of his sacrifice. It is kept in the king’s palace as a sacred object, honored with fragrant offerings and incense of aguru wood.” Having spoken thus, the great sage Viśvāmitra made ready to depart, together with the assembly of seers and the descendant of Kakutstha, after bidding farewell to the forest dwellers. He said, “Farewell to you all; I shall go, accomplished, from Siddhāśrama to the northern bank of the Jāhnavī, to the rocky heights of the Himālayas.” With these words, the tiger among sages, Kauśika, rich in austerity, set out toward the north. As the sage departed, a host of followers, devoted to the Vedas, accompanied him for a distance equal to a hundred carts. Even the deer and birds, dwellers of Siddhāśrama, followed the great-souled, austere Viśvāmitra. After traveling a long distance, as the sun began to set, the assembly of seers and the birds turned back. When the sun had set, they bathed and performed fire offerings; then, led by Viśvāmitra, those of immeasurable energy sat down. Rāma, together with Saumitri, honored the sages and sat in front of the wise Viśvāmitra. Filled with curiosity, Rāma, radiant and mighty, questioned the sage: “Revered one, what is this land, adorned with flourishing forests? I wish to hear—may it be well with you—please tell me truly.” Thus addressed by Rāma’s words, the virtuous sage, amidst the assembly of seers, began to narrate the story of that land. “There was a great ascetic named Kuśa, born from Brahma, steadfast in his vows, a knower of righteousness, and honored by the virtuous. This great soul, endowed with immense strength, begot four worthy sons with a noble and virtuous woman from Vidarbha. Their names were Kuśāmba, Kuśanābha, Asūrtarajas, and Vasu—radiant, energetic, and intent on upholding the duties of the warrior class. “Kuśa addressed his sons, who were righteous and truthful: ‘My sons, govern well; by upholding righteousness, you will obtain great merit.’ Hearing Kuśa’s words, these four noble princes each established their own cities. Kuśāmba, of great splendor, founded the city of Kauśāmbī; Kuśanābha, righteous in soul, established Mahodaya; Asūrtarajas founded Dharmāraṇya; and Vasu founded the excellent city of Girivraja. “O Rāma, this land of Vasu, the great soul, is here; and these five excellent mountains shine all around. The delightful river Sumāgadhī, famed among the Māgadhas, flows here, gracing the midst of these five chief mountains like a garland. This, O Rāma, is the Māgadhī river of the great Vasu—long frequented, fertile, and abundant with crops. “Kuśanābha, the royal sage, righteous in soul, begot a hundred incomparable daughters with Ghṛtācī, O descendant of Raghu. These daughters, adorned with youth and beauty, splendidly decorated, entered the garden grounds like a hundred rivers in the rainy season. Singing, dancing, and playing instruments, adorned with fine ornaments, they experienced supreme delight. Beautiful in every limb and unmatched in form on earth, they entered the garden grounds like stars among the clouds. “Seeing all these maidens, endowed with virtue, beauty, and youth, the wind-god, lord of all beings, spoke: ‘I desire you all; you shall become my wives. Abandon your human state, and you will attain long life. Youth is fleeting among humans, but you will obtain unfading youth and become immortal.’ “Hearing these words of the wind-god, whose actions are effortless, the hundred maidens laughed and replied: ‘O best of the gods, you move within all beings; all are aware of your power. Why, then, do you disregard us? O divine one, we are all daughters of Kuśanābha. We practice austerity to protect ourselves from being removed from our proper place. Let not such a time come, O misguided one, when you would dishonor our truthful father. We ourselves, following our own duty, seek a husband through him.’” Thus, amidst the tranquil evening, Viśvāmitra narrated the ancient history of the land, filling Rāma and the assembly with wonder and reverence for the noble lineage and the sacred traditions that flourished there.