Śrīmad Vālmīki Rāmāyana (English Translation)

Gods interrupt the amorous pastimes of Lord Śiva and His Consort, Goddess Umā, on which She curses gods, including Mother Earth.

Crossing the Sona, Viśwāmitra and party reach the bank of the holy Gangā and spend the night there. Requested by Śrī Rāma, he narrates the story of the origin of the Gangā.

Kuśanābha performs a sacrifice for the birth of a son and is blessed with one, Gādhi by name; the glory of the river Kauśikī (the modern Kosi in Bihar).

Kuśanābha applauds the forbearance and forgiveness of his daughters; the story of the birth of Brahmadatta and his marriage with Kuśanābha’s daughters.

An account of the four sons of Kuśa; the hundred daughters of Kuśanābha turn hunch-backed under a curse of the wind-god.

Accompanied by Śrī Rāma, Laksmana and a host of Rsis, Sage Viśwāmitra proceeds northward in the direction of Mithilā to witness the bow-sacrifice of King Janaka and breaks his journey on the bank of the Sona at sunset.

Śrī Rāma protects the sacrifice of Viśwāmitra against the onslaught of the Rāksasas and gets rid of them.

Viśwāmitra tells Śrī Rāma the history of Siddhāśrama and arrives at his own hermitage with the two brothers.

At the request of Śrī Rāma the sage Viśwāmitr instructs him as well as Laksmana in the process of calling back the missiles and delivers some more missiles to them.

Gratified with the death of Tātakā, Viśwāmitra imparts to Śrī Rāma the knowledge of the various missiles.

Śrī Rāma kills Tātakā.

Questioned by Śrī Rāma, Viśwāmitra tells him more about the birth of Tātakā, of her marriage with Sunda, as well as about the birth of Mārīca as a result of their union, and how the latter was subjected to an execration by sage Agastya, and finally urges Śrī Rāma to despatch the ogress.

An account of the Sarayū given by Viśwāmitra; some facts relating to the ogress Tātakā revealed and hints given about killing her.

Night-long sojourn of Śrī Rāma and Laksmana with Viśwāmitra in a holy hermitage at the confluence of the Gangā and the Sarayū.

King Daśaratha sends Śrī Rāma and Laksmana with Viśwāmitra and the two princes receive initiation from the latter in the two mystic spells, Balā and Atibalā.

The wrath of Viśwāmitra; the intercession of Vasistha in favour of Viśwāmitra.

Daśaratha shows disinclination to part with Śrī Rāma, thereby enraging Viśwāmitra.

King Daśaratha is stunned to hear the request of Viśwāmitra to send Śrī Rāma with him to dispose of the Rāksasas that interfered with his sacred observances.

Advent of Śrī Rāma, Bharata and others; festivities in heaven as well as in Ayodhyā; their investiture with the sacred thread; the arrival of Viśwāmitra.

Birth of monkey chiefs from the loins of different gods under the directions of Brahmā.

A dialogue between Lord Visnu and the gods bearing on Rāvana; on the disappearance of the Lord an attendant of Prajāpati (Lord Visnu, the Protector of all created beings) rises from the sacrificial pit and hands over to Daśaratha a basin containing milk boiled with rice and sugar and the latter divides it among his wives.

Rsyaśrnga conducts a sacrifice for securing the birth of sons to Daśaratha; the gods approach Brahmā in that very sacrifice with a prayer for bringing about the death of Rāvana; Brahmā implores Lord Visnu (also present there) to descend in the house of Daśaratha and do away with Rāvana and the Lord undertakes to kill Rāvana.

King Daśaratha proceeds with the horse-sacrifice; Rsyaśrnga grants him a boon regarding the birth of four sons.

Feudatory chiefs called under orders of the Emperor and charged with the duty of setting up stables etc.

Emperor Daśaratha gives his consent to the performance of a horse-sacrifice for being blessed with a son.