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He had ten heads, twenty hands, and was the color of coal. Vixens emitted flames from their mouths, blood fell from the sky, meteors dropped down and clouds thundered The earth rocked with its load of mountains and the sea roared and sent up huge waves. Visrava named the child Dasagriva and he grew up fearful and cruel.

Nārada replied, “There is one descended in the line of Ikṣvāku and known by men as Rāma. He is powerful, radiant, resolute and has brought His senses under control. Intelligent, sagacious, eloquent, glorious and an exterminator of foes, He knows the secret of virtue , is true to His promise and is intent on the good of the people.”

Suddenly, as Vālmīki looked on, a niṣāda huntsman fired an arrow and struck one of the birds. Mortally wounded and covered in blood, it thrashed about on the ground screaming in pain. Its mate also cried piteously and fell about in sorrow.

Becoming furious, he attacked and killed Kushadvaja. When Vedavati saw this she looked in anger at the demon and he was immediately burnt to ashes. She then went to the forest and began to meditate in order to propitiate Viṣṇu and get Him as her husband It was at that time that Rāvaṇa came there and insulted her, as described in the prologue of this book

Brahmā: The first of all the gods and the creator of the universe. He was directly manifested from Viṣṇu and is thus sometimes called “the unborn.”

Kinnara: A class of demigod, often having a half-human and half- animal form such as that of a centaur , and generally seen holding a lute.

Agastya: A powerful ṛṣi who is a son of the god Varuṇa. said to have once swallowed the entire ocean and to have overpowered the terrible demons Ilvala and Vātāpi. Rāma recited many stories about this ṛṣi to Lakṣman and Sītā when They were in the forest.

He went to Lanka, where Kuvera lived, and challenged his brother. On the advice of Visrava, Kuvera left the city and it was taken over by Rāvaṇa and his hordes of Rākṣasa

Like his father, Visrava became an ascetic and engaged himself in much penance and study of scripture In due course he married a daughter of Bharadvāja and through her begot a son named Vaishravana, who

The box containing the ashes was carried by the ocean and deposited on the seashore near Mithila. It went into the earth and it was at that place that Janaka performed a sacrifice for getting a child A part of his sacrifice was the furrowing of the earth and he thus found the box. Lakṣmī had entered the ashes, and when Janaka unearthed the box he found a golden child inside.

Next Kaikasi gave birth to Kumbhakarna, then Surpanakha, and finally Vibhishana. When this last son was born, flowers fell from the sky and the gods in heaven were heard to utter, “Good

Brahmā smiled and said, “Be it so.” He thought of the goddess of learning, Sarasvatī, and when she appeared before him he said to her, “O

Indra: King of the gods, also known as Purandara and Śakra.

Dānava: A class of powerful celestial demons and enemies of the gods.

Gandharva: A class of demigods noted for their martial and musical abilities.

She stood bashfully before him with folded palms, looking downward and scratching the earth with her Seeing that girl, whose face resembled the full moon and who shone with a celestial beauty, the sage said, “Who are you and why are you here?

Chamara: Whisk made from yak-tail hairs and used for highly respectable persons.

Maya Dānava: A celestial demon who possesses great skills at architecture and building.

He is famous as a devotee of Viṣṇu and frequently assists him in his pastimes on earth. The Vedas contain innumerable references to Nārada’s activities and teachings.

The goddess agreed and Brahmā then asked Kumbhakarna, “What boon do you desire, O Rākṣasa?”