Though the seer Vishvamitra recognized his Lord as the fountain of all wisdom, he imparted to him a sacred formula which armed him against hunger and thirst and endowed him with unequalled strength of body and radiant vigour.

He made over to the Lord every weapon and brought him into his own hermitage and devoutly gave him bulbs and roots and fruit to eat, perceiving in him his greatest friend.

At daybreak Raghunatha said to the sage, “Go and perform the sacrifice, and fear not.” All the sages then began to offer oblations into the sacred fire, while Rama himself guarded the sacrifice

On hearing of it, that foe of the sages, the furious demon Maricha, stormed them with his army. Rama struck him with a headless arrow, and he fell at a distance of eight hundred miles beyond the sea.

The Lord next slew Subahu with an arrow of fire; while his younger brother, Lakshmana, massacred the demon host. Having killed the demons in this way, the Lord rid the Brahmans of their fear, and the whole company of gods and sages sang his praises.

Raghunatha stayed there a few more days and showed his grace to the Brahmans. Even though the Lord knew everything, the Brahmans for very love related to him many legends from the Puranas.

The sage then politely said to him in a pleading tone, “Let us, my Lord, go and witness a certain ceremony.” When the lord of the house of Raghu heard of the contest of the bow, he gladly set out with the noble sage (Vishvamitra).