In plain words
But Sumitrā had no such desires. With a mind free of desire and a divine feeling, she took her bowl of pāyasa and went upstairs. She set the bowl down in one place and, keeping God in mind, began to dry her hair. Even as she watched, an eagle came from somewhere and snatched away the bowl of pāyasa. Afraid of what her husband would say, she came down in great distress. Kausalyā and Kaikeyī came to meet her, full of joy. They did not treat one another with anger and hatred, as co-wives do today; all three moved together with great affection and love, like real sisters. Kausalyā embraced Sumitrā: “Little sister! Why are you grieving?” she asked. Kaikeyī too: “Elder sister! We three are one, are we not! Say what is the cause of your pain,” she asked. Then Sumitrā explained what had happened. At once Kausalyā and Kaikeyī went each to her shrine room and brought back their bowls of pāyasa. Kausalyā poured part of her pāyasa, and Kaikeyī part of hers, into one bowl, and they handed it to Sumitrā. All three offered the pāyasa to God and ate it.
In time, all three queens conceived. When the nine months were complete, Kausalyā's labour pains began first. A baby boy was born to her. On the second day Kaikeyī had a son. On the third day two sons were born to Sumitrā. Daśaratha's joy knew no bounds. He came and blessed the children. But it astonished him that, though he had shared the pāyasa of the yajña equally among the three queens, Sumitrā alone had two sons. How wondrous are the divine plays! Who can tell!
There was indeed a fitting reason for two children being born to Sumitrā. Until then she had told no one about it. Before the naming, when King Daśaratha came to bless the children, she brought the secret out into the open. “My lord! That day, while I was drying my hair with the bowl of pāyasa set beside me, a kite came and snatched it away.