# Bāla Kāṇḍa 66 — Rāma breaks Śiva’s bow: Janaka confirms the marriage *Rāma lifts, strings and breaks the bow, Janaka declares his marriage condition fulfilled and sends envoys to seek Daśaratha’s consent* Portion: Story of Sītā & Śiva’s bow · Verses: 27 · Ref format: 1.66. ## Sequence - At Viśvāmitra's request, Janaka orders the bow brought with its garlands and perfumes (66.1–3) - five thousand strong men haul its eight-wheeled chest into place (66.4–6) - Janaka repeats that Suras, asuras, rākṣasas, gandharvas, yakṣas, kiṃnaras and mahoragas could not draw it, much less ordinary men lift or string it (66.7–11) - Viśvāmitra invites Rāma to look → Rāma opens the chest and asks permission to lift and draw the bow (66.12–14) - both King and muni consent → he takes it easily by the middle and strings it almost playfully before the watching thousands (66.15–16) - drawing it, he breaks it in the middle (66.17) - the crack sounds like thunder and the earth shakes → everyone falls stunned except Viśvāmitra, Janaka, Rāma, and Lakṣmaṇa (66.18–19). When the gathering recovers, Janaka declares that this extraordinary feat has fulfilled his vow and that Sītā will marry Rāma (66.20–23) - he asks permission to send envoys to Ayodhyā with news of the achievement, assurance that both princes are safe, and an invitation to Daśaratha → Viśvāmitra agrees, and Janaka dispatches his ministers (66.24–27). ## Verses **1.66.1** janakasya vacaḥ śrutvā viśvāmitro mahāmuniḥ dhanur darśaya rāmāya iti hovāca pārthivam Hearing Janaka's words, the great sage Viśvāmitra said to the king: “Show the bow to Rāma.” **1.66.2** tataḥ sa rājā janakaḥ sacivān vyādideśa ha dhanur ānīyatāṃ divyaṃ gandhamālyavibhūṣitam Then that king Janaka commanded his ministers: “Let the divine bow, adorned with perfumes and garlands, be brought.” **1.66.3** janakena samādiṣṭhāḥ sacivāḥ prāviśan purīm tad dhanuḥ purataḥ kṛtvā nirjagmuḥ pārthivājñayā Commanded by Janaka, the ministers entered the city; and placing that bow before them, they came out by the king's order. **1.66.4** nṛpāṃ śatāni pañcāśad vyāyatānāṃ mahātmanām mañjūṣām aṣṭacakrāṃ tāṃ samūhas te kathaṃ cana Five thousand tall and mighty men somehow drew that eight-wheeled chest. **1.66.5** tām ādāya tu mañjūṣām āyatīṃ yatra tad dhanuḥ suropamaṃ te janakam ūcur nṛpati mantriṇaḥ Bringing that great chest in which the bow lay, the ministers said to king Janaka, who was like a god: **1.66.6** idaṃ dhanurvaraṃ rājan pūjitaṃ sarvarājabhiḥ mithilādhipa rājendra darśanīyaṃ yadīcchasi “This excellent bow, O king, honored by all kings — O lord of Mithilā, O king of kings — is worth beholding, if you wish.” **1.66.7** teṣāṃ nṛpo vacaḥ śrutvā kṛtāñjalir abhāṣata viśvāmitraṃ mahātmānaṃ tau cobhau rāmalakṣmaṇau Hearing their word, the king, with palms joined, addressed the great-souled Viśvāmitra and both Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa: **1.66.8** idaṃ dhanurvaraṃ brahmañ janakair abhipūjitam rājabhiś ca mahāvīryair aśakyaṃ pūrituṃ tadā “This excellent bow, O brahmin, worshipped by the Janakas and by kings of great valor, was then impossible to draw. **1.66.9** naitat suragaṇāḥ sarve nāsurā na ca rākṣasāḥ gandharvayakṣapravarāḥ sakiṃnaramahoragāḥ This — not all the hosts of gods, nor the asuras, nor the rākṣasas, nor the foremost of gandharvas and yakṣas together with kinnaras and great serpents (could bend) — **1.66.10** kva gatir mānuṣāṇāṃ ca dhanuṣo 'sya prapūraṇe āropaṇe samāyoge vepane tolane 'pi vā How then could there be any recourse for men in the drawing of this bow — in stringing it, in fitting (an arrow), in flexing it, or even in lifting it? **1.66.11** tad etad dhanuṣāṃ śreṣṭham ānītaṃ munipuṃgava darśayaitan mahābhāga anayo rājaputrayoḥ This best of bows has been brought, O bull among sages; show it, O illustrious one, to these two princes.” **1.66.12** viśvāmitras tu dharmātmā śrutvā janakabhāṣitam vatsa rāma dhanuḥ paśya iti rāghavam abravīt The righteous Viśvāmitra, hearing Janaka's speech, said to the Rāghava: “My child Rāma, behold the bow.” **1.66.13** maharṣer vacanād rāmo yatra tiṣṭhati tad dhanuḥ mañjūṣāṃ tām apāvṛtya dṛṣṭvā dhanur athābravīt At the great sage's word, Rāma, opening the chest in which the bow lay and beholding it, then said: **1.66.14** idaṃ dhanurvaraṃ brahman saṃspṛśāmīha pāṇinā yatnavāṃś ca bhaviṣyāmi tolane pūraṇe 'pi vā “This excellent bow, O brahmin, I now touch with my hand; I will make an effort at lifting it, or even at drawing it.” **1.66.15** bāḍham ity eva taṃ rājā muniś ca samabhāṣata līlayā sa dhanur madhye jagrāha vacanān muneḥ “Very well,” said both the king and the sage to him; and at the sage's word he grasped the bow in the middle with ease. **1.66.16** paśyatāṃ nṛṣahasrāṇāṃ bahūnāṃ raghunandanaḥ āropayat sa dharmātmā salīlam iva tad dhanuḥ As many thousands of men looked on, the righteous delight of the Raghus strung that bow as if in play. **1.66.17** āropayitvā maurvīṃ ca pūrayām āsa vīryavān tad babhañja dhanur madhye naraśreṣṭho mahāyaśāḥ And having fastened the bowstring, the mighty one drew it; then that glorious best of men broke the bow in the middle. **1.66.18** tasya śabdo mahān āsīn nirghātasamaniḥsvanaḥ bhūmikampaś ca sumahān parvatasyeva dīryataḥ There was a mighty sound from it, with a noise like a thunderclap; and a very great trembling of the earth, as of a mountain being rent asunder. **1.66.19** nipetuś ca narāḥ sarve tena śabdena mohitāḥ vrajayitvā munivaraṃ rājānaṃ tau ca rāghavau And all the men fell down, stunned by that sound — save the best of sages, the king, and the two Rāghavas. **1.66.20** pratyāśvasto jane tasmin rājā vigatasādhvasaḥ uvāca prāñjalir vākyaṃ vākyajño munipuṃgavam When that gathering had recovered, the king, his fear gone, skilled in speech, with palms joined spoke to the bull among sages: **1.66.21** bhagavan dṛṣṭavīryo me rāmo daśarathātmajaḥ atyadbhutam acintyaṃ ca atarkitam idaṃ mayā “Venerable one, the valor of Rāma, son of Daśaratha, has been witnessed by me; this was utterly wondrous, unimaginable, and undreamt of by me. **1.66.22** janakānāṃ kule kīrtim āhariṣyati me sutā sītā bhartāram āsādya rāmaṃ daśarathātmajam My daughter Sītā, gaining as her husband Rāma, son of Daśaratha, will bring glory to the line of the Janakas. **1.66.23** mama satyā pratijñā ca vīryaśulketi kauśika sītā prāṇair bahumatā deyā rāmāya me sutā And my vow, O Kauśika, that valor is the bride-price, has come true; Sītā, my daughter, dearer to me than life, is to be given to Rāma. **1.66.24** bhavato 'numate brahmañ śīghraṃ gacchantu mantriṇaḥ mama kauśika bhadraṃ te ayodhyāṃ tvaritā rathaiḥ With your permission, O brahmin, let my ministers go quickly, O Kauśika — blessings on you — to Ayodhyā in haste by chariots, **1.66.25** rājānaṃ praśritair vākyair ānayantu puraṃ mama pradānaṃ vīryaśulkāḥ kathayantu ca sarvaśaḥ to bring the king (Daśaratha) to my city with courteous words, and to relate fully the giving away of her whose bride-price was valor. **1.66.26** muniguptau ca kākutsthau kathayantu nṛpāya vai prīyamāṇaṃ tu rājānam ānayantu suśīghragāḥ And let them tell the king that the two Kākutsthas are under the sage's protection; and, going very swiftly, let them bring the king, who will be delighted. **1.66.27** kauśikaś ca tathety āha rājā cābhāṣya mantriṇaḥ ayodhyāṃ preṣayām āsa dharmātmā kṛtaśāsanāt And Kauśika said, “So be it.” Then the king, that righteous one, having instructed his ministers, dispatched them to Ayodhyā by his issued command.