राजोवाच श्रीमन्मम कन्या वैदेही रामाय दित्सिता स्वयंवरे कुलरूपबलोत्साह संपन्नानेकभूपराक्षसविप्रादिसर्वप्राणिसमागमे रामाधिकबलो यदि तामग्रहीष्यत् तदा वचनमनृतं मम पापं च भविष्यति
The king said: O revered one, my daughter Vaidehī is to be given to Rāma in the svayaṃvara. She is endowed with noble lineage, beauty, strength, and enthusiasm. In the assembly of many kings, demons, brahmins, and all beings, if someone stronger than Rāma seizes her, then my word will be false and I will incur sin.
प्रत्युत दशरथोऽपि सर्वानेवागतान्विजेतुमलं क्षत्रकदनश्च रामो यद्यायास्यति तर्हि मम सुतां किं करिष्यति वा किंकिं वा प्रेषयिष्यति कीदृशं कारयिष्यति मम किंवा करिष्यति सर्वथा हि प्रभूतबलवाहनो नरपतिरशेषमपि त्रिभुवनं हन्यात् किमुत मामल्पसत्वं किमुत बहुना भवानेव शरणं ममोपायं वद यथा विवाहे श्रेयो भविष्यति रामश्च जामाता भविष्यति
Moreover, if Daśaratha comes with all his forces and Rāma, being a kṣatriya, slays them all, what will become of my daughter? What will he send, what will he do, what will he cause to be done? Indeed, a king with great power and armies could destroy even the three worlds, let alone us who are weak. In any case, you alone are my refuge—tell me the means by which the marriage will be auspicious and Rāma will become my son-in-law.
शंभुरपि तथा करोमीत्युवाच
Śambhu replied: 'So I shall do.'
राम एव नाथः सीताया भविष्यति रामं च कृत्वा स्वस्त्यद्यैव करिष्यामि गृहाणाजगवं धनुरिदम्
Rāma alone will be Sītā's lord. Today itself, having blessed Rāma, I will give you this bow of mine.
राजोवाच- किमेतेनाजगवेन धनुषा स्वयंवरे सीतां रामं प्रापय
The king said: With this bow of yours, unite Sītā with Rāma in the svayaṃvara.
शंकर उवाच- इदं धनुरसज्यं मे यस्तु सज्यं करिष्यति तस्मै देया मया सीता प्रतिज्ञामेवमाचर
Śaṅkara said: This bow of mine is unstrung; to whomever can string it, to him Sītā shall be given by me. Thus keep this vow.
इत्येवमुक्त्वा भगवान्गणैरंतर्दधे हरः । अथादातुं धनू राजा न शशाकातियत्नतः
Having spoken thus, the blessed Hara vanished with his attendants. Then, though the king tried with great effort, he could not lift the bow.
अथोज्ज्वलं शतसहस्रगजबलं समाहूय गृहाणेत्युवाच
Then, summoning a force equal to a hundred thousand elephants, he said, 'Lift it!'
स चापि मातुलं नत्वाट्टहासं कृत्वोत्प्लुत्य धनुर्द्वाभ्यां कराभ्यामुद्दधार जानुपर्यंतं मातुलो मारीचः श्रुत्वा एकाकी विप्रवेषं कृत्वा विदेहमयाचत वैश्वदेवांते प्राप्तमतिथिं मामवैहि
He, bowing to his maternal uncle, laughed loudly, leapt up, and with both hands raised the bow up to his knee. His uncle Marīca, hearing this, disguised himself as a brahmin, and in Videha, at the end of the Vaiśvadeva rite, requested, 'Regard me as a guest who has just arrived.'
राजोवाच- स्वागतं भो इदं ब्रह्मन्नासनं तत्र निषीदेति
The king said: Welcome, O brāhmaṇa! Here is a seat—please sit there.
स चातिथिस्तथेत्युक्त्वा निषसाद
That guest, saying 'So be it,' sat down.
अथ राजा जलमादाय पादौ प्रक्षाल्य गंधपुष्पाक्षतैरभ्यर्च्य महाजं तस्मै निवेद्य भोजनाय प्रार्थयामास
Then the king, taking water, washed his feet, worshipped him with fragrance, flowers, and rice grains, offered him great hospitality, and invited him to dine.
स चापि तदन्नं षड्रसोपेतं सौवर्णभाजनगतमीक्षमाणइवेतस्ततो विलोकयामास
And he, seeing that food endowed with six tastes, placed in a golden vessel, gazed intently at it.
तस्मिन्नेवावसरे सीता पद्मकिंजल्कप्रभेषदरुणवसनं बिभ्रती नीलकुटिलकुंतलैश्चलद्भिर्यूनां मनांस्याकर्षयद्भिः प्रेक्षमाणदृष्टिभग्नकलैरिव स्त्रीणां चित्तमीदृशमिति दर्शयद्भिरिवोपशोभित-ललाटानंगचापसुभ्रूपद्मपत्रारुणविलोचना तिलप्रसूननासामृदुस्निग्धरो मशकपोलानंतरा रक्तोष्ठराक्तासनमाणिक्यनिभदाडिमीदशना जपाकुसुमारुणाधरातिशोभितचिबुकाशुक्ति-कर्णासमदीर्घकंठातिमांसलवक्षाः पीनोद्भिन्नकुचकुड्मलानेकहारोपशोभिता सुभगाका-। रानतिमांसलबाहुलता मुग्धायतसमानांगुलिशिखापद्मारुणपल्लवाविविधबहुरत्नांगुलिभूषणामुष्टिग्राह्यमध्यासु रोमराजिगंभीरनाभिः पृथुजघनाकरिकरोरुस्तूणीरजंघासुपादकमला-नूपुरादि पादविभूषणा पादांगुलीभूषिता विकसितसौगंधिकं विदधती भुंजानमारीचस्य पुरतश्चागता
At that very moment, Sita appeared, wearing garments as red as the radiance of lotus filaments, her dark, curling locks moving and captivating the minds of the young, her glances breaking the composure of women as if to show, 'Such is the heart of women.' Her forehead shone, her eyebrows curved like Cupid's bow, her eyes red as lotus petals, her nose delicate as a sesame flower, her cheeks soft and smooth, the space between them glowing, her lips red as bimba fruit, her teeth like pomegranate seeds, her chin adorned and beautiful as a conch, her neck graceful, her chest full and well-formed, her breasts prominent and adorned with many necklaces, her arms plump, her fingers slender and rosy as lotus buds, adorned with various jeweled rings, her waist slender, her navel deep, her hips broad, her thighs like elephant trunks, her legs shapely, her feet adorned with anklets and ornaments, her toes decorated, exuding the fragrance of a blossoming blue lotus, and she approached, eating black pepper, before him.
वीक्ष्यासावचिंतयदेनां कथमपहरामि कथमालिंगामि कथमन्यत्किंचित्करोमीत्येवमवसरमलभमानस्तूष्णीमेव विनिर्गतः
Seeing her, he thought: 'How can I steal her? How can I embrace her? How can I do anything else?' But, finding no opportunity, he silently departed.
अथ देवा धनुःसज्जीकरणाय यतमाना अहंपूर्विकया विद्यमाना अन्योन्यतिरस्कारेण महेंद्रः प्राप धनुरुत्तमं प्रांतद्वयात्परं नावनमयितुं शशाक
Then the gods, striving to string the bow, each tried to surpass the others, but Mahendra, though first, obtained the excellent bow yet could not bend it even at the ends.
अथ सूर्यो धनुरादाय नमयन्नेव निपपात
Then Surya, taking up the bow and attempting to bend it, fell down.
वायुर्बलवतां श्रेष्ठो जग्राहाजगवमथ स्वेनैव करेणोत्कर्षयन्नधः पपात धनुश्च वायोरुपरि पपात अहसंस्तदा सर्वे
Vayu, best among the strong, seized the bow and tried to draw it with his own hand, but fell downward, and the bow fell upon Vayu; at that, all laughed.
एतस्मिन्नंतरे तुरगवरमारुह्य बाणासुरः सहस्रबाहुरनेकानेकशिरोभिर्दैत्यैः परिवृतः प्रह्लादसमेतो विदेहपुरीमाजगाम
Meanwhile, mounting the best horse, Bana the asura, thousand-armed, surrounded by many demons with countless heads, together with Prahlada, arrived at the city of Videha.
अथ स्वविभूषणोद्भासितां दिशं कुर्वन्स्वतेजसापयशसो देवताः कुर्वन्नानाविधगीतं शृण्वन्द्व्यंगुलमात्रेण शक्तो विरराम
Then, making the directions shine with his own ornaments and glory, hearing various songs of the gods, he stopped, able to do so with just two fingers' effort.
प्रह्लादोबलिश्चैवधावातेऽथविरेमतुः
Prahlada and Bali then ran forward and tried in turn.
अथ राक्षसेषु तूष्णींभूतेषु राजानोऽतिबलिनः समागता ज्याबंधाशक्ता अपसृत्य तस्थुः
Then, when the rakshasas fell silent, the mighty kings gathered, but, unable to string the bow, withdrew and stood aside.
अथ ब्राह्मणाः समागताः
Then the brahmins assembled.
अथ विश्वामित्रो धनुरादाय एकांगुलपर्यंतं सज्यं कृत्वा विरराम निवृत्ताश्चापरे
Then Visvamitra, taking up the bow, strung it up to one finger's length and stopped, while the others withdrew.
अथ दिनमात्रे धनुषि तूष्णींभूतेषु राघवः सहानुजैरागत्य धनुर्निरीक्ष्यास्पृशत्
Then, as the bow remained untouched for a whole day, Raghava arrived with his brothers, looked at the bow, and touched it.
अथ राजकुमाराः शतशः समागताः सर्वाभरणभूषिता धनुर्दृष्ट्वापस्पृशुर्न चालनक्षमाः
Then hundreds of royal princes, adorned with all ornaments, gathered, saw the bow, touched it, but were unable to move it.
अथ दाशरथिप्रमुखाःकुमाराः समागताः
Then the princes led by the son of Dasaratha assembled.
अथ वेत्रझर्झरपाणयः समागमन्सर्वानेवापसारयामासुः
Then those holding staffs and fly-whisks assembled and cleared everyone away.
अथ रामो लक्ष्मरणहस्तं गृहीत्वा सर्वाभरणभूषितो धनुरासाद्य स्पृष्ट्वा नत्वा प्रदक्षिणीकृत्य धनुरादायोद्दधार
Then Rama, adorned with all ornaments, taking Lakshmana's hand, approached the bow, touched it, bowed, circumambulated it, took up the bow, and lifted it.
तदादानसमये सर्व एवैत्य सहासमूचुः अत्र भग्ना महारथा इति
At the moment he took it up, all present laughed together and said, 'Here, even great chariot-warriors have been broken.'