प्रीतियुक्तस्तु सर्वेषां ददौ तेषां महात्मनाम्। तदेतद् देवदेवस्य धनूरत्नं महात्मनः
Pleased with all those great souls, he gave them this jewel of a bow, belonging to the great-souled Lord of the gods.
न्यासभूतं तदा न्यस्तमस्माकं पूर्वजे विभौ। अथ मे कृषतः क्षेत्रं लांगलादुत्थिता ततः
Then, as a trust, it was deposited with our ancestor, the illustrious one; and as I was ploughing the field, she arose from the furrow.
क्षेत्रं शोधयता लब्धा नाम्ना सीतेति विश्रुता। भूतलादुत्थिता सा तु व्यवर्धत ममात्मजा
While I was clearing the field, I found her, famed by the name Sita; she who arose from the earth grew as my daughter.
वीर्यशुल्केति मे कन्या स्थापितेयमयोनिजा। भूतलादुत्थितां तां तु वर्धमानां ममात्मजाम्
My daughter, born of no womb, was established as the prize for prowess; she who arose from the earth, growing as my own child.
वरयामासुरागत्य राजानो मुनिपुंगव। तेषां वरयतां कन्यां सर्वेषां पृथिवीक्षिताम्
Kings came, O best of sages, seeking her hand; all the rulers of the earth desired to win my daughter.
वीर्यशुल्केति भगवन् न ददामि सुतामहम्। ततः सर्वे नृपतयः समेत्य मुनिपुंगव
'O revered one, I do not give my daughter except for prowess as the bride-price.' Then all the kings, O best of sages,
मिथिलामप्युपागम्य वीर्यं जिज्ञासवस्तदा। तेषां जिज्ञासमानानां शैवं धनुरुपाहृतम्
Having come to Mithila, then, wishing to prove their strength, for those who sought to be tested, the bow of Shiva was brought forth.
न शेकुर्ग्रहणे तस्य धनुषस्तोलनेऽपि वा। तेषां वीर्यवतां वीर्यमल्पं ज्ञात्वा महामुने
They were unable to grasp that bow, nor even to lift it; seeing their strength to be lacking, O great sage,
प्रत्याख्याता नृपतयस्तन्निबोध तपोधन। ततः परमकोपेन राजानो मुनिपुंगव
The kings were rejected—know this, O ascetic; then, in great anger, O best of sages,
अरुन्धन् मिथिलां सर्वे वीर्यसंदेहमागताः। आत्मानमवधूतं मे विज्ञाय नृपपुंगवाः
All the kings, doubting their own prowess, besieged Mithila, feeling themselves insulted, O best of kings.
रोषेण महताविष्टाः पीडयन् मिथिलां पुरीम्। ततः संवत्सरे पूर्णे क्षयं यातानि सर्वशः
Overcome with great wrath, they afflicted the city of Mithila; then, when a full year had passed, all their resources were exhausted.
साधनानि मुनिश्रेष्ठ ततोऽहं भृशदुःखितः। ततो देवगणान् सर्वांस्तपसाहं प्रसादयम्
Then, O best of sages, I was greatly distressed; so I propitiated all the hosts of gods with my austerities.
ददुश्च परमप्रीताश्चतुरंगबलं सुराः। ततो भग्ना नृपतयो हन्यमाना दिशो ययुः
The gods, filled with supreme delight, gave the army of four divisions; then the defeated kings, being slain, fled in all directions.
अवीर्या वीर्यसंदिग्धाः सामात्याः पापकारिणः। तदेतन्मुनिशार्दूल धनुः परमभास्वरम्
Those powerless, whose strength was in doubt, together with their ministers, evildoers—O best of sages, this is that supremely radiant bow.
रामलक्ष्मणयोश्चापि दर्शयिष्यामि सुव्रत। यद्यस्य धनुषो रामः कुर्यादारोपणं मुने। सुतामयोनिजां सीतां दद्यां दाशरथेरहम्
O steadfast one, I will show this to Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa; if Rāma can string this bow, O sage, I shall give my daughter Sītā, born without a womb, to the son of Daśaratha.
thumb|सप्तषष्ठितमः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे बालकाण्डे सप्तषष्ठितमः सर्गः ॥१-
Hear now the sixty-seventh sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Bālakāṇḍa.
जनकस्य वचः श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः। धनुर्दर्शय रामाय इति होवाच पार्थिवम्
Hearing Janaka’s words, the great sage Viśvāmitra said to the king, ‘Show the bow to Rāma.’
ततः स राजा जनकः सचिवान् व्यादिदेश ह। धनुरानीयतां दिव्यं गन्धमाल्यानुलेपितम्
Then King Janaka instructed his ministers, ‘Bring the divine bow, anointed with fragrant garlands.’
जनकेन समादिष्टाः सचिवाः प्राविशन् पुरम्। तद्धनुः पुरतः कृत्वा निर्जग्मुरमितौजसः
Commanded by Janaka, the ministers entered the city; placing the bow in front, those mighty ones emerged.
नृणां शतानि पञ्चाशद् व्यायतानां महात्मनाम्। मञ्जूषामष्टचक्रां तां समूहुस्ते कथंचन
Fifty hundred men of great strength, straining together, somehow moved that eight-wheeled chest.
तामादाय सुमञ्जूषामायसीं यत्र तद्धनुः। सुरोपमं ते जनकमूचुर्नृपतिमन्त्रिणः
Taking that well-made iron chest, in which was the bow, those ministers, like gods, spoke to King Janaka.
इदं धनुर्वरं राजन् पूजितं सर्वराजभिः। मिथिलाधिप राजेन्द्र दर्शनीयं यदीच्छसि
‘O king, this is the excellent bow, honored by all kings; O lord of Mithilā, O king, behold it if you wish.’
तेषां नृपो वचः श्रुत्वा कृताञ्जलिरभाषत। विश्वामित्रं महात्मानं तावुभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ
Hearing their words, the king, with joined palms, addressed the great-souled Viśvāmitra and both Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.
इदं धनुर्वरं ब्रह्मञ्जनकैरभिपूजितम्। राजभिश्च महावीर्यैरशक्तैः पूरितं तदा
‘O Brāhmaṇa, this excellent bow has been revered by the Janakas and by mighty kings, who were unable to string it at that time.’
नैतत् सुरगणाः सर्वे सासुरा न च राक्षसाः। गन्धर्वयक्षप्रवराः सकिन्नरमहोरगाः
‘Not all the hosts of gods, nor the asuras, nor the rākṣasas, nor the foremost of gandharvas, yakṣas, kinnaras, or great serpents—’
क्व गतिर्मानुषाणां च धनुषोऽस्य प्रपूरणे। आरोपणे समायोगे वेपने तोलने तथा
‘What possibility is there for men to string this bow, to fit the string, to bend, or to lift it?’
तदेतद् धनुषां श्रेष्ठमानीतं मुनिपुंगव। दर्शयैतन्महाभाग अनयो राजपुत्रयोः
‘This best of bows has been brought, O foremost sage; show it, O blessed one, to these two princes.’
विश्वामित्रः सरामस्तु श्रुत्वा जनकभाषितम्। वत्स राम धनुः पश्य इति राघवमब्रवीत्
Hearing Janaka’s words, Viśvāmitra said to Rāma, ‘My child, Rāma, behold the bow.’
महर्षेर्वचनाद् रामो यत्र तिष्ठति तद्धनुः। मञ्जूषां तामपावृत्य दृष्ट्वा धनुरथाब्रवीत्
At the sage’s command, Rāma went to where the bow was; opening the chest, he looked at the bow and spoke.
इदं धनुर्वरं दिव्यं संस्पृशामीह पाणिना। यत्नवांश्च भविष्यामि तोलने पूरणेऽपि वा
‘This excellent, divine bow I will touch with my hand; I will strive to lift and string it as well.’