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.’
बाढमित्यब्रवीद् राजा मुनिश्च समभाषत। लीलया स धनुर्मध्ये जग्राह वचनान्मुनेः
The king replied, 'So be it,' and the sage also spoke; with effortless ease, he took hold of the bow in the middle, at the sage's word.
पश्यतां नृसहस्राणां बहूनां रघुनन्दनः। आरोपयत् स धर्मात्मा सलीलमिव तद्धनुः
As thousands of men looked on, Rāma, the delight of the Raghu line, that righteous soul, strung the bow as easily as water.
आरोपयित्वा मौर्वीं च पूरयामास तद्धनुः। तद् बभञ्ज धनुर्मध्ये नरश्रेष्ठो महायशाः
Having strung the bow, he drew it fully; then that best of men, famed and illustrious, broke the bow in the middle.
तस्य शब्दो महानासीन्निर्घातसमनिःस्वनः। भूमिकम्पश्च सुमहान् पर्वतस्येव दीर्यतः
A great sound arose from it, like the crash of thunder; and the earth shook violently, as if a mountain were splitting apart.
निपेतुश्च नराः सर्वे तेन शब्देन मोहिताः। वर्जयित्वा मुनिवरं राजानं तौ च राघवौ
All the people, stunned by that sound, fell down—except for the great sage, the king, and the two sons of Raghu.
प्रत्याश्वस्ते जने तस्मिन् राजा विगतसाध्वसः। उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञो मुनिपुंगवम्
When the people had recovered, the king, his fear gone, spoke with joined palms to the foremost of sages, skilled in speech.
भगवन् दृष्टवीर्यो मे रामो दशरथात्मजः। अत्यद्भुतमचिन्त्यं च अतर्कितमिदं मया
Revered one, I have seen the strength of Rāma, son of Daśaratha; this is truly marvelous, inconceivable, and beyond my expectation.
जनकानां कुले कीर्तिमाहरिष्यति मे सुता। सीता भर्तारमासाद्य रामं दशरथात्मजम्
My daughter Sītā, having gained Rāma, son of Daśaratha, as her husband, will bring fame to the house of Janaka.
मम सत्या प्रतिज्ञा सा वीर्यशुल्केति कौशिक। सीता प्राणैर्बहुमता देया रामाय मे सुता
O Kauśika, my vow is now fulfilled: 'Sītā is to be won by prowess.' My daughter, dearer than life, is to be given to Rāma.
भवतोऽनुमते ब्रह्मन् शीघ्रं गच्छन्तु मन्त्रिणः। मम कौशिक भद्रं ते अयोध्यां त्वरिता रथैः
With your consent, O Brāhmaṇa, let my ministers swiftly go, O Kauśika, blessings upon you, to Ayodhyā in fast chariots.