Bala Kanda, Sarga 67

. जनकस्य वचश्श्रुत्वा विश्वामित्रो महामुनि: । धनुर्दर्शय रामाय इति होवाच पार्थिवम्।।1.67.1।।

. janakasya vacaśśrutvā viśvāmitro mahāmuni: | dhanurdarśaya rāmāya iti hovāca pārthivam

At the words of Janaka, great ascetic Viswamitra said to the king, "Let the bow be shown to Rama".

ततस्स राजा जनक: सामन्तान्व्यादिदेश ह। धनुरानीयतां दिव्यं गन्धमाल्यविभूषितम्।।1.67.2।।

tatassa rājā janaka: sāmantānvyādideśa ha| dhanurānīyatāṃ divyaṃ gandhamālyavibhūṣitam

Thereafter king Janaka said to his feudatories, "Let the divine bow adorned with flowers and sandalpaste be brought".

जनकेन समादिष्टा: सचिवा प्राविशन् पुरीम्। तद्धनु: पुरत: कृत्वा निर्जग्मु: पार्थिवाज्ञया।।1.67.3।।

janakena samādiṣṭā: sacivā prāviśan purīm| taddhanu: purata: kṛtvā nirjagmu: pārthivājñayā

Commanded by (king) Janaka, the ministers went to the city, put the bow in front of them and carried it as per the orders of the king.

नृणां शतानि पञ्चाशद्व्यायतानां महात्मनाम्। मञ्जूषामष्टचक्रां तां समूहुस्ते कथञ्चन।।1.67.4।।

nṛṇāṃ śatāni pañcāśadvyāyatānāṃ mahātmanām| mañjūṣāmaṣṭacakrāṃ tāṃ samūhuste kathañcana

Five thousand mighty stalwarts drew with great difficulty the eightwheeled cart on which the bow was placed in a box.

तामादाय तु मञ्जूषामायसीं यत्र तद्धनु:। सुरोपमं ते जनकमूचुर्नृपतिमन्त्रिण:।।1.67.5।।

tāmādāya tu mañjūṣāmāyasīṃ yatra taddhanu:| suropamaṃ te janakamūcurnṛpatimantriṇa:

The counsellors of the king, brought the iron casket containing the bow and said these words to Janaka comparable to a celestial:

इदं धनुर्वरं राजन् पूजितं सर्वराजभि:। मिथिलाधिप राजेन्द्र दर्शनीयं यदिच्छसि।।1.67.6।।

idaṃ dhanurvaraṃ rājan pūjitaṃ sarvarājabhi:| mithilādhipa rājendra darśanīyaṃ yadicchasi

'O Indra among kings O lord of Mithila here is the great bow, worshipped by all kings, which you intend to show (to Rama)'.

तेषां नृपो वच: श्रुत्वा कृताञ्जलिरभाषत। विश्वामित्रं महात्मानं तौ चोभौ रामलक्ष्मणौ।।1.67.7।।

teṣāṃ nṛpo vaca: śrutvā kṛtāñjalirabhāṣata| viśvāmitraṃ mahātmānaṃ tau cobhau rāmalakṣmaṇau

Having heard this, the king with folded hands said to the great soul Viswamitra sitting with the two princes Rama and Lakshmana:

इदं धनुर्वरं ब्रह्मन् जनकैरभिपूजितम्। राजभिश्च महावीर्यै: अशक्तै: पूरितुं पुरा।।1.67.8।।

idaṃ dhanurvaraṃ brahman janakairabhipūjitam| rājabhiśca mahāvīryai: aśaktai: pūrituṃ purā

"O Brahman in the olden days, this great bow was worshipped by my forefathers. Powerful kings failed to string this bow.

नैतत्सुरगणास्सर्वे नासुरा न च राक्षसा:। गन्धर्वयक्षप्रवरा: सकिन्नरमहोरगा:।।1.67.9।।

naitatsuragaṇāssarve nāsurā na ca rākṣasā:| gandharvayakṣapravarā: sakinnaramahoragā:

Hosts of devatas, asuras, rakhasas, kinnaras and great serpents, the best of gandharvas and yakshas, also failed (to wield this bow).

क्व गतिर्मानुषाणां च धनुषोऽस्य प्रपूरणे। आरोपणे समायोगे वेपने तोलनेऽपि वा।।1.67.10।।

kva gatirmānuṣāṇāṃ ca dhanuṣo'sya prapūraṇe| āropaṇe samāyoge vepane tolane'pi vā

How then can men bend, string, fix the arrow, pull the string and lift it?

तदेतद्धनुषां श्रेष्ठमानीतं मुनिपुङ्गव। दर्शयैतन्महाभाग अनयो: राजपुत्रयो:।।1.67.11।।

tadetaddhanuṣāṃ śreṣṭhamānītaṃ munipuṅgava| darśayaitanmahābhāga anayo: rājaputrayo:

O Eminent ascetic such heaviest bow is brought here, O Highly accomplished sage show this to the two princes".

विश्वामित्रस्तु धर्मात्मा श्रुत्वा जनकभाषितम्। वत्स राम धनु: पश्य इति राघवमब्रवीत्।।1.67.12।।

viśvāmitrastu dharmātmā śrutvā janakabhāṣitam| vatsa rāma dhanu: paśya iti rāghavamabravīt

Having heard the words of Janaka, the righteous Viswamitra said: "O Child O Descendant of Raghu look at this bow".

ब्रह्मर्षेर्वचनाद्रामो यत्र तिष्ठति तद्धनु:। मञ्जूषां तामपावृत्य दृष्ट्वा धनुरथाब्रवीत्।।1.67.13।।

brahmarṣervacanādrāmo yatra tiṣṭhati taddhanu:| mañjūṣāṃ tāmapāvṛtya dṛṣṭvā dhanurathābravīt

At the words of the great rishi Viswamitra, Rama opened the casket, beheld the bow and said:

इदं धनुर्वरं ब्रह्मन् संस्पृशामीह पाणिना। यत्नवांश्च भविष्यामि तोलने पूरणेऽपि वा।।1.67.14।।

idaṃ dhanurvaraṃ brahman saṃspṛśāmīha pāṇinā| yatnavāṃśca bhaviṣyāmi tolane pūraṇe'pi vā

"O Brahmarshi, shall I touch this great bow with my hands lift and string it".

बाढमित्येव तं राजा मुनिश्च समभाषत। लीलया स धनुर्मध्ये जग्राह वचनान्मुने:।।1.67.15।

bāḍhamityeva taṃ rājā muniśca samabhāṣata| līlayā sa dhanurmadhye jagrāha vacanānmune:||1.67.15|

The king as also the rishi said "Be it so". At the words of the sage (Viswamitra), he (Rama) took hold of the bow by the its middle with ease:

पश्यतां नृपसहस्राणां बहूनां रघुनन्दन: । आरोपयत्स धर्मात्मा सलीलमिव तद्धनु:।।1.67.16।।

paśyatāṃ nṛpasahasrāṇāṃ bahūnāṃ raghunandana: | āropayatsa dharmātmā salīlamiva taddhanu:

Virtuous Rama, the delight of the Raghus, in the presence of several thousands of men fixed the string to the bow and drew it as though with ease.

आरोपयित्वा धर्मात्मा पूरयामास तद्धनु:। तद्बभञ्ज धनुर्मध्ये नरश्रेष्ठो महायशा:।।1.67.17।।

āropayitvā dharmātmā pūrayāmāsa taddhanu:| tadbabhañja dhanurmadhye naraśreṣṭho mahāyaśā:

Rama, the best among men, righteous and famous lifted the bow. Stringing it with a twang he drew it and broke it into two in the middle.

तस्य शब्दो महानासीत् निर्घातसमनिस्वन:। भूमिकम्पश्च सुमहान् पर्वतस्येव दीर्यत:।।1.67.18।।

tasya śabdo mahānāsīt nirghātasamanisvana:| bhūmikampaśca sumahān parvatasyeva dīryata:

It generated a loud sound like the clap of thunder, like the trembling of the earth and the splitting of a mountain.

निपेतुश्च नरा स्सर्वे तेन शब्देन मोहिता:। वर्जयित्वा मुनिवरं राजानं तौ च राघवौ।।1.67.19।।

nipetuśca narā ssarve tena śabdena mohitā:| varjayitvā munivaraṃ rājānaṃ tau ca rāghavau

On hearing the sound, except Janaka, Viswamitra and the two raghavas (Rama and Lakshmana) the rest of the people around fell down and fainted.

प्रत्याश्वस्ते जने तस्मिन्राजा विगतसाध्वस:। उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञो मुनिपुङ्गवम्।।1.67.20।।

pratyāśvaste jane tasminrājā vigatasādhvasa:| uvāca prāñjalirvākyaṃ vākyajño munipuṅgavam

When the people recovered the king skilful in the use of words addressed the eminent ascetic without apprehension with folded palms in the following words:

भगवन् दृष्टवीर्यो मे रामो दशरथात्मज:। अत्यद्भुतमचिन्त्यं च न तर्कितमिदं मया।।1.67.21।।

bhagavan dṛṣṭavīryo me rāmo daśarathātmaja:| atyadbhutamacintyaṃ ca na tarkitamidaṃ mayā

"O Worshipful one I have witnessed the prowess of Rama, son of Dasaratha. I had not imagined that this marvellous feat could be ever accomplished.

जनकानां कुले कीर्तिमाहरिष्यति मे सुता। सीता भर्तारमासाद्य रामं दशरथात्मजम्।।1.67.22।।

janakānāṃ kule kīrtimāhariṣyati me sutā| sītā bhartāramāsādya rāmaṃ daśarathātmajam

By receiving Rama, son of Dasaratha, as her husband, my daughter Sita will bring glory to my dynasty.

मम सत्या प्रतिज्ञा च वीर्यशुल्केति कौशिक। सीता प्राणैर्बहुमता देया रामाय मे सुता।।1.67.23।।

mama satyā pratijñā ca vīryaśulketi kauśika| sītā prāṇairbahumatā deyā rāmāya me sutā

O Son of Kausika I announce Sita to be the 'Reward of prowess'. My vow has come true. She is more valuable than my life and fit to be given to Rama.

भवतोऽनुमते ब्रह्मन् शीघ्रं गच्छन्तु मन्त्रिण:। मम कौशिक भद्रं ते अयोध्यां त्वरिता रथै:।।1.67.24।।

bhavato'numate brahman śīghraṃ gacchantu mantriṇa:| mama kauśika bhadraṃ te ayodhyāṃ tvaritā rathai:

O Brahmarshi Kausika, be blessed With your consent my ministers will take the chariots to Ayodhya immediately.

राजानं प्रश्रितैर्वाक्यैरानयन्तु पुरं मम। प्रदानं वीर्यशुल्काया: कथयन्तु च सर्वश:।।1.67.25।।

rājānaṃ praśritairvākyairānayantu puraṃ mama| pradānaṃ vīryaśulkāyā: kathayantu ca sarvaśa:

That Sita, the reward of prowess is to be given to Rama be reventially communicated in detail to king Dasaratha and he may be conveyed here.

मुनिगुप्तौ च काकुत्स्थौ कथयन्तु नृपाय वै। प्रीयमाणं तु राजानमानयन्तु सुशीघ्रगा:।।1.67.26।।

muniguptau ca kākutsthau kathayantu nṛpāya vai| prīyamāṇaṃ tu rājānamānayantu suśīghragā:

The welfare of the descendant of Kausika (Rama and Lakshmana) under the protection of sage (Viswamitra) be reported to the king. The king who will be happy to hear this be brought here by swiftfooted men".

कौशिकश्च तथेत्याह राजा चाभाष्य मन्त्रिण:।।1.67.27।। अयोध्यां प्रेषयामास धर्मात्मा कृतशासनान्। यथावृत्तं समाख्यातुमानेतुं च नृपं तदा।।1.67.28।।

kauśikaśca tathetyāha rājā cābhāṣya mantriṇa: ayodhyāṃ preṣayāmāsa dharmātmā kṛtaśāsanān| yathāvṛttaṃ samākhyātumānetuṃ ca nṛpaṃ tadā

The son of Kausika (Viswamitra) also said, "So be it". The virtuous king, having consulted his ministers, despatched counsellors to Ayodhya to communicate to king Dasaratha all that had taken place and bring him (to Mithila). इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे सप्तषष्टितमस्सर्ग:।। Thus ends the sixtyseventh sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.