Janaka Tells of Shiva's Bow and Sita's Birth

Shloka 1 (bala.66.1)

ततः प्रभाते विमले कृतकर्मा नराधिपः । विश्वामित्रं महात्मानमाजुहाव सराघवम् ॥ 66.1 ॥

tataḥ prabhāte vimale kṛtakarmā narādhipaḥ | viśvāmitraṃ mahātmānam ājuhāva sarāghavam ||

Then, in the clear light of morning, King Janaka, having completed his daily rites, invited the great-souled Vishvamitra, together with the Raghavas.

Shloka 2 (bala.66.2)

तमर्चयित्वा धर्मात्मा शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा । राघवौ च महात्मानौ तदा वाक्यमुवाच ह ॥ 66.2 ॥

tam arcayitvā dharmātmā śāstradṛṣṭena karmaṇā | rāghavau ca mahātmānau tadā vākyam uvāca ha ||

The righteous Janaka, having honoured him with the rites prescribed by scripture, then spoke these words to the two noble Raghavas as well.

Shloka 3 (bala.66.3)

भगवन् स्वागतं तेऽस्तु किं करोमि तवानघ । भवानाज्ञापयतु मामाज्ञाप्यो भवताह्यहम् ॥ 66.3 ॥

bhagavan svāgataṃ te astu kiṃ karomi tava anagha | bhavān ājñāpayatu mām ājñāpyo bhavatā hi aham ||

"Welcome to you, holy one. What may I do for you, O sinless one? Command me, for I am yours to command."

Shloka 4 (bala.66.4)

एवमुक्तः स धर्मात्मा जनकेन महात्मना । प्रत्युवाच मुनिर्वीरं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः ॥ 66.4 ॥

evam uktaḥ sa dharmātmā janakena mahātmanā | pratyuvāca munir vīraṃ vākyaṃ vākyaviśāradaḥ ||

Thus addressed by the noble-souled Janaka, that righteous sage, skilled in speech, replied to the valiant king.

Shloka 5 (bala.66.5)

पुत्रौ दशरथस्येमौ क्षत्रियौ लोकविश्रुतौ । द्रष्टुकामौ धनुः श्रेष्ठं यदेतत्त्वयि तिष्ठति ॥ 66.5 ॥

putrau daśarathasya imau kṣatriyau lokaviśrutau | draṣṭukāmau dhanuḥ śreṣṭhaṃ yad etat tvayi tiṣṭhati ||

"These two are the sons of Dasharatha, Kshatriyas renowned throughout the world, and they wish to see that excellent bow which rests with you."

Shloka 6 (bala.66.6)

एतद्दर्शय भद्रं ते कृतकामौ नृपात्मजौ । दर्शनादस्य धनुषो यथेष्टं प्रतियास्यतः ॥ 66.6 ॥

etad darśaya bhadraṃ te kṛtakāmau nṛpātmajau | darśanād asya dhanuṣo yatheṣṭaṃ pratiyāsyataḥ ||

"Show it to them, may good befall you. Once these princes have beheld this bow, their wish will be fulfilled, and they will go back content."

Shloka 7 (bala.66.7)

एवमुक्तस्तु जनकः प्रत्युवाच महामुनिम् । श्रूयतामस्य धनुषो यदर्थमिह तिष्ठति ॥ 66.7 ॥

evam uktas tu janakaḥ pratyuvāca mahāmunim | śrūyatām asya dhanuṣo yadartham iha tiṣṭhati ||

Thus addressed, Janaka replied to the great sage, "Hear now for what reason this bow has its place here."

Shloka 8 (bala.66.8)

देवरात इति ख्यातो निमेः षष्ठो महीपतिः । न्यासोऽयं तस्य भगवन् हस्ते दत्तो महात्मना ॥ 66.8 ॥

devarāta iti khyāto nimeḥ ṣaṣṭho mahīpatiḥ | nyāso ayaṃ tasya bhagavan haste datto mahātmanā ||

"O holy one, sixth in descent from Nimi was a king renowned as Devarata; this bow was placed in his hands for safekeeping by that great being, Shiva."

Shloka 9 (bala.66.9)

दक्षयज्ञवधे पूर्वं धनुरायम्य वीर्यवान् । रुद्रस्तु त्रिदशान् रोषात् सलीलमिदमब्रवीत् ॥ 66.9 ॥

dakṣayajñavadhe pūrvaṃ dhanur āyamya vīryavān | rudras tu tridaśān roṣāt salīlam idam abravīt ||

Once, at the destruction of Daksha's sacrifice, the mighty Rudra, drawing taut this bow, said this to the gods in anger, as if in sport.

Shloka 10 (bala.66.10)

यस्माद्भागार्थिनो भागं नाकल्पयत मे सुराः । वरांगाणि महार्हाणि धनुषा शातयामि वः ॥ 66.10 ॥

yasmād bhāgārthino bhāgaṃ na akalpayata me surāḥ | varāṅgāṇi mahārhāṇi dhanuṣā śātayāmi vaḥ ||

"Since you gods did not allot to me my due portion though I was entitled to it, I shall now sever with this bow your noble and honoured heads."

Shloka 11 (bala.66.11)

ततो विमनसः सर्वे देवा वै मुनिपुंगव । प्रसादयन्ति देवेशं तेषां प्रीतोऽभवद्भवः ॥ 66.11 ॥

tato vimanasaḥ sarve devā vai munipuṃgava | prasādayanti deveśaṃ teṣāṃ prīto abhavad bhavaḥ ||

Then, O foremost of sages, all the gods, dismayed, sought to appease the Lord of gods, and Bhava, that is Shiva, became pleased with them.

Shloka 12 (bala.66.12)

प्रीतियुक्तस्तु सर्वेषां ददौ तेषां महात्मनाम् । तदेतद्देवदेवस्य धनूरत्नं महात्मनः ॥ 66.12 ॥

prītiyuktas tu sarveṣāṃ dadau teṣāṃ mahātmanām | tad etad devadevasya dhanūratnaṃ mahātmanaḥ ||

Gladly then, that great god of gods gave this gem among bows to all those noble-souled gods.

Shloka 13 (bala.66.13)

न्यासभूतं तदा न्यस्तमस्माकं पूर्वजे विभो । अथ मे कृषतः क्षेत्रं लांगलादुत्थिता मम ॥ 66.13 ॥

nyāsabhūtaṃ tadā nyastam asmākaṃ pūrvaje vibho | atha me kṛṣataḥ kṣetraṃ lāṅgalād utthitā mama ||

That, O mighty one, was then entrusted for safekeeping to our ancestor. Then, later, as I was ploughing the field, she rose up from the furrow, my own daughter.

Shloka 14 (bala.66.14)

क्षेत्रं शोधयता लब्धा नाम्ना सीतेति विश्रुता । भूतलादुत्थिता सा तु व्यवर्धत ममात्मजा ॥ 66.14 ॥

kṣetraṃ śodhayatā labdhā nāmnā sīteti viśrutā | bhūtalād utthitā sā tu vyavardhata mama ātmajā ||

Gained while I was consecrating the field, she became renowned by the name Sita. Risen thus from the earth's surface, she, my daughter, grew up.

Shloka 15 (bala.66.15)

वीर्यशुल्केति मे कन्या स्थापितेयमयोनिजा । भूतलादुत्थितां तां तु वर्धमानां ममात्मजाम् ॥ 66.15 ॥

vīryaśulkā iti me kanyā sthāpitā iyam ayonijā | bhūtalād utthitāṃ tāṃ tu vardhamānāṃ mama ātmajām ||

'Her bride-price is valour alone' — thus I resolved concerning this daughter of mine, not born of a womb. And as she, risen from the earth, grew to womanhood—

Shloka 16 (bala.66.16)

वरयामासुरागम्य राजानो मुनिपुंगव । तेषां वरयतां कन्यां सर्वेषां पृथिवीक्षिताम् ॥ 66.16 ॥

varayāmāsur āgamya rājāno munipuṃgava | teṣāṃ varayatāṃ kanyāṃ sarveṣāṃ pṛthivīkṣitām ||

O foremost of sages, then kings came and sought that maiden of mine in marriage, all those rulers of the earth.

Shloka 17 (bala.66.17)

वीर्यशुल्केति भगवन्न ददामि सुतामहम् । ततः सर्वे नृपतयः समेत्य मुनिपुंगव ॥ 66.17 ॥

vīryaśulkā iti bhagavan na dadāmi sutām aham | tataḥ sarve nṛpatayaḥ sametya munipuṃgava ||

'Her bride-price is valour,' saying thus, holy one, I did not give my daughter to any of them. Then, O foremost of sages, all those kings gathered together—

Shloka 18 (bala.66.18)

मिथिलामभ्युपागम्य वीर्यं जिज्ञासवस्तदा । तेषां जिज्ञासमानानां शैवं धनुरुपाहृतम् ॥ 66.18 ॥

mithilām abhyupāgamya vīryaṃ jijñāsavas tadā | teṣāṃ jijñāsamānānāṃ śaivaṃ dhanur upāhṛtam ||

—and came to Mithila, wishing then to put their strength to the test. For those eager to make trial of it, Shiva's bow was brought forth.

Shloka 19 (bala.66.19)

न शेकुर्ग्रहणे तस्य धनुषस्तोलनेऽपि वा । तेषां वीर्यवतां वीर्यमल्पं ज्ञात्वा महामुने ॥ 66.19 ॥

na śekur grahaṇe tasya dhanuṣas tolane api vā | teṣāṃ vīryavatāṃ vīryam alpaṃ jñātvā mahāmune ||

They were unable even to grasp that bow, still less to lift it. Knowing thereby the valour of those seemingly mighty men to be slight, O great sage—

Shloka 20 (bala.66.20)

प्रत्याख्याता नृपतयस्तन्निबोध तपोधन । ततः परमकोपेन राजानो मुनिपुंगव ॥ 66.20 ॥

pratyākhyātā nṛpatayas tan nibodha tapodhana | tataḥ paramakopena rājāno munipuṃgava ||

—I turned those kings away; know this, O rich in austerity. Then, O foremost of sages, those kings, overcome with extreme fury—

Shloka 21 (bala.66.21)

अरुन्धन् मिथिलां सर्वे वीर्यसंदेहमागताः । आत्मानमवधूतं ते विज्ञाय मुनिपुंगव ॥ 66.21 ॥

arundhan mithilāṃ sarve vīryasandeham āgatāḥ | ātmānam avadhūtaṃ te vijñāya munipuṃgava ||

—all of them, self-doubt about their own valour now arisen, laid siege to Mithila. Knowing themselves to be spurned, O foremost of sages—

Shloka 22 (bala.66.22)

रोषेण महताविष्टाः पीडयन् मिथिलां पुरीम् । ततः संवत्सरे पूर्णे क्षयं यातानि सर्वशः ॥ 66.22 ॥

roṣeṇa mahatā āviṣṭāḥ pīḍayan mithilāṃ purīm | tataḥ saṃvatsare pūrṇe kṣayaṃ yātāni sarvaśaḥ ||

—overcome with great rage, oppressed the city of Mithila. Then, when a full year had passed, our resources were entirely exhausted—

Shloka 23 (bala.66.23)

साधनानि मुनिश्रेष्ठ ततोऽहं भृशदुःखितः । ततो देवगणान् सर्वांस्तपसाहं प्रसादयम् ॥ 66.23 ॥

sādhanāni muniśreṣṭha tato ahaṃ bhṛśaduḥkhitaḥ | tato devagaṇān sarvāṃs tapasā ahaṃ prasādayam ||

—our resources, O foremost of sages, and thereby I became deeply grieved. Then I propitiated all the assemblies of gods through my austerities—

Shloka 24 (bala.66.24)

ददुश्च परमप्रीताश्चतुरंगबलं सुराः । ततो भग्ना नृपतयो हन्यमाना दिशो ययुः ॥ 66.24 ॥

daduś ca paramaprītāś caturaṅgabalaṃ surāḥ | tato bhagnā nṛpatayo hanyamānā diśo yayuḥ ||

—and the gods, greatly delighted, granted me a fourfold army. Then those kings, defeated and beaten, fled in every direction—

Shloka 25 (bala.66.25)

अवीर्या वीर्यसंदिग्धाः सामात्याः पापकारिणः । तदेतन्मुनिशार्दूल धनुः परमभास्वरम् ॥ 66.25 ॥

avīryā vīryasandigdhāḥ sāmātyāḥ pāpakāriṇaḥ | tad etan muniśārdūla dhanuḥ paramabhāsvaram ||

—those evil-doing kings, together with their ministers, were rendered powerless, their valour now proven doubtful. This, O tiger among sages, is that supremely radiant bow—

Shloka 26 (bala.66.26)

रामलक्ष्मणयोश्चापि दर्शयिष्यामि सुव्रत । यद्यस्य धनुषो रामः कुर्यादारोपणं मुने । सुतामयोनिजां सीतां दद्यां दाशरथेरहम् ॥ 66.26 ॥

rāmalakṣmaṇayoś ca api darśayiṣyāmi suvrata | yady asya dhanuṣo rāmaḥ kuryād āropaṇaṃ mune | sutām ayonijāṃ sītāṃ dadyāṃ dāśaratheḥ aham ||

—which I shall show even to Rama and Lakshmana, O one of sacred vows. If Rama should succeed in stringing this bow, O sage, then I shall give my daughter Sita, born not of a womb, to Dasharatha's son.