Sarga 66

तत: प्रभाते विमले कृतकर्मा नराधिप:। विश्वामित्रं महात्मानं आजुहाव सराघवम्।।1.66.1।।

The day dawned bright and clear when the king (Janaka) performed his daily routine rites and welcome...

तमर्चयित्वा धर्मात्मा शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा। राघवौ च महात्मानौ तदा वाक्यमुवाच ह।।1.66.2।।

The virtuous Janaka paid respects to Viswamitra and the highsouled Rama and Lakshmana in accordance ...

भगवन् स्वागतं तेऽस्तु किं करोमि तवानघ। भवानाज्ञापयतु मामाज्ञाप्यो भवता ह्यहम्।।1.66.3।।

"Welcome, O Venerable one O Irreproachable one what can I do for you? Worthy of being commanded, I s...

एवमुक्तस्स धर्मात्मा जनकेन महात्मना। प्रत्युवाच मुनिर्वीरं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारद:।।1.66.4।।

At the words of the magnanimous Janaka, the virtuous sage wellversed in speech replied to the heroic...

पुत्रौ दशरथस्येमौ क्षत्रियौ लोकविश्रुतौ। द्रुष्टुकामौ धनु श्श्रेष्ठं यदेतत्वयि तिष्ठति।।1.66.5।।

Dasaratha's sons, (Rama and Lakshmana), kshatriyas renowned in the world are eager to see that great...

एतद्दर्शय भद्रं ते कृतकामौ नृपात्मजौ। दर्शनादस्य धनुषो यथेष्टं प्रतियास्यत:।।1.66.6।।

Be blessed. Show this great bow to the princes. This is their desire. Once it is fulfilled, they wil...

एवमुक्तस्तु जनक: प्रत्युवाच महामुनिम्। श्रूयतामस्य धनुषो यदर्थमिह तिष्ठति।।1.66.7।।

Thus addressed by the mighty ascetic Janaka replied, "I shall tell you how this bow came to be depos...

देवरात इति ख्यातो निमेष्षष्ठो महीपति:। न्यासोऽयं तस्य भगवन् हस्ते दत्तो महात्मना।।1.66.8।।

"O Adorable one there was a famous king named Devarata, sixth in line from Nimi. This bow was kept w...

दक्षयज्ञवधे पूर्वं धनुरायम्य वीर्यवान्। रुद्रस्तु त्रिदशान् रोषात्सलीलमिदमब्रवीत्।।1.66.9।।

Earlier at the time of destruction of Daksha's sacrifice, Rudra endowed with great prowess lifted t...

यस्माद्भागार्थिनो भागान्नाकल्पयत मे सुरा:। वराङ्गाणि महार्हाणि धनुषा शातयामि व:।।1.66.10।।

'O gods in your anxiety to partake your share of the sacrifie, you have failed to provide mine in th...

ततो विमनसस्सर्वे देवा वै मुनिपुङ्गव। प्रसादयन्ति देवेशं तेषां प्रीतोऽभवद्भव:।।1.66.11।।

"O Eminent ascetic thereafter all the gods with agitated minds propitiated lord of the gods, Siva an...

प्रीतियुक्तस्स सर्वेषां ददौ तेषां महात्मनाम्। तदेतद्देवदेवस्य धनूरत्नं महात्मन:। न्यासभूतं तदा न्यस्...

O Lord that gem of a bow belonging to Siva was given to the great gods who in turn got it deposited ...

अथ मे कृषत: क्षेत्रं लाङ्गूलादुत्थिता मया। क्षेत्रं शोधयता लब्धा नाम्ना सीतेति विश्रुता।।1.66.13।।

Thereupon while I was ploughing and cleaing the (sacrificial) ground, Sita, a wellknown name, was li...

भूतलादुत्थिता सा तु व्यवर्धत ममात्मजा। वीर्यशुल्केति मे कन्या स्थापितेयमयोनिजा।।1.66.14।।

Arisen from the earth and not from a mother's womb, she grew up as my daughter. I made a stipulation...

भूतलादुत्थितां तां तु वर्धमानां ममात्मजाम्। वरयामासुरागम्य राजानो मुनिपुंगव।।1.66.15।।

O Eminent ascetic arisen from the earth and reared as my daughter, she has been sought after in marr...

तेषां वरयतां कन्यां सर्वेषां पृथिवीक्षिताम्। वीर्यशुल्केति भगवन् न ददामि सुतामहम्।।1.66.16।।

O Worshipful one all those monarchs sought this maiden but I did not offer my daughter saying that t...

ततस्सर्वे नृपतय स्समेत्य मुनिपुंगव। मिथिलामभ्युपागम्य वीर्यजिज्ञासवस्तदा।।1.66.17।।

O Preeminent among ascetics thereafter many kings together came to Mithila to test their prowess.

तेषां जिज्ञासमानानां वीर्यं धनुरुपाहृतम्। न शेकुर्ग्रहणे तस्य धनुषस्तोलनेऽपि वा।।1.66.18।।

The bow was brought and placed before those who were curious to test their strength but none was abl...

तेषां वीर्यवतां वीर्यमल्पं ज्ञात्वा महामुने । प्रत्याख्याता नृपतयस्तन्निबोध तपोधन।।1.66.19।।

O great ascetic I knew those mighty kings had little strength, so rejected them.

तत: परमकोपेन राजानो नृपपुङ्गव। न्यरुंधन्मिथिलां सर्वे वीर्यसंदेहमागता:।।1.66.20।।

O Mighty ascetic, thereafter all the kings doubting their own strength in stringing the bow were inf...

आत्मानमवधूतं ते विज्ञाय नृपपुङ्गवा:। रोषेण महताऽऽविष्टा: पीडयन्मिथिलां पुरीम्।।1.66.21।।

Those eminent kings felt humiliated. Inflamed with anger, they tormented the city of Mithila.

ततस्संवत्सरे पूर्णे क्षयं यातानि सर्वश:। साधनानि मुनिश्रेष्ठ ततोऽहं भृशदु:खित:।।1.66.22।।

O Best among ascetics thus one year passed. Everywhere in the city all the means of living were exha...

ततो देवगणान् सर्वान् तपसाऽहं प्रसादयम्। ददुश्च परमप्रीता श्चतुरङ्गबलं सुरा:।।1.66.23।।

Thereafter, I propitiated the gods by my austerities. Highly pleased, they gave me an army of four d...

ततो भग्ना नृपतयो हन्यमाना दिशो ययु:। अवीर्या वीर्यसन्दिग्धा स्सामात्या: पापकर्मण:।।1.66.24।।

Then those wicked kings who were exhausted were doubtful about their energy. They were beaten and de...

तदेतन्मुनिशार्दूल धनु: परमभास्वरम्। रामलक्ष्मणयोश्चापि दर्शयिष्यामि सुव्रत।।1.66.25।।

O Sage you are a tiger among asceties, you are faithful to your vows, I shall show this effulgent bo...

यद्यस्य धनुषो राम: कुर्यादारोपणं मुने। सुतामयोनिजां सीतां दद्यां दाशरथेरहम्।।1.66.26।।

O Sage if Rama could lift and string this bow I shall give my daughter Sita, not born from a woman, ...