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[King Janaka honours Viswamitra, Rama and Lakshmana--narrates the story about the bow of Mahadeva--declares he would give Sita in marriage to Rama if he strings the bow.]

तत: प्रभाते विमले कृतकर्मा नराधिप:।

विश्वामित्रं महात्मानं आजुहाव सराघवम्।।1.66.1।।


तत: thereafter, विमले in the pure light, प्रभाते of dawn, नराधिप: king, कृतकर्मा having performed daily devotions, सराघवम् together with two Raghavas, महात्मानम् magnanimous Visvamitra, आजुहाव invited.

The day dawned bright and clear when the king (Janaka) performed his daily routine rites and welcomed the great Viswamitra with the two Raghavas (Rama and Lakshmana).
तमर्चयित्वा धर्मात्मा शास्त्रदृष्टेन कर्मणा।

राघवौ च महात्मानौ तदा वाक्यमुवाच ह।।1.66.2।।


धर्मात्मा virtuous Janaka, तम् that, Visvamitra, महात्मानौ magnanimous, राघवौ च Rama and Lakshmana, शास्त्रदृष्टेन in accordance with scriptures, कर्मणा acts, अर्चयित्वा having paid homage, तदा then, वाक्यम् words, उवाच ह spoke.

The virtuous Janaka paid respects to Viswamitra and the highsouled Rama and Lakshmana in accordance with the sastras and spoke:
भगवन् स्वागतं तेऽस्तु किं करोमि तवानघ।

भवानाज्ञापयतु मामाज्ञाप्यो भवता ह्यहम्।।1.66.3।।


भगवन् O Venerable one, ते to you, स्वागतम् अस्तु welcome, अनघ O Sinless one, तव to you, किम् करोमि what shall I do, भवान् you, माम् me, आज्ञापयतु my command, अहम् I, भवता by you, आज्ञाप्य: हि worthy of being commanded.

"Welcome, O Venerable one O Irreproachable one what can I do for you? Worthy of being commanded, I seek your orders.
एवमुक्तस्स धर्मात्मा जनकेन महात्मना।

प्रत्युवाच मुनिर्वीरं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारद:।।1.66.4।।


महात्मना by the magnanimous, जनकेन by Janaka, एवम् thus, उक्त: having been spoken, धर्मात्मा virtuous, वाक्यविशारद: wellversed in speech, स: that, मुनि: ascetic, वीरम् addressing that warrior, वाक्यम् words, प्रत्युवाच replied.

At the words of the magnanimous Janaka, the virtuous sage wellversed in speech replied to the heroic king:
पुत्रौ दशरथस्येमौ क्षत्रियौ लोकविश्रुतौ।

द्रुष्टुकामौ धनु श्श्रेष्ठं यदेतत्वयि तिष्ठति।।1.66.5।।


दशरथस्य Dasaratha's, पुत्रौ sons, क्षत्रियौ kshatriyas, लोकविश्रुतौ renowned in the world, इमौ these two, यत् धनु: श्रेष्ठम् that great bow, त्वयि in you, तिष्ठति remaining, एतत् that one, द्रुष्टुकामौ are eager to see.

Dasaratha's sons, (Rama and Lakshmana), kshatriyas renowned in the world are eager to see that great bow in your possession.
एतद्दर्शय भद्रं ते कृतकामौ नृपात्मजौ।

दर्शनादस्य धनुषो यथेष्टं प्रतियास्यत:।।1.66.6।।


एतत् this bow, दर्शय show, ते भद्रं prosperity to you, अस्य धनुष: this bow's, दर्शनात् on seeing it, कृतकामौ having fulfilled their desire, नृपात्मजौ these two princes, यथेष्टम् as they wish, प्रतियास्यत: will return.

Be blessed. Show this great bow to the princes. This is their desire. Once it is fulfilled, they will go back.
एवमुक्तस्तु जनक: प्रत्युवाच महामुनिम्।

श्रूयतामस्य धनुषो यदर्थमिह तिष्ठति।।1.66.7।।


एवम् thus, उक्त: having been addressed, जनक: Janaka, महामुनिम् mighty ascetic, प्रत्युवाच replied, इह here, यदर्थम् what for, तिष्ठति deposited, अस्य this, धनुष: an account of bow, श्रूयताम् let it be heard.

Thus addressed by the mighty ascetic Janaka replied, "I shall tell you how this bow came to be deposited here".
देवरात इति ख्यातो निमेष्षष्ठो महीपति:।

न्यासोऽयं तस्य भगवन् हस्ते दत्तो महात्मना।।1.66.8।।


भगवन् O Adorable one, निमे: from Nimi, षष्ठ: sixth one in generation, देवरात इति named Devarata, ख्यात: famous, महीपति: इति (was) a king, स: अयम् this bow, तस्य that king's, हस्ते in the hands, न्यास: in trust, महात्मना by exalted (Shiva), दत्त: given.

"O Adorable one there was a famous king named Devarata, sixth in line from Nimi. This bow was kept with him in trust by the exalted lord (Shiva).
दक्षयज्ञवधे पूर्वं धनुरायम्य वीर्यवान्।

रुद्रस्तु त्रिदशान् रोषात्सलीलमिदमब्रवीत्।।1.66.9।।


पूर्वम् formerly, दक्षयज्ञवधे at the time of destruction of Daksha's sacrifice, वीर्यवान् possessing great prowess, रुद्र: Rudra, धनु: bow, आयम्य lifting, त्रिदशान् addressing devatas, रोषात् from anger, सलीलम् sportively, इदम् these words, अब्रवीत् spoke.

Earlier at the time of destruction of Daksha's sacrifice, Rudra endowed with great
prowess lifted this bow sportively and spoke to the gods.
यस्माद्भागार्थिनो भागान्नाकल्पयत मे सुरा:।

वराङ्गाणि महार्हाणि धनुषा शातयामि व:।।1.66.10।।


सुरा: O Devatas, भागार्थिन: desiring your share, मे to me, यस्मात् for which reason, भागान् share, नाकल्पयत did not provide, व: your, महार्हाणि highly worthy, वराङ्गाणि beautiful limbs, धनुषा with bow, शातयामि sever.

'O gods in your anxiety to partake your share of the sacrifie, you have failed to provide mine in the sacrificial offerings. Therefore, I shall sever your jewelled heads and beautiful limbs with this bow'.
ततो विमनसस्सर्वे देवा वै मुनिपुङ्गव।

प्रसादयन्ति देवेशं तेषां प्रीतोऽभवद्भव:।।1.66.11।।


मुनिपुङ्गव O Eminent ascetic, तत: thereater, सर्वे all, देवा: devatas, विमनस: with dejected minds, देवेशम् lord of devatas, Siva, प्रसादयन्ति propitiated, भव: Siva, तेषाम् in their matter, प्रीत: अभवत् was pleased.

"O Eminent ascetic thereafter all the gods with agitated minds propitiated lord of the gods, Siva and he was pleased with them.
प्रीतियुक्तस्स सर्वेषां ददौ तेषां महात्मनाम्।

तदेतद्देवदेवस्य धनूरत्नं महात्मन:।

न्यासभूतं तदा न्यस्तमस्माकं पूर्व के विभो।।1.66.12।।


स: Maheswara, प्रीतियुक्त: wellpleased, तेषाम् महात्मनाम् with those magnanimous ones, ददौ gave, विभो O Lord, महात्मन: of the exalted, देवदेवस्य lord of devatas, Siva's, तत् एतत् धनूरत्नम् that gem of weapons, तदा then, अस्माकम् our, पूर्वके with the ancestor, न्यासभूतम् in trust, न्यस्तम् deposited.

O Lord that gem of a bow belonging to Siva was given to the great gods who in turn got it deposited in trust with our ancestor.
अथ मे कृषत: क्षेत्रं लाङ्गूलादुत्थिता मया।

क्षेत्रं शोधयता लब्धा नाम्ना सीतेति विश्रुता।।1.66.13।।


अथ thereafter, मे my, क्षेत्रम् the sacrificial ground, कृषत: while I was ploughing, लाङ्गूलात् by the blade of plough, उत्थिता lifted, नाम्ना by name, सीतेति Sita, विश्रुता wellknown, क्षेत्रम् that sacrificial ground, शोधयता purifying, मया by me, लब्धा obtained.

Thereupon while I was ploughing and cleaing the (sacrificial) ground, Sita, a wellknown name, was lifted up by the blade of the plough. Thus she was obtained by
me.
भूतलादुत्थिता सा तु व्यवर्धत ममात्मजा।

वीर्यशुल्केति मे कन्या स्थापितेयमयोनिजा।।1.66.14।।


भूतलात् from the earth, उत्थिता has arisen, सा she, मम my, आत्मजा daughter, व्यवर्धत grew, अयोनिजा not born through womb (without mother), इयम् this, कन्या this maiden, वीर्यशुल्का prowess as marriage present, मे by me, स्थापिता established.

Arisen from the earth and not from a mother's womb, she grew up as my daughter. I made a stipulation that (this shall be the means to win this maiden as a gift) this shall be given in marriage only to the prince whose prowess is fully tried.
भूतलादुत्थितां तां तु वर्धमानां ममात्मजाम्।

वरयामासुरागम्य राजानो मुनिपुंगव।।1.66.15।।


मुनिपुङ्गव O Eminent ascetic, भूतलात् from the earth, उत्थिताम् arisen, वर्धमानां growing, ताम् that, आत्मजाम् my daughter, राजान: kings, आगम्य having arrived, वरयामासु: had sought.

O Eminent ascetic arisen from the earth and reared as my daughter, she has been sought after in marriage by many princes.
तेषां वरयतां कन्यां सर्वेषां पृथिवीक्षिताम्।

वीर्यशुल्केति भगवन् न ददामि सुतामहम्।।1.66.16।।


भगवन् O Worshipful one, तेषाम् सर्वेषाम् for all those, पृथिवीक्षिताम् monarchs, कन्याम् maiden, वरयताम् seeking, वीर्यशुल्केति prowess as marriage offer, so, अहम् I, सुताम् daughter, न ददामि do not give.

O Worshipful one all those monarchs sought this maiden but I did not offer my daughter saying that the 'marriage offer' could be made only through the tried and tested prowess of a suitor.
ततस्सर्वे नृपतय स्समेत्य मुनिपुंगव।

मिथिलामभ्युपागम्य वीर्यजिज्ञासवस्तदा।।1.66.17।।


मुनिपुङ्गव O Preeminent among ascetics, तत: afterwards, सर्वे all, नृपतय: kings, समेत्य met together, तदा then, वीर्यजिज्ञासव: desirous of testing their prowess, मिथिलाम् to Mithila, अभ्युपागम्य having come.

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।।


वीर्यम् their strength, जिज्ञासमानानाम् of those who were curious to know, तेषाम् for them, धनु: bow, उपाहृतम् has been brought, तस्य that, धनुष: bow's, ग्रहणे in grasp, तोलनेऽपि in lifting (and measuring its weight), न शेकु: not competent.

The bow was brought and placed before those who were curious to test their strength
but none was able to grasp or lift the bow.
तेषां वीर्यवतां वीर्यमल्पं ज्ञात्वा महामुने ।

प्रत्याख्याता नृपतयस्तन्निबोध तपोधन।।1.66.19।।


महामुने O Mighty ascetic, तेषाम् वीर्यवताम् of those mighty kings', वीर्यम् strength, अल्पम् little, ज्ञात्वा after recognising, नृपतय: kings, प्रत्याख्याता: have been rejected, तपोधन O Maharshi, तत् that point, निबोध come to know.

O great ascetic I knew those mighty kings had little strength, so rejected them.
तत: परमकोपेन राजानो नृपपुङ्गव।

न्यरुंधन्मिथिलां सर्वे वीर्यसंदेहमागता:।।1.66.20।।


मुनिपुङ्गव O Mighty ascetic, तत: thereafter, सर्वे all, राजान: kings, वीर्यसन्देहम् entertaining doubt about their strength, आगता: have come, परमकोपेन inflammed with anger, मिथिलाम् Mithila, न्यरुन्धन् surrounded.

O Mighty ascetic, thereafter all the kings doubting their own strength in stringing the bow were inflamed with anger and laid siege on Mithila.
आत्मानमवधूतं ते विज्ञाय नृपपुङ्गवा:।

रोषेण महताऽऽविष्टा: पीडयन्मिथिलां पुरीम्।।1.66.21।।


ते those, नृपपुङ्गवा: eminent kings, आत्मानम् them, अवधूतम् have been insulted, विज्ञाय knowing, महता with great, रोषेण (कोपेन) with anger, आविष्टा: filled, मिथिलां पुरीम् city of Mithila, पीडयन् while tormenting.

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।।


मुनिश्रेष्ठ O Best among ascetics, तत: afterwards, संवत्सरे when one year, पूर्णे was completed, सर्वश: from every where, साधनानि all means of living, क्षयं यातानि were deteriorated, तत: thereafter, अहम् I, भृशदु:खित: was greatly aggrieved.

O Best among ascetics thus one year passed. Everywhere in the city all the means of living were exhausted. I felt deeply sad over this situation.
ततो देवगणान् सर्वान् तपसाऽहं प्रसादयम्।

ददुश्च परमप्रीता श्चतुरङ्गबलं सुरा:।।1.66.23।।


तत: thereafter, अहम् I, तपसा by austerities, सर्वान् all, देवगणान् multitude of devatas, प्रसादयम् propitiated them, सुरा: devatas, परमप्रीता: were highly pleased, चतुरङ्गबलम् (divine) army of four divisions, ददु: gave.

Thereafter, I propitiated the gods by my austerities. Highly pleased, they gave me an army of four divisions (chariots, elephants, horses and infantry ).
ततो भग्ना नृपतयो हन्यमाना दिशो ययु:।

अवीर्या वीर्यसन्दिग्धा स्सामात्या: पापकर्मण:।।1.66.24।।


तत: thereafter, अवीर्या: those without energy, वीर्यसन्दिग्धा: doubtful about their energy, पापकर्मण: the wicked, नृपतय: kings, हन्यमाना: were being beaten, भग्ना: broken, सामात्या: with their ministers, दिश: in different directions, ययु: fled away.

Then those wicked kings who were exhausted were doubtful about their energy. They were beaten and defeated. They fled away along with their ministers in different directions.
तदेतन्मुनिशार्दूल धनु: परमभास्वरम्।

रामलक्ष्मणयोश्चापि दर्शयिष्यामि सुव्रत।।1.66.25।।


सुव्रत one faithful to vows, मुनिशार्दूल O Best among ascetics, तत् एतत् परमभास्वरम् his highly effulgent, धनु: bow, रामलक्ष्मणयोश्चापि for Rama and Lakshmana also, दर्शयिष्यामि will show.

O Sage you are a tiger among asceties, you are faithful to your vows, I shall show this effulgent bow to your Rama and Lakshmana .
यद्यस्य धनुषो राम: कुर्यादारोपणं मुने।

सुतामयोनिजां सीतां दद्यां दाशरथेरहम्।।1.66.26।।


मुने O Sage, राम: Rama, अस्य this, धनुष: bow's, आरोपणम् lifting, कुर्याद्यदि if he could do, अयोनिजाम् this girl born without a mother, सुताम् daughter, सीताम् Sita, अहम् I, दाशरथे: for Rama, दद्याम् shall give.

O Sage if Rama could lift and string this bow I shall give my daughter Sita, not born from a woman, to him (son of Dasaratha)".
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे षट्षष्टितमस्सर्ग:।।
Thus ends the sixtysixth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.