Sloka & Translation

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[Rama strings the bow and breaks-- Janaka sends counsellors to Ayodhya to bring king Dasaratha].

janakasya vacaśśrutvā viśvāmitrō mahāmuni: .

dhanurdarśaya rāmāya iti hōvāca pārthivam৷৷1.67.1৷৷


mahāmuni: great ascestic, viśvāmitra: Visvamitra, janakasya Janaka's, vaca: words, śṛtvā having listened, rāmāya for Rama, dhanu: bow, darśaya show, iti saying so, pārthivam addressing king, uvāca ha spoke.

At the words of Janaka, great ascetic Viswamitra said to the king, "Let the bow be shown to Rama".
tatassa rājā janaka: sāmantānvyādidēśa ha.

dhanurānīyatāṅ divyaṅ gandhamālyavibhūṣitam৷৷1.67.2৷৷


tata: thereafter, sa: rājā that king, janaka: Janaka, sāmantān feudatories, vyādidēśa ha ordered, gandhamālyavibhūṣitam adorned with flowers and sandalwood, divyam divine, dhanu: bow, ānīyatām let it be brought.

Thereafter king Janaka said to his feudatories, "Let the divine bow adorned with flowers and sandalpaste be brought".
janakēna samādiṣṭā: sacivā prāviśan purīm.

taddhanu: purata: kṛtvā nirjagmu: pārthivājñayā৷৷1.67.3৷৷


janakēna by the king Janaka, samādiṣṭā: commanded, sacivā: ministers, purīm city, prāviśan entered, taddhanu: that bow, pārthivājñayā by the orders of king, purata: in their front, kṛtvā keeping, nirjagmu: departed.

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.
nṛṇāṅ śatāni pañcāśadvyāyatānāṅ mahātmanām.

mañjūṣāmaṣṭacakrāṅ tāṅ samūhustē kathañcana৷৷1.67.4৷৷


mahātmanām possessing great strength, vyāyatānām of stalwarts, nṛṇām of men, pañcāśat fifty, śatāni hundreds, aṣṭacakrām eight wheeled cart, mañjūṣām box, samūhu: had drawn, tē they, tām that cart, kathañcana with great difficulty (had drawn).

Five thousand mighty stalwarts drew with great difficulty the eight-wheeled cart on which the bow was placed in a box.
tāmādāya tu mañjūṣāmāyasīṅ yatra taddhanu:.

surōpamaṅ tē janakamūcurnṛpatimantriṇa:৷৷1.67.5৷৷


tē nṛpatimantriṇa: the counsellors of king, yatra wherever, tat dhanu: that bow (was placed), tām āyasīm that iron, mañjūṣām box, ādāya having brought, surōpamam equal to devatas,janakam addressing Janaka, ūcu: spoke.

The counsellors of the king, brought the iron casket containing the bow and said these words to Janaka comparable to a celestial:
idaṅ dhanurvaraṅ rājan pūjitaṅ sarvarājabhi:.

mithilādhipa! rājēndra! darśanīyaṅ yadicchasi৷৷1.67.6৷৷


rājēndra O! Most revered of kings, mithilādhipa O! Lord of Mithila, rājan O! king, yat which one, darśanīyam to be shown, icchasi you are desiring, sarvarājabhi: by all kings, pūjitam worshipped, dhanurvaram excellent bow, idam this one.

'O Indra among kings! O lord of Mithila! here is the great bow, worshipped by all kings,
which you intend to show (to Rama)'.
tēṣāṅ nṛpō vaca: śrutvā kṛtāñjalirabhāṣata.

viśvāmitraṅ mahātmānaṅ tau cōbhau rāmalakṣmaṇau৷৷1.67.7৷৷


nṛpa: king, tēṣām their, vaca: words, śrutvā having listened, kṛtāñjali: with folded palms, mahātmānam magnanimous, viśvāmitram Viswamitra, tau ubhau those two, rāmalakṣmaṇau Rama and Lakshmana, abhāṣata said.

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

rājabhiśca mahāvīryai: aśaktai: pūrituṅ purā৷৷1.67.8৷৷


brahman O! Brahman, janakai: by kings of Nimi dynasty, purā in the olden days, pūritum to string it, aśaktai: by being incapable, mahāvīryai: by those possessing great prowess, rājabhiśca by kings also, abhipūjitam having been worshipped, dhanurvaram famed bow, idam this one (is presented here.)

"O Brahman! in the olden days, this great bow was worshipped by my forefathers. Powerful kings failed to string this bow.
naitatsuragaṇāssarvē nāsurā na ca rākṣasā:.

gandharvayakṣapravarā: sakinnaramahōragā:৷৷1.67.9৷৷


ētat (for wielding ) this, sarvē all, suragaṇā: hosts of devatas, na were not capable, asurā: asuras, na not capable, rākṣasā: rakhasas, sakinnaramahōragā: along with kinnaras and great serpents, gandharvayakṣapravarā: best of gandharvas and yakshas, na not capable.

Hosts of devatas, asuras, rakhasas, kinnaras and great serpents, the best of gandharvas and yakshas, also failed (to wield this bow).
kva gatirmānuṣāṇāṅ ca dhanuṣō.sya prapūraṇē.

ārōpaṇē samāyōgē vēpanē tōlanē.pi vā৷৷1.67.10৷৷


asya this bow's, prapūraṇē to stretch, ārōpaṇē to string, samāyōgē in fixing the arrow, vēpanē to pull the string, tōlanē.pi vā to lift and weigh, mānuṣāṇām for mortals, gati: course, kva where?

How then can men bend, string, fix the arrow, pull the string and lift it?
tadētaddhanuṣāṅ śrēṣṭhamānītaṅ munipuṅgava!.

darśayaitanmahābhāga anayō: rājaputrayō:৷৷1.67.11৷৷


munipuṅgava O! Eminent ascetic, tat such, ētat this, dhanuṣām among bows, śrēṣṭham excellent one, ānītam is brought, mahābhāga O! Highly fortunate one, ētat this, anayō: rājaputrayō: for these two princes, darśaya show it.

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

vatsa rāma dhanu: paśya iti rāghavamabravīt৷৷1.67.12৷৷


dharmātmā righteous, viśvāmitrastu Visvamitra on his part, janakabhāṣitam words of Janaka, śrutvā having heard, vatsa O! Child, rāma O! Rama, dhanu: bow, paśya see, iti saying so, rāghavam addressing Rama, abravīt spoke.

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

mañjūṣāṅ tāmapāvṛtya dṛṣṭvā dhanurathābravīt৷৷1.67.13৷৷


rāma: Rama, brahmarṣē: Brahmarshi's, vacanāt by the words, tat dhanu: that bow, yatra wherever, tiṣṭhati is placed, tām that, mañjūṣām box, apāvṛtya having opened, dhanu: bow, dṛṣṭvā having seen, atha thereater, abravīt spoke.

At the words of the great rishi Viswamitra, Rama opened the casket, beheld the bow and said:
idaṅ dhanurvaraṅ brahman saṅspṛśāmīha pāṇinā.

yatnavāṅśca bhaviṣyāmi tōlanē pūraṇē.pi vā৷৷1.67.14৷৷


brahman O! Brahmarshi, iha now, idam dhanurvaram this excellent bow, pāṇinā with hand, saṅspṛśāmi I shall touch, tōlanē in raising (weighing ), pūraṇē.pi vā to string it, yatnavān bhaviṣyāmi I shall endeavour.

"O Brahmarshi, shall I touch this great bow with my hands lift and string it".
bāḍhamityēva taṅ rājā muniśca samabhāṣata.

līlayā sa dhanurmadhyē jagrāha vacanānmunē:৷৷1.67.15.


rājā king, muniśca and also rishi, bāḍham ityēva "Be it so" thus only, tam addressing Rama, samabhāṣata spoke, sa: Rama, munē: rishi's, vacanāt from words, dhanu: bow, madhyē in the middle, līlayā with ease, jagrāha took hold of.

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:
paśyatāṅ nṛpasahasrāṇāṅ bahūnāṅ raghunandana: .

ārōpayatsa dharmātmā salīlamiva taddhanu:৷৷1.67.16৷৷


dharmātmā virtuous, sa: that, raghunandana: Rama, bahūnām of several, nṛpasahasrāṇām thousands of men, paśyatām while seeing, tat dhanu: that bow, salīlamiva as though with ease, ārōpayat fixed the string and drew it.

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.
ārōpayitvā dharmātmā pūrayāmāsa taddhanu:.

tadbabhañja dhanurmadhyē naraśrēṣṭhō mahāyaśā:৷৷1.67.17৷৷


dharmātmā magnanimous, tat dhanu: that bow, ārōpayitvā asfter stringing, pūrayāmāsa drew it with a twang, mahāyaśā: highly famous, naraśrēṣṭha: best among men, tat dhanu: that bow, madhyē in the middle, babhañja broke.

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.
tasya śabdō mahānāsīt nirghātasamanisvana:.

bhūmikampaśca sumahān parvatasyēva dīryata:৷৷1.67.18৷৷


tasya its, śabda: sound, nirghātasamanisvana: equalled to the clap of a thunder, mahān great, āsīt became, parvatasya of a mountain, dīryata: as if splitting, sumahān great, bhūmikampaśca trembling of the earth.

It generated a loud sound like the clap of thunder, like the trembling of the earth and the splitting of a mountain.
nipētuśca narā ssarvē tēna śabdēna mōhitā:.

varjayitvā munivaraṅ rājānaṅ tau ca rāghavau৷৷1.67.19৷৷


tēna śabdēna by that sound, mōhitā: fainted, munivaram best of ascetics, rājānam king, tau rāghavau ca the two Raghavas, varjayitvā leaving, sarvē all, narā: men, nipētu: fell down.

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

uvāca prāñjalirvākyaṅ vākyajñō munipuṅgavam৷৷1.67.20৷৷


tasmin janē when those people, pratyāśvastē were comforted, vākyajña: knower of meaning of words, rājā king, vigatasādhvasa: without any apprehension, prāñjali: with folded palms, munipuṅgavam eminent ascetic, vākyam words, uvāca said:

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:
bhagavan dṛṣṭavīryō mē rāmō daśarathātmaja:.

atyadbhutamacintyaṅ ca na tarkitamidaṅ mayā৷৷1.67.21৷৷


bhagavan O! Worshipful one, daśarathātmaja: son of Dasatha, rāma: Rama, mē to me, dṛṣṭavīrya: having prowess, atyadbhutam marvellous, acintyaṅ ca unimaginable, idaṅ this, mayā by me, na tarkitam not conjectured.

"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.
janakānāṅ kulē kīrtimāhariṣyati mē sutā.

sītā bhartāramāsādya rāmaṅ daśarathātmajam৷৷1.67.22৷৷


mē my, sutā daughter, sītā Sita, daśarathātmajam son of Dasaratha, rāmam Rama, bhartāram as husband, āsādya after obtaining, janakānām of Janaka's, kulē dynastry, kīrtim glory, āhariṣyati will bring.

By receiving Rama, son of Dasaratha, as her husband, my daughter Sita will bring glory to my dynasty.
mama satyā pratijñā ca vīryaśulkēti kauśika!.

sītā prāṇairbahumatā dēyā rāmāya mē sutā৷৷1.67.23৷৷


kauśika O! Son of Kusika, vīryaśulkēti as a reward of prowess, mama my, pratijñā ca vow also, satyā has become true, prāṇai: more than vital life, bahumatā valued, mē my, sutā daughter, sītā Sita, rāmāya for Rama, dēyā fit to given.

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.
bhavatō.numatē brahman śīghraṅ gacchantu mantriṇa:.

mama kauśika bhadraṅ tē ayōdhyāṅ tvaritā rathai:৷৷1.67.24৷৷


brahman O! Brahman, kauśika Kausika, bhavata: your, anumatē with the consent, mantriṇa: ministers, tvaritā: hastily, rathai: in chariots, ayōdhyām towards Ayodhya, śīghram immediately, gacchantu may go, tē bhadram prosperity to you.

O Brahmarshi Kausika, be blessed! With your consent my ministers will take the chariots to Ayodhya immediately.
rājānaṅ praśritairvākyairānayantu puraṅ mama.

pradānaṅ vīryaśulkāyā: kathayantu ca sarvaśa:৷৷1.67.25৷৷


vīryaśulkāyā: Sita, the reward of prowess, pradānam for offering to Rama, sarvaśa: in detail, kathayantu they may be communicated, praśritai: with reverential, vākyai: words, rājānam king Dasaratha, mama my, puram city, ānayantu bring him here.

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.
muniguptau ca kākutsthau kathayantu nṛpāya vai.

prīyamāṇaṅ tu rājānamānayantu suśīghragā:৷৷1.67.26৷৷


kākutsthau Rama and Lakshmana, muniguptau protected by sage Visvamitra, nṛpāya for king, kathayantu be informed, suśīghragā: men who can go with great speed, prīyamāṇam delighted, rājānam king, ānayantu bring.

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 swift-footed men".
kauśikaśca tathētyāha rājā cābhāṣya mantriṇa:৷৷1.67.27৷৷

ayōdhyāṅ prēṣayāmāsa dharmātmā kṛtaśāsanān.

yathāvṛttaṅ samākhyātumānētuṅ ca nṛpaṅ tadā৷৷1.67.28৷৷


kauśikaśca Visvamitra also, tathēti "So be it " thus, āha said, dharmātmā virtuous, rājā ca king also, mantriṇa: ministers, ābhāṣya having consulted, tadā then, yathāvṛttam as it happened, samākhyātum to communicate, nṛpam to the king, ānētuṅ ca and to bring him, kṛtaśāsanān counsellors who took orders (from him), ayōdhyām Ayodhya, prēṣayāmāsa sent forth.

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).
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē saptaṣaṣṭitamassarga:৷৷
Thus ends the sixtyseventh sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.