Rama Breaks Shiva's Bow
At Vishvamitra's command, Rama effortlessly lifts Shiva's mighty bow. As he strings it, the bow breaks, filling the assembly with astonishment and joy.
Bal Kand · Episode 52 / 59
Episode Text
देखी बिपुल बिकल बैदेही। निमिष बिहात कलप सम तेही॥ तृषित बारि बिनु जो तनु त्यागा। मुएँ करइ का सुधा तड़ागा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
dekhī bipula bikala baidehī। nimiṣa bihāta kalapa sama tehī॥ tṛṣita bāri binu jo tanu tyāgā। mueṃ karai kā sudhā taḍāgā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
He saw Janaki in great distress. Each moment was passing for her like an age. If a thirsty person gives up the body without water, what can a pool of nectar do after he is dead?
का बरषा सब कृषी सुखानें। समय चुकें पुनि का पछितानें॥ अस जियँ जानि जानकी देखी। प्रभु पुलके लखि प्रीति बिसेषी॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kā baraṣā saba kṛṣī sukhāneṃ। samaya cukeṃ puni kā pachitāneṃ॥ asa jiyaṃ jāni jānakī dekhī। prabhu pulake lakhi prīti viśeṣī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
What is the use of rain once all the crops have dried up? What is the use of regret after the proper time has passed? Thinking thus in his heart, Rama looked at Janaki and, perceiving her special love, was thrilled.
गुरहि प्रनामु मनहिं मन कीन्हा। अति लाघवँ उठाइ धनु लीन्हा॥ दमकेउ दामिनि जिमि जब लयऊ। पुनि नभ धनु मंडल सम भयऊ॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
gurahi pranāmu manahiṃ mana kīnhā। ati lāghavaṃ uṭhāi dhanu līnhā॥ damakeu dāmini jimi jaba layau। puni nabha dhanu maṇḍala sama bhayau॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
In his heart he bowed to his guru and swiftly lifted the bow. When he took it up, it flashed like lightning and then became like a circular disc in the sky.
लेत चढ़ावत खैंचत गाढ़ें। काहुँ न लखा देख सबु ठाढ़ें॥ तेहि छन राम मध्य धनु तोरा। भरे भुवन धुनि घोर कठोरा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
leta caḍhāvata khaṃcata gāṛheṃ। kāhuṃ na lakhā dekha sabu ṭhāṛheṃ॥ tehi chana rāma madhya dhanu torā। bhare bhuvana dhuni ghora kaṭhorā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Lifting it, fitting it, and pulling it hard—all was done so quickly that no one could tell how it happened; everyone saw Rama standing there with the bow. In that very instant, Rama broke the bow in the middle. The whole world was filled with a terrible, harsh sound.
भरे भुवन घोर कठोर रव रबि बाजि तजि मारगु चले। चिक्करहिं दिग्गज डोल महि अहि कोल कूरुम कलमले॥ सुर असुर मुनि कर कान दीन्हें सकल बिकल बिचारहीं। कोदंड खंडेउ राम तुलसी जयति बचन उचारहीं॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhare bhuvana ghora kaṭhora rava rabi bāji taji māragu cale। cikkarahim diggaja ḍola mahi ahi kola kūruma kalamale॥ sura asura muni kara kāna dīhneṃ sakala bikala bicārahīṃ। kodaṇḍa khaṇḍeu rāma tulasī jayati bacana uccārahīṃ॥
Meaning:
The worlds were filled with a terrible, harsh roar; the horses of the sun left their path and moved on. The elephants of the directions cried out, the earth shook, and the serpent, boar, and tortoise were agitated. Gods, demons, and sages covered their ears and, bewildered, began to reflect. Tulsidas says that when all knew Rama had broken the bow, they began to cry out words of victory.
संकर चापु जहाजु सागरु रघुबर बाहुबलु। बूड़ सो सकल समाजु चढ़ा जो प्रथमहिं मोह बस॥ २६१ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃkara cāpu jahāju sāgaru raghubara bāhubalu। būḍa so sakala samāju caḍhā jo prathamahim moha basa॥ 261 ॥
Meaning:
Shiva's bow is the ship, and the strength of Rama's arms is the ocean. When the bow broke, that whole company sank who had first boarded that ship under the spell of delusion.
प्रभु दोउ चापखंड महि डारे। देखि लोग सब भए सुखारे॥ कौसिकरूप पयोनिधि पावन। प्रेम बारि अवगाहु सुहावन॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prabhu dou cāpakhaṇḍa mahi ḍāre। dekhi loga saba bhaye sukhāre॥ kausikarūpa payonidhi pāvana। prema bāri avāghu suhāvana॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
The Lord cast both pieces of the bow onto the ground. Seeing this, all the people were delighted. In the sacred ocean in the form of Vishvamitra, filled with beautiful, unfathomable waters of love...
रामरूप राकेसु निहारी। बढ़त बीचि पुलकावलि भारी॥ बाजे नभ गहगहे निसाना। देवबधू नाचहिं करि गाना॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāmarūpa rākesu nihārī। baṛhata bīci pulakāvali bhārī॥ bāje nabha gahagahe nisānā। devabadhū nācahiṃ kari gānā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing the full moon in the form of Rama, the great waves of rapture rose higher and higher. Loud drums sounded in the sky, and the celestial maidens danced and sang.
ब्रह्मादिक सुर सिद्ध मुनीसा। प्रभुहि प्रसंसहिं देहिं असीसा॥ बरिसहिं सुमन रंग बहु माला। गावहिं किंनर गीत रसाला॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
brahmādika sura siddha munīsā। prabhuihi prasaṃsahim dehim asīsā॥ barisahim sumana raṅga bahu mālā। gāvahim kinnara gīta rasālā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Brahma and the other gods, the perfected beings, and the great sages praise the Lord and offer blessings. They shower colorful flowers and garlands, and the Kinnaras sing sweet songs.
रही भुवन भरि जय जय बानी। धनुषभंग धुनि जात न जानी॥ मुदित कहहिं जहँ तहँ नर नारी। भंजेउ राम संभुधनु भारी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rahī bhuvana bhari jaya jaya bānī। dhanuṣabhaṅga dhuni jāta na jānī॥ mudita kahahiṃ jahaṃ tahaṃ nara nārī। bhaṃjeu rāma saṃbhudhanu bhārī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
The cry of victory filled the entire universe, so that the sound of the bow's breaking could scarcely be heard. Everywhere, men and women rejoiced and said that Rama had broken Shiva's mighty bow.
बंदी मागध सूतगन बिरुद बदहिं मतिधीर। करहिं निछावरि लोग सब हय गय धन मनि चीर॥ २६२ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bandī māgadha sūtagana biruda badahim matidhīra। karahim nichāvari loga saba haya gaya dhana mani cīra॥ 262 ॥
Meaning:
Wise bards, heralds, Magadhas, and Sutas were singing his glory. All the people were offering gifts of horses, elephants, wealth, jewels, and garments.
झाँझि मृदंग संख सहनाई। भेरि ढोल दुंदुभी सुहाई॥ बाजहिं बहु बाजने सुहाए। जहँ तहँ जुबतिन्ह मंगल गाए॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jhāñjhi mṛdaṃga saṃkha sahanāī। bheri ḍhola duṃdubhī suhāī॥ bājahim bahu bājane suhāe। jahaṃ tahaṃ jubatinha maṅgala gāe॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Cymbals, mṛdangas, conches, shehnais, kettledrums, drums, and delightful tabors were sounding. Everywhere young women sang auspicious songs.
सखिन्ह सहित हरषी अति रानी। सूखत धान परा जनु पानी॥ जनक लहेउ सुखु सोचु बिहाई। पैरत थकें थाह जनु पाई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sakhinha sahita haraṣī ati rānī। sūkhata dhāna parā janu pānī॥ janaka laheu sukhu socu bihāī। pairata thakeṃ thāha janu pāī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
The queen, together with her companions, was greatly delighted. It was as though water had fallen on parched grain. Janaka gave up his anxiety and found joy, like a weary swimmer who has reached the bottom.
श्रीहत भए भूप धनु टूटे। जैसें दिवस दीप छबि छूटे॥ सीय सुखहि बरनिअ केहि भाँती। जनु चातकी पाइ जलु स्वाती॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
śrīhata bhaye bhūpa dhanu ṭūṭe। jaisẽ divasa dīpa chabi chūṭe॥ sīya sukhahi baraṇia kehi bhāṃtī। janu cātakī pāi jalu svātī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
When the bow broke, the kings became deprived of splendor, as when the beauty of a lamp fades in daylight. How can Sita's happiness be described? It was like a chatak bird receiving the Swati raindrop.
रामहि लखनु बिलोकत कैसें। ससिहि चकोर किसोरकु जैसें॥ सतानंद तब आयसु दीन्हा। सीताँ गमनु राम पहिं कीन्हा॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāmahi lakhanu bilokata kaiseṃ। sasihi cakor kisoraku jaiseṃ॥ satānaṃda taba āyasu dīnhā। sītāṃ gamanu rāma pahiṃ kīnhā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Lakshmana looked at Rama as a young chakor bird looks at the moon. Then Shatananda gave the order, and Sita went to Rama.
संग सखीं सुंदर चतुर गावहिं मंगलचार। गवनी बाल मराल गति सुषमा अंग अपार॥ २६३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
saṃga sakhīṃ sundara catura gāvahim maṃgalacāra। gavanī bāla marāla gati suṣamā aṃga apāra॥ 263 ॥
Meaning:
Together with them, the beautiful, clever companions sang auspicious songs. Sita moved with the graceful gait of a young swan, and her limbs possessed boundless beauty.