The Ramayana/Book I/Canto LXVII: The Breaking of The Bow

Then spoke again the great recluse: 'This mighty bow, O King, produce.' King Janak, at the saint's request, This order to his train addressed: 'Let the great bow be hither borne, Which flowery wreaths and scents adorn.' Soon as the monarch's words were said, His servants to the city sped, Five thousand youths in number, all Of manly strength and stature tall, The ponderous eight-wheeled chest that held The heavenly bow, with toil propelled. At length they brought that iron chest, And thus the godlike king addressed: 'This best of bows, O lord, we bring, Respected by each chief and king, And place it for these youths to see, If, Sovereign, such thy pleasure be.'

With suppliant palm to palm applied King Janak to the strangers cried: 'This gem of bows, O Bráhman Sage, Our race has prized from age to age. Too strong for those who yet have reigned, Though great in might each nerve they strained.

Titan and fiend its strength defies, God, spirit, minstrel of the skies. And bard above and snake below Are baffled by this glorious bow. Then how may human prowess hope With such a bow as this to cope? What man with valour's choicest gift This bow can draw, or string, or lift? Yet let the princes, holy Seer, Behold it: it is present here.'

Then spoke the hermit pious-souled: 'Ráma, dear son, the bow behold.' Then Ráma at his word unclosed The chest wherein its might reposed, Thus crying, as he viewed it: 'Lo! I lay mine hand upon the bow: May happy luck my hope attend Its heavenly strength to lift or bend.' 'Good luck be thine,' the hermit cried: 'Assay the task!' the king replied. Then Raghu's son, as if in sport, Before the thousands of the court, The weapon by the middle raised That all the crowd in wonder gazed. With steady arm the string he drew Till burst the mighty bow in two. As snapped the bow, an awful clang, Loud as the shriek of tempests, rang. The earth, affrighted, shook amain As when a hill is rent in twain. Then, senseless at the fearful sound, The people fell upon the ground: None save the king, the princely pair, And the great saint, the shock could bear,

When woke to sense the stricken train, And Janak's soul was calm again, With suppliant hands and reverent head, These words, most eloquent, he said: 'O Saint, Prince Ráma stands alone: His peerless might he well has shown. A marvel has the hero wrought Beyond belief, surpassing thought. My child, to royal Ráma wed, New glory on our line will shed: And true my promise will remain That hero's worth the bride should gain. Dearer to me than light and life, My Sitá shall be Ráma's wife. If thou, O Bráhman, leave concede, My counsellors, with eager speed, Borne in their flying cars, to fair Ayodhyá's town the news shall bear, With courteous message to entreat The king to grace my royal seat. This to the monarch shall they tell, The bride is his who won her well: And his two sons are resting here Protected by the holy seer. So, at his pleasure, let them lead The sovereign to my town with speed.'

The hermit to his prayer inclined And Janak, lord of virtuous mind, With charges, to Ayodhyá sent His ministers: and forth they went.