Ramayana. Rama weds the Daughter of Janaka.
Vishvamitra replied that Janaka, Raja of Mithila, was about to celebrate a great sacrifice. "Thither," he said, "we shall repair. And thou, O tiger among men, shalt go with us, and there behold a wonderful and marvellous bow. This great bow the gods gave long ago to Raja Devarata; and neither gods nor gandharvas nor asuras nor rakshasas nor men have might to string it, though many kings and princes have essayed it. That bow is worshipped as a deity. The bow and Janaka's great sacrifice shalt thou behold."
Thus all the Brahmans of that hermitage, with Vishvamitra at their head, and accompanied by Rama and Lakshman, set out for Mithila; and the birds and beasts dwelling in Siddhashrama followed after Vishvamitra, whose wealth was his asceticism. As they went along the forest paths Vishvamitra related ancient stories to the two brothers, and especially the story of the birth of Ganga, the great river Ganges.
Janaka welcomed the ascetics with much honour, and appointing them to seats according to their rank, he asked who those brothers might be that walked amongst men like lions or elephants, godlike and goodly to be seen. Vishvamitra told King Janaka all the history of Dasharatha's sons, their journey to Siddhashrama and fight with the rakshasas, and how Rama had now come to Mithila to see the famous bow.
Next day Janaka summoned the brothers to see the bow. First he told them how that bow had been given by Shiva to the gods, and by the gods to his own ancestor, Devarata. And he added: "I have a daughter, Sita, not born of men, but sprung from the furrow as I ploughed the field and hallowed it. On him who bends the bow I will bestow my daughter. Many kings and princes have tried and failed to bend it. Now I shall show the bow to you, and if Rama succeed in bending it I shall give him my daughter Sita."
Then the great bow was brought forth upon an eight-wheeled cart drawn by five thousand tall men. Rama drew the bow from its case and strove to bend it; it yielded easily, and he strung and drew it till at last it snapped in two with the sound of an earthquake or a thunder-clap. The thousands of spectators were amazed and terrified, and all but Vishvamitra, Janaka, Rama, and Lakshman fell to the ground. Then Janaka priased Rama and gave orders for the marriage to be prepared, and sent messengers to Ayodhya to invite Raja Dasharatha to his son's wedding, to give his blessing and consent.
Thereafter the two kings met and Janaka bestowed Sita upon Rama, and his second daughter Urmila on Lakshman. To Bharata and Satrughna Janaka gave Mandavya and Srutakirti, daughters of Kushadhwaja. Then those four princes, holding each his bride's hand, circumambulated the sacrificial fire, the marriage dais, the king, and all the hermits thrice, while flowers rained down from heaven and celestial music sounded. Then Dasharatha and his sons and their four brides returned home, taking with them many presents, and were welcomed by Kaushalya and Sumitra and the slender-waisted Kaikeyi. Having thus won honour, wealth, and noble brides, those four best of men dwelt at Ayodhya, serving their father.
Now, of those four sons, Rama was dearest to his father and to all men of Ayodhya. In every virtue he excelled; for he was of serene temper under all circumstances of fortune or misfortune, never vainly angered; he rememembered even a single kindness, but forgot a hundred injuries; he was learned in the Vedas and in all arts and sciences of peace and war, such as hospitality, and policy, and logic, and poetry, and training horses and elephants, and archery; he honoured those of ripe age; he regarded not his own advantage; he despised none, but was solicitous for the welfare of every one; ministering to his father and his mothers, and devoted to his brothers, especially to Lakshman. But Bharata and Satrughna stayed with their uncle Ashwapati in another city.
Vishvamitra replied that Janaka, Raja of Mithila, was about to celebrate a great sacrifice. "Thither," he said, "we shall repair. And thou, O tiger among men, shalt go with us, and there behold a wonderful and marvellous bow. This great bow the gods gave long ago to Raja Devarata; and neither gods nor gandharvas nor asuras nor rakshasas nor men have might to string it, though many kings and princes have essayed it. That bow is worshipped as a deity. The bow and Janaka's great sacrifice shalt thou behold."
Thus all the Brahmans of that hermitage, with Vishvamitra at their head, and accompanied by Rama and Lakshman, set out for Mithila; and the birds and beasts dwelling in Siddhashrama followed after Vishvamitra, whose wealth was his asceticism. As they went along the forest paths Vishvamitra related ancient stories to the two brothers, and especially the story of the birth of Ganga, the great river Ganges.
Janaka welcomed the ascetics with much honour, and appointing them to seats according to their rank, he asked who those brothers might be that walked amongst men like lions or elephants, godlike and goodly to be seen. Vishvamitra told King Janaka all the history of Dasharatha's sons, their journey to Siddhashrama and fight with the rakshasas, and how Rama had now come to Mithila to see the famous bow.
Next day Janaka summoned the brothers to see the bow. First he told them how that bow had been given by Shiva to the gods, and by the gods to his own ancestor, Devarata. And he added: "I have a daughter, Sita, not born of men, but sprung from the furrow as I ploughed the field and hallowed it. On him who bends the bow I will bestow my daughter. Many kings and princes have tried and failed to bend it. Now I shall show the bow to you, and if Rama succeed in bending it I shall give him my daughter Sita."
Then the great bow was brought forth upon an eight-wheeled cart drawn by five thousand tall men. Rama drew the bow from its case and strove to bend it; it yielded easily, and he strung and drew it till at last it snapped in two with the sound of an earthquake or a thunder-clap. The thousands of spectators were amazed and terrified, and all but Vishvamitra, Janaka, Rama, and Lakshman fell to the ground. Then Janaka priased Rama and gave orders for the marriage to be prepared, and sent messengers to Ayodhya to invite Raja Dasharatha to his son's wedding, to give his blessing and consent.
Thereafter the two kings met and Janaka bestowed Sita upon Rama, and his second daughter Urmila on Lakshman. To Bharata and Satrughna Janaka gave Mandavya and Srutakirti, daughters of Kushadhwaja. Then those four princes, holding each his bride's hand, circumambulated the sacrificial fire, the marriage dais, the king, and all the hermits thrice, while flowers rained down from heaven and celestial music sounded. Then Dasharatha and his sons and their four brides returned home, taking with them many presents, and were welcomed by Kaushalya and Sumitra and the slender-waisted Kaikeyi. Having thus won honour, wealth, and noble brides, those four best of men dwelt at Ayodhya, serving their father.
Now, of those four sons, Rama was dearest to his father and to all men of Ayodhya. In every virtue he excelled; for he was of serene temper under all circumstances of fortune or misfortune, never vainly angered; he rememembered even a single kindness, but forgot a hundred injuries; he was learned in the Vedas and in all arts and sciences of peace and war, such as hospitality, and policy, and logic, and poetry, and training horses and elephants, and archery; he honoured those of ripe age; he regarded not his own advantage; he despised none, but was solicitous for the welfare of every one; ministering to his father and his mothers, and devoted to his brothers, especially to Lakshman. But Bharata and Satrughna stayed with their uncle Ashwapati in another city.
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Vishvamitra replied that Janaka, Raja of Mithila, was about to celebrate a great sacrifice. "Thither," he said, "we shall repair. And thou, O tiger among men, shalt go with us, and there behold a wonderful and marvellous bow. This great bow the gods gave long ago to Raja Devarata; and neither gods nor gandharvas nor asuras nor rakshasas nor men have might to string it, though many kings and princes have essayed it. That bow is worshipped as a deity. The bow and Janaka's great sacrifice shalt thou behold."
Thus all the Brahmans of that hermitage, with Vishvamitra at their head, and accompanied by Rama and Lakshman, set out for Mithila; and the birds and beasts dwelling in Siddhashrama followed after Vishvamitra, whose wealth was his asceticism. As they went along the forest paths Vishvamitra related ancient stories to the two brothers, and especially the story of the birth of Ganga, the great river Ganges.
Janaka welcomed the ascetics with much honour, and appointing them to seats according to their rank, he asked who those brothers might be that walked amongst men like lions or elephants, godlike and goodly to be seen. Vishvamitra told King Janaka all the history of Dasharatha's sons, their journey to Siddhashrama and fight with the rakshasas, and how Rama had now come to Mithila to see the famous bow.
Next day Janaka summoned the brothers to see the bow. First he told them how that bow had been given by Shiva to the gods, and by the gods to his own ancestor, Devarata. And he added: "I have a daughter, Sita, not born of men, but sprung from the furrow as I ploughed the field and hallowed it. On him who bends the bow I will bestow my daughter. Many kings and princes have tried and failed to bend it. Now I shall show the bow to you, and if Rama succeed in bending it I shall give him my daughter Sita."
Then the great bow was brought forth upon an eight-wheeled cart drawn by five thousand tall men. Rama drew the bow from its case and strove to bend it; it yielded easily, and he strung and drew it till at last it snapped in two with the sound of an earthquake or a thunder-clap. The thousands of spectators were amazed and terrified, and all but Vishvamitra, Janaka, Rama, and Lakshman fell to the ground. Then Janaka priased Rama and gave orders for the marriage to be prepared, and sent messengers to Ayodhya to invite Raja Dasharatha to his son's wedding, to give his blessing and consent.
Thereafter the two kings met and Janaka bestowed Sita upon Rama, and his second daughter Urmila on Lakshman. To Bharata and Satrughna Janaka gave Mandavya and Srutakirti, daughters of Kushadhwaja. Then those four princes, holding each his bride's hand, circumambulated the sacrificial fire, the marriage dais, the king, and all the hermits thrice, while flowers rained down from heaven and celestial music sounded. Then Dasharatha and his sons and their four brides returned home, taking with them many presents, and were welcomed by Kaushalya and Sumitra and the slender-waisted Kaikeyi. Having thus won honour, wealth, and noble brides, those four best of men dwelt at Ayodhya, serving their father.
Now, of those four sons, Rama was dearest to his father and to all men of Ayodhya. In every virtue he excelled; for he was of serene temper under all circumstances of fortune or misfortune, never vainly angered; he rememembered even a single kindness, but forgot a hundred injuries; he was learned in the Vedas and in all arts and sciences of peace and war, such as hospitality, and policy, and logic, and poetry, and training horses and elephants, and archery; he honoured those of ripe age; he regarded not his own advantage; he despised none, but was solicitous for the welfare of every one; ministering to his father and his mothers, and devoted to his brothers, especially to Lakshman. But Bharata and Satrughna stayed with their uncle Ashwapati in another city.
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