Sita's Swayamvara: The Breaking of Shiva's Bow

As soon as King Janaka heard that Vishwamitra had arrived, he hurried out with his priest Shatananda to welcome him. His eyes fell on the two princes and stayed there. "Sage," he asked, "who are these two? They walk like lions and their eyes are like lotuses, with swords at their sides and bows on their shoulders. It is as if gods had come down to earth."

Vishwamitra said, "They are Ram and Lakshmana, sons of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. They guarded my sacrifice. Now they wish to see your famous bow."

The flower garden

Here the Ramcharitmanas adds a very tender episode that is not in Valmiki. The next morning Ram and Lakshmana went to the royal garden to gather flowers for their guru's worship. At the same time Sita came there with her companions to worship Gauri. The two saw each other, and could not look away. Sita prayed silently to the goddess. Tulsidas says that the garland slipped from the image and the goddess smiled.

The bow, and how Sita was found

In the assembly Janaka said, "This bow belongs to Bhagwan Shiva. The gods left it in trust with my ancestor Devarata. Now hear about my daughter. I was once ploughing a field for a sacrifice, and from the furrow a girl appeared. A furrow is called sita, so I named her Sita. She grew up on my lap."

"I vowed that I would give this daughter only to the man who could string this bow. Great kings came. Far from stringing it, not one of them could even move it. Humiliated, they besieged Mithila for a year, and I defeated them with an army given by the gods."

Then the king said, "Sage, if Ram can string this bow, I will give my Sita to him."

The bow breaks

The bow lay in a long iron chest set on eight wheels. Valmiki says it took five thousand strong men to drag it in.

Vishwamitra said, "Ram, my child, look at the bow."

Ram opened the chest, looked at the bow, and said, "I will touch it, and I will try to lift and string it." Janaka and Vishwamitra answered, "Do so."

Thousands were watching. Ram grasped the bow at its middle and lifted it as if it were a toy. He strung it. He drew the string to his ear. And the bow broke in the middle.

The sound was like a thunderbolt, like a mountain splitting. The earth shook. Everyone in the assembly fell senseless, except Janaka, Vishwamitra and the two brothers.

When the people had recovered, Janaka folded his hands and said, "Sage, I have seen Ram's strength. I had never imagined such a thing. My Sita, with Ram as her husband, will bring glory to the house of Janaka. My vow has come true. With your leave, let my messengers go in swift chariots to Ayodhya and bring King Dasharatha here with honour."

"So be it," said Vishwamitra. And the messengers set out for Ayodhya.