Verse 1

रामे चापि नरश्रेष्ठे जनकस्यात्मजे तदा ।

दिव्यं धनुर्वरं घोरं शङ्करस्य महात्मनः ॥

Then, when Rama, the foremost of men and son of Janaka, was present, the great and terrible divine bow of the mighty Shankara—

Verse 2

आनिनाय महातेजा जमदग्न्यः प्रतापवान् ।

तं दृष्ट्वा राघवः श्रीमान् विस्मयं परमं गतः ॥

—the greatly radiant and powerful son of Jamadagni brought it forth. Seeing it, the illustrious Raghava was exceedingly astonished.

Verse 3

स तु दृष्ट्वा महाबाहुं रामं दशरथात्मजम् ।

उवाच जमदग्न्यस्य पुत्रः परमकोपनः ॥

Seeing the mighty-armed Rama, the son of Dasharatha, the exceedingly wrathful son of Jamadagni spoke.

Verse 4

श्रुतं मे रघुशार्दूल त्वया वीर्यवता कृतम् ।

धनुर्भङ्गं महाघोरं त्र्यम्बकस्य महात्मनः ॥

“O tiger among the Raghus, I have heard of the great and terrible breaking of the bow of the mighty Tryambaka by you, the valiant one.”

Verse 5

तच्च मे धनुरुद्दिश्य त्वया वीर्यवता कृतम् ।

तद् धनुर्दर्शयिष्यामि तव वीर्यं च राघव ॥

“That bow was broken by you through your strength. I shall now show you another bow, O Raghava, and your valour as well.”

6

इदं तु मे धनुः श्रेष्ठं वैष्णवं रघुनन्दन ।

पितृपैतामहं राम जामदग्न्यं महद् धनुः ॥

“This excellent bow of mine is the divine bow of Vishnu, O delight of the Raghu dynasty. It is my ancestral bow, O Rama, the great bow belonging to the lineage of Jamadagni.”

7

तद् धनुः पुरुषव्याघ्र भार्गवस्य महात्मनः ।

तस्य त्वं पुरुषव्याघ्र प्रत्यारोपय राघव ॥

“O tiger among men, this is the bow of the great-souled Bhargava. O Raghava, you too, O tiger among men, should string this bow.”

8

यदि शक्तोऽसि काकुत्स्थ तत् सायकं महाबल ।

आरोपय धनुः श्रेष्ठं शरं चापि महाबल ॥

“O Kakutstha, if you are capable, O mighty one, string this excellent bow and place this mighty arrow upon it.”

9

तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा रामः क्रोधसमन्वितः ।

धनुरादाय बाणं च सज्जं चक्रे महाबलः ॥

Hearing those words, the mighty Rama, filled with anger, took the bow and arrow and prepared them for use.

10

स तु तद् धनुरादाय रामः क्रोधसमन्वितः ।

ज्यां समारोपयामास सलीलं रघुनन्दनः ॥

Taking that bow, Rama, the delight of the Raghu dynasty, filled with anger, effortlessly placed the bowstring upon it.

11

ततः सायकमादाय तं राघवः प्रतापवान् ।

आरोपयामास धनुषि ज्वलन्तमिव पावकम् ॥

Then the powerful Raghava took the arrow and placed it upon the bow, shining like blazing fire.

12

आरोपिते ततो रामे सायकं धनुषि प्रभो ।

जामदग्न्योऽब्रवीद् रामं क्रोधसंरक्तलोचनः ॥

When Rama had placed the arrow upon the bow, the son of Jamadagni, his eyes reddened with anger, spoke to Rama.

13

अद्य मे सफलं जन्म अद्य मे सफलं तपः ।

यत्त्वया रघुशार्दूल विष्णुरस्त्रं प्रदर्शितम् ॥

“Today my birth has become fruitful; today my austerities have borne fruit, because you, O tiger among the Raghus, have manifested the weapon of Vishnu.”

14

अद्य त्वां द्रष्टुमिच्छामि राघव त्वां महाबल ।

विष्णोरस्त्रं धनुः श्रेष्ठं सज्जं कृत्वा महाबल ॥

“Today I wish to see your great strength, O Raghava, after you have prepared this excellent bow of Vishnu.”

15

तद् धनुर्धर धर्मात्मन् शरं संधाय राघव ।

मद्वाक्याद् यदि शक्तोऽसि ततो मे दर्शयस्व तत् ॥

“O righteous Raghava, wielder of the bow, place the arrow upon it. If you are capable, according to my words, then show me your power.”

16

इत्युक्तो राममादाय सायकं रघुनन्दनः ।

धनुराकृष्य बाणेन जामदग्न्यं व्यमोचयत् ॥

Thus addressed, Rama, the delight of the Raghu dynasty, drew the bow with the arrow and released its power against the son of Jamadagni.

17

स तु रामेण निर्विद्धो जामदग्न्यो महातपाः ।

तेजसा परिहीनश्च बभूव धरणीतले ॥

Struck down by Rama, the great ascetic son of Jamadagni was deprived of his splendour and stood upon the earth.

18

ततः प्रहृष्टवदनो रामो दशरथात्मजः ।

उवाच मधुरं वाक्यं जामदग्न्यं महाबलम् ॥

Then Rama, the son of Dasharatha, with a delighted face, spoke sweet words to the mighty son of Jamadagni.

19

कृतार्थोऽसि महाबाहो त्वया मे दर्शनं कृतम् ।

गच्छ त्वं महता वेगेन महेन्द्रं पर्वतोत्तमम् ॥

“O mighty-armed one, you have fulfilled your purpose by meeting me. Go with great speed to Mount Mahendra, the foremost of mountains.”

20

ततो जामदग्न्यः क्रुद्धो रामं दशरथात्मजम् ।

उवाच परमं वाक्यं क्षत्रियाणां विनाशनम् ॥

Then the wrathful son of Jamadagni spoke to Rama, the son of Dasharatha, words of great consequence concerning the destruction of the Kshatriyas.

21

न तेऽस्ति शक्तिः काकुत्स्थ धनुषोऽस्य महाबल ।

तथापि ते प्रयच्छामि वैष्णवं धनुरुत्तमम् ॥

“O Kakutstha, you do not possess the power of this bow, O mighty one. Nevertheless, I shall give you this excellent bow of Vishnu.”

22

तद् धनुः पुरुषव्याघ्र रामस्य परिपश्यतः ।

जामदग्न्येन रामेण पुनरेव समर्पितम् ॥

The son of Jamadagni again handed over that bow while Rama, the tiger among men, looked on.

23

ततः स रामं धर्मात्मा जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान् ।

उवाच परमं वाक्यं रामं सत्यपराक्रमम् ॥

Then the righteous and powerful son of Jamadagni spoke these important words to Rama, whose valour was true.

24

गच्छ राम महाबाहो महेन्द्रं पर्वतोत्तमम् ।

तत्र त्वं तपसः सिद्धिं प्राप्स्यसे नात्र संशयः ॥

“Go, O mighty-armed Rama, to Mount Mahendra, the foremost of mountains. There you shall attain perfection through austerities; there is no doubt about this.”

25

इत्युक्त्वा राममभ्येत्य जामदग्न्यः प्रतापवान् ।

प्रदक्षिणं ततः कृत्वा जगाम स महातपाः ॥

Having spoken thus, the powerful son of Jamadagni approached Rama, circumambulated him, and then departed, that great ascetic.

26

ततो रामो महातेजा धनुरादाय वीर्यवान् ।

दशरथं समुपागम्य प्रणम्य च यथाविधि ॥

Then the greatly radiant and valiant Rama took the bow, approached Dasharatha, and duly bowed before him.

27

ततः सर्वे महात्मानो रामं दृष्ट्वा महाबलम् ।

प्रशशंसुर्महात्मानं प्रहृष्टा रघुनन्दनम् ॥

Then all the great-souled men, seeing the mighty Rama, joyfully praised the great-souled descendant of Raghu.

28

ततः स राजा धर्मात्मा दशरथः पुत्रमात्मजम् ।

आलिङ्ग्य भरतं चैव सस्नेहं प्रत्यनन्दत ॥

Then the righteous King Dasharatha embraced his son Rama and Bharata with affection and rejoiced greatly.

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदिकाव्ये बालकाण्डे पञ्चसप्ततितमः सर्गः ।

Thus ends the seventy-fifth Sarga of the Bala Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, the original epic.