Shloka 23

शिवधनुर्न्यासकथा तथा सीतोत्पत्तिविवाहशुल्क-निश्चयः

The Bow of Śiva: Its Deposit, Sītā’s Origin, and the Prowess-Brideprice Vow

Devanagari script

ततो देवगणान् सर्वान् तपसाऽहं प्रसादयम्।ददुश्च परमप्रीता श्चतुरङ्गबलं सुरा:।।1.66.23।।

Transliteration

tato devagaṇān sarvān tapasā ’haṁ prasādayam | daduś ca paramaprītāś caturaṅgabalaṁ surāḥ || 1.66.23 ||

Translation

Entonces aplacé, mediante mi austeridad (tapas), a todas las huestes de los devas; y los dioses, sumamente complacidos, me concedieron un ejército de cuatro divisiones.

Word by Word

• tataḥ: then
• tataḥ: Kāla-adhikaraṇa (कालाधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tatas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Avyaya, adverb of sequence

• devagaṇān: the hosts of gods
• devagaṇān: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: deva (प्रातिपदिक) + gaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Accusative (2nd/द्वितीया), Plural (बहुवचन)

• sarvān: all
• sarvān: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sarva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Accusative, Plural; agrees with devagaṇān

• tapasā: by austerity
• tapasā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tapas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter (नपुंसकलिङ्ग), Instrumental (3rd/तृतीया), Singular (एकवचन)

• aham: I
• aham: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Nominative, Singular

• prasādayam: propitiated/pleased
• prasādayam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: pra√sad (सद् धातु)
• Form: Imperfect (लङ्), 1st person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)

• daduḥ: gave
• daduḥ: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Perfect (लिट्), 3rd person (प्रथमपुरुष), Plural (बहुवचन), Parasmaipada

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: Conjunction particle (समुच्चयबोधक)

• parama-prītāḥ: highly pleased
• parama-prītāḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: parama (प्रातिपदिक) + prīta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural; agrees with surāḥ

• caturaṅga-balam: fourfold army
• caturaṅga-balam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: catur (संख्या-प्रातिपदिक) + aṅga (प्रातिपदिक) + bala (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular; object of daduḥ

• surāḥ: the gods
• surāḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Plural

Context

O Sage! if Rama could lift and string this bow I shall give my daughter Sita, not born from a woman, to him (son of Dasaratha)".ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē bālakāṇḍē ṣaṭṣaṣṭitamassarga:৷৷Thus ends the sixtysixth sarga of Balakanda of the holy Ramayana the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Viśvāmitra

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Dharma seeks righteous means in crisis: Janaka turns to tapas (disciplined spiritual effort) rather than indiscriminate retaliation.

What is the narrative situation?

Facing depletion under siege, Janaka performs austerities and receives divine military support.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Faith joined with effort—spiritual discipline used to protect society, not for vanity.