Valmiki Ramayana 1.76.9-10: Bala Kanda, Sarga 76, Shlokas 9-10
बालकाण्डे षट्सप्ततितमः सर्गः · Rāma Subdues Paraśurāma; the Vaiṣṇava Arrow Is Discharged
Setting: Mithilā (implied court/arena where the bow episode occurs)
वरायुधधरं रामं द्रष्टुं सर्षिगणा स्सुराः ।
पितामहं पुरस्कृत्य समेतास्तत्र सङ्घशः ॥९॥
गन्धर्वाप्सरसश्चैव सिद्धचारणकिन्नराः ।
यक्षराक्षसनागाश्च तद्द्रष्टुं महदद्भुतम् ॥१०॥
varāyudha-dharaṃ rāmaṃ draṣṭuṃ saṛṣi-gaṇāḥ surāḥ |
pitāmahaṃ puraskṛtya sametās tatra saṅghaśaḥ ||9||
gandharvāpsarasaś caiva siddha-cāraṇa-kinnarāḥ |
yakṣa-rākṣasa-nāgāś ca tad draṣṭuṃ mahad adbhutam ||10||
राम के पास जो बड़ा अस्त्र था, उसे देखने के लिए देवता और रिशि लोग वहाँ आए। ब्रह्मा सबसे आगे था। गंधर्व, अप्सरा, सिद्ध, यक्ष, राक्षस, नाग, सब आए। यह बड़ी खास बात थी जो हो रही थी।
Sandhi Notes
- varāyudhadharaṃ = vara + āyudha + dharam
- sarṣigaṇāḥ = sa + ṛṣigaṇāḥ
- gandharvāpsarasaḥ = gandharvāḥ + apsarasaḥ
- caiva = ca + eva
- yakṣarākṣasanāgāḥ = dvandva compound
- taddraṣṭum = tat + draṣṭum
The gods with the Grandsire, Brahma in the forefront, accompanied by sages in groups assembled there to see Rama holding that mighty bow. Gandharvas, apsaras, siddhas, charanas, kinnaras, yakshas, rakshsas and nagas also came there to witness that great wonder.
The teaching
When dharmic power manifests, even the highest and the most diverse beings become witnesses—truth draws universal attention.
- Ethical theme
- Satya-pramāṇa / loka-saṅgraha
Devotion and practice
Supports bhakti through visualization (dhyāna) of Rāma as worthy of worship by all worlds; cultivates śraddhā.
- Deity praised
- Rāma (as divinely acknowledged hero)
- Form of praise
- Vandana (salutation)
Mood and themes
- Rasa
- Adbhuta (wonder), with Vira (heroism)
- Mood
- Marveling, cosmic, anticipatory
Themes
- Itihasa
- Dharma
- Divine Witness
- Cosmic Order
- Maryada
- Satya
The convergence of all orders of beings mirrors the Upaniṣadic idea that the highest reality draws all attention; the ‘marvel’ functions like a revelation (pratyakṣa of dharma).
Echo of ‘sarvāṇi bhūtāni’ motif—many classes of beings oriented toward a single luminous event/being.
Celestial beings assembling to witness a great marvel (mahādbhutam)
- Devas and Rama
- Witnessing/acknowledging divine hero; reverent spectatorship (awe)
- Brahma and Devas
- Cosmic leadership; Brahmā placed at the head (solemn)
- Brahma and Rama
- Cosmic elder witnessing Viṣṇu’s avatāra-like majesty (implicit) (awe)
Mahābhārata: divine assemblies gathering to witness extraordinary feats (e.g., Arjuna’s celestial encounters); Bhāgavata Purāṇa: devas assembling to witness avatāra-līlā (general parallel); Rāmacaritamānasa, Bālakāṇḍa: celestial beings rejoice at Rāma’s valor (episode-parallel)
Vedic imagery of devas and ṛṣis as cosmic witnesses
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa 1.75–1.76: bow-stringing and Paraśurāma encounter as the immediate cause of the assembly
Anuṣṭup (śloka)
Narrative
Madhyama-gati with uplift on ‘महदद्भुतम्’
FAQs
Dharma is portrayed as cosmic and publicly accountable: righteous action is not merely personal but witnessed by the moral universe (devas and sages), affirming order and truth.
As Rāma holds the supreme weapon in the confrontation, celestial beings gather to observe the outcome, emphasizing the event’s world-order significance.
Rāma’s dharmic authority: his conduct is worthy of divine attention, suggesting legitimacy grounded in righteousness rather than mere force.
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