Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 21

शिवधनुर्दर्शनं—रामेण धनुर्भङ्गश्च

The Showing of Śiva’s Bow and Rama’s Breaking of It

Devanagari script

भगवन् दृष्टवीर्यो मे रामो दशरथात्मज:।अत्यद्भुतमचिन्त्यं च न तर्कितमिदं मया।।।।

Transliteration

bhagavan dṛṣṭa-vīryo me rāmo daśarathātmajaḥ | atyadbhutam acintyaṃ ca na tarkitam idaṃ mayā ||

Translation

「尊き御方よ、私は今、ダシャラタの御子ラーマの武威を目の当たりにいたしました。まことに驚嘆すべき、思いも及ばぬことで、私はかつて推し量りもしませんでした。」

Word by Word

• bhagavan: O venerable one
• bhagavan: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhagavat (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, संबोधन (Vocative/सम्बोधन) एकवचन

• dṛṣṭa-vīryaḥ: whose prowess I have seen
• dṛṣṭa-vīryaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dṛṣṭa (कृदन्त/प्रातिपदिक) + vīrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (‘whose prowess has been seen’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; rāma-विशेषण

• me: to me / my
• me: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; षष्ठी (6th) एकवचन; ‘my/to me’ (possessive)

• rāmaḥ: Rāma
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन

• daśaratha-ātmajaḥ: son of Daśaratha
• daśaratha-ātmajaḥ: Apposition (समनाधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśaratha (प्रातिपदिक) + ātmaja (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘Daśaratha’s son’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; rāma-समनाधिकरण

• ati-adbhutam: most marvelous
• ati-adbhutam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ati (अव्यय/उपसर्गवत्) + adbhuta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘very wonderful’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; idaṃ-विशेषण

• acintyam: unthinkable
• acintyam: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + cintya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नञ्-तत्पुरुष (‘unthinkable’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; idaṃ-विशेषण

• ca: and
• ca: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक-अव्यय

• na: not
• na: Pratiṣedha (प्रतिषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: na (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक-अव्यय (negation particle)

• tarkitam: conjectured
• tarkitam: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: tark (धातु)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (PPP) नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया एकवचन; ‘conjectured’

• idam: this
• idam: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा एकवचन; वाक्यस्य विषय (subject of ‘tarkitam’)

• mayā: by me
• mayā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: asmad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम; तृतीया (3rd) एकवचन; कर्तृ-करणभावे (agent in passive)

Context

"O Worshipful one! I have witnessed the prowess of Rama, son of Dasaratha. I had notimagined that this marvellous feat could be ever accomplished.

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Viśvāmitra
• Rāma
• Daśaratha

FAQs

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

Dharma as truthful acknowledgment: Janaka openly admits the limits of his expectations and speaks honestly about what he has witnessed.

What is the narrative situation?

Janaka responds to the successful breaking of the bow by expressing astonishment to Viśvāmitra.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Janaka’s integrity and humility—he honors Rāma’s merit without jealousy or self-importance.