Shloka 10
सिद्धाश्रमात् शोणातटं प्रस्थानम् — Departure from Siddhāśrama and the Invitation to Janaka’s Yajña
Bow of Mithilā
धनुषस्तस्य वीर्यं तु जिज्ञासन्तो महीक्षित:।न शेकुरारोपयितुं राजपुत्रा महाबला:।।1.31.10।।
dhanuṣas tasya vīryaṃ tu jijñāsanto mahīkṣitaḥ | na śekur āropayituṃ rājaputrā mahābalāḥ || 1.31.10 ||
ເພາະປາດຖະນາຈະທົດລອງພະລັງແຫ່ງຄັນທະນູນັ້ນ ບັນດາກະສັດ ແລະ ພຣະຣາຊະບຸດຜູ້ມີກຳລັງຍິ່ງໃຫຍ່ ກໍຍັງບໍ່ອາດຍົກຂຶ້ນເພື່ອຂຶ້ນສາຍໄດ້ເລີຍ।
Mighty princes and kings have failed to string it, in their attempt to know its strength.
FAQs
True worth is proven, not claimed: the bow becomes a measure of capability, discouraging false pride and emphasizing integrity (satya) in self-assessment.
Viśvāmitra describes the extraordinary bow at Mithilā and notes that many rulers tried and failed to lift/string it.
Humility before dharma: even mighty rulers are shown limited, preparing the ground for a divinely aligned accomplishment rather than mere bravado.