Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 66, Shloka 26

शिवधनुर्न्यासकथा तथा सीतोत्पत्तिविवाहशुल्क-निश्चयः

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

Devanagari script

यद्यस्य धनुषो राम: कुर्यादारोपणं मुने।सुतामयोनिजां सीतां दद्यां दाशरथेरहम्।।1.66.26।।

Transliteration

yad asya dhanuṣo rāmaḥ kuryād āropaṇaṁ mune | sutām ayonijāṁ sītāṁ dadyāṁ dāśarather aham || 1.66.26 ||

Translation

Bạch hiền giả, nếu Rāma có thể nâng lên và giương dây cây cung này, thì con sẽ gả ái nữ Sītā—đấng sinh ra không do người mẹ phàm tục—cho hoàng tử của Daśaratha.

Word by Word

• yadi: if
• yadi: Nipāta (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: yadi (अव्यय)
• Form: Conditional particle (शर्त-निपात)

• asya: of this
• asya: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Pronoun, Neuter/Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular; refers to the bow

• dhanuṣaḥ: of the bow
• dhanuṣaḥ: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (षष्ठीसम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Genitive (6th), Singular

• rāmaḥ: Rama
• rāmaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rāma (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Nominative, Singular

• kuryāt: should do/could do
• kuryāt: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √kṛ (कृ धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• āropaṇam: stringing/lifting (of the bow)
• āropaṇam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: āropaṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative, Singular

• mune: O sage
• mune: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Noun
• Root: muni (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Vocative, Singular

• sutām: daughter
• sutām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; in apposition with sītām

• ayonijām: not womb-born
• ayonijām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: a- (नञ्) + yonijā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular; agrees with sītām/sutām

• sītām: Sita
• sītām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sītā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine, Accusative, Singular

• dadyām: I would give
• dadyām: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dā (दा धातु)
• Form: Optative (विधिलिङ्), 1st person, Singular, Parasmaipada

• dāśaratheḥ: to the son of Daśaratha (Rama)
• dāśaratheḥ: Sampradāna (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dāśarathi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Dative (4th/चतुर्थी), Singular (एकवचन)

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

Context

Dasaratha's sons, (Rama and Lakshmana), kshatriyas renowned in the world are eager to see that great bow in your possession.

Characters & Entities

• Janaka
• Viśvāmitra
• Rāma
• Daśaratha
• Sītā

FAQs

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

Satya and maryādā in royal vows: Janaka binds marriage to a publicly knowable criterion of worth, aligning alliance with responsibility and capability rather than mere desire.

What is the narrative situation?

Janaka declares the condition for Sītā’s marriage: whoever can lift and string the bow will receive her hand; he specifies Rāma as the potential groom if he succeeds.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Janaka’s truthfulness and principled decision-making—he treats his promise as binding and the marriage as a dharmic institution, not a political whim.