HomeRamayanaBala KandaSarga 31Shloka 12
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Shloka 12

सिद्धाश्रमात् शोणातटं प्रस्थानम् — Departure from Siddhāśrama and the Invitation to Janaka’s Yajña

Bow of Mithilā

तद्धि यज्ञफलं तेन मैथिलेनोत्तमं धनु:।याचितं नरशार्दूल सुनाभं सर्वदैवतै:।।1.31.12।।

tad dhi yajñaphalaṃ tena maithilenottamaṃ dhanuḥ | yācitaṃ naraśārdūla sunābhaṃ sarvadaivataiḥ || 1.31.12 ||

因为那张上妙之弓——中枢坚固——乃弥提罗王以祭祀(yajña)之果所得;诸天神皆为之祈请并赐与。

tatthat
tat:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun, Neuter, Nominative/Accusative, Singular; refers to the bow (dhanuḥ)
dhiindeed/for
dhi:
Nipāta (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Roothi (अव्यय)
FormParticle (निपात)
yajñaphalamthe fruit of the sacrifice
yajñaphalam:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootyajña + phala (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; tatpuruṣa: ‘yajñasya phalam’ (fruit of the sacrifice); in apposition/predicate relation to dhanuḥ
tenaby him
tena:
Kartṛ (कर्ता) in passive / Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Roottad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormPronoun, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; refers to Janaka (Maithila)
maithilenaby the Maithila (Janaka)
maithilena:
Kartṛ (कर्ता) in passive / Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootmaithila (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Instrumental (3rd), Singular; apposition to tena
uttamamexcellent
uttamam:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootuttama (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; qualifying dhanuḥ (understood as object of yācitam)
dhanuḥbow
dhanuḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootdhanus (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular (form identical to nominative in -us stems in some usages); object of yācitam; ‘bow’
yācitamwas requested
yācitam:
Kriyā (क्रिया)
TypeAdjective
Root√yāc (धातु)
FormPast passive participle (क्त), Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; agrees with dhanuḥ; passive: ‘was requested’
naraśārdūlaO tiger among men
naraśārdūla:
Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
TypeNoun
Rootnara + śārdūla (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Vocative (8th), Singular
sunābhamwith a strong centre
sunābham:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsu + nābha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; ‘having a good/strong navel (centre)’; qualifying dhanuḥ
sarvadaivataiḥby all the gods
sarvadaivataiḥ:
Kartṛ (कर्ता) in passive / Karaṇa (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootsarva + daivata (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Instrumental (3rd), Plural; tatpuruṣa: ‘sarvaiḥ daivataiḥ’ (by all gods); agent of passive yācitam

O best among men, that excellent bow strong in the middle was offered by king of Mithila, Devarata as well as by all devatas as fruit of the sacrifice.

V
Viśvāmitra
R
Rāma
T
The bow (Pināka/Śiva-dhanuḥ—contextually implied)
Y
Yajña

FAQs

Merit yields rightful reward: the bow is framed as yajña-phala, teaching that sincere, truth-based ritual action (satya in conduct) bears legitimate outcomes.

Viśvāmitra explains the sacred provenance of the bow—connected to sacrificial merit and divine involvement.

Reverence for sacred lineage of objects: the epic treats powerful items as entrusted responsibilities, not mere trophies.