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

噢牟尼，若罗摩能举起并张弦此弓，我便将我女悉多——非由人母所生——许配给达沙罗陀之子。

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.