Ramayana — Bala Kanda, Sarga 67, Shloka 16

शिवधनुर्दर्शनं—रामेण धनुर्भङ्गश्च

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

Devanagari script

पश्यतां नृपसहस्राणां बहूनां रघुनन्दन: ।आरोपयत्स धर्मात्मा सलीलमिव तद्धनु:।।।।

Transliteration

paśyatāṃ nṛpa-sahasrāṇāṃ bahūnāṃ raghunandanaḥ | āropayat sa dharmātmā salīlam iva tad dhanuḥ ||

Translation

在成千上万的君王注视之下，罗摩——罗瞿一族之欢、德行端正者——仿佛把那弓当作玩物一般，为其上弦。

Word by Word

• paśyatām: of (those) watching
• paśyatām: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: paś (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त (Present active participle, शतृ), षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी) बहुवचन; ‘while (they) are seeing’ = ‘of the onlookers’

• nṛpa-sahasrāṇām: of thousands of kings
• nṛpa-sahasrāṇām: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक) + sahasra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘of kings’ thousands’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th) बहुवचन

• bahūnām: of many
• bahūnām: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: bahu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुवचन, षष्ठी (6th) (gender-contextual; here qualifying ‘nṛpa-sahasrāṇām’); ‘of many’

• raghu-nandanaḥ: Rāma, delight of Raghu
• raghu-nandanaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: raghu (प्रातिपदिक) + nandana (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘Raghu’s delight’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन

• āropayat: strung / fixed (the string)
• āropayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ā-ruh (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd) एकवचन; causative sense in context ‘to string/fit (the bow)’

• saḥ: he
• saḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-शब्द; पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन

• dharmātmā: virtuous
• dharmātmā: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुव्रीहि-समास (‘whose self is righteous’); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st) एकवचन; कर्तृ-विशेषण

• salīlam: easily, effortlessly
• salīlam: Kriyā-viśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa-līla (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय-समास (‘with ease/with play’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् प्रयोग (adverbial accusative)

• iva: as if / like
• iva: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: iva (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• tat: that
• tat: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tad (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सर्वनाम-विशेषण; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचन; ‘that’ (qualifying ‘dhanuḥ’ in sense)

• dhanuḥ: bow
• dhanuḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dhanu (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd) एकवचन (object of āropayat)

Context

Virtuous Rama, the delight of the Raghus, in the presence of several thousands of men fixed the string to the bow and drew it as though with ease.

Characters & Entities

• Rāma
• Raghu dynasty
• Śiva-dhanus (the great bow)

FAQs

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

Dharma as inner steadiness: true virtue includes composure—Rāma’s power appears effortless because it is governed by self-control.

What is the narrative situation?

In Janaka’s hall, before a vast audience, Rāma successfully strings the bow that others could not even move.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Competence joined with humility—extraordinary strength displayed without arrogance.