While proceeding towards Dandaka
forest from Chitrakuta, Shri Rama, alongwith Sita and Lakshmana, stays in Sage
Atri’s ashrama for 1 night.
At the point of time, Sage Atri’s
wife Anasuya, who herself a great Yogini, asks Sita to narrate the story of her
Swayamavara. Then, Sita
narrates as follows:
पति सम्योग सुलभम् वयो दृष्ट्वा तु मे पिता |
चिन्ताम् अभ्यगमद् दीनो वित्त नाशाद् इव अधनः || २-११८-३४Seeing my age to be such, when union with a husband can be easily had, my father fell a prey to anxiety like an indigent man, feeling miserable by the loss of all his possessions.
अयोनिजाम् हि माम् ज्नात्वा न अध्यगग्च्छत् स चिन्तयन् |
सदृशम् च अनुरूपम् च मही पालः पतिम् मम || २-११८-३७"Knowing me to be the one not emerged from a mother's womb, the king after a deep reflection, was unable to find a suitable and worthy husband for me."
तस्य बुद्धिर् इयम् जाता चिन्तयानस्य सम्ततम् |
स्वयम् वरम् तनूजायाः करिष्यामि इति धीमतः || २-११८-३८After constantly pondering over the matter, the wise king arrived at the decision to perform a swayamvara for his daughter.
महा यज्ने तदा तस्य वरुणेन महात्मना |
दत्तम् धनुर् वरम् प्रीत्या तूणी च अक्षय्य सायकौ || २-११८-३९"In ancient days, Janaka received with affection from Varuna the rain-god, an excellent bow with two quivers that should never lack arrows."
असंचाल्यम् मनुष्यैः च यत्नेन अपि च गौरवात् |
तन् न शक्ता नमयितुम् स्वप्नेषु अपि नर अधिपाः || २-११८-४०"That bow was so heavy in weight that no man could lift it up nor any of the kings were bale to bend it even in their dreams."
तद् धनुः प्राप्य मे पित्रा व्याहृतम् सत्य वादिना |
समवाये नर इन्द्राणाम् पूर्वम् आमन्त्र्य पार्थिवान् || २-११८-४१ (41)"My truthful father called all the Kings/princes first and informed them in a meeting about the bow to be lifted."
इदम् च धनुर् उद्यम्य सज्यम् यः कुरुते नरः |
तस्य मे दुहिता भार्या भविष्यति न संशयः || २-११८-४२"Whoever is able to lift up and string this bow, I will bestow my daughter in marriage on him. There is no doubt about it."
तच् च दृष्ट्वा धनुः श्रेष्ठम् गौरवाद् गिरि सम्निभम् |
अभिवाद्य नृपा जग्मुर् अशक्ताः तस्य तोलने || २-११८-४३"Seeing that excellent bow, resembling a mountain in weight, and being unable to lift it up, the princes offered salutation to it and went away."
सुदीर्घस्य तु कालस्य राघवो अयम् महा द्युतिः |
विश्वामित्रेण सहितो यज्नम् द्रष्टुम् समागतः || २-११८-४४
लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा रामः सत्य पराक्रमः |"After a very long time, this Rama born in Raghu dynasty with a great splendour possessing a true valour, along with his brother Lakshmana together with a sage Visvamitra, came to witness a sacrifice."
तेन पूरयता वेगान् मध्ये भग्नम् द्विधा धनुः |
तस्य शब्दो अभवद् भीमः पतितस्य अशनेर् इव || २-११८-४९"While Rama was drawing the bow to the full, the bow was broken into two in the middle due to the resultant jerk. The terrific sound then created was like that of a falling thunderbolt."
ततः श्वशुरम् आमन्त्र्य वृद्धम् दशरथम् नृपम् |
मम पित्रा अहम् दत्ता रामाय विदित आत्मने || २-११८-५२Thereupon, my father-in-law and the aged Dasaratha was invited to Mithila by my father and with his approval, I was bestowed on Rama, the knower of the self."
—-
The following issues to be noted:
·
The bow that was displayed had been
given by Varuna, but not by Shiva
·
In the Shloka 41 (highlighted
shloka), it was clearly mentioned that Janaka invited all kings,
and thus, King Dasaratha might have received the invitation. The reason as to
why King Dasaratha did not attend the Swayamavara of Sita is not forthcoming
from Ramayana.
