II.4. Intervention of the Bow

[Full title: Section II: Birth of Sita and her marriage; (D) Intervention of the Bow]

According to the Paumacariya the marriage of Sita would have, in the ordinary course of way, followed her betrothal. But a strange episode takes place and Janaka is compelled to arrange for the 'svayamvara' of Sita (28. 1-76). When Narada comes to know of the betrothal and the charming beauty of Sita, he enters the palace of Sita, out of curiosity to have a look at her beauty. There he is manhandled by her guards as soon as Sita makes an alarm at the horrible sight of the stranger. Being thus insulted Narada plans to put Sita in trouble. He prepares a portrait of Sita and shows it to Bhamandala at Rathanupura. Bhamandala being ignorant of his uterine relation with Sita, develops intense love for her and insists upon her marriage with him. His father Candragati commissions Capalagati. He disguising himself as a horse, kidnaps Janaka and brings him there. Candragati demands Sita for his son. Janaka expresses his inability. Candragati then gives over the Vajravartabow (Vajjavatta) to Janaka and tells him that Rama can marry Sita provided he strings the bow, otherwise he can not (28. 74). Janaka is helpless, he returns to Mithila with the bow. In the Valmiki Ramayana no such impediment is put by any outside person. Janaka had voluntarily declared Sita 'Viryasulka' and the condition put forth was that one who strung the Saiva-bow, would get her in marriage (1.66. 15-18). In the Valmiki Ramayana the origin of the 'Saiva-bow' has been referred to at four different places: (i) Janaka got that "Sunabha' bow from the gods as a reward for performing a sacrifice (1. 31. 12); (ii) Rudra, after destroying the sacrifice of Daksa gave it to the gods who entrusted it to Devarata, an ancestor of Janaka (1. 66. 7-12); (iii) There were two bows: one was given to Visnu and the other to Siva (Tryambaka) by the gods. Once there emerged a fight between Visnu and Siva to examine the comparative strength of the bows. The bow of

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE RAMA-STORY 47 Siva loosened, so Siva (Rudra) gave it to Devarata, while the bow of Visnu was inherited by Parasurama from his ancestor, Rcika (1. 75. 11-28); and (iv) Sita tells Anasuya that the bow was given by Varuna (2. 118. 39). These accounts describe the divine¹ origin of the bow. In the Ramcharitmanas it is called 'Siva-dhanu' (1.250). Its origin is not mentioned. Like the Paumacariya some Brahmanical works mention that the bow is obtained by Janaka only for the purpose of the marriage of Sita. According to the Padmapurana² the betrothal of Sita is settled with Rama. Dasaratha goes to Videhapura to celebrate Rama's marriage, but Narada intervenes and requests them to postpone the date of marriage because it was an inauspicious day. He further advises to arrange for a 'svayamvara' and to invite various princes to perform the ksatravivaha'. Janaka does not like that any other person should marry Sita. He offers meditation before Rudra. The latter appears and gives him a bow which could be strung only by Rama. According to the Satyopakhyana, Siva gives 'darsana' to Janaka in a dream and gives him a bow. He asks him that one who strings the bow, should be married to Sita (Uttara, 2). The Kasmiri Ramayana also contains the same episode (Vide Rama-katha; by Dr. C. Bulke (First Edition)., p. 285). The Paumacariya mentions that two bows 'Vajravarta' and 'Sagaravarta' were given to Janaka by Vidyadhara Candragati (28.169). The Paumacariu and the Ramapurana of Bhattaraka Somasena. follow the Paumacariya The Trishashti Shalaka Purusha-caritra mentions 'Arnavavarta' in place of 'Sagaravarta' (IV.p.203). The Vasudevahindi mentions that Sita chooses Rama in a 'svayamvara'. It does not refer to any bow (1.p.241). This episode is completely absent from the Uttara-purana and the Mahapurana