SECTION LXVII.
Hearing Janaka' s words, the mighty Muni Viçwāmitra said unto the king,—"Do thou show the bow unto Rāma." Thereupon the king Janaka commanded his ministers, saying,—"Do ye bring the wonderful bow furnished with unguents and garlands." Commanded by Janaka, the ministers entered the city; and placing the bow in their front, those, endowed with immeasurable energy, came out And deposited in a case on a cart borne upon eight wheels, it was with difficulty drawn along by five thousand stalwart persons of well-developed frames. And having brought that case of iron, wherein lay that bow, the royal counsellors spoke unto Janaka resembling an immortal, saying,—"Here is the best of bows, O king, worshipped of all sovereigns. O foremost of kings, O lord of Mithila, if you think it worth showing (shew it)." Hearing their speech, the king with clasped palms said unto the high-souled Viçwāmitra well as Rāma and Lakshmana,—"This best of bows, O Brāhmana, hath always been worshipped by the Janakas; as also by mighty kings incapable (of wielding and stringing it.) And neither the celestials, nor the Asuras, nor the Rākshasas, nor the Gandharbas nor the Yakshas, nor the Kinnaras, nor the mighty Uragās,—how shall men fare?—have succeeded in stringing or stretching it, or fixing the arrow to it, or pulling its string, or wielding it. This foremost of bows hath been brought here, O chief of ascetics. Do thou, O exalted one, show it unto these sons of the king." Hearing Janaka,s words, the righteous Viçwāmitra said unto Rāghava,—"O Rāma, do thou, my child, behold the bow." At the words of the Maharshi, Rāma, opening the case, wherein lieth the bow took a sight of it and said,—"This divine bow will I touch with my hand,— and shall I also strive to wield and draw it?" Thereat both the king and the ascetic said,—"Excellent well." At the words of the anchoret, in the sight of countless thousands of spectators, the righteous son of Raghu with exceeding ease took hold of the bow by the middle, and fixed the string upon it,—and having fixed the string, drew it. And that foremost of men enjoying high fame, snapped the bow in the middle. And mighty was the sound that was heard on the occasion, like unto the bursting of a thunder-clap: and the earth trembled terribly, as it doth in the vicinity of a mountain splitting; and overwhelmed by the noise, all rolled head over heels,with the exception of that best of ascetics, the king, and the two Rāghavas. And on the people being reassured, the king conversant with speech, his apprehension removed, with folded hands addressed that puissant ascetic, saying,—"O worshipful one, I have beheld the prowess of Daçarātha's son. This is verily wonderful and inconceivable; and I did not think this was possible. And my daughter, Sitā, being united with her lord, Daçarātha's son, Rāma, will shed lustre on Janaka's line. And my promise viz., that I will confer Sitā upon him that will bend the bow, hath been fulfilled, O son of Kuçika. And this Sitā, this my daughter, dearer unto me than life will I confer upon Rāma. And, O Brāhmana, by thy permission let my counsellors speedily post hence, O Kauçika, good betide thee unto Ayodhyā, in cars; and with humble speech bring the king unto my capital. And let them communicate unto him all about the bestowal of Sitā upon Rāma, in consequence of his having bent the bow. And let them acquaint the monarch with the welfare of the Kākutsthas protected by the ascetic; and let them, speedily posting here, bring the delighted king." And thereupon Kuçika's son said,—"So be it." And the righteous king, summoning his counsellors, despatched them to Ayodhyā with his letter, to communicate all duly unto the king, and bring him thither.