महावीरचरितम् (महाकवि भवभूति - वीररस-प्रधान रामकथा नाटक सम्पूर्ण ७ अङ्क सटीक)

[xlix] History of the Rāma-story

and the terrible she-demon Tāṭakā. Pleased at the prince's valour, Viśvā-
mitra thereupon taught him the mystic formulae relating to all the
missiles that he knew, and particularly the jṛimbhaka missile, which had
the power of producing instantaneous stupor or paralysis in the ranks of
the assailants. After the conclusion of the sacrifice, Viśvāmitra took Rāma
and Lakshmaṇa with him to Mithilā, the capital of Janaka. Janaka was
very favourably impressed by the princes; and Viśvāmitra called upon
Rāma to try his hand at the mighty bow. Young though he was, Rāma
not only succeeded in bending it, but even in breaking it in twain, and thus
winning him a wife. Viśvāmitra now proposed that, along with Sītā's
marriage to Rāma, there be celebrated the marriages of Sītā's sister Ūrmilā
and her cousins Māṇḍavī and Śrutakīrti to the three brothers of Rāma,
Lakshmaṇa and Bharata and Śatrughna respectively. The following table
(in which m. stands for married) makes these relations clear :
⎧ Kausalyā : son, Rāma : m. Sītā, born of the Earth, reared by Janaka
⎪ ⎸
⎪ Twins, Kuśa and Lava
⎪ ⎧ Lakshmaṇa : m. Ūrmilā, daughter of Janaka
Daśaratha : m. ⎨ Sumitrā : sons, ⎨ ⎸
⎪ ⎪ Chandraketu
⎪ ⎩ Śatrughna : m. Śrutakīrti, ⎫ daughters of
⎪ ⎬ Janaka's brother,
⎩ Kaikeyī : son, Bharata : m. Māṇḍavī, ⎭ Kuśadhvaja
The proposal was agreed to. Daśaratha was called from Ayodhyā, and the
marriages were celebrated with due pomp.
18, D.—The nuptial joys, however, were interrupted by the arrival of
Paraśurāma, son of Jamadagni. Paraśurāma was a fiery Brahman, sage
and warrior, who had twenty-one times rid the earth of all Kshatriyas.
He was a devotee of God Śiva, and was incensed to learn that Rāma had
not only bent but broken the bow of his favourite Divinity. As nothing
short of a fight with the young prince would satisfy him, Rāma managed
to reduce him to terms, and sent him away humbled and abashed. The
four princes then returned to Ayodhyā with their brides. Here they passed
some twelve years.¹ End of Bāla-kāṇḍa.
18, E.—Daśaratha, finding his eldest son Rāma now arrived at a
proper age, resolves to crown him heir-apparent. Preparations were
accordingly set on foot. But Kaikeyī, the youngest queen, following the
advice of Mantharā, her nurse and confidante, calls upon her husband to

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Footnotes

¹ In the present form of the Rāmāyaṇa there
is some inconsistency here ; according to
one version the exile and the events
leading to it follow immediately after
the marriages. From the Uttara-Rāma-
charita (i. 19, 20 ; vi. 33–35) it is clear that
Bhavabhūti assumes such an interval
between the marriages and the exile.
Compare also Padma-Purāṇa, iv. 36¹⁵⁻¹⁷.

g [H.O.S. 21]