Doha 261

He found Jānakī greatly agitated; every moment that passed hung on Her as a whole life-time of the universe. If a thirsty man dies for want of water, of what avail is a lake of nectar to him once he is dead. (1) What good is a shower when the whole crop has dried up; what use repenting over an opportunity lost? Thinking thus within Himself the Lord looked at Jānakī and thrilled all over to perceive Her singular devotion. (2) He inwardly made obeisance to His preceptor, Viśvāmitra, and took up the bow with great agility. The bow gleamed like a flash of lightning as He grasped it in His hands. And then it appeared like a circle in the sky. (3) No one knew when He took it in His hands, strung it and drew it tight; everyone only saw Him standing (with the bow drawn). Instantly Śrī Rāma broke the bow into two; the awful crash resounded through all the spheres. (4)

The awful sound of the crash filled all the spheres; the horses of the sun-god strayed from their course; the elephants of the quarters trumpeted, the earth shook; the serpent-king, the divine boar and the divine tortoise fidgeted about; Gods, demons and sages put their hands to their ears, and all began anxiously to ponder the cause; but when they learnt, says Tulasīdāsa, that Śrī Rāma had broken the bow, they loudly uttered shouts of “victory to Śrī Rāma”.

The bow of Śiva was the bark and Rāma’s strength of arm was the ocean to be crossed with its aid. The whole host (of which we have spoken above), that had boarded the ship of ignorance, was drowned with the bark. (261)