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38
 
THE RAMAYANA
 
in the middle with exceeding ease, in
the sight of thousands of men. The
righteous-minded Rama fixed the string and
bent the bow. Rama, the foremost of
men and of great fame, broke the bow in
the middle.
 
तस्य शब्दो महानासीद् राजा विगतसाध्वसः ।
उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञो मुनिपुङ्गवम् ॥
Its sound was very great. With his
fear removed, the king, well-versed in
speech, addressed with folded hands,
 
Visvamitra the best of ascetics thus :
 
भगवन् दृष्टवीर्यो मे रामो दशरथात्मजः ।
अत्यद्भुतमचिन्त्यं च न तर्कितमिदं मया ॥
जनकानां कुले कीर्तिमाहरिष्यति मे सुता ।
सीता भर्तारमासाद्य रामं दशरथात्मजम् ॥
भवतोऽनुमते ब्रह्मन् शीघ्रं गच्छन्तु मन्त्रिणः ।
मम कौशिक भद्रं त अयोध्यां त्वरिता रथैः ॥
राजानं प्रश्रितैर्वावयैरानयन्तु पुरं मम ॥
 
"O venerable one ! the heroism of Rama,
son of Dasaratha, has been seen by
me. It is highly wonderful and beyond
conception. This was not anticipated by me.