Ram and Shiv ji's Mighty Bow

Prince Ram and his brother Lakshman, from Ayodhya, travelled with their guru, Rishi Vishwamitra, to the city of Mithila. Its king, Raja Janak, was wise and good. Once, while Raja Janak was ploughing a field, he had found a baby girl in the earth. He raised her with great love and named her Sita.

In Raja Janak's palace there was a very old and very heavy bow. It was Bhagwan Shiv's bow, given to his family long ago. Raja Janak had said, "Whoever can string this bow will marry my daughter Sita." Many strong kings had come, but no one could even lift it.

Rishi Vishwamitra said to Raja Janak, "O King, these two boys would like to see the bow." The bow was so heavy that it was kept in a huge iron box on eight wheels. Thousands of men pulled the box in, with great effort.

Ram looked at the bow carefully. Then he first looked at his guru and asked politely, "Gurudev, may I lift it and try to string it?" The guru smiled and said yes.

Every eye was on Ram. He held the bow in the middle and lifted it as if it were a toy! Then he strung it easily. When he pulled the string back to his ear, the bow broke in the middle. There was a sound like thunder in the sky, and the ground shook. Many people were so startled that they fell down!

When all was calm again, Raja Janak had happy tears in his eyes. He said, "My promise is fulfilled. My dear Sita will marry Ram." A message was sent to Raja Dasharath in Ayodhya. The wedding party arrived, and Sita and Ram were married with great joy. Happy songs were sung all over Mithila, and there was gladness everywhere.

The most beautiful thing in this story is that even with all his strength, Ram was not proud at all. At every step he asked his guru first, and he respected everyone.