Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 66: The History of Lord Śiva’s bow
Text 4
एवमुक्तस्तु धर्मात्मा जनकेन महात्मना।
प्रत्युवाच मुनिर्वीरं वाक्यं वाक्यविशारदः॥
evam uktas tu dharmātmā janakena mahātmanā
pratyuvāca munir vīraṁ vākyaṁ vākya-viśāradaḥ
evam uktaḥ tu = being thus addressed; dharmātmā = whose mind was devoted to dharma; janakena = Janaka; mahā-ātmanā = by the great soul; pratyuvāca = replied; muniḥ = the sage; vīram = to the heroic king; vākyam = in the following words; vākya-viśāradaḥ = and who was expert in speech.
Being thus addressed by the great soul Janaka, the sage whose mind was devoted to dharma and who was expert in speech replied to the heroic king in the following words.
NOTE. Actually, King Janaka was one of the twelve authorities in the universe who correctly comprehend the mysteries of Vedic dharma. In this regard, Śrīla Prabhupāda notes, “It is said that one cannot ascertain the ways of religion simply by imperfect experimental knowledge. Actually, the principles of religion can only be laid down by the Lord Himself. Dharmaṁ tu sākṣād bhagavat-praṇītam (SB 6.3.19). No one can manufacture a religious principle by imperfect speculation. One must follow in the footsteps of great authorities like Brahmā, Śiva, Nārada, Manu, the Kumāras, Kapila, Prahlāda, Bhīṣma, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Yamarāja, Janaka, and Bali Mahārāja. By mental speculation one cannot ascertain what is religion or self-realization.”