Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 67: Lord Rāma Breaks Lord Śiva’s bow
Text 1.67.20
प्रत्याश्वस्ते जने तस्मिन्राजा विगतसाध्वसः।
उवाच प्राञ्जलिर्वाक्यं वाक्यज्ञो मुनिपुङ्गवम्॥
pratyāśvaste jane tasmin rājā vigata-sādhvasaḥ
uvāca prāñjalir vākyaṁ vākyajño muni-puṅgavam
pratyāśvaste jane tasmin = when the people were relieved and settled; rājā = King Janaka; vigata-sādhvasaḥ = who was now free from fear; uvāca = spoke; prāñjaliḥ = joined his palms in supplication and; vākyam = the following words; vākyajñaḥ = and who was expert in words; muni-puṅgavam = to the best of sages.
When the people were relieved and settled, King Janaka, who was now free from fear and who was expert in words, joined his palms in supplication and spoke the following words to the best of sages.
Vigata-sādhvasa (“free from fear”) indicates that King Janaka was previously frightened that Rāma might not be able to string the bow which would be required for him to become Rāma’s father-in-law.