Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 67: Lord Rāma Breaks Lord Śiva’s bow
Text 1.67.8
इदं धनुर्वरं ब्रह्मन्जनकैरभिपूजितम्।
राजभिश्च महावीर्यैरशक्तैः पूरितुं पुरा॥
idaṁ dhanur-varaṁ brahman janakair abhipūjitam
rājabhiś ca mahā-vīryair aśaktaiḥ pūrituṁ purā
idam = here is; dhanuḥ-varam = the excellent bow; brahman = O brāhmaṇa; janakaiḥ = by the Janakas; abhipūjitam = that has been worshipped; rājabhiḥ ca = and kings; mahā-vīryaiḥ = of great prowess; aśaktaiḥ = who were incapable; pūritum = of stringing it; purā = in the past.
O brāhmaṇa, here is the excellent bow that has been worshipped in the past by the Janakas and kings of great prowess who were incapable of stringing it.1
1 The previous kings in that lineage were all called Janakas. They literally worshipped the bow [daily].
Kings of great prowess seeking Sītā’s hand in marriage and who were incapable of stringing it worshipped the bow by honoring it by saying, “Oh, this bow of Lord Śiva is of great strength.”