Canto 1: Bāla-kāṇḍa (Boyhood)Chapter 75: The History of the Bows of Lord Śiva and Lord ViṣṇuText 1.75.14
Canto 1 - Boyhood
Bāla-kāṇḍa
Chapter 75: The History of the Bows of Lord Śiva and Lord Viṣṇu
Text 1.75.14
तदिदं वैष्णवं राम धनुः परमभास्वरम्।
समानसारं काकुत्स्थ रौद्रेण धनुषा त्विदम्॥
tad idaṁ vaiṣṇavaṁ rāma dhanuḥ parama-bhāsvaram
samāna-sāraṁ kākutstha raudreṇa dhanuṣā tv idam
tat idam = here is that; vaiṣṇavam = of Lord Viṣṇu; rāma = O Rāma; dhanuḥ = bow; parama-bhāsvaram = supremely effulgent; samāna-sāram = is equal in strength; kākutstha = O Kākutstha; raudreṇa = of Lord Rudra; dhanuṣā tu = to the bow; idam = this.
O Rāma, here is that supremely effulgent bow of Lord Viṣṇu. O Kākutstha, this is equal in strength to the bow of Lord Rudra.
Paraśurāma anticipated that Lord Rāma might wonder, “If both the bows are equal in strength, then why do I need to examine the strength [of Lord Viṣṇu’s bow]?” Lord Śiva’s bow was defective [unlike Lord Viṣṇu’s bow]. To point this out, he relates another incident in this regard from the next verse.