Bengali Ramayana - Rama's Wedding - 1

[Guest guest]

When Rama entered the room, everyone was pleased

to se him. ‘Lift the bow’, said everyone. The kings

in the room who had failed to lift the bow wondered

how Rama would perform the feat. Lakshmana told Rama

to lift the bow and startle everyone. Rama then

turned towards Vishwamitra and said ‘Oh son of Gadhi,

please permit me to lift the bow.’ On getting the

approval, with a smile on his face, Rama approached the

bow. He lifted the bow and strung it. To test it, as

soon as Rama had plucked the string, the bow broke

into two. Everyone was amazed. People came from

allover to see. Janak was very happy. He greeted Rama,

and took him to the quarters to of the head priest of

Mithila. Vishwamitra then went to Sita’s quarters with

Janaka. Sita bowed down before them and touched the

Rishi’s feet. Janaka asked Vishwamitra to search out an

auspicious date for the marriage. Just then, Rama

accompanied with Lakshmana came there. ‘It is my wish that

both brothers get married at the same time’, said the

Rishi. Rama then said ‘Oh Rishi, we would like to go to

Ayodhya. I have not seen my father or my mothers for a

long time. We four brothers were born on the same day.

How can I just marry without them marrying too.’

Vishwamitra then approached Janaka. Janaka was sad - he had

only one daughter. The head priest of Janaka then

said, “King, do not worry. Your younger brother

Kushdhwaja has daughters in his house. Tell Rama that you

will wed all four sisters to the four brothers’. Rama

on hearing this said ‘my brothers Bharata and

Shatrughna are not present here. Please send someone to

Ayodhya to fetch them.’ Vishwamitra then left for

Ayodhya, spreading the news on the way that Rama had

broken the bow of Shiva. Seeing Vishwamitra alone

without Rama and Lakshmana was shocking for the people of

Ayodhya. Dasharatha was heart broken. He came out of his

palace on hearing the news that Vishwamitra was coming

alone. He started screaming at the sage. ‘You told me

that you would bring back my sons safe. Where are

they? They went with you to protect your Yagna. Where

have they vanished?’ The Queens started wailing.