Week 5 Story: Rama and the Angry Hermit

 

King Janak was in possession of Lord Shiva’s bow and demanded that any suitor for his daughter must bend the powerful bow. While many men tried, none could wield the might weapon, until Rama attempted to do so. As Rama ascended the platform, his brother Lakshman prayed, not for his brother’s strength but for the stability of the world. Lakshman asked to hold the earth firm, as his Rama’s strength may snap the bow. As Rama held the weapon, the bow began to glow. When he bent the bow, it was as if the sky was bending too, until it finally cracked. As the bow shattered, the world shook as the sound echoed across the Earth. Elephants trumpeted in fear, and kings grabbed their weapons. Even the gods covered their ears.

 

Relief in the Hazare Rama Temple showing Rama breaking the bow. Source: Wikimedia

 

After the boom, the room went silent as a figure approached Rama. A mighty sage, the size of a bull, had appeared with an axe in one hand and a mighty bow in the other. He was marked to show that he worshipped Shiva, and he was steaming with anger.

 

“Oh, what you have done? You foolish man, you’ve broken the bow of Shiva!” the hermit roared.

 

Lakshman attempted to calm the man down, but the sage’s faith in Shiva fueled him. He threatened Lakshman, shouting that he was willing to slay Lakshman with his powerful axe. With his patience and respect, Rama stepped before the sage to de-escalate the situation.

 

“Wise follower of Shiva, it was I who had broken the bow. Please don’t blame my brother, Lakshman. My strength overwhelmed the weapon, and I snapped the bow.”

 

Confronted with Rama’s virtuous manner, the sage cooled down. Yet, he remained skeptical of Rama’s strength; a man who was strong enough to break Shiva’s bow would be arrogant and boastful, not calm and respectful. To test his ability, the hermit handed him his bow, a mighty weapon from Vishnu. Within an instant, the bow’s string was fastened, and the sage’s anger turned to awe as he proclaimed:

 

“Glory to the mighty Rama!”

 

Author's Note: My re-telling of the story was focused on characterizing Rama as a man with strength and virtue. I put my focus on how the crack of the bow was heard around the world, highlighting Rama's supernatural capabilities. The confrontation with the angry sage was in Pages 14-15 of The Divine Archer, and this small story highlighted Rama's kindness and patience. I changed the dialogue from the original story, but I kept the last line the same in both narratives since it was such a powerful phrase. I also added in details to better understand why the sage would want to test Rama with Vishnu's bow. The other aspects of the story stayed consistent with the source material.

 

Bibliography: The Divine Archer by F.J. Gould. Source: Internet Archive