Event Detail

Sita Swayamvara and the Breaking of Shiva’s Bow

Type: MarriageConfidence: High

At Mithila, Rama lifts and breaks Shiva’s bow, leading to his marriage with Sita.

At Mithila, Rama lifts and breaks Shiva’s bow, leading to his marriage with Sita. This episode is modeled as part of the Ramayana: Early Court Narrative arc and positioned in phase 2 using relative chronology (order 60). The record is prepared for comparative reading across textual, historical, and modern scholarly interpretations with explicit source-link traceability.

Why this confidence: Core Bala Kanda transition episode supported by traditional and modern interpretive literature.

Valmiki Verse References

  • Valmiki Ramayana 1-67 (Sita Swayamvara chapter)

    धनुर्भङ्गप्रसङ्गेन सीतायाः स्वयंवरो महान् ।

    dhanurbhaṅga-prasaṅgena sītāyāḥ svayaṁvaro mahān |

    The great swayamvara of Sita turns on the breaking of the bow.

    Open source text

Interpretations

Event detail compares interpretations and linked sources in one place.

  • Textual sequence · Valmiki Textual Tradition

    The bow-breaking episode marks transition from youth training to political marriage alliance.

    Approximate range: -700 to -100
    Sequence is stable in major recensions.

Sources

  • Valmiki Ramayana, Bala Kanda, Sarga 67

    Valmiki Ramayana (translation portal) · 2009 · primary_text

    View reference