Astha SangrahASTHA SANGRAHhttps://asthasangrah.comThe Legend of Ram and Sita's Wedding
The legend of Ram and Sita's wedding, told in the Bal Kand of the Valmiki Ramayana, tells how Lord Rama won Mother Sita's hand by breaking Shiva's bow, it is in memory of this wedding that Vivah Panchami is observed.
Chapter 1 · Janak's Vow and the Breaking of Shiva's Bow
King Janak of Mithila possessed an immensely heavy, divine bow of Lord Shiva, one that no ordinary man could so much as move, let alone lift. King Janak had vowed that whichever prince could string this bow would be wed to his daughter Sita, who had herself emerged from the earth and whom Janak had raised as his own.
Many powerful kings and princes attempted to lift the bow, but all failed. It was at this time that Ram and Lakshman arrived in Mithila with their guru, Vishwamitra. When no one in the swayamvara assembly could even move the bow, Ram, at Guru Vishwamitra's bidding, approached it.
Read the Ram Chalisa →Ram lifted the bow with ease, and as he bent it to string it, the divine bow snapped in two, its sound resounding through the entire assembly. With the bow broken, King Janak's vow was fulfilled, and Mother Sita joyfully placed the wedding garland around Ram's neck.
Chapter 2 · The Wedding of All Four Brothers
King Janak immediately sent his priests to Ayodhya to inform King Dashrath of this joyous news and invite him for the wedding. King Dashrath, along with his guru Vashishtha and his entire family, arrived in Mithila with great ceremony.
On this occasion, not only were Ram and Sita married, but Dashrath's three other sons were also wed to young women of Janak's family, Lakshman married Sita's sister Urmila, Bharat married Mandavi, daughter of Janak's brother Kushadhwaj, and Shatrughna married Mandavi's sister Shrutakirti. In this way, all four brothers were married according to Vedic rites on the Shukla Panchami of the Margashirsha month.
It is in memory of this auspicious day that Vivah Panchami is observed every year, with the recitation and remembrance of Ram and Sita's wedding, celebrated with special devotion and festivity in many places, particularly in Ayodhya and Janakpur (Nepal).
About The Legend of Ram and Sita's Wedding
This legend is told across two chapters. The first tells of King Janak's swayamvara vow and Ram breaking Shiva's bow. The second recounts the wedding of all four brothers, Ram, Lakshman, Bharat, and Shatrughna.
This legend is tied to Margashirsha month's Vivah Panchami. This page presents both chapters' full text in plain Hindi, with adjustable text size and print support.
About The Valmiki Ramayana
The legend of Ram and Sita's wedding has no single authoritative printed 'katha text', it is a well-known and widely recited episode from the Bal Kand of the Valmiki Ramayana, also described in Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas. The wording here has been composed independently, so it is not a word-for-word copy of any single website's or publication's text, though the sequence of events follows the Ramayana's well-established tradition faithfully.
Frequently asked questions
What vow did King Janak make?
He had vowed that whichever prince could string Lord Shiva's divine bow would be wed to his daughter Sita.
Who broke Shiva's bow?
Lord Rama lifted the bow at Guru Vishwamitra's bidding, and as he bent it to string it, it snapped in two.
What other weddings are described in Janak's family?
Along with Ram and Sita, Lakshman was married to Urmila, Bharat to Mandavi, and Shatrughna to Shrutakirti.
Where is Vivah Panchami especially celebrated?
It is celebrated in many places, but is observed with special devotion and grandeur in Ayodhya and Janakpur (Nepal).