Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 9.10.6-7
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Lord’s Wonderful Strength and Divine Consort
“O King, the pastimes of Lord Rāmacandra were wonderful, like those of a baby elephant. In the assembly where mother Sītā was to choose her husband, in the midst of the heroes of this world, He broke the bow belonging to Lord Śiva. This bow was so heavy that it was carried by three hundred men, but Lord Rāmacandra bent and strung it and broke it in the middle, just as a baby elephant breaks a stick of sugarcane. Thus the Lord achieved the hand of mother Sītā, who was equally as endowed with transcendental qualities of form, beauty, behavior, age and nature. Indeed, she was the goddess of fortune who constantly rests on the chest of the Lord. While returning from Sītā’s home after gaining her at the assembly of competitors, Lord Rāmacandra met Paraśurāma. Although Paraśurāma was very proud, having rid the earth of the royal order twenty-one times, he was defeated by the Lord, who appeared to be a kṣatriya of the royal order.”
What the purport teaches
- Before the assembled heroes, Lord Rāmacandra broke Lord Śiva’s bow, which required three hundred men to carry. He did so as easily as a baby elephant breaks sugarcane.
- The Lord won the hand of mother Sītā, whose transcendental qualities matched His own. She is the goddess of fortune who constantly rests on the Lord’s chest.
- On His return, Lord Rāmacandra defeated Paraśurāma, who was proud of having rid the earth of the royal order twenty-one times.
Try this today
Reread the description of the bow and spend a moment remembering Lord Rāmacandra’s wonderful strength.
Ask yourself
What inspires wonder in me about the Lord’s strength and mother Sītā’s transcendental qualities?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.