Bhagavan Sri Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu, broke the divine bow of Lord Shiva, which had been gifted by the sage Parshuram to King Janaka. This feat was accomplished during the Swayamvara of Sita, the daughter of King Janaka, thereby winning her hand in marriage.
Following the grand wedding celebrations in Mithila, the
marriage party, including Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and their entourage, set out
for Ayodhya. As they journeyed through the forest, they were suddenly
confronted by the formidable sage Parashurama, known for his fierce temper and
extraordinary prowess. Parashurama was the sixth incarnation of Lord Vishnu,
and he wielded a bow of immense power.
Parashurama, still harboring a grudge over the breaking of
Shiva's bow, which he considered a slight against Lord Shiva and himself,
challenged Rama. He accused Rama of breaking an old and brittle bow and
questioned his true strength and valor. To prove Rama's worthiness, Parashurama
flung his own mighty bow at him with great force, daring him to lift and string
it.
Rama, ever calm and composed, accepted the challenge with
humility. As he gracefully picked up Parashurama’s bow and placed it on the
earth, the ground itself seemed to tremble under its immense weight. Unknown to
those on the surface, the mighty serpent king Vasuki, who resided in the
netherworld (Patala), began to feel the tremendous pressure exerted by the bow.
Vasuki, the king of the Nagas, started to shake and quiver.
He was unable to withstand the extraordinary weight of Parashurama’s bow
pressing down from above. Desperate and in pain, Vasuki implored Rama to lift
the bow off the earth, for even a creature as powerful as he could not endure
its burden.
Understanding the plea from the netherworld, Rama, with
effortless ease, strung the bow. The moment he did so, the weight was lifted,
and normalcy was restored both on the earth and below it. The shaking subsided,
and Vasuki's torment was alleviated.
Parashurama, witnessing Rama's divine strength and the ease
with which he handled the bow, realized that Rama was indeed the supreme
incarnation of Vishnu. His anger dissipated, and he bowed in reverence to Rama,
acknowledging his superiority. With that, Parashurama departed, leaving Rama
and the marriage party to continue their journey to Ayodhya without further
hindrance.
Thus, the story not only highlights Rama's unparalleled
strength and divine nature but also underscores the interconnectedness of all
realms—earthly and netherworldly—and the balance maintained by divine
intervention.