swayamvara

This absolute stunning work of art depicts the moment when Ram attends the Swayamvara in the Kingdom of Mithila, where King Janak was choosing a suitor for his daughter Princess Sita.

Here you can see Prince Ram lifting the bow that was extremely powerful and heavy and made by Lord Vishwakarma and gifted to Lord Shiva. Lord Shiva had then gifted this famous bow called the Pinaka to Devarata, a devotee and ancestor of King Janaka. The condition was that only the man who could lift the bow would be suitable to marry Princess Sita, as he lifts the bow and tries to string it, it breaks in two.

The artist captures the moment when the divine bow is breaking in two and radiates a divine light showing how powerful it is.