Rama’s bow

Rama’s bow is presented as both a sign of Rama’s unmatched strength and a weapon in the conflict between Sugriva and Bali. Rama takes it up so his friend can see his power; later, when Sugriva is defeated, he reaches for it with the intent to strike the victorious foe.

A Demonstration of Strength

Rama grasps the bow to show his friend that his strength is unrivalled. The scene gives the object a demonstrative role: before it is used in the crisis of the duel, the bow makes Rama’s capacity for action visible to an ally. The text calls it a weapon that inspires the foe with dread, joining the friend’s reassurance to the enemy’s threat.

The Duel and Rama’s Response

When Sugriva’s defeat becomes clear, Rama cannot bear to see his friend overcome. His attention turns to the bow: he fixes his gaze on the shaft, lays an arrow on the weapon, and draws it. The action shifts the bow from proof of strength to an instrument of intervention against Bali.

Narrative Significance

The bow connects two moments with different stakes. In the first, Rama takes it up to establish his strength for a friend; in the second, Sugriva’s defeat prompts him to prepare to use that strength. Its significance in these scenes lies in this change from demonstration to intended action, making the weapon the visible link between alliance and intervention.