by Vanamali
Sita was elated when she heard these words and cried out, “Yes indeed, I am the daughter-in-law of the great Dasaratha and wife of the noble Rama. My father is the king of Videha and I am called Sita. I accompanied my husband to the forest and was kidnapped by Ravana and brought here. He has given me two more months to succumb to his passion. If Rama does not come before that, I will end my life.”
Hanuman listened attentively to these words and then spoke, “My lady! I have been sent here by Rama. He is well, though he is desperately unhappy at being parted from you. He grieves for you night and day and has sent me as his messenger to tell you that he will come very soon and kill Ravana and rescue you.”
Sita was thrilled when she heard these words. She had been living in the darkness of despair for so many months that she had almost given up hope of rescue. These words put new heart into her and she said, “It is said that if a person lives in hope, happiness will come her way sooner or later. I see now that this is true.”
Hanuman came closer and once again fear rose in her heart. She shrank into herself. She had been tricked so often that fear always lurked and she doubted everyone. Maybe this was a new trick of Ravana’s to beguile her into believing him, by pretending to praise Rama. Her mouth went dry, her limbs grew weak, and she sank to the ground, unable to cling to the branch. Again Hanuman guessed a little of what was going on inside her mind. He prostrated full length before her and refused to look up.
Timidly, Sita cast puzzled glances at him and said, “O Ravana, you tricked me once before in the garb of a sannyasi. Have you now come in the form of a monkey? If so, it is useless. Please do not torment me further.”
Hanuman remained silent and Sita spoke again, “Perhaps you are indeed what you profess to be. Somehow I feel drawn to you. Please tell me more about Rama and allay my fears.” She was torn between doubt and hope and it was pitiful to see her.
Softly and sweetly Hanuman began to speak of the one who was closest to her heart. “My lady! Please believe me. I have indeed been sent by your husband, the noble king of Ayodhya. In looks he is a veritable god of love. In valor he is a lion. He is a terror to his enemies, but now he is in the depths of despair at having lost you. I am the minister of the vanara king, Sugriva, and my name is Hanuman. I have been searching for you all these days. I crossed the ocean and dared to enter the city to see you and now my mission is over. All I have to do is return and give my message of hope to Rama, who is waiting anxiously for my return. Very soon you will see Rama and Lakshmana enter the city of Lanka with a large army and you will be rescued.”
At last Sita was convinced that he was indeed a messenger from Rama. She asked him to tell her everything about Rama—what he did after she was abducted, where he went, how long it would be before he reached Lanka, and so on. She was thirsty for news of Rama and eagerly lapped up every scrap of news that Hanuman gave her. Hanuman was only too happy to speak of Rama, who was his god. He told her how they had picked up the jewels she had thrown to them while they sat on the peak of Rishyamukha, and recounted all the other incidents that ended with his finding her. At the end of the recital, he stood respectfully with folded palms before her. Sita’s joy knew no bounds. She was now convinced that he had indeed come from Rama. Tears of happiness replaced the tears of sorrow that had been flowing in torrents down her cheeks. She was speechless with delight.
Hanuman said respectfully, “My lady! Please give me leave to go now. I have told you all that you wanted to know. Rest assured that Rama will arrive shortly and rescue you. Here is his signet ring—the ring of the Raghu dynasty—which he has sent with me to reassure you of my identity.” So saying, he handed her the ring that she knew and loved so well.
Taking the precious article in her cupped hands, she gazed and gazed at it, as if hungry for the hand that had worn the ring. Tears coursed down her cheeks. With eyes filled with gratitude, she gazed at Hanuman, who had brought new hope to her barren heart.
“O Hanuman!” she exclaimed, “you are indeed the noblest and bravest of all creatures. How could you have crossed the ocean, which is a hundred miles wide, and dared to enter this citadel, which is guarded on all sides? You must surely possess some miraculous powers. You have also given me news of my beloved husband, who is dearer to me than my father or mother or anyone else in the world. Banished from his kingdom, he walked about all these years in the forest with me by his side. We were so happy together until this calamity overtook us. I hope he has not lost heart. Please tell him that I cling to life only in the hope of seeing him again.”
“My lady! If Rama had known where you were, he would have come for you long ago. As it is he lives in a cave and hardly eats or sleeps. He does not care for anything anymore and is always lost in thought. Even when he falls into a fitful sleep, due to exhaustion, he wakes up calling, ‘Sita, Sita!’ Whenever he sees something that he knows would be pleasing to you, he sighs and is inconsolable.”
Sita was thrilled to hear that Rama’s desire for her was as great as hers for him. At the same time she was unhappy to know that he was neglecting his health. “Your words bring both happiness and unhappiness to me, O Hanuman. When I think of his unhappiness, I become sorrowful, too. Both extreme happiness and extreme sorrow are the outcome of one’s actions in a past life. I wonder if he will be able to reach me in time. I have barely two more months to live. This is the tenth month of my captivity and I was given one year to capitulate by the rakshasa king, else he will kill me.”
Hanuman could not bear to think of going away and leaving Sita alone for another two months. “My lady,” he said, “no doubt Rama will come soon. But I can’t bear to think of you being left alone here. Come with me! I will carry you across the ocean and take you to Rama this minute. Just give me the command.”
Sita was both touched and amused by these words. “Dear little monkey,” she said, “your good nature has made you suggest the impossible. How can a tiny creature like you carry me across the sea?”
Hanuman smiled and said, “My lady! Do not doubt my capacity. I can grow to any size.” So saying, he began to expand his body till it looked like a huge mountain. He was a gargantuan figure with a body of flint.
“If necessary, I can carry off the whole of Lanka. Do not be frightened. Come with me and I’ll take you to Rama and make him happy.”
Sita’s eyes were round with wonder and she said, “I see that I have underestimated your prowess. I am sure that you can easily take me across the sea, but we have to consider this proposition carefully. It is possible that your speed may make me feel giddy and I may fall into the sea. It is also possible that we will be spied by the rakshasas, who will pursue us and take me back, and then my fate will be worse than it is now. You would also be placed in great danger and would not be able to return to Rama. Moreover, if you rescued me, it would bring no credit to Rama. It is only proper and fitting that Rama himself should come and rescue me after killing the rakshasa. In addition, I belong only to Rama, and the thought of touching another man willingly is abhorrent to me. Of course it is a fact that Ravana held me when he brought me here, but at that time I was helpless and had no choice. Hanuman, please go back soon and bring my husband and Lakshmana as fast as you can. Then, and only then, will my sorrow come to an end.”
Hanuman was pleased to hear these words from Sita and said, “My lady, it is fitting that a pure soul should speak like this. My suggestion was only because of my immense devotion to Rama and intense desire to make you happy. I will return immediately and give him all the news. Do you have any special message for him?”
Her eyes filled with memories and she said, “Hanuman, ask Rama if he remembers the hill of Chitrakoota, where he was relaxing on my lap on the banks of the Mandakini. A crow came to our presence and pecked at my breast with its sharp beak. I tried to shoo it off with a stone but it would not leave me. Just then Rama awoke and saw my distress and teased me. He took me on his lap and comforted me, and then dozed off once again on my lap. Then the crow re
turned and pecked at my breast so hard that drops of blood fell on Rama, and he again awoke and was furious when he saw that I was hurt. Looking around for the culprit, his eyes lighted on the crow, whom he realized to be the son of Indra. Taking a blade of grass, he invoked a fatal mantra and sent it after the crow. It flew in panic to all the worlds with the astra pursuing it like a ball of fire. At last it returned to Rama and fell at his feet and begged his pardon. Though it deserved to die, Rama pardoned it since it had surrendered; however, the blade of grass in which the mantra had been invoked could not go to waste, so he took the crow’s right eye as punishment. O Hanuman! My lord invoked the terrible brahmastra for killing a crow who had dared to harm me. Ask him why he is keeping silent now when this wretch has kidnapped me?”
Hanuman assured her that Rama was not indifferent and would come the moment he knew where to find her.
Then Sita told him of another incident that was known only to her and Rama. “Ask him if he remembers the time when the red mark on my forehead was obliterated by his hand. He powdered a red stone and placed the dot on my cheek, instead of on my forehead, to tease me.”
Sita then sent her blessings to Lakshmana also. She said, “If there is anyone capable of looking after my lord when I am not there, it is Lakshmana, who loves him like his own father and me like his mother. No one can withstand his anger. Tell them both to come soon, O Hanuman. I will not live a day longer than two months.”
So saying, she unwrapped the end of her garment and carefully took out her precious hair ornament. Handing it to Hanuman she said, “Please give this to Rama. When he sees this and hears the story of the crow and the red dot, which is known only to both of us, he will be convinced that you have indeed met me. O Hanuman, my life depends on you. Must you really return immediately? Your presence is like balm to my wounded spirit.”
Then she was suddenly assailed by another doubt. “Are you sure Rama and his retinue will be able to cross the sea and come here?”
Hanuman assured her that everything was possible and told her not to worry. He comforted her as best he could but she could not control the tears pouring down her cheeks at the imminent departure of the one friendly face she had seen in ten long months. But she knew that it was dangerous for him to be seen with her, so sadly, she allowed him to leave.
Vasishta says:
“That nature that exists in grass and trees, growing in their proper seasons without the feeling of mine-ness, is Pure Consciousness.”
Hari Aum Tat Sat
Mahabhujaya Namaha!
CANTO III
Hanuman's Wrath
Kyatha Sri Ramadootha pavanathanubhava
Pingalakshashikhavan
Sitashokapahari dashamukha vijayi
Lakshmanapranadatha.
He is known as the messenger of Rama,
The son of the wind god.
Marked by tawny red eyes.
He removed Sita’s sorrow
and conquered the ten-headed one.
And saved Lakshmana’s life.
Hanuman was so angry at the way Sita was being treated that he decided to show his prowess to Ravana before he left. He wanted him to realize the might of the army he would have to face. He decided that the best way to rouse the ire of the rakshasa king would be to destroy this garden, which was obviously one of his favorites. He set about this destruction in a most methodical manner. Like a raging tempest he uprooted every tree and trampled it with his feet, twisted the vines, smashed the temple, and splattered the pools with the copper colored buds of the ashoka trees. Lakes were churned and made muddy, the little hillocks were ground to powder, and the beloved garden of Ravana was made into a desolate wasteland. Having accomplished this much, Hanuman climbed to the top of the archway to the garden and waited expectantly for things to happen. He did not have long to wait. There was a great commotion in the garden. The birds were screeching in terror and the deer and peacocks were crying loudly.
The rakshasis in charge of Sita now awoke from their drunken stupor and demanded to know what was happening. They saw the huge monkey and wanted to know who he was. Sita said she knew nothing about him. They ran to report to Ravana: “There’s a huge monkey who has laid waste the whole garden. The only place he has not destroyed is the tree under which Sita sits. He was seen talking to her, but she denies knowing anything about him.”
Ravana was furious when he heard of the fate of his favorite garden and sent some strong rakshasas to kill the monkey. Hanuman was delighted, as he had been waiting for an opportunity to show his valor. They surrounded him and tried to beat him. He grew in size, clapped his hands on his shoulders in the manner of wrestlers, and said in a reverberating voice, “I am Hanuman, servant of Lord Rama. Not a thousand Ravanas are capable of withstanding my powers. I will return only after devastating Lanka.”
Pulling up a pillar on which the arch was supported, he beat and killed all the rakshasas who had come to subdue him. This was reported to Ravana, who found it very difficult to believe. He sent a young warrior called Jambumali, the son of his minister, with a large contingent, and Hanuman killed him in a trice, thus causing great confusion among the soldiers. Next Ravana sent another contingent with the sons of his other ministers, and they also were killed. Streams of blood flowed down the main highway of Lanka leading to the palace carrying with it mangled bodies, legs, and arms of rakshasas. Ravana was quite bewildered by this unexpected turn of events and decided to send his youngest son, Aksha Kumara, to subdue the monkey. Wearing armor of gold and looking like the morning sun, the young boy went forth in his chariot, sure of success. There was a terrible encounter between the two. Hanuman was greatly impressed by the boy and did not want to kill him, but he knew that in war, there was no question of showing mercy. He killed the horses first and then smashed the chariot. The boy flew into the air and Hanuman jumped up and caught him and dashed him to death on the ground. Ravana was sunk in gloom when he heard about the death of his dear son. He summoned his eldest son, Meghanatha, who was also known as Indrajit since he had defeated Indra, the king of the gods, in battle. Ravana told Indrajit to go and punish the monkey, for he feared that there was something unusual about him and the army could not handle the situation. Indrajit was an invincible warrior and set out with delight.
He hurled missile after missile at Hanuman, who evaded them all with great dexterity. Indrajit was amazed at this monkey’s powers and realized that it was impossible to kill him, so he decided to invoke a divine missile that would paralyze him. The impact of this celestial astra, called the nagapasa, knocked out Hanuman and made him feel as if his body were bound. He recovered immediately but decided it would be wise to pretend to be senseless, so that he would be taken into the presence of Ravana. He was tied up with stout hemp ropes and dragged before the demon king. The moment the gross ropes touched his body, the subtle effects of the astra were nullified. Indrajit saw this and knew that the effect of the astra must have vanished, but to his surprise, the monkey allowed himself to be dragged to the court. Indrajit was puzzled but he reported the matter to his father.
Hanuman was kicked and pulled into the hall where Ravana was seated, surrounded by his retinue of ministers. Hanuman had to admit that he was, indeed, a magnificent personality. He was clad in the softest of white silks, like billows of surf on the seashore. Many wonderful gems were around his neck and bracelets hung on his strong arms. His green eyes were gleaming with strange lights and looked piercingly at Hanuman. For a few minutes Hanuman was dazzled by his charisma and could not help but gaze admiringly at him. He thought to himself that if Ravana had only been a righteous person, he could easily have been the king of gods, so glorious was his personality.
Ravana looked deep into the tawny eyes of the monkey and an unknown fear assailed him. He remembered the incident long ago when Shiva, his favorite deity, had failed to comply with his demands. This had infuriated him so much that, in his arrogance, he had put a finger under the mountain of Kailasa, the abode of Shiva, a
nd tilted it perilously. Parvathi had been frightened and Shiva, to comfort her and to quell Ravana’s pride, had simply pressed the mountain down with his big toe and crushed Ravana’s finger. Ravana is supposed to have placated Shiva by composing a fantastic hymn for him, the “Shiva Thandava Stotram.” However, Shiva’s bull vehicle, Nandi, had cursed Ravana that he would suffer defeat when Nandi himself came in the form of a monkey. For a moment Ravana thought that this was the time foretold by Nandi, but then he dismissed the incident as of no concern and asked his minister to question the monkey about his purpose in coming to Lanka.
“O monkey! Have no fear. Answer truthfully and no harm will come to you. It is obvious that you are no ordinary simian but one who has come in disguise, sent by one of the gods. If you lie you will be killed,” said the minister. Hanuman did not deign to reply to him.
Turning to Ravana he said, “I am not an emissary of the gods, neither am I in disguise. I am a monkey by birth and I destroyed the garden because I wanted to meet you face to face. O king! I have come here as a messenger of Sri Rama, whose wife Sita has been abducted by you. No one who has wronged Rama will escape death. Decide to act according to dharma, and then perhaps you will be allowed to go free. Your life has been blessed by many gods and is filled with glorious things. Why should all this glory come to an end because of a woman? You are wise and you should know the dictates of dharma. Is it correct to abduct another man’s wife against her wishes? There is no power in all the three worlds that can withstand the might of Rama. Let dharma and self-interest guide you. Restore Sita to her rightful husband. I have seen her and she is in the grip of grief. My valor alone is enough to destroy the whole of Lanka; what, then, if Rama comes? Sita is like the noose of death, which you have placed securely round your neck. Rama’s anger is deadly. Your duty is to protect your subjects, kinsmen, children, wives, and wealth. Think well about what I have said, and then act.”
