by Vanamali
Hearing this, everyone looked expectantly at Hanuman, and Jambavan prompted him and said, “O son of Anjana! You are the only one who can save Lakshmana’s life as well as the lives of your countless friends who have fallen today. Go immediately to that golden peak filled with medicinal herbs and bring back the four mystic herbs.”
Jambavan had the great quality of reminding people of their true worth. His words led them to realize that they were capable of anything. Very few people have this ability. In fact, many try to criticize and ridicule another person’s capacity and thus make him out to be less than he is! The character of the sagacious and trustworthy Jambavan is thus prized as one who can remind us of our connection with our divine selves, as opposed to one who elicits our base instincts. He reminds us that it is best to surround ourselves with those who can recall us to our highest natures.
Without losing a moment, Hanuman grew in size until they could no longer see his head. Chanting the name of Rama, he sprang to the Trikuta peak and then kicked off and went like a huge cloud toward the Himalayas. As he was traveling with the speed of lightning, he crossed the sea and traveled over Kishkinda, Dandaka, and the Vindhya Mountains to enter Aryavarta. As he flew over Kosala, the residents of Ayodhya mistook him for a flying monster. They begged Bharata to save them. He shot an arrow and forced Hanuman to descend to the ground.
“Who are you?” asked Bharata sternly. When Maruti identified himself and spoke of his mission, Bharata’s eyes filled with tears. He embraced him and said, “I’m Bharata, Rama’s unfortunate brother. I’m happy to get some news of him but filled with sorrow at Lakshmana’s plight. I wish I could help you in some way, but I’m afraid I can’t leave Ayodhya.”
“If you can help me to reach Dronagiri very fast and make up for my lost time, that would be more than enough,” said Hanuman.
Bharata meditated on Rama and mounted an arrow on his bow. He asked Maruti to sit on the arrowhead. Chanting a mantra, he shot the arrow with such speed that it ripped through the clouds and reached the foot of the mountain known as Dronagiri.
The news of Hanuman’s rescue operation was brought to Ravana by his spies. He immediately called his great friend Kalanemi, who was an expert conjurer, and told him to go to the mount called Dronagiri and stop Hanuman by fair means or foul from getting the required herbs.
Kalanemi reached the mount before Hanuman. He created a hermitage and changed himself into an old ascetic and pretended to be meditating. Hanuman felt very thirsty and when he looked down, he saw the hermitage next to a lake and decided to go down and drink some water. He was surprised to see a yogi there and asked him politely if he could give him some water. The ascetic welcomed him and predicted that he would be successful in his attempt. He offered him water from his own water pot in which he had mixed poison. Hanuman refused the offer and asked permission to drink from the lake where he could also take a bath. The sage agreed and said he would give him a mantra that would enable him to recognize the herbs. Hanuman was surprised at the ascetic’s knowledge of his mission and went to the lake as he was bidden. As he entered the water in pitch darkness, he found that his foot had been caught by a crocodile, which was slowly dragging him down. He realized that the creature was really big and strong. Time was running short, so he exerted all his strength and shook his leg free. He then caught the crocodile’s mouth and pried it open and split it in two and threw it far off. Immediately a beautiful damsel appeared out of its body and said, “Salutations to you, O son of wind! I am actually an apsara from the celestial regions who had been cursed by a sage to take on the form of a crocodile. He told me that I would be released from my curse when the son of the wind god came and killed me. I am deeply grateful to you for rescuing me, but I have to warn you that you are in grave danger. That man who is posing as an ascetic is actually the great conjurer called Kalanemi who has been sent by Ravana to thwart you in your attempt to get the herbs, so please be on your guard and never accept water from his water pot.” With these words the damsel disappeared.
Hanuman returned to the hut of the ascetic and bowed before him. He took the lighted lamp that was in front of him and suddenly hurled it at the man’s head and dashed it to the ground and killed him. Immediately the hut and all the other things that had been an illusion created by the demon vanished, and Hanuman was left alone in the pitch darkness of the night on the mountaintop.
In the meantime, Ravana feared that Hanuman would return in time and ordered the sun to rise and the moon to set before their appointed time. Maruti was horrified to see the moon slipping rapidly toward the horizon and the first light of dawn appearing beyond the hills. He realized that this was just another plot by Ravana. He rushed to the horizon, caught the moon between his jaws and trapped the sun in his armpit!
Time was running short and without wasting another moment, Hanuman jumped to the peak called Dronagiri. As he was flying over he saw the whole peak aglow with a divine radiance. He realized that this was the place where the herbs grew, but as he came down the radiance disappeared and he couldn’t find what he was looking for since the only clue he had been given by the physician was that these herbs would glow in the dark. But it seemed as if the herbs did not want to be picked and had hidden themselves. Hanuman was angry at their behavior and decided to break off the whole peak since dawn was fast approaching and his beloved Lakshmana’s life was ebbing fast. There was no time to speculate. Without a moment’s hesitation he grew in size until his head brushed against the sky. He then plucked the entire peak as easily as breaking off a flower from its stem and flew with it to Lanka where everyone was expectantly awaiting his arrival. All the gods, birds, beasts, reptiles, and fish that saw Hanuman flying across Jambudwipa and crossing the sea to Lanka with the hill in his hand were wonderstruck by this spectacular sight.
He circled the battlefield like a huge eagle and slowly started to come down. Such was the potency of the herbs that when the heady perfume of the mritasanjivani penetrated Lakshmana’s nostrils, he stirred and turned round as if from sleep. All the other monkeys also recovered. Hanuman was still circling round the field, not knowing where to land and place his precious burden. The royal physician Sushena told him where to keep it. He scoured the slopes of the hill and found the life-giving herbs.
“Now all I need is the divine pestle and mortar that Ravana keeps in his inner chambers,” he said.
Hanuman immediately made his way into Ravana’s apartments. However Ravana had foreseen Sushena’s need for a pestle and had hidden it next to his bedside table, determined not to let it out of his sight. Maruti noticed that Mandodari was sleeping soundly next to the king and thought of a plan to distract Ravana. He slipped under his bed and tied Ravana’s hair to the bedpost. He then grabbed the pestle and mortar and ran toward the door. Ravana woke up in an instant and tried to run after Hanuman but was yanked back to his bed by his hair. He tried to untie the knot but failed because Hanuman had cast a spell. The knot would not be undone until Mandodari had kicked Ravana on the head with her foot!
Hanuman chuckled as he watched the mighty king of the rakshasas shaking his wife awake. He bowed his crowned head before her and begged her to kick him. Hanuman had a hearty laugh and then sped back to Sushena and gave him the pestle and mortar.
Sushena immediately made a paste of the magic herbs and smeared it all over Lakshmana’s body. The juice seeped through his skin and entered his bloodstream and counteracted Indrajit’s poison. He woke up as if from a long sleep and jumped to his feet, looking more radiant than ever.
Suddenly Rama noticed that neither the sun nor the moon could be seen in the sky.
“What happened to these celestial orbs?” he questioned.
Hanuman looked a bit sheepish and opened his mouth to let out the moon and released the sun from his armpit. As the sun and moon returned to their celestial orbits, Rama and Lakshmana embraced Hanuman. They were totally bereft of words and did not know how to express their gratitude.
Jambavan then tol
d Maruti to take the mountain back to its original position since, if it was kept on the battlefield, the rakshasas would also make use of it. So Hanuman once again returned to the Himalayas. He put the mountain back in its place and came back before dawn broke over the ocean. Actually, this whole episode was known only to Rama, Vibhishana, Jambavan, Hanuman, and the physician who was taken back to his home in Lanka.
Rama was so happy that he hugged Hanuman close. He blessed him and said, “Without you there will be neither Rama, nor Sita, nor the Ramayana. May you be blessed and live forever!”
One might wonder how it was that none of the fallen rakshasas revived. This was because Ravana had commanded that all the dead in the demon army should be thrown into the sea so that no one could count their number and thus taint his reputation.
The monkeys were jubilant at their recovery. That whole day none of the rakshasas appeared for a fight since Ravana was sure that their leaders were lying dead. By nightfall the monkeys were determined to stake their claim as victors. Urged by Sugriva, the whole hoard pushed their way into the fortress, carrying flaming brands and torches, and started on their journey of destruction. Once again Lanka went up in flames as the excited monkeys jumped from house to house and palace to palace, setting fire to everything. Ravana was woken up by the wailing of the citizens and the acrid smell of smoke. He could not believe that the monkeys were carrying on the war without Rama. Surely his cousin Kalanemi must have stopped Hanuman from bringing the famous herb, so what made the monkeys rejoice and how could they dare to come within the walls of Lanka without their master? His ministers came and gave him the happy news that Rama and Lakshmana were very much alive and all of them were ready to fight. When he heard this, he immediately summoned Kumbhakarna’s sons, Kumbha and Nikumbha, and asked them to go and avenge the death of their father.
The night stalkers issued forth once again, determined to slay their father’s killer. They were both powerful warriors, and the vanara host started falling like autumn leaves. Three of their leaders, including Angada, had fallen in a faint. Hearing this, Sugriva went to the front and accosted Kumbha. “I am full of admiration for the way in which you handle your weapons. I see in you a combination of your father and uncle—the solidity of one with the dexterity of the other. I don’t feel like killing you since you are surely a jewel among your race, but I have no option, since we are on opposite sides, so let us fight to the finish.”
Though Kumbha was pleased by Sugriva’s praise, he didn’t like the insinuation that he was superior to himself. He rushed at him with a bellow and the two of them started wrestling with each other until the earth shook and the leaves fell off the trees. At last with a powerful blow, Sugriva felled him to the ground and killed him.
Seeing the death of his valiant brother, Nikumbha rushed at the monkeys and slew them by the hundreds. Seeing their plight, Hanuman came to their rescue and punched him forcibly on his chest. Nikumbha flung a huge iron pestle at Hanuman. Everyone expected him to fall, but to their astonishment the pestle shattered into a million fragments on his adamantine chest. Hanuman now rushed at Nikumbha and after grappling with him for a while, he threw him on the ground and sat on his chest until he suffocated to death. The vanaras set up a roar of jubilation.
When he heard the news, Ravana was at a loss to know what he should do. He couldn’t believe that the enormous strength and modern weapons of his army counted for nothing in the face of these long-tailed tree folk, armed with only sticks and stones. Not one of them was capable of wielding a sword or using a bow and yet they seemed to be gaining the upper hand.
At last he went to his beloved son Meghanatha and exhorted him once again to go and try his hand at killing the two brothers.
Indrajit said, “O Father! For your sake I killed him once, but it appears as if the whole of Nature is supporting him or else how could he be still alive? Remember, father, that in your youth, you ruled the world supported by dharma, but now you rule through adharma alone. The very gods tremble at the mention of your name and the curses of the saints whom you have killed have taken on the form of this battle that will be the end of you. You have made the whole of creation suffer through your inequities. It is the collection of your wrongs that is devouring us. The fear and anger of the helpless has taken on the form of this army of animals. The day you abducted Sita, you took death on your lap. Dharma is on the side of Rama. Dharma alone rules this world. Those who go against it will have to perish at some time or other. However, I am your son and will do your bidding. I shall kill the Kosala brothers as I promised to do.”
Ravana said, “You are my beloved son who once conquered the gods. Now fight for me on Earth as you fought in Heaven.”
You brought the nectarine herb and revived the life of Lakshmana.
Rama embraced you with deep joy.
SRI HANUMAN CHALISA BY TULSIDAS
Aum Sri Hanumathe Namaha!
Aum Raudraaya Namaha!
23
Kapindra
The End of Indrajit
Lakshmana samare veera sasajendrajitam prati,
Aindrastrena smayuchya Lakshmana paraviraha.
Drawing up to his ear that arrow charged with the mantra of Indra,
The heroic and glorious Lakahmana let it fly at Indrajit.
VALMIKI RAMAYANA, YUDDHA KANDA
Indrajit now thought of an ingenious plan to dupe Rama. Using his magical powers, he made an identical living image of Sita and placed it in his chariot and drove to the battlefield surrounded by his army. The monkeys rallied around and forged forward to meet him. They were led by Hanuman, who was carrying a huge boulder. Suddenly he stopped short, for he recognized the pitiable and miserable figure of the princess of Videha. She was wearing the same soiled yellow garment that she had on when he saw her last, but it could not dim the radiance of her ethereal beauty. She was sitting forlorn and unhappy as if she did not care what was happening to her. Hanuman could not tear his gaze away from her grief-stricken face. He had no idea why Indrajit had brought her in his chariot to the battlefield. He did not dare to attack Indrajit in case he did some harm to her. Seeing him, Indrajit grabbed hold of Sita’s long braid and started to berate her with his sword. She called out loudly, “Rama, Rama,” and burst into heartrending sobs.
Tears of blood dropped from Hanuman’s eyes to see the princess of Videha being treated so cruelly. “O ruthless one! What has the princess of Mithila done to you that you should treat her so cruelly? Such an act is not worthy of even a barbarian and you claim to be the grandson of the sage Vishravas!”
Indrajit laughed scornfully when he heard this tirade and drove toward Rama. He shouted to him to watch carefully while he made an end of the woman who was the prime cause of the destruction of the rakshasas and who was the cause of his father’s infatuation. Taking hold of her hair, he lifted her up and decapitated her. He gave a gruesome laugh and said, “Behold, O Rama! Your darling wife has been killed by me. Vain is your exertion now to get her back. The war is over. Go back to your country!” Seeing this gruesome scene Rama totally lost all will to live. He collapsed on the ground and bewailed the loss of his beloved wife.
Hanuman could not bear to see this. Taking up an enormous boulder, he rushed at Indrajit, followed by all the monkeys. There followed a sharp and furious encounter in which Indrajit disappeared from the field. Hanuman immediately realized that this whole thing was a trick of Indrajit’s to subdue Rama. He immediately took the form of a bee and went to the ashoka grove, where Sita was sitting with her head in her hands, and convinced himself that she was indeed alive. He instantly returned to Rama and gave him the happy news.
As he was saying this, Vibhishana came forward and wanted to know what the commotion was about and why Rama looked so sad. When he heard the story, he laughed and said, “How can you possibly believe such a thing? Don’t you know the extent of Ravana’s infatuation for Sita? He is prepared to sacrifice his country, his sons, and his people for her sake. How can you believe even
for a moment that his son would dare to kill a woman who is so dear to his father? This whole thing was planned by Indrajit, the master magician. He enacted this drama so that he could go and complete his yaga, which will make him invincible. If he is allowed to finish this ritual, there will be no holding him back. No one will be able to kill him. There is not a moment to be lost. Let Lakshmana come with me, and I’ll take him to the spot where that misguided son of my brother is conducting his yaga. Brahma has told him that by performing this sacrifice he will become invisible and invulnerable. That is why he thought of this master plan to delude you into believing that Sita was dead!”
Rama immediately told Lakshmana to go with Vibhishana and intercept the yaga. He armed himself and took Rama’s blessings before leaving. He was accompanied by Vibhishana, Hanuman, and a host of other monkeys.
Vibhishana told Lakshmana that he would repeat some mantras by which the invisible grove would become visible. Suddenly the whole mountainside became dark as if it were shielded by some huge black umbrella. In and through this gloom, Lakshmana saw a grove of ancient, gnarled trees, plunged in darkness and shadow. Vibhishana proceeded toward this sacred grove where Indrajit was conducting his black magic rituals in order to invoke the great cosmic powers. His army was stationed between his hideout and the approaching army of monkeys. Hanuman immediately sprang to the forefront, confronted the enemy host, and engaged them in a fierce combat while Vibhishana took Lakshmana to the secret grove that none but the rakshasas could see. “The god of fire will give him a magic chariot yoked to tigers, which will make him invulnerable. Hurry! We have to disrupt this ritual.”
