Fifty-eighth Chapter
Fifty- eighth Chapter
Telling the happenings of Lanka
(In this chapter Hanuman informs his monkey friends all that happened after he took off and till he returned. This chapter is the summary of all the previous 57 chapters of Sundara Kanda.)
Hanuman and other very strong monkeys sitting in the top of Mahendra Mountain attained incomparable mental peace at that time. 1
After taking their seat ,Jambhavan and other dear, very happy and great monkeys enquired about the events that happened till then from Hanuman, who was the son of wind god, and who was extremely peaceful. 2
“How did you happen to see the holy lady? How is she? How does the ten headed one who does cruel deeds behave with her? We would like to know.” 3
“Hey great monkey. Please tell all this in detail to us, as it happened. After understanding the happenings we would all decide our future course of action.” 4
“What news should we, who have gone there and returned back tell? What aspect of the events should not be told? You who are very intelligent should tell about this to us in detail. 5
(Our Smrithis tell that the truth, which hurts, should not be told. In fact later Hanuman does not tell anything about his exploits and anything about the burning of Lanka to Rama feeling that he may think that he is boasting.)
Thus ordered by Jambhavan, that Hanuman became pleased with extreme happiness and saluted Sita by bowing his head and replied. 6
“Did I not rise from the top of Mahendra Mountain, which was standing before you, fixing my mind firmly with a wish to reach the southern shore of the ocean.” 7
“Then a golden, divine , pretty and horror filling peaks of one mountain lay in front of me as if it is intended to prohibit my journey. Then I thought as follows.” 8
“Since it was in lying in my way. I thought that the mountain was trying to stop me.” 9
I neared the divine and golden mountain and decided in my mind that, “This mountain is fit to be broken,” 10
“The peak of that very big mountain which was almost touching the sun, was hit by my swinging tail and was broken in to thousand pieces.” 11
“What a surprise, that great mountain understanding well my intentions, called me with great love., “ dear son” and making that word sound as if to melt my mind.” 12
“Please understand that I am well known as Mainaka and I live in the great ocean. Please also understand that I am a close relation of Wind God and thus your close relative from the father’s side.” 13
“Child , once upon a time , the great mountains used to have wings and were traveling all over the world giving trouble to people.” 14
“The God Indra who had killed the Asura called Paka , seeing this bad aspect of the mountain , started cutting in to pieces these wings of these mountains.” 15
“Hey dear, I only was saved from Indra by your father by being swept away and lodged deeply in to the sea.” 16
“Hey, killer of the enemies, I should behave in a way which is of help to Lord Rama, as he is similar to Indra in his valour and is the greatest among those who are charitable “ 17
“After I heard the words of the great Mainaka , I made him understand what needs to be done and my mind got prepared for completing my job.” 18
“Though Mainaka is a great mountain, it took the shape of a human being and permitted me to go and that great mountain stayed in the middle of the ocean in the form of a mountain itself.” 19
(The word ‘Andharhita’ used in this sloka does not mean that he disappeared as in the 57th chapter, Hanuman has been seen as patting the mountain on his way back and in Yudha Kanda, Rama shows Mainaka Mountain on his way back from Lanka,)
“Then I thought of the remaining long distance which remained to be covered and became very fast and sped with vigour for a lot of time.” 20
“Then I saw the divine lady Surasa who was the mother of Nagas. That holy lady stood in the middle of the ocean and told me, :”Hey monkey chief, devas have decided that you are going to be my food and I have got you after a very long long time. So I am going to eat you.” 21=22
“I felt dejected after what Surasa told me and with humble salutation, I told her as follows.” 23
“Rama who was the son of Dasaratha along with his brother Lakshmana and wife Sita entered the Dandaka forest and was living there.” 24
“:His wife Sita was abducted by the bad hearted Ravana. I am going because of the order of Rama as his emissary. You who are living in the kingdom of Rama should render necessary help to me.” 25
“Otherwise after rendering necessary help to Mythili and seeing Rama , I myself will enter your mouth. I am telling this as an oath to you.” 26
:”That Surasa who could assume any form that she chose, after being told by me like that, :told, “Nobody should cross and go beyond me, this is my boon.” “ 27
“After being told like this by Surasa , within a second I assumed a form of ten Yojanas long and 5 yojanas thick.” 28
“At that time she was also able to open her mouth suitable to my size. Seeing her wide open mouth I made my body small.” 29
(It is told that he assumed a form of hundred yojanas wide step by step in Chapter 1, slokas 171-181)
“Within a very short time, I became as small as a thumb and I went inside her mouth and within a minute came out.” 30
“That deva lady Surasa assumed her normal form and addressing me told,” Hey great one, I have become pleased with you. Hey calm one, go as you wish so that you can complete your job. , Hey monkey chief, bring Vaidehi with the great Raghava together . Hey monkey, go further, pleased with yourself.”” 31-32
“Then I was appreciated by all beings as “Good, very good.” And I effortlessly went in to the broad sky like an eagle.” 33
“When it was like this I found that only my shadow was being stopped and I could not see anything anywhere.” 34
“Because my speed was taken away, I searched in all the ten directions and I could not find that which was preventing my speed.” 35
“I could not see an shape any where. In spite of that a problem has arisen like this in the clear sky. :A thought as to ’why is this?” arose in my mind. 36
“Thoughtful as I was , my sight did not spread down. After that I saw a horrible Rakshasi who was lying inside the water.” 37
“She with terrible form told me the following words with enthusiasm which reflected truly her mind, which never gave any room for doubt, which were not causing good and which were like a roar.” 38
“Hey, fat one, where are you going? You appear to be proper food for me who is very hungry. Satisfy my body ,which has been starving for a long time.” 39
“I agreed to her words and increased the size of my body to a size bigger than her face.” 40
“Her mouth also grew big and terrible for eating me. She did not know either my strength or my trick.” 41
“So I reduced my very big size in to very small one within a second and removed her heart and jumped back in to the sky.” 42
“She who lived in the saline sea and who was as fat as a mountain fell dead with outstretched hands having lost her hands.” 43
“I also heard the words of holy people who were traveling in the sky along with Charanas saying that, ”the terrible Rakshasi called Simhika has been killed with in a second by Hanuman.”” 44
“After killing her , thinking about that dangerous deed , I covered a long distance and reached the place where the city of Lanka existed and saw the southern ocean shore of that town decorated by mountains, I entered in to the city which was the residence of Rakshasas after the Sun has set in a manner in which even the valorous Rakshasas could not see me..” 45-46
“At the time of my entering some lady with an action similar to the clouds of deluge roared and came before me.” 47
“Then at that time , I hit and defeated her ,who came to kill me , who was horrible looking and who had hairs like a raging fire , with a folded left fist and she with great fear told me “Hey, valorous one , I am the city of Lanka and I have been defeated by your valour and because of that you have become capable of defeating the entire Rakshasas.” And then I entered in side the city during Pradosha.(after setting of the sun and before night fell).” 48-49
“After searching for the daughter of Janaka that entire night I entered the harem of Ravana but I was not able to see that pretty lady.” 50
“I was not able to see her in the palace of Ravana also and because of that, being drowned in the sea of sorrow whose shores were not visible to me.” 51
“I who was very sad, then saw a very great garden which was very peculiar and surrounded by golden walls.” 52
“I jumped and crossed the wall and saw a garden with many trees. In the middle of that Asoka forest I saw a huge Simshuba tree. I climbed and sat on that tree and saw a golden forest of Banana plants.” 53-54
“I saw sitting on that Simshuba tree at a slight distance attractive coloured and lotus petal eyed Sita who was dark., who had a faded face due to starvation, who had dust coated hair, who was looking famished due to sorrow, who was wearing the same cloth that we saw earlier, and who was only concentrating her mind in the good of her husband, surrounded by Rakshasis who have horrible form , who eat flesh and blood and who are cruel by nature and this sight was similar to a deer being looked after by a group of tigers.” 55-57
“With lot of difficulty I reached the place where I could properly see Sita, who was bullied by the Rakshasis frequently, who was in a miserable state, who was doing the only work of concentrating her mind on her husband, who had made up her hair in a single lock, who was lying down on the floor, who was like a lotus flower in winter, who was dejected because she saw no way to escape from Ravana, who had decided to die immediately and who was doe eyed.” 58-59
“Seeing the lady who was wife of Rama in that state of not being subject to notoriety
, I continued on the Simshuba tree and observed her carefully.” 60
“Then I heard the very loud sound of “Hala hala:” of the anklets and waist belts emanating from the palace of Ravana.” 61
“At that time being very sad I made my form in to a very tiny one and sat without moving in between the leaves of the Simshuba tree like a bird.” 62
:”Afterwards the wives of Ravana and the very strong Ravana came towards the place where Sita has been kept .Sita with the pretty thighs seeing the chief of Rakshasas coming towards her, folded and drew her thighs towards her and hid her breasts by both her hands.” 63-64
(This stanza gives an indication of the dress which she was wearing. It appears to be the two piece dress worn by women of the olden times.)
“That base ten headed one , addressing that Sita who was in great difficulty, who was trembling, who was seeing here and there, who was very sad because she saw no way out of her difficulties, who was depressed and who was praying God told, “Hey Sita, respect me. Hey proud one, you are not recognizing me because of your pride. . So if you continue in this state for another two months, I will drink all your blood.”” 65-67
“Hearing these words of Ravana who was a bad soul, Sita became very angry and told the following great words.” 68
“Hey base Rakshasa, Why is it that your toungue does not get detached because of saying these bad words addressing the daughter in law of Dasaratha who belonged to the clan of Ikshu Vaku and the wife of the very powerful Rama.” 69
“Hey sinner who is ungentlemanly , your valour which consisted of stealing me in the absence of my husband and when he was not able to see me is definitely meager.” 70
“You are not at all equal to Rama and you would not be appointed as a servant of him for that Raghava is truthful , worshipful and great admirer of war.” 71
( The idea expressed in the last sloka that he was a deceit and poor in war is expressed in different words.)
“Hearing these words from Janaki which were demeaning that ten headed one glittered in anger like the fire of the funeral pyre.” 72
“He rolled his two blood red eyes and with his right fist started killing Sita and his ladies shouted “Ha, Ha” “ 73
“Mandodari , the wife of the ten headed one and who was a great lady, stood up from the middle of the ladies and was stopped from carrying out his intention.” 74
( In the 40th sloka of 22nd chapter it is mentioned that he was prevented by Dhanya Mala. Scholars are of the opinion that Dhanya Mala was a different name of Mandodari She is the daughter of Maya the Asura architect and given as a gift to him by Goddess Parvathy..)
“She told him who was in great passion using sweet words ,” Hey Ravana who is equal to Indra, What is the use of Sita to you?” 75