46. THE SEARCH BEGINS :

"LOOK, Rama, at this Vanara army,"
said Sugriva. "All these myriads, of
wondrous strength, are yours to command.
They are willing and able to do you all the
service you demand. Consider this huge
army as your own and bid them to do
whatever you wish."


Rama, beside himself with joy;
embraced Sugriva. He said: "First we
should find out whether Sita is alive, and
if so where she is. Next we should know
Ravana's whereabouts. Then we shall do
what needs to be done. But it is for you,
not for me or Lakshmana, to command
this army. You are their King. Besides,
you know best what needs to be done and
how to do it. Blessed am I to have a friend
like you and a brother like Lakshmana!"
Then Sugriva issued stringent orders to
his commanders at once to send divisions
of the army to the four quarters of the
earth to make a thorough search for Sita.


After sending away the other leaders,
Sugriva took Hanuman aside and told
him: "Son of Vayu, possessing the
strength and splendor of your father, you
alone can succeed in this task. You have
strength, courage and intelligence and on
you I rely to take up and discharge this
responsibility of discovering Sita."


Rama too felt that Hanuman's efforts
would be crowned with success. Whatever
obstacles turned up, he felt that Hanuman
would find a way of overcoming them. He
gave his signet ring to Hanuman and said:
"Take this ring. I am full of hope that you
will discover Sita. This ring will tell her
that you are my messenger. Dear
Hanuman, may you bring Sita and me
together again!"


Readers should realise the solemnity
and pathos of the scene. Rama full of
abiding trust in the devoted loyalty and
valor of Hanuman placed the ring as
though it was his own hungry heart in his
servant's hand. The ideal servant accepted
the sacred trust with a deep reverence and
an unshakable resolve never to fail his
master.


Sugriva gave orders to his army. "Sita
must anyhow be discovered. No matter
where she is hidden, you can and must
find her. Within a month you must return
with news of her."


And the army swarmed out like ants
from an anthill and spread in the four
directions.


Satabali and his army proceeded
northwards. Vinata went east, Sushena
westwards, Hanuman, Angada and
General Tara travelled southwards.


All were equally enthusiastic and
equally eager to catch and kill Ravana and
redeem Sita. Each group was anxious to
be first to return with success. There was
tumultuous rivalry.


Rama enquired of Sugriva: "You
describe every quarter and region of the
earth like one who has seen the whole
world with his own eyes. How and when
did you see it all?"


"You will remember, my Lord," said
Sugriva, "how Vali pursued me in all
directions. Wherever I went, he still
pursued me. And so I had to wander over
the face of the whole world. I thus had
occasion to see every part of this planet.
Later, I learnt about the spot where Rishi
Matanga had built his ashrama. If Vali
entered that region, his head would go to
pieces by the sage's curse. I knew that he
would not come to that place and could
not harm me even if he came. So there I
lay protected."


The hordes that went north, east and
west returned in a month and reported that
Sita was not to be found anywhere.
"Carefully we searched forests,
mountains, rivers and cities, but nowhere
could we find her. Hanuman, who had
gone southwards, is the lucky one. Did not
the Rakshasa carrying Sita also travel
southwards? And Hanuman has not yet
returned."


Rama, hearing this, was satisfied that
the Vanaras had done their best.
Hanuman and Angada entered and
searched the caves and forests of the
Vindhyas. Then they came upon a desert,
where a rishi was performing tapas. By
his curse it was devoid of trees and plants,
of birds and beasts. Travelling further
south, they saw a big Asura. The cruel
one, regarding the Vanara crowd as a
good meal sprang up to catch them. They
thought at first that this was no other than
Ravana.


Angada rushed towards him and gave
him a mighty blow. Unable to stand it, the
Asura spat blood and fell on the earth and
lay dead like a great hill. Rejoicing in the
thought that Ravana was dead, the
Vanaras searched the forest for Sita. But,
there was no sign of her. And so they
carried the search elsewhere.


Often they would weary of their
fruitless search and sit down in blank
despair. At such times, Angada,
Gandhamadana or some other leader
would encourage them and make them
resume the search. Many days were spent
in this way. Yet Sita was not to be seen
and they dreaded Sugriva's displeasure.
Very far they travelled southwards in
their search.


Passing through a desert, fainting with
hunger and thirst, they saw a cave from
which issued a variety of birds full of the
joy of life. The gentle breeze which came
out of it covered them with the pollen of
lotus flowers and filled them with
fragrance. The Vanaras concluded:
"undoubtedly there was water where the
birds and perfume came from." And the
Vanaras forming a chain with linked
hands plunged cautiously into the dense
darkness of the cave with hearts full of
hope, though too parched with thirst even
to shout.


At long last, all of a sudden, light
appeared and they saw a lovely grove with
streams of pellucid water and trees
bowing under their wealth of fruit. Then
they came to a city, with streets paved
with jewels set in gold and great palaces
beautiful as a dream. They went along and
then they saw an aged tapasvini clad in
the garments of a recluse and seated on a
dark skin. The Vanaras trembled before
the divine splendor of her face.


Hanuman took courage to approach
her. Bowing low before her, he said:
"Salutations to you, Mother. May we
know who you are? Thirsty and tired, we
entered the dark cave hoping for some
water. And now that we see this
unpeopled golden city with trees and
tanks, we are afraid, lest this be a vain
vision arising from the madness of too
great sufferings. Explain all this to us and
remove our fears."


She answered: "How did you find your
way into this cave? You will have plenty
of fruits and drink here. This palace was
built by Maya, the architect of the
Danavas. He learnt the art from
Sukracharya. Long and happily did Maya
live here, till he incurred the enmity of
Indra, who slew him. Later Indra gave this
golden palace to Hema, my friend. These
buildings and parks are hers. At present
she has gone to the abode of the gods. But
what is your purpose in coming here?
Why did you weary yourselves wandering
in the forests? First eat, drink and refresh
yourselves and then tell me all about
yourselves."


They ate and drank and refreshed
themselves and were happy. Then
Hanuman explained to the ascetic the
purpose of their wandering.


"Rama, son of Emperor Dasaratha, for
some reason, left his kingdom and lived in
the forest with his brother and wife. Then
a Rakshasa carried off Sita, the wife of
Rama. The two went out searching for
her. They made the acquaintance of
Sugriva, the Vanara King, and became
friends with him. He has sent us on this
mission to search for Sita and find her for
Rama. Our King fixed a time limit for us
to return with a clue. We lost our way in
the darkness of this cave and the period is
now over. Now we do not know what to
do. Sugriva is a strict master. For failure
to do his bidding within the time set, he is
sure to visit us with the penalty of death."
Swayamprabha, that was the name of
the ascetic woman, said: "Alas! You
cannot by yourselves go out of this cave.
No stranger who enters it can go out of it
with life. But yours is a great mission and
I must, by my tapasya, transport you out.
Now shut your eyes."


Accordingly they shut their eyes. All at
once they found themselves on the
seashore.


Reaching the seashore, they looked
round and they were start led to discover
that it was the beginning of spring.
Angada lamented: "Alas! The time set has
been transgressed. If we return to
Kishkindha without any clue about Sita,
the King will surely punish us with death.
He hates me. It was under pressure from
Rama that he agreed to make me
Yuvaraja, not because of love for me.
Instead of going there and losing our
lives, let us fast and seek death here and
now." Many of his companions agreed
with Angada.


The Vanara General Tara said: "I do
not agree. Why should we end our lives?
Let us return to the cave of the tapasvini
Swamyamprabha and live there happily.
There is everything in plenty there.
Neither Sugriva nor anyone else can reach
this spot. We shall spend the rest of our
lives, free from care."


But Hanuman said: "What unworthy
talk is this! What pleasure is there in
eating, drinking and sleeping in the cave,
leaving our families in faraway
Kishkindha? Sugriva is a good king whom
we need not fear. And if indeed Sugriva is
angry with us and determined to punish
us, how can this cave give us safety? Can
it stand against Lakshmana's rage? Will he
not smash it to pieces and kill us? I see no
benefit in Tara's counsel. Let us return and
tell Sugriva the whole truth and beg for
his forgiveness. This is the only way to
safety."


"I do not agree with Hanuman," said
Angada. "Sugriva has no love or pity for
me. He is sure to kill me. He is of a cruel
nature. Remember how he killed my
father. He does not want me to live. He
will find some excuse or other for killing
me. He regards me as an obstacle in his
way and that of his progeny, who but for
me would inherit Kishkindha. To break a
promise is nothing to him. Did he not
forget his solemn pledge to Rama that he
would search for and recover Sita? Was it
not only for fear of Lakshmana and his
bow that he sent us on this search? My
poor bereaved mother has succumbed to
fear and accepted Sugriva's protection.


She clings to life for my sake. Hearing
that I am dead, she will end her life. Alas!
I am miserable and know not what to do."
"My death is certain", he said again, "if
I return to Kishkindha. It is far better to
fast to death here."


He spread on the ground the kusa grass
in the manner prescribed for the vow of
death, bowed to the gods and the dead and
sat facing east, determined to die.
When Angada the Yuvaraja took this
vow and sat in the posture of a fast unto
death, the other Vanaras cried in grief and,
resolving also to fast with him and die, sat
facing east.


From a neighboring hill, Sampati, the
vulture King, saw this crowd of Vanaras,
resigning themselves to fate. Having lost
his wings and being unable to move,
Sampati had been famishing for a long
time. He now rejoiced, saying to himself:
"So many monkeys are going to die here
together. I shall have enough food for a
long while without effort."


Meanwhile, the Vanaras, expecting
death, were recalling the past and talking
to one another and loudly lamenting over
all that had happened. "Because of
Kaikeyi, Dasaratha died," they said:
"Because of Dasaratha, Rama had to dwell
in the forest. Ravana carried off Sita. The
heroic Jatayu lost his life in the attempt to
save Sita. If the heroic bird had strength
enough to continue the struggle a little
longer, Rama and Lakshmana would have
arrived on the spot and recovered Sita. By
fate did all these things happen and the
end of the tale is that we are dying here. In
what curious ways does fate work!"
Listening to these lamentations,
Sampati stared at the mention of Jatayu
who was his brother. Hearing him spoken
of as dead, he naturally wished to hear the
whole story.


Sampati was very old. He and Jatayu
were the children of Aruna, the god of
Dawn and brother of Garuda, Hari's
vehicle. Jatayu and Sampati in their youth
competed with each other as to who could
fly higher and rose in the sky. As they
approached the sun the heat became
intolerable and Jatayu was about to be
burnt up.


But Sampati spread his wings and
protected his brother from the fury of the
sun. Jatayu was saved, but Sampati's
wings were burnt off. Unable to fly, he
fell down on a hill. Since then he could
not move but stayed in the same place
ever hungry for meal and just alive.
"Who brings sad news of my dear
brother Jatayu?" he cried in agony. "Oh,
Vanaras, is beloved Jatayu dead indeed?
Why did Rama son of King Dasaratha, go
to the forest? Why did he lose his wife?
Was Jatayu killed by Ravana? Tell me
all."


The Vanaras had resolved to end their
lives. The wingless, old vulture had
desired to make an easy meal of them. But
now things turned out otherwise. The
Vanaras got up, went to Sampati and
gently led him down from the hill. Then
they talked and exchanged information.
Sampati recounted his story. Angada
related all that had happened in
Kishkindha and asked old Sampati how
Rama could be helped.


Sampati was old and weak, but his eyes
had not lost their keenness. He could see
things very far off. He could see Sita
captive in Lanka and described in detail
the wealth of Ravana's kingdom. He saw
and described how Sita sat surrounded by
Rakshasis in Lanka. The Vanaras were
wild with joy. They jumped about saying,
"Now we know all about Sita. There is no
need for us to die, Rama's purpose will be
achieved."


Sampati's troubles were also over. The
boon he had received that when he helped
Rama he would get back his wings came
true and even as they were talking, young
feathers began to spring and grow on his
sides. Sampati now shone with fresh
beauty and he found satisfaction in
performing the funeral obsequies of
Jatayu.


Next  :  47. SON OF VAYU


Continues....