Ramayanam : (18/07/2013 )

SUGRIVA'S conjecture was like nectar to Rama's ears. They eagerly awaited the arrival of the Vanaras. In a short while a great clamor was in the air and the Vanara hordes alighted with cries of triumph. Hanuman and Angada leading, the Vanaras marched to the presence of their king who with Rama and Lakshmana was awaiting their coming. Hanuman bowed and said: "Seen have I the Goddess of purity, your queen. She is safe and well in Lanka. I salute her from here across space." And he turned southwards and offered worshipful salutation. Thus succinctly did Hanuman convey to the prince the glad news that Sita was found and was well in body and mind. Sugriva and Lakshmana, beside themselves with joy, embraced Rama. "Dear Vanara friends," exclaimed the Prince of Ayodhya, "tell me where exactly Sita is. How is she? How did you manage to see her? Tell me everything in detail." His eager inquiries came quick upon one...

BESIDE themselves with joy at the sight of Hanuman, the Vanaras assembled on the Mahendra peak. And the veteran Jambavan welcoming the son of Vayu with great affection, spoke on behalf of all. "We are eager to hear a full account of your journey and its triumphant conclusion. More particularly, we are anxious to know how you discovered Sita. How is she now? What is the state of her mind and body? And dear son of Anjana, tell us about Ravana's state and behavior. After knowing everything we shall be in a position to consider and decide what needs to be done next. " Hanuman tendered mental salutations to Sita and began his story. "You know how I sprang into the sky from this peak. As I was flying over the sea, a golden mountain rose suddenly above the surface of the water. I thought it was something rising up to obstruct me and I gave it a flick with my tail. Meekly receiving the blow, the mountain said in a sweet voice: 'My...

His captors took him to the court of Ravana and placed him in front of the King. Forgetting the pain and insults he had borne, Hanuman gazed with wrathful curiosity at the giant monarch. As he gazed at him resplendent on his throne a sort of pitying admiration of the doomed Rakshasa entered his thoughts. Clad in silk of golden hue, with the royal crown on his head, the jewels inlaid in it shining brilliantly, Ravana sat there, a figure of dazzling splendor. The whole court was brilliant with shining gold and gems, pearls and silk. His dark body, lit up by the marks of royalty, looked like a great radiant hill. "Alas!" thought Hanuman full of anger, wonder and pity. "If only this great one had not swerved from the path of dharma, not even Indra could equal him. What a form, what radiance, what strength! Trusting to the boon he had secured, he took to wicked ways and has lost his happiness and forfeited his greatness." As H...

VALMIKI describes in beautiful verses how the youthful warrior Aksha, the equal of the gods, rode to battle in a chariot drawn by eight horses. Who can put up in a different tongue Valmiki's poetry describing the beauty of forests and the terrible fury of encounters between warriors? The rhythm and grandeur of his words convey the terror and majesty of what he describes. This power is Valmiki's special gift. We can only summarise in pedestrian prose his glowing account, of the battle between Aksha, the beloved son of Ravana, and Hanuman. In a golden chariot acquired through tapasya rode Ravana's young son. When he saw Hanuman, seated on the stone battlement above the gateway, and noted approvingly the beautiful symmetry of his mighty limbs, and the majestic intrepidity of his look, Aksha felt that here was a foe worthy of his steel. He summoned all his strength and resolution to do him honor. The young warrior aimed three sharp arrows...

THE Rakshasa warriors saw with amazement a mighty Vanara seated on the garden gate, who at their approach grew to still bigger size and formidable menace. "Oh! You have come, have you?" he said and, jumping down, brandished his tail, and striking the ground with it, roared till the four quarters shook. He snatched the huge iron bar from the gate and, armed with this weapon, began to attack them all. He sprang and leaped in all directions and, whirling the iron rod, struck the Rakshasas down, one by one. After finishing them thus, he resumed his seat on the top of the pillared entrance, and roared once again. "Long live Rama! Long live Lakshmana!" he loudly proclaimed. "Long live King Sugriva! Oh! Ye Rakshasas of Lanka, your doom are near. The great warriors Rama and Lakshmana and King Sugriva have sent me here to destroy you. Come on in your thousands. I stand here ready to hurl you to destruction. I have saluted Sita and ...

AFTER taking leave of Sita, Hanuman sat for a while on the top of the garden wall and began to think: "What can I do to put courage into Sita and some fear into Ravana and his friends to shake their arrogant confidence? It would be good to leave them some souvenir of my visit, some indication of what the future has in store for them. It is clear I must instill some fear into Ravana to prevent him from troubling Sita in the meantime. Fear is the only argument they understand. Ravana has untold wealth and one cannot part his friends from him. Hence sama (conciliation), dana (buying over) and bheda (sowing discord) are useless in this case. I should therefore do something terrible to frighten them, and warn them, not to ill-treat Sita. Yes, I must do this before I go away." At once he began to grow and assumed a huge form and began to lay waste the grove. Trees fell cracking to the ground, bowers collapsed, tanks and artificial hills were di...