Sundara Kanda, Sarga 1

Meaning

In order to discover the whereabouts of Sītā, who had been taken away by Rāvaṇa, Hanumān, the scourge of his foes, wished to course through the heavens, the path of the Cāraṇas or celestial bards. (1)

Meaning

With his head and neck exalted, Hanumān, the monkey chief, who sought to accomplish without any other support a feat, which was difficult for others to perform, looked like a well-built bull. (2)

Meaning

Scaring away the birds, nay, pulverizing the trees with his breast and crushing very many deer and other wild animals under his feet, the brave and wise Hanumān, who was endowed with extraordinary might, trod at ease, in the meantime, like a full-grown lion on the swards possessing the hue of a cat’s-eye gem and stretching evenly like a sheet of green water. (3-4)

Meaning

Stopping short at the well-known foot of that jewel among mountains—which was crowded with lordly elephants, was rendered most charming by spotless natural minerals of purple, rosy, ruby-like and white and black hues and was constantly visited by Yakṣas (a class of demigods ruled over by Kubera, the god of riches), Kinnaras (a class of semi-divine beings credited with a human figure and the head of a horse or with a horse’s body and a human head), Gandharvas (celestial musicians), and Nāgas (serpent-demons believed to have a human face with serpent-like lower extremities), who very nearly resembled the gods, were capable of changing their form at will and were accompanied by their retinue—Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, looked like a large-bodied elephant standing in a pool. (5—7)

Meaning

Joining his palms by way of salutation to the sun-god, the mighty Indra (the ruler of gods), the wind-god (his own procreant), Brahmā (the self-born) and the genii (the attendants of Lord Śiva), he made up his mind to depart. (8)

Meaning

Joining his palms towards the east in salutation to the wind-god, his procreant, the proficient Hanumān then actually grew in size in order to proceed to the southern quarter. (9)

Meaning

Gazed on with wonder and love by foremost of the monkeys and having resolved to take a leap, he swelled in size further for the purpose of Śrī Rāma as the sea swells on the full-moon days. (10)

Meaning

Wishing to leap across the sea, his body having grown immensely, Hanumān pressed the mountain with his hands and feet. (11)

Meaning

Pressed by Hanumān, the aforesaid mountain forthwith shook awhile and caused all the flowers of the trees standing on it to fall, the ends of their branches being laden with blossom. (12)

Meaning

Covered on all sides with that fragrant shower of flowers, discharged by the trees, the mountain appeared as though it were all flowers. (13)

Meaning

Nay, while being pressed by Hanumān, who was endowed with surpassing might, the said mountain spurted water profusely even as an elephant in rut would exude ichor in abundance. (14)

Meaning

Being pressed by that mighty monkey, the Mahendra mountain for its part let loose streams possessing the hues of gold, antimony and silver, flowing, as they did, through beds containing the ore of these metals. (15)

Meaning

The mountain also discharged from its flanks massive boulders containing realgar even as a fire burning with a mild flame would release columns of smoke. (16)

Meaning

Being tormented by the squeezing, the mountain, which was being hard pressed by Hanumān, the creatures took to caverns and shrieked in unnatural tones. (17)

Meaning

That loud clamour of the creatures inhabiting the mountain, occasioned by the circumstance of pressure exerted on the mountain by Hanumān, filled the earth as well as the four quarters and the groves. (18)

Meaning

Vomiting a terrible fire through their large heads (mouths,) which revealed the marks of Swastika on them, snakes bit the rocks with their fangs. (19)

Meaning

Bitten by those venomous serpents provoked to anger, the aforesaid huge rocks burst into flames as though lighted by fire, and got split up into thousands of fragments. (20)

Meaning

Even the bunches of medicinal herbs, capable of counteracting poison, which had sprung up on that mountain, could not neutralize the poison of the snakes. (21)

Meaning

Alarmed to think that the mountain in question was being riven by genii, ascetics practising austerities on it as well as the Vidyādharas enjoying life there with the hosts of their womenfolk rose in the air from that mountain. (22)

Meaning

Leaving their gold jug of wine lying in the liquor-house as well as their precious utensils and gold vases for carrying water as also sauces of every description capable of being licked and articles of food that could be easily gulped, fruit pulps of various kinds, shields made of the hides of oxen and swords with gold hilts, the intoxicated Vidyādharas with reddish lotus-like eyes, who had put garlands around their neck, and were decorated with red flowers and daubed with red sandal-paste, rose to the heavens. (23—25)

Meaning

Wearing pearl necklaces, anklets, armlets and bangles, the Vidyādhara women stood astonished and full of smiles with their husbands in the airspace. (26)

Meaning

Revealing their great skill in the form of capability to remain standing in the airspace, which had obviously been acquired through some magical spell, the Vidyādharas, who looked like eminent sages, stood in a body in the airspace and gazed down on the mountain. (27)

Meaning

Nay, they heard at that time the following observation of the pure-minded Ṛṣis (seers of Vedic Mantras), Cāraṇas (celestial bards) and Siddhas (a class of demigods endowed with mystic powers from their very birth) standing like them in the cloudless sky: (28)

Meaning

“Looking like a mountain in size and possessed of extraordinary vigour, the yonder Hanumān, son of the wind-god, seeks to leap across the sea, the abode of Varuṇa, the god of water. (29)

Meaning

“Eager to perform for the cause of Śrī Rāma and the monkeys, a feat which is hard to accomplish, he seeks to touch the other (opposite) shore of the sea, which is difficult to reach.” (30)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid remarks of those ascetics, the Vidyādharas espied on the mountain-like Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, whose strength was beyond measure. (31)

Meaning

Nay, looking like a flame, Hanumān shook the hair on his body and quivered and loudly thundered like a huge cloud. (32)

Meaning

While about to spring up, he stretched out his prominent tail which was thickly set with hair and had been successively rolled up in a circle—as Garuḍa, the king of birds, would jolt a snake. (33)

Meaning

Curled at his back, the tail of Hanumān, who was full of great vigour, looked like a huge serpent being borne away by Garuḍa. (34)

Meaning

Hanumān firmly fixed on the mountain his arms, which resembled a pair of huge iron clubs, and crouched at the waist and also contracted his feet. (35)

Meaning

Nay, drawing in his arms and likewise his neck too, the glorious and powerful Hanumān summoned all his energy, courage and virility. (36)

Meaning

Having cast his eyes upwards in order to survey the long distance he had to cover, he held his breath in the heart while looking into the sky. (37)

Meaning

Having firmly established himself with his feet, and contracting his ears, while about to leap, Hanumān, that elephant among the monkeys, nay, the foremost of monkeys, who was endowed with extraordinary might, addressed the following words to the monkeys: “Even as an arrow shot by Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, would fly with the speed of the wind, I too would, likewise, course to Laṅkā, which is guarded by Rāvaṇa. If, however, I don’t find Sītā, the daughter of Janaka, in Laṅkā, I shall certainly proceed with the same speed to heaven, the abode of gods. If I don’t find Sītā in heaven even after exerting myself much, I shall bring Rāvaṇa, the ruler of ogres, in chains. At all events I shall return successful with Sītā. Or, else I shall bring Laṅkā with Rāvaṇa after uprooting it.” (38—42)

Meaning

Saying so, Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, for his part, who was full of vigour, sprang up in the sky with impetuosity, unmindful of the exertion. Nay, that elephant among the monkeys accounted himself a compeer of Garuḍa. (43-44)

Meaning

Drawing together all their boughs even while Hanumān sprang up in the sky with vehemence, the aforesaid trees growing on the mountain flew with force on all sides. (45)

Meaning

Bearing aloft in his great onrush the trees charming with flowers and with lapwings in heat perched on them, Hanumān coursed through the cloudless sky. (46)

Meaning

Swept away by the force of his thighs, the trees followed the monkey for a while like relatives accompanying their near and dear ones set out on a long journey. (47)

Meaning

Uprooted by the impetus of his thighs, sal and other excellent trees followed Hanumān even as troops would follow a king. (48)

Meaning

Followed by numerous trees with their extremities laden with blossoms, Hanumān, who looked like a mountain in size, presented a weird appearance. (49)

Meaning

Trees, which were solid, forthwith sank into the brackish sea even as mountains in the hoary past took a plunge into the ocean (the abode of Varuṇa) in fear of the mighty Indra. (50)

Meaning

Covered with flowers of every kind, dropped from the trees that followed him, including shoots and buds, the aforesaid Hanumān, who resembled a cloud, shone brightly as a mountain with fireflies. (51)

Meaning

Shedding their blossom when receded by his impetus, the said trees dropped into the water of the sea like near and dear ones returned after escorting their relative up to the margin of water. (52)

Meaning

Swept away by the wind set in motion by Hanumān dashing forward across the sky, the blossom on the trees, consisting of every variety, dropped on the ocean and presented a curious sight while floating, endowed as they were with lightness of weight. Carpeted with them, that vast sea looked charming like the star-spangled sky. (53)

Meaning

Covered with a shower of fragrant flowers of various tints, Hanumān actually looked charming like a rising cloud streaked with flashes of lightning. (54)

Meaning

Overspread with flowers scattered by his impetus, the sea-water resembled the firmament spangled with lovely stars just risen. (55)

Meaning

His two arms outstretched in space looked like a pair of five-hooded serpents risen from a mountain-top. (56)

Meaning

Nay, while looking downward the mighty Hanumān appeared as though drinking up the vast sea alongwith the mass of its waves; and looking upwards, he appeared keen to imbibe the sky. (57)

Meaning

The eyes of Hanumān, who was following the course of the wind, blazed like a pair of fires burning on a mountain, flashing as they did like lightning. (58)

Meaning

Nay, the reddish-brown large round eyes of Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, shed their bright light like the moon and the sun shining together. (59)

Meaning

Due to the reflection of his coppery nose, his countenance looked red as the solar orb embraced by dusk. (60)

Meaning

Moreover, the coiled tail of Hanumān, son of the wind-god, darting across the sky looked charming like a tall banner hoisted (on the twelfth day of the bright half of Bhādrapada) in honour of lndra, the ruler of gods. (61)

Meaning

With his curled tail and white teeth, the highly intelligent Hanumān, an offspring of the wind-god, shone brightly as the sun encircled by a misty halo. (62)

Meaning

With his deep-red rump, that mighty Hanumān looked splendid like a mountain with a large deposit of red chalk rent asunder. (63)

Meaning

The wind passing through the arm-pits of that leonine Hanumān, bounding over the sea, thundered like a cloud. (64)

Meaning

That elephant among the monkeys was seen darting much in the same way as a meteor risen from the upper part of the northern quarter shoots alongwith its tail-like extremity. (65)

Meaning

The enormous monkey, Hanumān, who resembled the moving sun, looked charming with his tail entwined round his waist as a fully developed elephant with a girth tied round its waist. (66)

Meaning

Coursing above with his body and with his reflection immersed in water, Hanumān looked at that time like a vessel propelled by the wind above and sailing on the sea below. (67)

Meaning

Whichever part of the sea that enormous Hanumān passed over, it looked actually riotous, as it were, due to the impetus of his body and terrific speed. (68)

Meaning

Full of extraordinary vehemence, that huge monkey, Hanumān, dashed forward actually smashing with his breast the rows of waves of the sea, rising as high as mountains. (69)

Meaning

The mighty wind generated by the impetus of Hanumān as well as the wind set in motion by clouds, when adrift, violently agitated the sea, which began to roar terribly. (70)

Meaning

Forcibly drawing series of huge billows in the salt sea, Hanumān, a tiger among monkeys, sped along agitating the earth and heaven both, as it were. (71)

Meaning

Hanumān, who was rushing alongwith great speed, moved on counting, as it were, the billows resembling Mounts Meru and Mandara in size, raised in the vast sea. (72)

Meaning

The water raised by his onrush and hanging in the air alongwith clouds looked exceptionally charming at that time like an outstretched mass of autumnal clouds. (73)

Meaning

Exposed at that time on account of the sea-water being raised by the onrush of Hanumān, whales, crocodiles, alligators and turtles became visible even like the limbs of men uncovered by drawing the covering off. (74)

Meaning

Keenly observing that tiger among the monkeys coursing through space, the serpents moving in the sea forthwith took him to be Garuḍa endowed with lovely wings. (75)

Meaning

The shadow of that lion among monkeys, Hanumān, which was ten Yojanas (or eighty miles) wide and thirty Yojanas (or two hundred forty miles) long, appeared lovelier due to the rapidity of his movement. (76)

Meaning

Falling on the salt sea and following Hanumān, an offspring of the wind-god, that shadow of his looked charming like a row of clouds sailing in the white sky. (77)

Meaning

On his aerial path, where he had nothing to rest upon, that great monkey of vast proportions, who was endowed with extraordinary energy, appeared lovely like a winged mountain. (78)

Meaning

The sea below the path by which that mighty elephant-like monkey, Hanumān, moved with speed, got suddenly transformed into a trough, as it were. (79)

Meaning

Coursing through the path of birds like Garuḍa, the king of winged creatures, Hanumān appeared like the wind drawing away clouds with force. (80)

Meaning

Being drawn by Hanumān, big clouds, which were either white or reddish in colour or blue or madder-coloured, looked charming; (81)

Meaning

Repeatedly entering into the masses of clouds and then emerging, he looked like the hidden and the visible moon, respectively. (82)

Meaning

Seeing the aforesaid Hanumān bounding apace at that time, gods, Gandharvas (celestial songsters) and Dānavas (demons) rained flowers on him. (83)

Meaning

The sun did not actually scorch Hanumān, the ruler of monkeys, who was travelling for the sake of accomplishing his object in the shape of Śrī Rāma’s task viz., the quest of Sītā; while the wind-god ministered to him by fanning him with a delightful breeze in order to refresh him. (84)

Meaning

Nay, Ṛṣis (seers of Vedic Mantras) extolled Hanumān coursing through airspace; while gods and Gandharvas sang praises in order to sustain him in his arduous journey. (85)

Meaning

Observing Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, with a smile on his lips and entirely free from languor, Nāgas (semi-divine beings having the face of a man and the tail of a serpent, and inhabiting Pātāla) and Yakṣas (a class of demigods) as well as ogres of all classes—all lauded him. (86)

Meaning

While Hanumān, that tiger among monkeys, was moving along through airspace, the deity presiding over oceans, who sought to do honour to the lineage of Ikṣwāku, to which Śrī Rāma had the honour to belong, reflected as follows : (87)

Meaning

‘If I do not lend assistance to Hanumān, a leader of monkeys, I shall incur the obloquy of all among those gifted with speech. (88)

Meaning

‘I was greatly extended by King Sagara, the protector of Ikṣwāku’s race, while Hanumān is helping Śrī Rāma, a descendant of Ikṣwāku. He must not, therefore, come to grief in this journey. (89)

Meaning

‘I should so arrange that Hanumān may rest awhile. Having rested awhile on me, I am sure he will leap across the rest of the sea with ease.’ (90)

Meaning

Having made this righteous resolve, the god presiding over the oceans spoke as follows to Maināka, the foremost of mountains, consisting mainly of gold and submerged in water : (91)

Meaning

“You have actually been established here by the high-souled Indra, the ruler of gods, by way of a barrier against the intrusion into the terrestrial region of the hordes of demons inhabiting Pātāla, the nethermost subterranean region. (92)

Meaning

“You stand here blocking the entrance of the immeasurable Pātāla against the aforesaid demons, whose valour is well known and who are prone to come up to the surface of this earth once more. (93)

Meaning

“The capacity to grow from side to side (horizontally) as also upwards and downwards (vertically) is there in you, O mountain! I, therefore, command you as follows: please swell upwards, O jewel among mountains! (94)

Meaning

“Here is the powerful Hanumān of terrific deeds, a veritable tiger among monkeys, who has already sprung in the sky, seeking, as he does, to achieve the purpose of Śrī Rāma, passing over you. (95)

Meaning

“Assistance must be rendered by me to Hanumān, who is a servant of the House of Ikṣwāku. The Ikṣwākus are worthy of adoration to me and are by far the highest object of veneration to you. (96)

Meaning

“Therefore, please render assistance to us. Our plan should not be allowed to miscarry through default. A duty which needs must be performed is likely to rouse the anger of the virtuous if not scrupulously discharged. (97)

Meaning

“Therefore, rise up from the water. Let Hanumān stand on you. Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, is our unexpected guest and worthy of our adoration, too. (98)

Meaning

“Having rested on you, O mountain with a lofty peak of gold and frequented by gods and Gandharvas, Hanumān will then cover the remaining distance. (99)

Meaning

“Nay, fully considering the soft-heartedness of Śrī Rāma, a scion of Kakutstha, as well as of Sītā, a princess of Mithilā, living perforce in an alien land, as also the exertion of Hanumān, a leader of monkeys, you ought to rise up.” (100)

Meaning

Hearing the aforesaid words of Varuṇa, the deity presiding over the salty sea, Mount Maināka, which contained deposits of gold in its bowels and was covered by large trees and creepers, instantly emerged from under the water. (101)

Meaning

Dividing the sea-water, Maināka rose very high at that moment even as the sun with its brilliant rays would, tearing the veil of a cloud. (102)

Meaning

Enjoined by the deity presiding over the ocean, the aforesaid mountain of vast proportions, which had heretofore been covered with water, revealed its peaks in an instant. (103)

Meaning

The mountain looked charming with its peaks of gold, which were inhabited by Kinnaras (a class of demigods with a human figure and the head of a horse) and huge serpents, and shimmered like the sun at dawn, and which were scraping the skies, as it were. (104)

Meaning

Due to the towering peaks of that mountain, consisting of gold, the blue sky which shone like a sword, now shed the lustre of gold. (105)

Meaning

With its shining peaks of gold, emitting a dazzling splendour, that jewel among mountains shone brightly like a hundred suns. (106)

Meaning

Hanumān positively considered the mountain, which instantly stood very high before him in the midst of the salty sea, to be a stumbling block in his journey. (107)

Meaning

Hanumān, the mighty monkey, who was possessed of great impetuosity, felled with his breast the exceedingly lofty mountain even as the wind would strike down a cloud. (108)

Meaning

Worsted on that occasion by the aforesaid Hanumān and recognizing his impetuosity, Maināka, the foremost of mountains, felt rejoiced and roared too. (109)

Meaning

Assuming the form of a human being and standing on his own summit, the mountain, which stood very high once more in the sky, glad at heart, lovingly spoke as follows to Hanumān, the heroic monkey, who still remained in the sky: “You have undertaken this task, which is hard to accomplish, O jewel among monkeys! (110-111)

Meaning

“Alighting on my peaks and having comfortably rested awhile, resume your journey with renewed vigour. The ocean was extended by the sons of Sagara, who were born in the ancestry of Śrī Rāma. (112)

Meaning

“The deity presiding over the said sea seeks to offer respect to you, who are engaged in the service of Śrī Rāma. And service must be rendered in return for a service: such is the eternal law. (113)

Meaning

“Hence, seeking to repay that obligation of his benefactors, the sons of Sagara, this Ocean merits attention in the shape of willingness to accept his hospitality by you. I have, therefore, been very politely charged by him in the following words to honour you: (114)

Meaning

“ ‘Hanumān has taken a leap in the sky with a view to covering a distance of even a hundred Yojanas (or eight hundred miles). Having rested awhile on your peaks, he may cover the remaining distance.’ (115)

Meaning

“Therefore, tarry, O tiger among monkeys, and proceed further after reposing on me for some time. Here are abundant bulbs, roots and fruits, both fragrant and luscious. (116)

Meaning

“Having relished them, O jewel among monkeys, and reposed for a short while, you should then proceed on your course. Indeed we too have some relation with you, O jewel among monkeys ! You are a repository of great virtues and are widely known in all the three worlds. (117)

Meaning

“I account you the most prominent among monkeys, who are given to leaping and full of vigour, O elephant among monkeys! (118)

Meaning

“Even an ordinary newcomer is surely deserving of adoration at the hands of a discerning man who is keen to know his duty, much more so an individual such as you. (119)

Meaning

“Indeed, you are a son of the high-souled wind-god, the most pre-eminent among gods, and the only one equal to him in speed, O elephant among monkeys! (120)

Meaning

“On your being adored, a knower as you are of what is right, the wind-god will have received my homage. You are worthy of adoration to me for that reason. Know one further reason for my adoring the wind-god through you : (121)

Meaning

“Formerly, in Satyayuga, O dear one, mountains were endowed with wings. Full of speed they too used to range all the four quarters even like so many Garuḍas. (122)

Meaning

“Therefore, when they moved with speed to and fro, hosts of gods with Ṛṣis (seers of Vedic Mantras) and spirits too fell a prey to panic, seized as they were with the apprehension of their falling. (123)

Meaning

“Provoked to anger by their fear, Indra (who is presupposed to have performed a hundred Aśwamedha sacrifices in his previous existences as a condition precedent for attaining that position) thereupon lopped off with his thunderbolt the wings of mountains in hundreds of thousands. (124)

Meaning

“Lifting up his thunderbolt in anger, the aforesaid Indra, the ruler of gods, approached me too; I, however, was thereupon suddenly tossed into the sky by the high-souled wind-god and then violently cast into this salty sea. In this way my wings were preserved; nay, I was saved with all my being by your father, O jewel among monkeys ! (125-126)

Meaning

“Therefore, do I esteem you and you are worthy of honour to me, O son of the wind-god ! This bond of mine with you in the shape of your being my benefactor’s son is full of great potentialities, O leader of monkeys ! (127)

Meaning

“This long awaited and welcome opportunity of repaying my debt to your father having thus fortunately arrived, you ought to oblige the deity presiding over the ocean as well as myself with a glad heart, O highly talented Hanumān ! (128)

Meaning

“Therefore, pray, relieve your fatigue and accept my hospitality as well as my affection, O jewel among the monkeys ! I am pleased to see you, worthy of honour as you are to me.” (129)

Meaning

Spoken to as above by Maināka, Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, replied as follows to the aforesaid jewel among mountains: “I am pleased with you and homage has been done by you in the form of kind words. Let this sad thought that your hospitality has not been accepted by me be banished from your mind. (130)

Meaning

“The time allotted to my duty of leaping across the sea and tracing out Sītā is hastening me. The day too is passing. Nay, plighted word has been given by me to my fellow monkeys to the effect that I would not tarry here midway.” (131)

Meaning

Saying so and touching the mountain with his hand as a token of respect and friendship, nay, rising to the skies, the valiant Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, sped on as though heartily laughing. (132)

Meaning

He was on that occasion regarded with great esteem, adored and cheered with suitable benedictions by the deities presiding over the mountain and the ocean both. (133)

Meaning

Then, rising high, nay, leaving the mountain as well as the ocean, far below and reaching the path of the wind (i.e., his father), Hanumān coursed through the cloudless sky. (134)

Meaning

Rising still higher and looking on the mountain below, Hanumān, a son of the wind-god, an elephant among the monkeys, moved on unsupported in the sky. (135)

Meaning

Seeing the aforesaid second feat of Hanumān, viz., refusal on his part to seize the golden opportunity offered to him by Mount Maināka to rest on its peaks, which was most difficult to accomplish, the gods, and the Siddhas as well as the greatest Ṛṣis—all lauded him. (136)

Meaning

The gods, who happened to be on the mountain (at that time in order to see what the mountain intended to do by rising up), nay, Indra, the thousand-eyed god, too, all were pleased with the act of offering hospitality and foothold to Hanumān by that golden mountain with beautiful slopes. (137)

Meaning

The sagacious Indra (the spouse of Śaci) on his own initiative addressed the following words in faltering tones through intense gratification to Maināka, the foremost of mountains, distinguished by charming slopes : (138)

Meaning

“I am extremely pleased with you, O lord of mountains with peaks of gold! I grant you immunity from all fear of being shorn of your wings by me. Therefore, proceed according to your pleasure, O gentle one! (139)

Meaning

“Exceedingly valuable assistance has been rendered by you to Hanumān, who is fearlessly attempting to leap over a distance of hundred Yojanas (or eight hundred miles), even though there is every risk of his getting exhausted in the course of his journey and falling down, and who has had the mental satisfaction of having rested. (140)

Meaning

“This monkey is journeying only for the benefit of Śrī Rāma, son of Daśaratha. And I have been highly gratified by you through a good turn done to Hanumān according to your capacity.” (141)

Meaning

Seeing Indra, the ruler of gods, highly gratified, Maināka, the foremost of mountains, derived deep and abundant joy. (142)

Meaning

Having been granted, as above, by Indra the boon of security, the aforesaid mountain then stood rooted as before, below the surface of sea-water; while Hanumān shortly sped over the sea. (143)

Meaning

Thereupon the gods, Siddhas and the most eminent Ṛṣis with Gandharvas approached and spoke as follows to Surasā, mother of the Nāgas, who shone brightly like the sun : (144)

Meaning

“This glorious son of the wind-god, Hanumān by name, is leaping across the sea. Assuming the exceedingly hideous form of an ogress, gigantic as a mountain, and revealing a head looking fearful with its tusks and red-brown eyes and reaching up to the sky, pray, you interrupt him awhile. (145-146)

Meaning

“We seek to ascertain his strength and more so his prowess whether he will conquer you with expediency or give way to despondency.” (147)

Meaning

Assuming in mid-sea, when spoken to and honoured by the gods, the form of an ogress, which was deformed and ugly too, nay, inspiring fear to all and encompassing Hanumān, who was leaping forward, Surasā for her part spoke to him, they say, as follows : (148-149)

Meaning

“You have been destined by the lords of the universe to serve as my food, O, jewel among the monkeys ! I shall accordingly eat you up; pray ! enter for good this mouth of mine. (150)

Meaning

“A boon to this effect that I shall be able to catch up and devour whosoever comes up before me was granted in my favour by the creator, Brahmā.” Opening her vast mouth with these words, she speedily stood up before Hanumān, son of the wind-god. (151)

Meaning

Accosted thus by Surasā, Hanumān with his face lit up with excessive joy, replied as follows: “A son of Emperor Daśaratha, Śrī Rāma by name, entered deep into the Danḍaka forest with his younger brother, Laksmana, as well as his consort, Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory. (152)

Meaning

“Sītā, the illustrious consort of Śrī Rāma, was carried off by Rāvaṇa while Śrī Rāma was engaged in chasing and killing the demon, Marica, since the ogres bore deep-rooted enmity to him. (153) “At the command of Śrī Rāma, I am going to seek her presence as his messenger. You ought to render assistance to Śrī Rāma, O ogress inhabiting his dominion, which extends over the whole earth ! (154)

Meaning

“Or, if you are bent on devouring me at all costs, I promise you in good faith: having seen Sītā, a princess of Mithilā, as well as reporting to Śrī Rāma, who is unwearied in action, I shall seek your mouth.” (155)

Meaning

Spoken to as aforesaid, Surasā, who was capable of assuming any form at will, rejoined : “None dare elude me: such is the boon granted in my favour.” (156)

Meaning

Perceiving him on the journey nevertheless, that mother of the Nāgas, Surasā, who was keen to ascertain the strength of Hanumān, said: (157)

Meaning

“You must proceed only after entering my mouth for once today, O jewel among the monkeys ! Such is the boon granted in my favour by the creator, Brahmā, in the past.” Saying so and opening her enormous mouth, she hastily stood in front of Hanumān, son of the wind-god. Provoked to anger when spoken to in these words by Surasā, Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, said, “Extend your mouth so that you may be able to sustain me.” Saying so to Surasā, whose mouth was ten Yojanas (or eighty miles) wide, Hanumān then angrily assumed a height of ten Yojanas. Seeing him ten Yojanas high and resembling a cloud, Surasā too made her mouth twenty Yojanas (or one hundred and sixty, miles) wide. (158—161)

Meaning

Enraged at this, Hanumān for his part became thirty Yojanas (or two hundred and forty miles) high. Surasā, likewise, made her mouth forty Yojanas (or three hundred and twenty miles) wide. (162)

Meaning

Thereupon the gallant Hanumān became fifty Yojanas (or four hundred miles) high, while Surasā made her mouth sixty Yojanas (or four hundred and eighty miles) wide.(163)

Meaning

That very moment the valiant Hanumān became seventy Yojanas (or five hundred and sixty miles) high and Surasā too made her mouth eighty Yojanas (or six hundred and forty miles) wide. (164)

Meaning

Hanumān, who was blazing like fire, thereupon became ninety Yojanas (or seven hundred and twenty miles) high and Surasā widened her mouth to a hundred Yojanas (or eight hundred miles). (165)*

Meaning

Seeing the aforesaid mouth opened by Surasā, which with its long tongue was extremely terrible to look at and was a replica of hell, and contracting his body like a cloud, Hanumān, son of the wind-god, was reduced to the breadth of a thumb the same moment. (166-167)

Meaning

Having entered her mouth and coming out forthwith, the glorious Hanumān, who was endowed with extraordinary might, spoke to her as follows standing in airspace : (168)

Meaning

“Indeed, I have entered your mouth and the boon granted to you has been honoured. My salutation be to you, O daughter of Dakṣa ! I shall now move to the place where Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, is.” (169)

Meaning

Seeing him released from her mouth as the moon gets released from the mouth of the demon Rāhu, and appearing in her native form, the goddess Surasā said to the monkey : (170)

Meaning

“Move according to your pleasure for accomplishing your mission, O gentle Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, and unite Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, with the high-souled Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu.” (171)

Meaning

Witnessing this third feat of Hanumān in the shape of escaping alive from the mouth of Surasā, which was most difficult to accomplish, living beings, who were watching it, applauded the monkey on that occasion, exclaiming “Well done, excellent !” (172)

Meaning

Drawing near the inviolable sea, the abode of Varuṇa, the god of water, and coursing through the air, he moved on with speed like Garuḍa. (173)

Meaning

Like Garuḍa, Hanumān, son of the wind-god, coursed through the path of the wind, which was refreshed by torrents and frequented by birds, was traversed by masters of music and dancing (Tumburu and other Gandharvas) and used by Airāvata (a celestial elephant which carries Indra on its back), and was adorned with stainless fast-moving aerial cars drawn by lions, elephants, tigers, birds and serpents; which was presided over and rendered charming by highly blessed souls, who had performed meritorious deeds in their previous lives and had accordingly won their residence in heaven, were hard to the touch like a diamond and thunderbolt and shone like fire; which was inhabited by the god of fire abundantly carrying oblations to the various gods, and was richly adorned with planets, lunar asterisks, the moon, the sun and groups of stars; which was ever thronged with hosts of eminent Ṛṣis (the seers of Vedic Mantras), Gandharvas, Nāgas and Yakṣas, and was isolated, cloudless and spacious and frequented by Viśwāvasu, the chief of Gandharvas; nay which was traversed by elephants (other than Airāvata) belonging to Indra, the ruler of gods, was the peaceful orbit of the sun and the moon, and served as an extensive canopy for the world of living beings, spread by Brahmā, the creator, and which was frequented by numerous heroes ascending to heaven by virtue of their laying down their life in a righteous cause and blocked by Vidyādharas (celestial artists). (174—180)

Meaning

Like the wind, Hanumān dragged along with him masses of clouds of the same colour as Agallocam (the black aloe) as also red, yellow and white in colour. (181)

Meaning

Drawn by Hanumān, the huge clouds looked charming. Penetrating the masses of clouds and coming out again and again, he shone forth at that moment like the moon emerging from and entering into the clouds during the monsoon. Eagerly watched everywhere by all, Hanumān, son of the wind-god, sped through the supportless sky like Sumeru, the king of mountains, endowed with wings. Seeing him moving on, an ogress, Siṁhikā by name, who was able to change her form at will, and had grown out of all proportion, thought for her part within herself: “Today I shall be sated for a long time to come. After a long wait this huge creature has fallen in my grasp.” Reflecting thus in her heart, she clutched his shadow. (182—186)

Meaning

On his shadow being seized, Hanumān thought : “Clutched by someone all of a sudden, I have been rendered powerless like a big bark retarded in its course by an adverse wind.” Looking about sideways as well as both upward and below, the said Hanumān espied a huge creature risen from the salty sea below. Seeing that female form with an ugly face, Hanumān, son of the wind-god, reflected : (187—189)

Meaning

“It is the same creature of weird appearance, endowed with extraordinary prowess and capable of securing her prey by means of its shadow, which was depicted in its true colours by Sugrīva, the king of monkeys; there is no doubt about it.” (190)

Meaning

Knowing her from the correctness of the description given by Sugrīva to be Siṁhikā, that sagacious Hanumān grew out of all proportions to be gigantic in form like a cloud during the rains. (191)

Meaning

Observing the body of that mighty Hanumān growing, she distended her mouth, which resembled the space enclosed in Pātāla (the nethermost subterranean region) and, thundering like a mass of clouds, rushed towards Hanumān. That huge, intelligent monkey, Hanumān, then noticed her ugly enormous mouth, which was of the same dimensions as his body, as well as her vulnerable parts. Contracting his body further, that mighty monkey, Hanumān, who was hard as a diamond, fell into her hideous mouth. Siddhas and Cāraṇas beheld him disappearing into her mouth like the full moon being devoured on a full moon night by the demon Rāhu. Then, tearing out her vulnerable parts with his sharp nails, the monkey forthwith rushed out with the rapidity of thought. Having overthrown her with the help of Providence, as well as through firmness and ingenuity, Hanumān, for his part, who was the foremost hero among the monkeys and self-possessed too, rapidly grew once more in size. With her heart, the very seat of her life, torn asunder by Hanumān, she fell down dead into the water. Hanuman was created as an instrument for her destruction by Brahmā, the self-born creator himself. (192—198)

Meaning

Perceiving the aforesaid Siṁhikā killed in no time by Hanumān and fallen, the beings who ranged the skies said to that jewel among the monkeys : (199)

Meaning

“A terrific valiant deed has been performed by you this day in that a mighty creature has been killed by you. Now accomplish your desired object without hindrance, O jewel among the monkeys ! (200)

Meaning

“He in whom the following four virtues, viz., firmness, vision, understanding and skill actually exist, as in you, never fails in his undertakings.” (201)

Meaning

Bounding in the air like Garuḍa (who feeds on serpents), adored with ceremony by those beings, who were now accomplished of purpose—thanks to the gallantry of Hanumān—the aforesaid monkey, who was worthy of adoration for his exploits, sped on. (202)

Meaning

Looking around on all sides when he had well-nigh reached the opposite shore at the end of a hundred Yojanas (or eight hundred miles), he espied a row of forest trees:(203)

Meaning

While yet in the airspace, Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, also beheld an island adorned with trees of various kinds as well as groves on the Malaya mountain. (204)

Meaning

He further saw the sea skirting the island, the watery regions bordering it, the trees growing in those regions and the mouths of rivers (consorts of the ocean) too. (205)

Meaning

Gazing on his own person, which closely resembled a big cloud and blocked the sky, as it were, the intelligent Hanumān, who was self-possessed too, began to reflect. (206)

Meaning

The highly talented Hanumān felt convinced that seeing the extraordinary growth of his body and his tremendous speed itself, the ogres would be inquisitive about him. (207)

Meaning

Then, contracting his aforesaid expanded body, which closely resembled a mountain, he once more assumed his native form, even as he, who has mastered his self and is completely free from infatuation, realizes his own blissful divine nature. (208)

Meaning

Having considerably contracted that form of his, Hanumān returned to his natural state, even as having taken three strides in His Cosmic Form and thereby frustrated the power of Bali, the demon king, Lord Śrī Viṣṇu descended as the Divine Dwarf, returned to His former state (of a dwarf). (209)

Meaning

Having duly reached the other shore of the sea, which could not be approached by anyone else, Hanumān, who was capable of assuming various graceful forms, gazed on his own body and, fully considering his mission of tracing out Sītā, regained his native form. (210)

Meaning

Then the high-souled Hanumān, who resembled a huge mass of clouds, descended on a summit of the Lamba mountain, rich in fruit and blossom and covered with Ketaka, Uddālaka and coconut trees and consisting of wonderful lower peaks. (211)

Meaning

Duly reaching the seashore and perceiving from there Laṅkā perched on a summit of the Trikūṭa mountain, the foremost of mountains, Hanumān for his part descended on that mountain, Trikūṭa, abandoning his assumed colossal form and agitating the beasts and birds inhabiting that mountain with his gigantic monkey form. (212)

Meaning

Having leapt by dint of his vigour over the sea infested with demons and reptiles and heaving with series of huge waves, and descending on the shore of the vast sea, Hanumān then saw Laṅkā standing like Amarāvatī, the city of gods, the capital of Indra. (213)