Sundara Kanda, Sarga 37

Meaning

Hearing the speech of Hanumān, the aforesaid Sītā, whose face resembled the full moon, made the following reply in consonance with righteousness and material good : (I)

Meaning

“What has been said by you, O Hanumān, viz., that Śrī Rāma does not give his mind to any other thing than me and that he is given over to grief, is nectar mixed with poison. (2)

Meaning

“Tying a man with a cord, as it were, Death snatches away a man, no matter whether he is rolling in very extensive fortune or sunk in terrible adversity. (3)

Meaning

“Inevitable indeed is the destiny of living beings, O jewel among monkeys ! For example, look at Lakṣmaṇa, son of Sumitrā, Śrī Rāma and myself distracted by woes. (4)

Meaning

“How will Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, reach the end of this ocean of grief any more than a powerful man who has suffered a shipwreck and is swimming in a sea? (5)

Meaning

“When will my lord, Śrī Rāma, see me after compassing the destruction of ogres, killing Rāvaṇa and laying Laṅkā waste? (6)

Meaning

“He should be asked to act with great haste; for my life is going to last only till the current period of twelve months is not complete. (7)

Meaning

“This is the close of the tenth month and two months still remain, O Hanumān, out of the time-limit of twelve months that has been fixed by the merciless Rāvaṇa for my survival. (8)

Meaning

“Nay, Rāvaṇa was perseveringly entreated by his younger brother, Vibhīṣaṇa, for my restoration to Śrī Rāma; but the former does not feel inclined to do it. (9)

Meaning

“My restoration does not find favour with Rāvaṇa; for Death lies in wait for him in combat, fallen as he is in the clutches of the Time-Spirit (an embodiment of the destructive principle). (10)

Meaning

“The eldest daughter born of Vibhīṣaṇa is called by the name of Kalā, O Hanumān ! This was reported to me by Kalā herself when she was sent to me by her mother. (11)

Meaning

“There is a jewel among the ogres, Avindhya by name, who is intelligent and learned, full of fortitude and rich in amiable disposition, aged and highly respected by Rāvaṇa. (12)

Meaning

“He forewarned Rāvaṇa of the imminent destruction of ogres at the hands of Śrī Rāma if he did not restore me; but the evil-minded fellow did not heed his salutary advice. (13)

Meaning

“I hope, O jewel among monkeys, that my lord will regain me soon; for my heart is pure and the virtues existing in him are numerous. (14)

Meaning

“Perseverance, manliness, courage, absence of cruelty, gratitude, prowess and energy figure in Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, O Hanumān ! (15)

Meaning

“What enemy would not tremble before him, who slew as many as fourteen thousand ogres in Janasthāna, unaided by his younger brother, Lakṣmaṇa? (16)

Meaning

“That jewel among men cannot be shaken by woes (which are no match for him). I know his might even as Śaci (sprung from the loins of the demon Pulomā) knows the might of her husband, Indra. (17)

Meaning

“The valiant Śrī Rāma, who is like the sun with his shafts for rays, O Hanumān, will surely dry up the water in the form of the hostile ogres.” (18)

Meaning

To Sītā, who was speaking volubly as aforesaid, nay, who had been emaciated through grief on account of her separation from Śrī Rāma, her face bathed in tears, Hanumān submitted as follows : (19)

Meaning

“Leading a huge army, full of monkeys and bears, Śrī Rāma will surely hasten to Laṅkā the moment he hears my report. (20)

Meaning

“Or, I myself shall deliver you from this calamity caused by the ogre Rāvaṇa this very day. Please climb up my back, O irreproachable lady ! (21)

Meaning

“I shall easily leap across the sea even after placing you on my back; for I can carry on my back the whole of Laṅkā, Rāvaṇa and all. (22)

Meaning

“I shall transport you this very day, O princess of Mithila, to Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, staying on Mount Prasravaṇa, even as the sacred fire conveys the oblations thrown into it to Indra for whom they are intended. (23)

Meaning

“You will see this very day Śrī Rāma, accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa—Śrī Rāma, who in his determination to exterminate the ogres resembles Lord Viṣṇu, full of determination to destroy the demons, is endowed with extraordinary might and resolved to see you and remains seated in his hermitage even as Indra (the destroyer of strongholds) on the summit of Mount Meru, the king of mountains, O Sītā ! (24-25)

Meaning

“Mount on my back, O godlike lady ! Do not show reluctance, O charming one! Seek to be united with Śrī Rāma even as Rohiṇī”* is with the deity presiding over the moon (marked with the figure of a hare). (26)

Meaning

“You will be united with Śrī Rāma as Rohiṇī with the moon-god, the very moment, as it were, you say that you wish to be so united. Pray, climb up my back and reach beyond the vast sea through space the very next moment, as it were. (27)

Meaning

“Surely all the dwellers in Laṅkā will not be able to follow my speed even as I depart from this place bearing you on my back, O fair one ! (28)

Meaning

“Lo, bearing you on my back, O princess of the Videha territory, I shall undoubtedly return through airspace precisely as I came here.” (29)

Meaning

Thrilled all over with joy to hear the aforesaid wonderful proposal from Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, Sītā, a princess of Mithilā, for her part forthwith replied as follows to Hanumān : “How do you intend to take me, O Hanumān, to such a long distance from this place? Indeed, I look upon the aforesaid proposal of yours to be precisely monkey-like, O leader of monkey hordes ! (30-31)

Meaning

“How do you intend to take me from this place, diminutive of form that you are, to the presence of my royal husband, O jewel among monkeys?” (32)

Meaning

Hearing the query of Sītā, the glorious Hanuman, son of the wind-god, thought it to be the first affront of its kind offered to him. (33)

Meaning

He said to himself: ‘The dark-eyed lady does not know my strength nor my power. Let the princess of the Videha territory, therefore, behold the form that I can assume at will.’ (34)

Meaning

Thinking thus, Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys and the destroyer of his enemies, revealed his form to Sītā on that occasion. (35)

Meaning

Leaping down from that tree (beneath which she stood), that wise leader of monkeys then began to grow in size in order to inspire confidence in Sītā. (36)

Meaning

Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, looked like Mount Meru or Mount Mandāra and stood in front of Sītā, shining brightly like a blazing fire. (37)

Meaning

The redoubtable Hanumān, who resembled a mountain and had a coppery countenance with adamantine teeth and nails and was endowed with extraordinary might, submitted as follows to Sītā, a princess of the Videha Kingdom : (38)

Meaning

“There is capacity in me to carry this entire city of Laṅkā including its hills and woodlands as well as its market-places, defensive walls and arches, with its very lord, Rāvaṇa. (39)

Meaning

“Therefore, let your mind be settled, O godlike lady, and have done with hesitation. Rid Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, alongwith Lakṣmaṇa, of grief, O princess of the Videha territory !” (40)

Meaning

Finding Hanumān of the size of a mountain, Sītā, daughter of Janaka, who had eyes big as the petals of a lotus, replied as follows to the son of the wind-god: (41)

Meaning

“I know full well your courage and strength, O mighty Hanumān! Your speed is like that of the wind, while your marvellous brilliance too is like that of fire itself. (42)

Meaning

“How could any other ordinary monkey actually reach this land beyond the vast sea, O leader of hordes of monkeys? (43)

Meaning

“I know your power of locomotion as well as your ability to carry me on your back. The accomplishment of my object too must, however, be determined at once even as yours. (44)

Meaning

“My going with you, however, O jewel among monkeys, is not proper. Your speed, which is equal to that of the wind, may render me unconscious. (45)

Meaning

“Besides, stuck to space, even as you sweep with speed all over the sea, I may actually tumble down from your back. (46)

Meaning

“Nay, fallen insensible into the sea, teeming with sharks, crocodiles and giant fish, I may become the excellent food of aquatic creatures. (47)

Meaning

“For other reasons too, O destroyer of foes, I shall not be able to go with you. Suspicion of the ogres will undoubtedly fall on you as you will go with a lady on your back. (48)

Meaning

“Enjoined by the evil-minded Rāvaṇa, ogres of terrible prowess will surely pursue you on seeing me being borne away by you. (49)

Meaning

“Surrounded by the heroic ogres carrying darts and clubs in their hands, and accompanied by a lady i.e., myself, you will fall into danger. (50)

Meaning

“There will be numerous ogres equipped with arms in space; how then will you be able to fight them, as also protect me, unarmed that you are? (51)

Meaning

“Stricken with fear, O jewel among monkeys, I may then fall down from your back while you are contending with those ogres of cruel deeds. (52)

Meaning

“In case the ogres, who are terrible, huge and mighty, are somehow able to overcome you in conflict, or if I slip when you have turned your eyes away from me while fighting with them, the sinful ogres may bear me away, laying hold on me when fallen. (53-54)

Meaning

“Or, they may wrest me from your grasp or even kill me afterwards; for victory and defeat in combat are said to be uncertain. (55)

Meaning

“Or, I may even die when intimidated by the ogres. Your endeavour to take me to the presence of Śrī Rāma may in that case prove utterly futile, O jewel among monkeys! (56)

Meaning

“Even though you are able to kill all the ogres, the fame of Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, may suffer diminution because of the ogres having been killed by you. (57)

Meaning

“Or, bearing me away, the ogres may actually lodge me in a secret place, where neither those monkeys nor Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, may know anything about me. (58)

Meaning

“This adventure of yours undertaken on my account will then prove to be in vain. A great advantage indeed lies in Śrī Rāma’s advent with you. (59)

Meaning

“The life of Śrī Rāma, who is endowed with immeasurable strength, as well as of his three younger brothers, as also of your king, Sugrīva and his family is dependent on me, O mighty-armed monkey ! (60)

Meaning

“Despondent and emaciated through grief and agony on my account, the two princes, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, will give up their hold on life alongwith all the bears and monkeys. (61)

Meaning

“Keeping as I do devotion to my lord in the forefront, O Hanumān, I do not wish to touch of my own free will the body of anyone other than Śrī Rāma, O jewel among monkeys ! (62)

Meaning

“That I was forced into contact with Rāvaṇa was because, being helpless, without a protector and having lost control of myself, I could not do anything. (63)

Meaning

“If, having killed Rāvaṇa alongwith the other ogres on this soil, and recovering me, Śrī Rāma departs from this place, that would be worthy of him. (64)

Meaning

“The heroic achievements of that exalted soul, capable of crushing the enemy in combat, have been heard of, nay, actually witnessed by me. Not even gods, Gandharvas, Nāgas and ogres combined can in fact be a match for Śrī Rāma on the field of battle. (65)

Meaning

“Who, having vividly perceived Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, who is endowed with extraordinary might and is equal in prowess to Indra, the ruler of gods, accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa and armed with a bright bow and as such resembling a fire fanned by a blast and burst into flames, would dare withstand him? (66)

Meaning

“Who can, O jewel among monkeys, resist Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, capable of crushing the enemy in combat, and firmly stationed on the field of battle like an elephant guarding a quarter in rut and resembling the sun at the end of creation with the arrows as its rays? (67)

Meaning

“Therefore, O jewel among monkeys, bring here with all speed my beloved lord alongwith Lakṣmaṇa and the leaders of monkey hordes. Bring joy to me, O gallant monkey, emaciated as I am through grief for long on account of Śrī Rāma.” (68)