Sundara Kanda, Sarga 41

Meaning

Moving from that place, when he had been honoured by Sītā with excellent words while he was about to depart, the aforesaid monkey, Hanumān, now thought within himself: (1)

Meaning

‘This dark-eyed lady Sītā has been seen, which was the principal object of my visit to this place. Only a small portion of my present duty still remains to be performed. Leaving out of consideration three out of the four means to success (viz., negotiation, gift and sowing seeds of dissension) the fourth, viz., punishment appears to be called for at this juncture. (2)

Meaning

‘Negotiation does not conduce to good results with ogres; gift too is not enjoined in favour of those richly endowed with wealth; people who are intoxicated with power cannot be tamed by sowing seeds of dissension in their ranks. Hence show of valour alone appeals to me on this occasion. (3)

Meaning

‘Barring show of valour no infallible means of accomplishing this task of ascertaining the strength of the ogres is practicable in these circumstances; for the ogres can adopt a meek attitude in the ensuing conflict only if their foremost heroes are somehow killed at the present moment. (4)

Meaning

‘He alone can successfully accomplish his purpose, who compasses numerous secondary tasks even after the main business has been carried through, without marring the previous achievement. (5)

Meaning

‘Surely there cannot be an exclusive means of accomplishing a purpose in this world, however insignificant it may be. On the other hand, he alone is capable of accomplishing a purpose, who knows to do a thing in many ways. (6)

Meaning

‘If I return to the abode of Sugrīva (the lord of monkeys) today, having ascertained the truth as to who will predominate in an encounter between the enemy and ourselves, and also having determined the future course of action in this very journey, then only will the command of my master have been carried out by me in the real sense of the term. (7)

Meaning

‘How can my journey to this place at this juncture possibly prove to be a truly happy one? How will my encounter with the ogres come about all of a sudden? And, similarly, how indeed will that ten-headed monster Rāvaṇa actually know the strength of his own mighty troops as well as myself in a combat between us? (8)

Meaning

‘Then, meeting Rāvaṇa, the ten-headed monster, his body of ministers, troops and charioteer, and conveniently reading the design enshrined in his heart, and ascertaining his strength, I shall return from this place afterwards. (9)

Meaning

‘This excellent grove of the cruel Rāvaṇa, which vies with the Nandana grove in heaven, is pleasing to the eyes as well as to the mind and is full of trees and creepers of every variety. (10)

Meaning

‘I shall presently lay it waste even as fire consumes a dry grove. When this has been laid waste, the notorious Rāvaṇa will forthwith give vent to his anger. (11)

Meaning

‘Rāvaṇa, the suzerain lord of ogres, will thereupon lead his huge army, full of horses, large chariots and elephants and armed with tridents and spears made of iron, and a formidable struggle will then immediately follow. (12)

Meaning

‘Nay, coming to grips on the battle-field with those ogres of terrible prowess and destroying that army led by Rāvaṇa, my valour knowing no frustration, I shall happily return to the abode of Sugriva, the lord of monkeys.’ (13)

Meaning

Furious like the wind, Hanumān (son of the wind-god) of redoubtable valour, now forthwith proceeded to fell the trees with great impetuosity of his thighs. (14)

Meaning

The valiant Hanumān then laid waste the aforesaid pleasance attached to the gynaeceum, which was resonant with the shrieks of birds in heat and full of trees and creepers of every variety. (15)

Meaning

With its trees uprooted and ponds stirred up and rendered muddy and the crests of its pleasure-hills crushed, that pleasure-grove presented an unsightly appearance. (16)

Meaning

With the shrieks of various birds, the brinks of its ponds demolished, its coppery shoots withered, and with the myriads of its trees and creepers dried up, that pleasure-grove did not look bright on that occasion, as though it had been destroyed by a wild fire. Those creepers too with their coverings in the form of leaves displaced looked like women with their robes in disarray. (17-18)

Meaning

With its arbours and picture-galleries destroyed, tame beasts of prey (such as tigers), deer and birds emitting cries of distress, its grottos and other structures demolished, that extensive grove presented the appearance of ruin. (19)

Meaning

Through the ferocity of the monkey, Hanumān, the woodland of that pleasure-garden, which afforded shelter to the womenfolk of Rāvaṇa (the ten-headed monster) and which was distinguished by its clusters of shaking Aśoka creepers, then became a jumble of creepers which caused grief to the lookers-on. (20)

Meaning

Having perpetrated something which was utterly displeasing to the mind of the high minded ruler of the land of Laṅkā, and eager to contend single-handed with a number of warriors endowed with extraordinary might, the great monkey, Hanumān, took up his position at the entrance of the pleasance, blazing with martial glory. (21)