Sundara Kanda, Sarga 42

Meaning

Thereupon all the denizens of Laṅkā got terror-stricken at the screaming of birds and the crash of falling trees. (1)

Meaning

Put to flight, being panic-stricken, beasts and birds began to scream. Nay, fierce portents made their appearance before the ogres. (2)

Meaning

Their sleep having consequently vanished, the ugly-faced ogresses found that grove devastated and saw that huge and gallant monkey before them. (3)

Meaning

Beholding them, the mighty-armed Hanumān, who was endowed with extraordinary courage and might, assumed a gigantic form striking terror into the ogresses. (4)

Meaning

Seeing a colossal monkey looking like a mountain and endowed with extraordinary strength, the ogresses for their part forthwith questioned the daughter of Janaka as follows: (5)

Meaning

“Please tell us, O large-eyed lady, who this creature is, whose messenger is he, whence and what for he has come and also wherefore talk was held by him with you. No fear need be entertained by you, O graceful lady ! What conversation did he have with you, O lady with dark-cornered eyes?” (6-7)

Meaning

The virtuous Sītā, who was charming of every limb, then replied forthwith as follows: “What means can I have for acquiring correct knowledge about the ogres, who are capable of changing their form at will? (8)

Meaning

“You alone ought to know who he is and what he is about. Indeed a serpent alone has true knowledge about the movements of a serpent: there is no doubt about it. (9)

Meaning

“I too am exceedingly frightened and do not know at all who he really is. Of course, I believe him to be an ogre able to change his form at will, arrived here.” (10)

Meaning

Hearing the reply of Sītā (a princess of the Videha territory), the ogresses fled with all speed. Some of them remained rooted there, while others left to report the matter to Rāvaṇa. (11)

Meaning

Arrived in the presence of Rāvaṇa, the ugly-faced ogresses for their part reported to Rāvaṇa the presence of a monstrous and redoubtable monkey in the following words: (12)

Meaning

“A monkey of terrible proportions and endowed with immense prowess stands, O king, in the heart of the Aśoka grove, having held a talk with Sītā. (13)

Meaning

“Though questioned by us in many ways, Sītā, Janaka’s daughter, whose eyes resemble those of a doe, however, does not wish to disclose the identity of the monkey. (14)

Meaning

“He may be an emissary of Indra (the ruler of gods) or an envoy of Kubera (the god of riches) or he may have been dispatched even by Rāma with intent to have Sītā traced out. (15)

Meaning

“By that very monkey of marvellous form has your soul-captivating pleasance, which was crowded with herds of beasts of every variety, has been laid waste. (16)

Meaning

“There is not a single quarter in that pleasance, which has not been utterly devastated by him. That place alone where lives that godlike lady, Sītā, Janaka’s daughter, has not been destroyed. (17)

Meaning

“It is not definitely known whether he has spared it with a view to saving her or due to exhaustion. Or, since exhaustion is unknown to him, Janaka’s daughter has definitely been saved by him. (18)

Meaning

“That fully developed Śiṁśapā tree too, which is rich in lovely foliage and in the shade of which Sītā herself remains ensconced has been spared by him. (19)

Meaning

“You ought to enjoin some severe punishment on that monkey having a frightful form, by whom Sītā has been spoken to. By him alone has the grove been devastated. (20)

Meaning

“Who would dare to talk with Sītā, who has been mentally accepted by you, save him who has given up all hope of survival, O ruler of ogre hordes?” (21)

Meaning

Hearing the report of the ogresses, Rāvaṇa, the lord of ogres, flared up like a funeral fire, his eyes rolling rapidly through rage. (22)

Meaning

From his eyes, angry as he was, trickled down tear-drops like burning drops of oil from a pair of kindled lights. (23)

Meaning

Rāvaṇa, who was endowed with extraordinary energy, ordered in particular valiant ogres, named Kiṅkaras, who vied with himself, to capture Hanumān. (24)

Meaning

Of the aforesaid energetic Kiṅkaras, eighty thousand sallied forth from that palace, iron mallets and clubs in hand. (25)

Meaning

They were all big-bellied, had large teeth and of terrible form, were endowed with extraordinary might, inclined to fighting and eager to lay hold on Hanumān. (26)

Meaning

Duly approaching the aforesaid monkey, who was stationed at the archway, ready to fight, they darted at him with great vehemence like moths rushing towards a flame. (27)

Meaning

They assailed Hanumān, the foremost of monkeys, with maces of different kinds, iron bludgeons plated with gold at the head and arrows shining brightly as the sun. (28)

Meaning

Surrounding Hanumān, the Kiṅkaras, who were equipped with clubs, sharp-edged spears and iron pikes and who carried lances and javelins in their hands, stood all of a sudden in front of him. (29)

Meaning

Lashing his tail at the ground, the glorious Hanumān too, who was full of energy and looked like a mountain, uttered a loud roar. (30)

Meaning

Assuming a gigantic form, the celebrated Hanumān, sprung from the loins of the wind-god, waved his tail to and fro, filling Laṅkā with its sound. (31)

Meaning

At the loud and resonant sound of the swishing of his tail, birds fell from the airspace and he proclaimed in aloud voice: (32)

Meaning

“Victorious is Śrī Rāma, who is possessed of surpassing strength and Lakṣmaṇa, who is endowed with extraordinary might. Victorious too is King Sugrīva, protected on all sides by Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu. (33)

Meaning

“I, Hanumān, sprung from the loins of the wind-god, and the destroyer of hostile armies, am a servant of Śrī Rāma of unwearied action, the lord of Kośala. (34)

Meaning

“Not even a thousand of Rāvaṇas can stand my might in combat, even as I assail them with a myriad of rocks and trees. (35)

Meaning

“Destroying the city of Laṅkā and greeting Sītā, the princess of Mithilā, I shall return fully accomplished of purpose, while all the ogres stand looking on.” (36)

Meaning

The Kiṅkaras were stricken with fear at his roar and beheld Hanumān standing aloft as an evening cloud. (37)

Meaning

Rid of all doubt as to who he was by the mention of his master, those ogres thereupon attacked him from every side with various dreadful weapons. (38)

Meaning

Surrounded by those valiant ogres from all sides, the celebrated Hanumān, who was endowed with extraordinary might, seized a formidable iron bar lying at the archway. (39)

Meaning

Laying hold on that bar, he struck the rangers of the night even as Garuḍa (son of Vinatā) would, carrying a struggling serpent. (40)

Meaning

Nay, grasping the bar tightly, the gallant Hanumān, son of the wind-god, ranged through the air and began to destroy the ogres even as Indra (the god with a thousand eyes) killed the Daityas (sons of Diti) with his thunderbolt. (41)

Meaning

Having made short work of the ogres known by the collective name of Kiṅkaras, the aforesaid valiant Hanumān, who was an eminent hero, stood rooted at the gate thirsting for combat. (42)

Meaning

Free from that fear, being at a considerable distance from Hanumān, a few ogres, who had survived there, spoke to Rāvaṇa of all the Kiṅkaras having been disposed of. (43)

Meaning

Hearing of the large army of ogres having been wiped out, King Rāvaṇa whose eyes began to roll rapidly through rage, duly commanded Jambumālī, son of Prahasta, who was unequalled in prowess and was most difficult to conquer in battle. (44)