Sundara Kanda, Sarga 53

Meaning

Hearing the foregoing advice of his younger brother, the high-souled Vibhīṣaṇa, which was salutary both from the point of view of time and place, Rāvaṇa, the ten-headed monster, made the following assertion by way of a reply: (1)

Meaning

“It is truly said by you that the killing of a messenger has been severely condemned. In any case, some punishment other than death need must be meted out to him. (2)

Meaning

“In the case of monkeys the tail, they say, is the cherished embellishment. Therefore, let his tail be set on fire at once and let him return with his tail burnt. (3)

Meaning

“Thereupon let his beloved friends and relations and his kinsfolk including his well-wishers, all find him wretched and distressed through mutilation.” (4)

Meaning

Rāvaṇa, the ruler of ogres, issued the following command: “Let the monkey be taken by the ogres with his tail on fire round the entire city with its cross roads.” (5)

Meaning

Hearing his aforesaid command, the ogres, who were merciless through rage, began to wrap the tail of Hanumān in cotton tatters. (6)

Meaning

While his tail was being swathed, the huge monkey grew out of all proportion like a fire in woodlands on catching dry wood. (7)

Meaning

Having soaked the tail in oil, the ogres forthwith set fire to it and Hanumān, whose countenance shone like the rising sun, his mind seized with anger and indignation, began to smite those ogres with his blazing tail. That jewel among the monkeys was bound more tightly by the cruel ogres who had gathered together there. (8-9)

Meaning

The rangers of the night, including their womenfolk, children and the aged, were filled with delight. Bound tightly, the hero arrived at the following resolution in consonance with that juncture: (10)

Meaning

“Even though I stand bound to all appearance, the ogres cannot in any case prevail against me. Severing my bonds and springing up, I shall be able to kill the ogres again. (11)

Meaning

“If under the command of their master the evil-minded fellows have bound me, ranging as I did for the purpose of doing good to my master, no reprisal at all could be made by them for the grave injuries inflicted on them by me. (12)

Meaning

“I am strong enough for all the ogres taken together in combat. Still for the pleasure of Śrī Rāma, I shall put up with such bonds. (13)

Meaning

“Laṅkā will thus be involuntarily caused to be surveyed by me once more; for at night it was not closely perceived from the point of view of the technique of its fortification. (14)

Meaning

“Laṅkā, therefore, needs must be seen by me at the close of the night. Let the ogres freely bind me anew and cause pain to me by setting my tail on fire; there will be no strain on my mind.” Taking hold of the gigantic monkey, Hanumān, an elephant among monkeys, who, though full of courage had suppressed the expression of his face (which might betray his feelings), the ogres then advanced joyfully. Nay, making him publicly known through his own exploits by means of the blasts of conches and the beating of kettledrums, the ogres of cruel deeds dragged him through that city. Followed closely by the ogres, Hanumān, the tamer of his foes, marched happily and the gigantic monkey ranged the big city of ogres. Nay, Hanumān duly surveyed the marvellous seven-storied mansions, as well as sequestered tracts of land, as also well-defined quadrangles, nay, streets thickly lined with buildings and cross-roads and even so streets and lanes and likewise the spaces between two houses. In the quadrangles as also at cross-roads, as well as on the main road all the ogres announced the monkey precisely as a spy. Desirous of seeing the celebrated Hanumān with his tail set ablaze, womenfolk, children and aged people came out at every place out of curiosity. While the tail of the said Hanumān was being set fire to, the aforementioned ogresses with misshapen eyes presently conveyed that unpleasant tidings to the godlike lady, Sītā, in the following words : “That monkey with a coppery countenance, who held conversation with you, O Sītā, is being taken round through the streets over there with his tail set ablaze.” Tormented with grief to hear the aforesaid report, which was as cruel as the story of her own abduction, Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, approached with her mind the god of fire (lit., the consumer of oblations). At that time she became solicitous for the welfare of that great monkey. The devout Sītā (who had large eyes) approached the god of fire with the following prayer: “If service rendered to one’s husband has any value, if austerities have ever been practised by me or if there is exclusive devotion in me to my husband, please prove cool to Hanumān, O fire ! (15—27)

Meaning

“If there is any compassion for me in the heart of that sagacious prince, or if any residue of good luck still exists in me, prove cool to Hanumān. (28)

Meaning

“If Śrī Rāma, whose mind is set on piety, fully knows me to be richly endowed with morality and ardently keen on being re-united with him, please prove cool to Hanumān. (29)

Meaning

“If the noble Sugrīva, who is true to his promise, should be able to take me across this ocean of agony, please prove cool to Hanumān.” (30)

Meaning

Thereupon the fire, which had burst into leaping flames, began to burn mildly with its flames rising to his right (as a token of propitiousness), announcing, as it were, to the fawn-eyed lady the welfare of the monkey. (31)

Meaning

Though brought into contact with the fire at the tail, the wind too, the procreator of Hanumān, blew ice-cold, causing satisfaction to the godlike lady. (32)

Meaning

While the tail was burning, Hanumān thought to himself, “How does this fire, ablaze on all sides, not burn me? (33)

Meaning

“It appears as having burst into big flames, yet it does not cause pain to me any more than a mass of ice placed at the end of my tail. (34)

Meaning

“Or, this cold touch of fire has come to be felt due to the same inscrutable power of Śrī Rāma as a result of which a marvel in the form of a mountain in the sea was seen by me while leaping across it. (35)

Meaning

“If there was such a flurry to be seen in the mind of the sea and the sagacious Mount Maināka in the cause of Śrī Rāma, will not fire show the same degree of flurry in making its touch cool? (36)

Meaning

“The fire does not burn me because of Sītā’s mercy for those depending on her, the glory of Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, and the friendship of my father with the god of fire.”(37)

Meaning

Once more did that elephant among the monkeys reflect awhile as follows: “How could the bondage of one like me at the hands of the vile ogres be congruous? The reprisal of this outrage should be justified on my part so long as there is prowess in me.” Nay, having severed those bonds, Hanumān, the great monkey, who was full of impetuosity, thereupon sprang up in the air with vehemence and the gigantic Hanumān gave a shout. The glorious Hanumān, sprung from the loins of the wind-god, then reached the city gate, which was lofty as a hill-top and from which throngs of ogres had turned away. Having once more assumed in an instant an exceedingly diminutive form, the self-possessed Hanumān, who looked like a mountain in size, cast off his bonds. And becoming completely free, the glorious Hanumān once more assumed the appearance of a mountain. (38—42)

Meaning

Nay, looking round about him, he caught sight of a club studded with iron, lying at the gate. Seizing it, the mighty-armed Hanumān, son of the wind god, destroyed once more all those who were guarding the gate. (43)

Meaning

Having got rid of them and surveying Laṅkā once more, Hanumān, whose prowess on the field of battle was terrific, and who was surrounded by a circle of flames depicted by his inflamed tail, shone brightly like the sun with a circle of rays surrounding it. (44)