Sundara Kanda, Sarga 68

Meaning

“Having shown her regard for me out of native good-heartedness and affection for you, O tiger among men, I, who was in a hurry to depart was then spoken to once more as follows by the godlike lady about the future course of action : ‘Śrī Rāma, son of Daśaratha, should be appealed to by you in many ways so impressively that making short work of Rāvaṇa in combat, he may promptly win me back. (1-2)

Meaning

“ ‘Or, if you deem fit, O gallant Hanumān, tarry for a day in some covered place, O tamer of foes ! Having taken rest, you may leave on the tomorrow. (3)

Meaning

“ ‘Through your presence, O Hanumān, the termination of my grief, which is a fruit of my sinful deeds, may follow for a while, unfortunate that I am. (4)

Meaning

“ ‘When you, O heroic Hanumān, have actually left to come back, there will be danger even to my life; there is no doubt about it. (5)

Meaning

“ ‘The grief born of your disappearance from my view will further torment me, who stand discomfited by one woe after another, wretched and doomed to suffering that I am. (6)

Meaning

“ ‘Moreover, O valiant chief of monkeys, this very grave doubt precisely stands before me as to how on earth, in spite of the monkeys and bears having you for their helper, all those armies of monkeys and bears or even those two princes, Śrī Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, will actually be able to leap across the ocean, which is so difficult to cross. (7-8)

Meaning

“ ‘O sinless Hanumān! the capacity to cross this sea lies in the following three created beings alone, viz., in Garurḍa (son of Vinatā), the wind-god and you, O sinless one ! (9)

Meaning

“ ‘Therefore, the accomplishment of this task being so difficult, O gallant monkey, what expedient do you perceive? Speak out, O jewel among those who know how to accomplish an act ! (10)

Meaning

“ ‘Although you are unquestionably capable of accomplishing this task single-handed, O destroyer of hostile warriors, such display of strength on your part will conduce to your own renown. (11)

Meaning

“ ‘If, making short work of Rāvaṇa in combat in co-operation with all his forces, Śrī Rāma takes me in triumph to his own city, Ayodhyā, that would redound to his glory.(12)

Meaning

“ ‘Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, ought not to take me back in the same surreptitious way as I was borne away from the forest of Janasthāna by recourse to an artifice by the ogre Rāvaṇa precisely for fear of Śrī Rāma, in his absence. (13)

Meaning

“ ‘If, having overrun Laṅkā with his forces, Śrī Rāma, a scion of Kakutstha, the destroyer of hostile warriors, for his part takes me back to Ayodhyā that would be worthy of him. (14)

Meaning

“ ‘Therefore, work out things in such a way that valour worthy of that exalted soul, valiant in combat, may come into play.’ (15)

Meaning

“Hearing the aforesaid appeal of Sītā, which was full of meaning, polite and reasonable, I then made the following concluding submission : (16)

Meaning

“ ‘Sugrīva, the foremost of monkeys and the lord of hordes of monkeys and bears, who is richly endowed with strength, has resolved to rescue you, O godlike lady ! (17)

Meaning

“ ‘At his beck and call stand monkeys rich in prowess, full of courage and endowed with extraordinary might, swift as thought and possessed of immense energy, whose movement is not hampered upward or downward, right or left, and who do not lose heart even when faced with great formidable tasks. (18-19)

Meaning

“ ‘The earth has been gone round clockwise more than once by those highly blessed and mighty monkeys following the path of the wind. (20)

Meaning

“ ‘There are monkeys equal and even superior to me in strength in Kiṣkindhā. There is no monkey inferior to me near about Sugrīva. (21)

Meaning

“ ‘When I have arrived here leaping across the sea, how much more would those monkeys do, endowed as they are with extraordinary might. Under no circumstances are the seniors sent out on errands; the juniors alone are so sent.(22)

Meaning

“ ‘Therefore, have done with agony, O godlike lady ! Let your despondency be over for good. In one bound will the aforesaid leaders of monkey hordes reach Laṅkā. (23)

Meaning

“ ‘And perched upon my back will those two lions among men reach your presence, O highly blessed lady, like the moon and the sun risen in the sky. (24)

Meaning

“ ‘You will soon see Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, the destroyer of his foes, who, resembles a lion, as well as Lakṣmaṇa, armed with an excellent bow, arrived at the very gate of Laṅkā. (25)

Meaning

“ ‘You will also see gathered here soon the gallant monkeys having nails and teeth for their weapons and endowed with the prowess of lions and tigers, nay, looking like lordly elephants. (26)

Meaning

“ ‘You will before long hear the clamour of the foremost of monkeys resembling mountains and clouds and roaring on the peaks of the Trikūṭa mountain in Laṅkā. (27)

Meaning

“ ‘You will also soon see Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, the tamer of his foes, crowned at Ayodhyā with you, his term of exile in the forest just nearing completion.’ (28)

Meaning

“Cheered by me with gladdening and agreeable words, Sītā, a princess of Mithilā, who, though sore afflicted with the thought of your excessive grief on her account and who never speaks pitiful words, derived solace in my presence.” (29) END OF SUNDARAKĀṆḌA