Uttara Kanda, Sarga 35

Meaning

Śrī Rāma then questioned the sage having his abode in the southern quarter; and full of humility, with joined palms, He addressed the following significant words to him: (1)

Meaning

“Incomparable indeed was the aforesaid might of Vālī and Rāvaṇa. The might of the aforesaid two warriors was, however, not equal to the strength of Hanumān: such indeed is my opinion. (2)

Meaning

“Heroism, deligence, strength, firmness, sagacity, prudence and prowess and power have taken up their abode in Hanūmān. (3)

Meaning

“Perceiving the army of the monkeys sinking into despondency at the very sight of the sea, and reassuring it, the mighty-armed Hanumān leapt across the sea covering a hundred Yojanas (or eight hundred miles). (4)

Meaning

“After overpowering the ogress presiding over the city of Laṅkā and stealing into the gynaeceum of Rāvaṇa, Sītā was discovered and spoken to as well and actually comforted by him. (5)

Meaning

The leaders of Rāvaṇa’s army the sons of his counsellors, his own servants and his son—all these were struck down there by Hanumān single-handed. (6)

Meaning

“Then, after speaking to Rāvaṇa (the ten-headed monster), when he was entirely free from bondage, Laṅkā was reduced to ashes by him even as the terrestrial globe by the fire of dissolution. (7)

Meaning

“Feats similar to those which were performed in war by Hanūmān are not known to have been performed either by Kāla (the Time-Spirit) or by Indra or again by the god of fire or Kubera, the lord of riches. (8)

Meaning

“By the prowess of his arms alone were Laṅkā and victory attained and Sītā, Lakṣmaṇa, sovereignty, friends and kinsfolk too regained by me. (9)

Meaning

“If Hanūmān, the friend of Sugrīva (the suzerain lord of monkeys), were not with Me, who else would have been able to get the news about Sītā (Janaka’s daughter)? (10)

Meaning

“I wonder wherefore, when hostility sprang up between Sugrīva and Vālī, Vālī was not consumed as a tree by fire by Hanumān, with a desire to please Sugrīva. (11)

Meaning

“I think Hanūmān was not conscious of his own might in that he simply watched Sugrīva (now the supreme ruler of the monkeys), who was dearer to him than his life, suffering hardships in exile. (12)

Meaning

“Tell me, Revered Sir, in extenso according to facts all this about Hanūmān, O great sage, adored by gods!” (13)

Meaning

Hearing this reasonable submission of Śrī Rāma (a scion of Raghu), the seer of Vedic Mantras thereupon replied to him as follows in the presence of Hanūmān: (14)

Meaning

“What you say regarding Hanūmān is true, O jewel among the Raghus! None else is equal to him in might, speed or intelligence. (15)

Meaning

“An imprecation was, however, pronounced on him in the past by ascetics whose curse never went in vain, that, though mighty he would not be aware of his entire strength, O scourge of your enemies! (16)

Meaning

“It is not possible to recount the feat which was performed by him even in his very childhood, O Rāma, who are endowed with extraordinary might! Hence he remained ignorant of his might as a child. (17)

Meaning

“If, however, you have a mind to listen, O scion of Raghus, hearken, O Rāma, after concentrating your mind, I proceed to narrate. (18)

Meaning

“There is a mountain, Sumeru by name, rendered golden by virtue of a boon bestowed on it by the sun-god, where reigns Hanumān’s father, Kesarī by name, they say. (19)

Meaning

Kesarī’s beloved wife was widely known by the name of Añjanā. The wind-god procreated an excellent son through her, they say. (20)

Meaning

“Añjanā then gave birth to Hanumān, who possessed the hue of paddy awns. Desiring to get excellent fruits, the belle actually went out into the forest. (21)

Meaning

“Due to separation from his mother and sore stricken with hunger, the babe cried aloud as did Kārtikeya in the thicket of reeds (where he was born). (22)

Meaning

“That very moment he espied the rising sun having the hue of a heap of Japā (China rose) flowers and in his eager desire to get at it, thinking it to be a fruit, he sprang towards the sun. (23)

Meaning

“With his face turned towards the sun, the babe, which looked like the rising sun incarnate, continued to shoot up in mid heavens with intent to catch hold of the rising sun. (24)

Meaning

“While the yonder Hanūmān in his childlike simplicity was shooting up in this manner, the gods, Dānavas and Yakṣas felt extremely astonished. (25)

Meaning

They said to themselves: ‘Neither the wind-god nor Garuḍa (the king of birds, the mount of Lord Viṣṇu), nor even the mind moves so swiftly as does this son of the wind-god course through the high skies. (26)

Meaning

“When such is his speed and prowess as a mere babe, what will be his speed when he has attained the vigour of youth?’ (27)

Meaning

“Cool to the touch like a mass of snow, the wind-god too followed his son in his flight, protecting him from the danger of getting scorched by the sun. (28)

Meaning

“Shooting up through the heavens for many thousands of Yojanas by virtue of his father’s might and his own childlike simplicity, he drew near to the sun. (29)

Meaning

“Realizing that he was a mere innocent child and also that a great purpose (of Śrī Rāma) waited to be accomplished by him, the said sun-god did not consume him. (30)

Meaning

“Rāhu (the demon who is traditionally believed to devour the orb of the sun during an eclipse) sought to seize the sun the same day on which Hanumān actually sprang in the sky to catch hold of the sun. (31)

Meaning

“Nay, Rāhu was laid hands on by Hanumān on the solar chariot. Thereupon Rāhu, the scourge of the sun-god and the moon-god, slipped away from that place, frightened. (32)

Meaning

“Knitting his eyebrows after proceeding to the abode of Indra, Rāhu (son of Siṁhikā) angrily spoke as follows to the deity surrounded by hosts of gods: (33)

Meaning

“ ‘Having allotted to me the moon and the sun as a means of appeasing my hunger, O Indra, how is it that my aforesaid share has been given over by you to another, O destroyer of the demons Bala and Vṛtra? (34)

Meaning

“ ‘Today at the conjunction of the moonless night and the new moon day I for my part came to lay hold of the sun. Meanwhile, approaching the sun, another Rāhu seized it all at once.’ (35)

Meaning

“Leaving his seat on hearing the grievance of Rāhu, Indra, full of awe, sprang on his feet, holding up his gold necklace. (36)

Meaning

“Mounting Airāvata (the king of elephants), who was tall like a peak of Mount Kailāsa, was distinguished by four tusks, nay, who (being in heat) was exuding temple-juice, was richly decorated, and was uttering a horse-laugh in the form of the ringing of a gold bell, and placing Rāhu before him, Indra marched to the spot where the sun-god was with the yonder Hanūmān. (37-38)

Meaning

“Meanwhile, leaving Indra behind, Rāhu advanced with great speed and he was actually seen by Hanumān running fast like a mountain-peak in motion. (39)

Meaning

“Leaving the sun and visualizing Rāhu to be a fruit, Hanumān thereupon again bounded in the skies to take hold of the son of Siṁhikā. (40)

Meaning

“Clearly perceiving this monkey, Hanumān, running with all speed towards him leaving the sun alone, O Rāma, Rāhu, who had such huge proportions and of whom the head alone remained* retraced his steps with his face turned in the opposite direction. (41)

Meaning

“Looking forward to Indra as his protector, Rāhu (the son of Siṁhikā) for his part repeatedly cried out in his terror ‘Indra!’ ‘Indra!’ (42)

Meaning

“Hearing the voice of the screaming Rāhu, which was already known to him, Indra said, ‘Don’t be afraid, I shall presently make short work of him.’ (43)

Meaning

“Espying after that Airāvata and taking the king of elephants too to be some enormous fruit, Hanumān, son of the wind-god, rushed at him. (44)

Meaning

“Nay, the form of Hanumān, even as he was rushing at Airāvata with intent to catch hold of him, turned for a while fearful and splendid like those of Indra and the god of fire. (45)

Meaning

“Though not highly provoked, Indra (the consort of Śacī) struck Hanumān, who was rushing towards him, with the thunderbolt hurled from the extremities of his hand. (46)

Meaning

“Hit by the thunderbolt of Indra, Hanumān thereupon fell on a mountain; and as he fell his left jaw was broken. (47)

Meaning

“Nay, Hanumān for his part having fallen and getting confused too under the stroke of the thunderbolt, the celebrated wind-god got angry with Indra to the detriment of created beings. (48)

Meaning

“Withdrawing his movement in the form of respiration, though abiding in all living beings, the celebrated and all-powerful wind-god penetrated deep into a cave, taking his infant son with him. (49)

Meaning

“Causing extreme suffering to created beings by obstructing their bowels and bladder, the wind-god rendered all created beings motionless even as Indra holds up the rains. (50)

Meaning

“Due to the wrath of the wind-god living beings everywhere felt choked and turned stiff like wood, as it were, due to their joints getting disrupted. (51)

Meaning

“Bereft of study of the Vedas and sacrificial performances, and devoid of rituals and the practice of virtue as a result of the displeasure of the wind-god, all the three worlds felt as if they had sunk into hell. (52)

Meaning

“Feeling afflicted, all created beings including the Gandharvas (celestial musicians), gods, demons and human beings hurried to Brahmā (the lord of creation) with intent to obtain relief. (53)

Meaning

“With bloated bellies resembling the bellies of those suffering from the disease of dropsy, the gods submitted with joined palms: ‘By you, indeed, O lord! our master, the four types of created beings 1. viviparous, 2. oviparous, 3. the sweat-born and 4. those sprouting from the earth were evolved. (54)

Meaning

“ ‘The wind-god was bestowed on us by you as the lord of our lives. Wherefore, O prince of the virtuous, has he, even though being the controller of our vital breaths, suffocated us today, even as a king would confine his womenfolk in a gynaeceum, thereby causing affliction to us? Afflicted by the wind-god, we have accordingly sought you as our shelter. (55-56)

Meaning

“ ‘Pray, relieve this suffering of ours caused by the obstruction of the wind, O allayer of suffering!’ “Hearing this petition of the created beings, and saying, ‘This has happened due to some reason’, the lord of creation, the protector of all created beings, for his part continued as follows: ‘Hear, O created beings, for what reason the wind-god got angry and held up his movement; all that deserves to be listened to by you and is justifiable too. In response to the appeal of Rāhu, the son of the wind-god has been struck down today by Indra, the ruler of gods; hence the said wind-god got angry. Going without a body, the wind-god moves in all bodies preserving them. (57—60)

Meaning

“Devoid of the wind, a body attains similarity to blocks of wood. Air is life, air is happiness, the air constitutes all this universe. (61)

Meaning

“Entirely devoid of the air, the world does not attain happiness. The world has just now been forsaken by the wind, which is its very life. (62)

Meaning

“ ‘Being unable to breathe, all created beings stand no better than the blocks of wood or walls. Therefore, we shall actually proceed to that place where the wind-god who is causing pain to us, is present; let us not go to ruin by not placating him, O sons of Aditi!’ (63)

Meaning

“Accompanied by all created beings including gods, the Gandharvas (celestial musicians), serpents and Guhyakas (Yakṣas), Brahmā (the lord of creation) thereupon moved to the place where the said wind-god sat, taking hold of his son who had been struck down by Indra. (64)

Meaning

“Perceiving at that time the son of the wind-god (who is perpetually in motion), radiant as the sun, fire and gold, in his lap, Brahmā (the four-faced god) accompanied by Gandharvas, Ṛṣis (the seers of Vedic Mantras), Yakṣas and ogres, including gods, thereupon immediately took pity on the child.” (65)