Part 54

Being thus addressed by Sugriva, the monkey Dadhimukha, delighted, bowed unto him, Raghava and Lakshmana. And adoring Sugriva and the highly powerful descendants of Raghu, he along with other heroic monkeys, leaped up in the sky. He went away with the same speed with which he came and leaping down on the earth from the sky, entered the orchard. And entering that forest he beheld all the leaders of the monkeys spending the hours delightedly, having passed urine, the outcome of honey. And approaching them, the heroe, with folded hands and delighted, addressed Angada, with the following words--"O gentle one, do thou not take offence, for these monkeys, protecting the garden enraged, unweetingly prevented thee. O thou of great strength, thou art worn out with thy long journey, do thou drink thy own honey, thou art our prince and the master of this garden. It behoveth thee to forgive us for our wrath arising out of ignorance. Like unto thy sire before, thyself and Sugriva are the lords of these monkey hosts, O thou foremost of them, and none else. O innocent prince, I have related all about this unto thy uncle. When I described unto him, the arrival of all these forest rangers, as well as of thine accompanied by them, and the destruction of this garden by you all, he was not the least offended, rather delighted. And worked up with joy thy uncle Sugriva, the lord of earth and monkeys, said "Send them all here speedily." Hearing those words from Dadhimukha, Angada, the foremost of the monkeys and skilled in speech, addressed them all, saying--"O ye leaders of the monkey hosts, I fear, Rama hath heard all about this. Dadhimukha relates everything joyfully and hence I infer this. And our work finished, O slayer of foes, it doth not behove us to remain here (any longer). You have all drunk honey at your pleasure and there is nothing left and you should now go where the monkey king Sugriva is. O leading monkeys, I shall follow what you will in a band desire me to do. In actions I am surbordinate unto you all. I am not justified to command although I am a prince. You are all of accomplished actions, it is not proper to repress you forcibly. " Hearing those sweet words of the prince Angada, the monkeys delightedly replied, saying--"O king, O foremost of monkeys, who else can speak thus being a master? Any one else, we think, is proud of his wealth. Such like words become thee only and none else. Thy humility speaks of thy future greatness. We are all anxious to go there, where Sugriva, the king of the monkeys, is. Verily we speak unto thee, O foremost of monkeys, that without thy permission, none amongst us, is capable of advancing a single step." They addressing him thus, Angada replied--"All right, let us all go." Saying this he leaped up in the sky and was followed by all those monkeys, clouding the welkin as if with stones thrown up by a tool. And placing before them Angada and Hanuman, the monkeys leaping vehemently up in the sky roared like unto clouds driven by the wind. And Angada nearing, Sugriva, the lord of the monkeys, spoke unto the lotus-eyed Rama, stricken with grief, saying--"May good betide thee. Do thou console thyself. The worshipful dame has been found out; there is not the least doubt about it. Or else they would not have come as the time is already past. I (further more) infer this from Angada's joy, O thou of auspicious presence. Without being successful in his mission, the large-armed prince, Angada, the foremost of the monkeys, would not have come to me. If the monkeys had engaged in such an unfair proceeding without being successful in their mission, Angada would have looked poorly and his mind would have been over-whelmed with grief and forgetfulness. And without beholding the daughter of the king Janaka they would not have dared to destroy _Madhuvana_ obtained and preserved by my forefathers. Do thou console thyself, O Rama, by whom Kaucalya hath become the mother of a good son. O thou, rigidly observing any religious vow or obligation, forsooth hath Hanuman beheld the worshipful dame and none else. No other wight is so qualified an instrument in encompassing this end. O thou of excellent intellect, Hanuman knoweth the art of success, is gifted with intellect, perseverance and courage and is versed in _Sastras_. That work cannot fail, which is worked out by Jambavan and Angada and presided over by Hanuman. Be not laden with anxiety, O thou of unmitigated prowess. These monkeys have come here excited with pride and drink. They would not have come with such a grandeur had they been but unsuccessful. From their breaking down the orchard and drinking honey I inferred so. Thereupon he heard in the sky the joyous sounds of the monkeys proud on account of Hanuman's work, proceeding towards Kishkindha and as if announcing their success. Thereupon hearing the noise of these monkeys, Sugriva, their chief, being greatly delighted, uplifted his tail. And placing Angada and Hanuman before them those monkeys proceeded to behold Rama. And those heroes headed by Angada, delighted and intoxicated, descended before Raghava and the lord of the monkeys. And the mighty-armed Hanuman, lowering his head, related unto Raghava, Sita's spiritual and physical well-being. And hearing from Hanuman the sweet words that he had beheld Sita, Rama and Lakshmana were greatly delighted. And being confirmed thus by the Wind-god's son, Lakshmana, greatly pleased, respectfully looked towards Sugriva. And Raghava too, the slayer of foes, worked up with joy, cast respectful looks towards Hanuman.

SECTION LXV.

Thereupon getting at the Mount _Prasravana_ surrounded by a variegated forest, lowering their heads unto the mighty Rama and Lakshmana, placing before them their prince (Angada) and bowing unto Sugriva, the monkeys began to relate the story of Sita. And they described unto Rama, the confinement of Sita in Ravana's seraglio, the remonstrances of the she-demons, her unflinching attachment in her lord and the time appointed (by the Rakshasa for her destruction). And hearing of Vaidehi's well-being Rama said--"O monkeys where liveth the worshipful Sita? And how is her attachment unto me? Do ye relate everything unto me." Hearing those painful words of Rama, the monkeys desired Hanuman, conversant with the whereabouts of Sita, to describe every thing unto him. Hearing their words, Hanuman, the Wind-god's son, versed in the art of speech, lowering his head in Sita's name and towards the southern direction (where she liveth) began to relate how he succeeded in beholding Sita. And conferring on (Rama) the heavenly jewel set on a golden leaf and burning with its own effulgence, Hanuman, with folded hands, began--"Anxious to behold Sita, the daughter of the king Janaka, I, ploughing over the main extending over a hundred _yojana_, wended my way and by and by reached Lanka, the capital of the vicious-souled Ravana. Lanka is situated on the southern bank of the southern occean. And I saw there Sita, in the inner appartment of Ravana. Centering all her thoughts in thee, breathes that damsel, O Rama. I saw her reviled by the she demons again and again. She is being guarded in that garden by the grim-visaged Rakshasees. And that worshipful dame, O hero, ever used to happiness, is now stricken with grief in thy absence. Confined in Ravana's inner apartment, well protected by those she-demons, wearing a single braid of hair and poorly, she is engaged only in thoughts touching thee. She in lying on earth, shorn of all grace like unto a lotus on the appearance of the winter. She hath not the least attachment for Ravana and is resolved upon putting an end to her existence. O Kakutstha, O innocent prince, after enquiring for sometime, I found that worshipful dame devoted unto thee, and narrating the glories of the Ikshwaku race, O foremost of men, I created her confidence by and by, and addressing her I related everything. And hearing of the friendship between thee and Sugriva she was greatly delighted. And she has her respect for thee unshaken and all her actions are for thee. O great man, O thou best of men, I beheld the daughter of Janaka in this plight, engaged in hard austerities and ever devoted unto thee. O thou of great intelligence, O Raghava, offering me (this jewel) as a token, she wanted me to relate unto thee, the occurrence at the mount _chitrakuta_ regarding the crow. And Janaki addressing me said--'O Wind-god's son, do thou describe everything of what thou hast seen here, unto Rama. And relating everything before Sugriva, do thou present him with this jewel which has been preserved by me with great care. I have kept with great care this excellent jewel of great effulgence. Do thou remind him of the mark which he made on my forehead with red arsenic. O innocent monkey, greatly delighted am I on beholding the brilliant jewel which he has sent through thee. Breathe shall I only for a month, beyond that I shall never live, subject as I am to the demons.' Thus was I accosted by Sita, reduced to a skeleton, observing pious observances, shut up in Ravana's inner apartment and having eyes like those of a hind. I have described unto thee everything, O Raghava, do thou make arrangements for bridging over the ocean." And considering those two princes greatly consoled, the Wind-god's son handed over that token unto Raghava and described everything from the beginning to the end.

SECTION LXVI.

Being thus accosted by Hanuman, Rama, the son of Dacaratha, placing that jewel on his breast, wept with Lakshmana. And beholding that excellent jewel, Raghava, stricken with grief, with eyes full of tears, spake unto Sugriva, saying,--"Forsooth my heart melteth on beholding this jewel as milk trickleth down from the udders of a cow on beholding its calf. This jewel was conferred on Sita. by my father-in-law at the time of our wedding, and to enhance its beauty, she wore it on her head. And this jewel, obtained from the bed of the ocean, was conferred on him (Janaka) by the intelligent Sakra, greatly delighted for being adored in a sacrifice. O gentle one, this bringeth back to my mind, the memory of my father, and father-in-law the king of Videha. This excellent jewel appeared beautiful on the crown of my dear one, and methinks, on beholding it, I have as if got back my beloved spouse. Do thou relate unto me again and again, O gentle one, what Vaidehi hath said, as if sprinkling me with the water of her words like unto one rendered senseless. What greater grief can there be, O Saumitri, that I behold the jewel obtained from the ocean but not Vaidehi? Truly doth Vaidehi live for a long time if she breathes for a month. But O hero, I cannot live for a moment even without that one having dark-blue eyes. Do thou take me there where thou hast beheld my dear spouse. I cannot live for a moment while I have received intelligence about her. How liveth that timid damsel, having a beautiful waist, being terrified, amidst the terrible and grim Rakshasees? Truly her countenance is not appearing beautiful like unto the autumnal moon, enveloped with clouds, although cleared off the darkness. Do thou relate unto me in sooth, O Hanuman, what Sita hath spoken unto thee. I shall live by these words, as the sick are cured by medicine. O Hanuman, what halh my dear wife, sweet-speeched, and highly beautiful, spoken unto thee, being separated from me? How breathes she going through a series of calamities?"

SECTION LXVII.

Being thus addressed by the high-souled Raghava, Hanuman, related unto him all of what Sita had said,--"O foremost of men, the worshipful Janaki, related as a token, all the incidents at the Mount _Chitrakuta_ from the beginning to the end. Sleeping happily with thee, Janaki one day awoke before, and in the meantime, a crow wounded her breast with its beaks. O Rama, thou wert then asleep on Sita's lap and that crow again afflicted the worshipful dame. And it again wounded her. And being bathed in blood and suffering terrible pangs, that worshipful dame aroused thee. O slayer ol foes, O thou of mighty-arms, seeing her breast wounded, thou, wroth like a serpent, didst speak saying-- 'O timid damsel, who, with his nails, hath wounded thy breast? Who hath played with an angry serpent having five faces?' And casting thy looks around thou didst behold a crow facing the worshipful dame with sharpened nails besmeared with blood. That crow, the best of the birds, was Sakra's son. And it entered speedily into the earth with the velocity of the wind. Thereupon, thy eyes rolling with ire, thou, O mighty armed hero, O foremost of the intelligent, didst resolve to destroy that crow. And taking a _kuca_ off thy seat thou didst set it on Brahma weapon. And it flamed like unto the fire of dessolution before that crow. And thou didst let off that burning _kuca_ towards that bird. And thereupon that burning _kuca_ followed the crow. And being forsaken even by the celestials, who were terrified, and ransacking the three worlds it did not get a refuge. Thereupon it again came to you, O subduer of foes. And seeking thy shelter it laid itself low on the ground. And O Kakutstha, thou didst save it albeit it was worthy of being slain. And thinking it improper to baffle the aim of the weapon, thou didst, O Raghava, destroy the right eye of the crow. Thereupon bowing unto thee and the king Dacaratha, that crow, bidding adieu, went to its quarter. O Raghava, thou art the foremost of those skilled in the use of weapons, powerful and gifted with an excellent character, why dost thou not discharge weapons towards the Rakshasas? The celestials, the Gandharvas, the Asuras, the Marutas--none of them is qualified, O Rama, to equal thee in conflict. If thou, gifted with great prowess, hast any affection for me, do thou speedily, with well-armed shafts, destroy Ravana in conflict. And obtaining the behests of his brother, why doth not Lakshmana, the subduer of foes and best of men, protect me, O Raghava? Those two best of men, gifted with the effulgence of Wind and Fire, and incapable of being repressed even by the celestials, are disregarding me. Forsooth have I perpetrated a mighty iniquity since those two slayers of foes, being capable, do not protect me.' Hearing those sweet and piteous accents of Vaidehi I again spoke unto that worshipful dame, saying--'Forsooth can I swear by thee, O worshipful dame, that Rama is sorely stricken with grief in thy absence. And Lakshmana too relenteth heavily beholding him laden with sorrow. It doth not behove thee to relent any more as I have succeeded in finding thee out. Thou shalt at this very moment behold the end of thy grief. And those two princes, the foremost of men and slayers of foes, actuated with energy on hearing that I have seen thee, shall reduce Lanka to ashes. And slaying in conflict the terrible Ravana, with his kith and kin, Raghava, in sooth, O excellent damsel, shall take thee back to his own city. O thou of a blameless person, do thou confer on me such a token, as might be recognized by Rama and conduce to his pleasure.' Thereat, casting her looks around, she took out an excellent jewel from her cloth, worthy of being set on her braid and conferred it on me, O thou of great strength. And O thou, the most favourite of the Raghu race, taking for thee that gem with my hands and bowing unto her, I addressed myself speedily for departure. And thereupon beholding me ready to depart and increase in bulk and about to leap up in the welkin, Sita, the daughter of the king Janaka, poorly, bathed in tears, overwhelmed with sorrow and having her voice choked with grief, spake, saying--'Blessed art thou O great monkey, since thou shalt behold the large-armed and the lotus-eyed Rama and the highly famed Lakshmana, my lord's younger brother.' And being thus accosted by Maithili, I said--'Do thou speedily place thyself on my back, O worshipful dame, O thou the daughter of king Janaka, and I shall soon show thee, O great dame, O thou having dark blue eyes, thy lord along with Sugriva and Lakshmana.' Whereto she replied--'This is not the pious course, O great monkey, O thou the foremost of thy race, that I shall, of my own accord, place myself on thy back. And although before this I was touched by the demon, O hero, it was because I could not help otherwise subject as I was to circumstances. Do thou thyself repair, O foremost of monkeys, where those two princes are.' Addressing me with these words she again said--'O Hanuman, do thou relate my well-being unto Rama and Lakshmana of leonine prowess, and Sugriva accompanied by his followers. Do thou so describe as the large-armed Raghava may save me from this ocean of grief. Do thou narrate unto Rama this my terrible sorrow and the affliction by the she-demons. May good betide thee, on thy way, O foremost of the monkeys.' Thus the worshipful Sita gave vent to these piteous accents. Hearing these words do thou believe that it is all well with her."

Whereupon, O foremost of men, out of thy love and adoring me for thy friendship, that worshipful dame-- addressed me again, saying--"Do thou thus speak every thing unto Rama, the son of Dacaratha, so that he might soon take me hence, slaying Ravana in battle. O heroe, O slayer of foes, if it pleaseth thee, thou mayst relieve thyself of the toil by living in a secret nook and then proceed to-morrow. O monkey, in thy company, I do momentarily forget the weight of my grief, unfortunate as I am. O thou gifted with great prowess, thyself departing, I shall wait for thy return, but doubt I very much whether I shall live till then. Burnt I shall be with the fear of not beholding thee again, wretched and striken with grief as I am. And so I shall be, hereafter, overwhelmed with a mightier grief. O hero, besides, I entertain a grave doubt about thy assistants, the monkeys and bears. I do not know how shall the host of monkeys and bears and those two princes cross over the mighty main? O innocent monkey of all the creatures three only are qualified to cross over the ocean, thyself, Garuda and the Wind. O thou foremost of those skilled in speech, what hast thou settled about the accomplishment of this hard work? True it is that thou art alone qualified to accomplish this work, O thou the slayer of inimical heroes--but such manifestation of thy prowess shall increase thy glory only. But if Rama, obtaining victory, can take me hence to his own city, it shall redound to his glory. It doth not behove the heroic Raghava, to take me away by stealth, like unto Ravana capturing me from the forest under a disguise. Truly it shall be his becoming work, if Kakutstha, the repressor of enemy's host, can take me away, enveloping the city Lanka with his army. Do thou therefore initiate that work as becometh that high-souled hero and may display his prowess." Hearing these sound reasonable and affectionate words I gave her the last reply, saying--'O worshipful dame, Sugriva, the foremost of the monkeys, the lord of monkey and bear hosts and gifted with manliness, hath resolved upon rescuing thee. He hath under his command a number of mighty and courageous monkeys gifted with great prowess and quick-coursing like imagination. Their course is never thwarted--whether going upwards or downwards--or moving tortuously. They are never exhausted in their actions-- highly courageous and of measureless prowess. And those great and powerful monkeys, coursing in the air, have again and again circumambulated the earth. Sugriva hath many monkeys--my equal--and greater than I, but none of inferior strength. While I have crossed over the main--what of these mighty heroes? The leading heroes are never sent on a mission but only those of inferior merit. No more of bewailing, O worshipful dame. Do thou remove thy grief. And with one leap these leaders of monkey-hosts shall reach Lanka. O great damsel, these two princes, placing themselves on my back shall come to thee like unto the rising Sun and Moon. Thou shalt soon behold before Lanka's gate Raghava the slayer of foes resembling a lion and Lakshmana with a bow in his hand. And thou shalt soon observe in a band the heroic monkeys, gifted with the strength of lions and tigers, and having nails and teeth for their weapons. And thou shalt soon hear the roaring of the leading monkeys on the summit of mount Malaya, resembling the muttering of the clouds. And thou shalt soon behold Raghava, the slayer of foes, installed along with thee on the throne of Ayodhya after returning from the forest." And that daughter of the king of Mithila although heavily laden with sorrow in thy absence was greatly comforted and pleased by my auspicious words boding the fulfilment of her desire.

END OF SUNDARAKANDAM.