Sītā grabbed her dark braid. ‘I will hang myself by my own hair and go straight to death’s abode!’ she cried and trembling with fear, she went up to a huge tree that was covered with flowers.
Suddenly, Sītā noticed a flood of auspicious omens which indicated a change in her fortunes. Her beautiful left eye with its long curving lashes twitched like a lotus blossom disturbed by a fish. Her plump and rounded left arm, which was worthy of the finest ointments and had been caressed by her incomparable lover, quivered. Her left thigh, as graceful as an elephant’s trunk, shook and rubbed against her right thigh, suggesting that Rāma was close by. As she stood there, her clothes of yellow silk suddenly seemed to hang loose on her body. Her fears vanished and her burden of sorrow appeared to have lightened. Fortified by her newfound joy, Sītā’s face was as radiant as the moon rising during the bright lunar fortnight.
Chapter Fifty
Meanwhile, the mighty Hanumān had heard all that Sītā and Trijaṭā had said and had listened to the derision of the rākṣasīs. As he watched that beautiful woman, lovely enough to have come from the garden of the gods, many thoughts ran through his mind.
‘I have found the one for whom hundreds of millions of monkeys have been searching! I have also secretly found out about the strength of the enemy, the fortifications of Lankā and Rāvaṇa’s power. But Rāma instructed me specifically to reassure his wife who longs to see him. I must console this lovely woman. She has no experience of suffering and now she sees no end to her woes.
‘It will be a mistake to leave here without comforting her in some way. If I leave, this splendid princess will kill herself because she sees no sign of deliverance. And Rāma, too, deserves some reassurance from me.
‘But how can I speak to her in front of all these rākṣasīs? Yet, if I do not, she will end her life before the night is over. If I do not speak to her, what will I say to Rāma when he asks me what she said? If I leave Sītā without any message, Rāma will be extremely angry and will consume me with his fiery eyes. Now that I have actually reached here, I find myself among rākṣasas. Despite that, I must reassure this lovely woman.
‘I am very large, especially for a monkey. I shall speak to this refined and cultured woman in Sanskrit. But if I speak Sanskrit like a brahmin, Sītā will be terribly frightened. She will think that I am Rāvaṇa! And yet, I must speak to her meaningfully in a human language. How else could I possibly reassure this virtuous woman?
‘But when she sees my shape and size and hears me speak, this poor woman who is already so terrified by the rākṣasīs, will be even more frightened. She will take me to be Rāvaṇa, who can change his shape at will, and she will cry out in fear. And when she does that, these fearsome rākṣasīs who resemble death will gather around her with their awful weapons. These deformed creatures will surround me and try to kill me or capture me. But when they see me leaping from branch to branch in my gigantic form, they, too, shall be frightened. And then they will call for the rākṣasas who guard Rāvaṇa’s palace. They will come here armed with their weapons and rush into battle. When I have destroyed these rākṣasas in my anger, I will not be able to reach the far shore of the ocean again. The rākṣasas will fall upon me and capture me and I will become a prisoner without having accomplished my purpose.
‘Rākṣasas are accustomed to violence and they may harm Sītā. Then Rāma and Sugrīva’s plans will be fruitless. Sītā is guarded by rākṣasas in this secret place surrounded by the ocean which has no approach paths. Even if I am killed or captured, I can see no other way of accomplishing Rāma’s purpose. Now that I think about it, I see that there is no other monkey capable of leaping over these hundred yojanās when I am dead. I can kill thousands of rākṣasas, but then I shall not have the strength to leap back over the ocean.
‘The outcomes of battles are never certain and uncertainty makes me uncomfortable. Which wise man would do something of which he is unsure, as if success were guaranteed? Talking to Sītā might turn out to be a mistake, but if I do not speak, she will definitely kill herself. Obstacles of time and place as well as a confused messenger destroy goals and purposes just as surely as the sunrise destroys the darkness. Even a resolute intelligence cannot always distinguish between advantage and disadvantage. And messengers who assume themselves to be wise often destroy everything. How can the success of this enterprise be ensured? How can confusion be eliminated? How can my leap over the ocean not be in vain? How can my words not cause Sītā fear?’
Hanumān went over all these ideas in his mind and finally came to a decision. ‘Sītā will not be frightened if I praise Rāma’s flawless deeds! Her mind is on her beloved and so if I present Rāma’s righteous and auspicious words in a sweet and gentle voice, she will have faith in me!’
‘Once there was a king named Daśaratha,’ said Hanumān sweetly to Sītā. ‘He had chariots and elephants and horses. He was famous, righteous and had gathered great merit. He delighted in non-violence. He was compassionate and truthful. He was the scion of the Ikṣvākus and he increased their prosperity. Lord of the earth, that bull among kings was famous all over the world. He was joyous and was a giver of joy.
‘His eldest son, whose face was like the full moon, was his most beloved. His name was Rāma. He was wise and the best of all archers. He was the protector of his kingdom, his peoples, all beings and dharma. Heroic Rāma went to live in the forest with his wife and brother to honour the word of his righteous father. While he was in the forest, he was drawn away in a chase and Sītā was carried off by Rāvaṇa in revenge for Rāma’s killing of Khara and Dūṣaṇa in Janasthāna.
‘I heard all about Sītā’s beauty and glory from Rāma. Now I am sure I have found her,’ said Hanumān and fell silent.
Sītā was astonished when she heard this, and her hair dishevelled, she looked up into the tree and saw Hanumān, the son of the Wind, bright as the rising sun, hiding among the branches.
‘This must be a dream!’ she cried in agitation and fainted. Slowly, she regained consciousness. She thought, ‘This must be a nightmare! The traditional texts state that to dream of a monkey is a bad omen. I hope Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa are well and that everything in my father’s kingdom is all right!
‘This cannot be a dream since my sorrows will not allow me to sleep!’ she continued. ‘There can be no peace for me while I am separated from moon-faced Rāma! Today, I have been thinking of him with all my heart. That is why I am seeing and hearing things! I am sure this is an illusion, but then I tell myself that this creature who speaks to me is perfectly visible!’
Hanumān joined his palms in reverence and said, ‘You stand leaning against this tree, wearing soiled and dirty clothes. Who are you, lady with the lotus eyes? Why do tears stream from your eyes like water from a broken pot? God, asura, nāga, gandharva, rākṣasa, yakṣa, or kinnara, which one are you? You seem to be divine! Or are you Rohiṇī, the brightest of the stars, endowed with all the virtues, fallen from the sky without the moon? Are you Arundhatī who angered her husband in her confusion?
‘Slim-waisted lady, do you mourn the loss of a father, a husband or a brother? You have the appearance of royalty. I think you must be the consort of a king! I ask you, were you abducted from Janasthāna by Rāvaṇa? If you were, then you must be Sītā! Tell me, please!’
Sītā was pleased with Hanumān’s praise of Rāma and she said, ‘I am the daughter of Janaka, the great king of the Videhas. I am Sītā, the wife of Rāma! For twelve full years I lived in Rāma’s palace, enjoying all the pleasures known to humans and satisfying my every desire. Then, in the thirteenth year, the king and his ministers decided to consecrate Rāma heir and when everything was ready for the ceremony, the lady Kaikeyī spoke to her husband, “I will not eat or drink the food that is brought to me every day. If Rāma is consecrated heir, I will end my life! Best of kings, remember the boons you gave and send Rāma into the forest!”
&nbs
p; ‘The honourable king recalled his boons but he was bewildered by Kaikeyī’s cruel and hateful words. Weeping, the king who stood so firm on the path of righteousness asked his illustrious elder son for the kingdom. Effulgent Rāma held his father’s word dearer than the consecration and accepted his instructions completely, in thought and deed. Rāma would never give or receive anything unworthy, even to save his life! With great sincerity, Rāma took off his priceless clothes and renounced the kingdom. He entrusted me to his mother’s care, but I, too, put on the simple clothes of an ascetic and stood beside him. I would not care to live even in heaven without him! Then, Lakṣmaṇa, the joy of his friends, also put on simple clothes so that he could follow his older brother. Firm in our vows, determined to honour the promise of our lord, we entered the dense and impenetrable forest. While we were living in the Daṇḍaka forest, I, the wife of mighty Rāma, was abducted by the vile rākṣasa Rāvaṇa. He has given me two months to live. After that, I will kill myself!’
‘I have come to you as a messenger from Rāma!’ said Hanumān. ‘Rāma, best among the learned and best of all warriors, the son of Daśaratha, is well and he asks about your welfare. Mighty Lakṣmaṇa, the companion of your beloved and grieving husband, bows his head to you!’
Sītā’s entire body quivered with joy when she heard that Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were both well. An extraordinary pleasure suffused Sītā and the monkey and they began to talk to each other in good faith. But when Hanumān came closer to the emaciated woman who was racked by grief, Sītā drew back in fear. ‘Oh no! This has to be Rāvaṇa in another form! He mocks me with his sweet words!’ She let go of the branch she was holding and fell to the ground.
Hanumān stepped closer and bowed to her but Sītā was so frightened that she could not even look at him. She sighed and said in her sweet voice, ‘If you are Rāvaṇa, master of the magic arts, and if you have taken on another form, all you do is increase my distress. That is not very nice of you! You are the same Rāvaṇa who took me from Janasthāna in the form of a mendicant! Oh cruel rākṣasa! You can take any form you choose. I am thin and weak from fasting. How can you torment me like this?
‘If you really are Rāma’s messenger, I call blessings upon you! Tell me the story of Rāma, it will make me very happy! Recite Rāma’s virtues to me, monkey, and carry away my soul as the river current overwhelms its banks!
‘I was abducted so long ago that I now see a monkey messenger from Rāma in pleasant dream! If only I could see Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa again, even if it is in a dream, I would not be so depressed. Even these dreams make me happy!
‘But this cannot be a dream! Seeing a monkey in a dream cannot lead to happiness and I am definitely happy! Am I deluded? Can this be the result of indigestion? A hallucination sprung from my insanity? I am not mad and delusions are definitely a sign of madness. I know myself and I know that this is a real monkey!’
Sītā sorted through these thoughts in her mind. Because she knew that rākṣasas could change their shapes, she suspected Hanumān of being Rāvaṇa. She decided that he was, indeed, the rākṣasa and stopped talking to him.
Hanumān was wise and understood the source of her anxiety. He placed her mind at ease with appropriate words.
‘Bright as the sun, loved by all like the moon, king of all creatures, equal to the god of wealth, handsome, prosperous and as fortunate as the god of love, never angry without reason, the best charioteer on earth, that is Rāma, whose mighty arms protect the entire world! Rāvaṇa took the form of a deer and lured Rāma away and then he abducted you from that lonely place. He will face the consequences of this! Before long, heroic Rāma will kill Rāvaṇa in battle with his arrows that blaze like fire when he releases them in his anger! He sent me as a messenger to you. That is why I am here!
‘Rāma grieves desperately in his separation from you and he asks about your welfare. Mighty Lakṣmaṇa greets you and sends you good wishes! There is a monkey named Sugrīva who is Rāma’s friend and ally. He is the king of the monkeys and he, too, sends you greetings and good wishes. Rāma thinks of you all the time and so do Lakṣmaṇa and Sugrīva.
‘Even though you have been captured by the rākṣasas, at least you are still alive! It won’t be long before you see Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa and Sugrīva surrounded by the monkey hordes! I am mighty Hanumān, Sugrīva’s minister. I leapt over the ocean and entered Lankā! I have come to see you relying on my own strength. I shall place my foot on vile Rāvaṇa’s head! I am not who you think I am, Sītā! Give up your doubts and trust me!’
‘Where did you meet Rāma? How do you know Lakṣmaṇa? Why did these men make an alliance with the monkeys!’ asked Sītā eagerly. ‘Describe Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa to me so that my grief will be bearable! Tell me, what does Rāma look like? And Lakṣmaṇa?’
Encouraged by Sītā, Hanumān launched into an accurate description of Rāma. ‘I am glad you have recognized me for who I am,’ he said. ‘Listen while I tell you about Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa.
‘Lotus-eyed Rāma delights the minds of all creatures with his good looks and his innate virtues. Bright as the morning sun, he is as steadfast as the earth, equal to Bṛhaspati in wisdom and to Indra in valour. He protects the people of the world in the same way as he protects his own family. He upholds dharma. He nurtures it and establishes its limits in the world while he maintains the fourfold division of society. He knows when to help good men, he is learned in all the necessary rituals and skilled in the arts of administration. He is respectful to brahmins as well as humble, courteous and kind. He is a fine archer and is well-versed in the sacred texts.
‘Broad-shouldered and mighty-armed, he has a strong neck and a powerful chest. With his shining face, he is well known to all. His skin glows, his limbs are well-proportioned and his voice is as resonant as a drum. His lips are full, his jaw is firm and his fingers and hands are well-shaped. He is devoted to truth and gathers good men around him. He knows what is appropriate for time and place and he speaks sweetly to everyone.
‘His brother, invincible Lakṣmaṇa, was born to his second mother Sumitrā and he resembles Rāma in his looks, his virtues and his loving nature.
‘As they were wandering in the forest in search of you, they came upon the king of the monkeys who had been dethroned by his brother. Handsome Sugrīva had taken refuge on the Ṛṣyamūka mountain from fear of his brother and we served him there. The two princes arrived, dressed like ascetics and armed with bows. The monkey king saw them and ran to the top of the mountain in fear and confusion. Once he was safe, he sent me to them.
‘I bowed before those magnificent men, rich in looks and auspicious marks, and they were pleased when I had told them all about Sugrīva. I carried them on my back to Sugrīva and mutual confidence and pleasure was established between them. Rāma reassured Sugrīva who had been displaced by his brother and Lakṣmaṇa then told him all about the grief Rāma bore because of your abduction. Sugrīva’s face dimmed as he listened to the story.
‘Lovely lady, when you were being carried off by the rākṣasa, you dropped your jewels on the ground. The monkey leaders brought them to Rāma but they could not tell him where you were. I gave Rāma the jewels that I myself had picked up, the ones that fell with a tinkling sound. Rāma was very distressed when he saw them. He placed them on his lap and looked at them again and again, weeping as he did so. He fell to the ground in his grief and I had to raise him up with many sweet words. When Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa had gazed at the jewels for a long time, they gave them back to Sugrīva.
‘Rāma is terribly depressed at being separated from you. He burns in a perpetual fire of grief, like a mountain that houses a volcano, He cannot sleep and he is deeply tormented. He finds neither peace nor joy in the beautiful woods and lakes and flowing rivers because you are not by his side. But soon he shall come to rescue you. He will kill Rāvaṇa and all his family and followers!
‘Rāma and Su
grīva made a pact to destroy Vālī and to search for you. Rāma killed Vālī in combat with his strength and made Sugrīva the king of all the monkeys and bears. This was how their alliance was formed. I am their messenger!
‘Once Sugrīva regained his kingdom, he summoned all the great monkeys and bears for your sake. He sent them out in the ten directions and they set out all over the earth. Angada, Vālī’s heroic son, was sent out with three quarters of the monkey army. We spent many days lost in the mountains and we were very depressed. As the stipulated period for the search drew to an end, we were thoroughly disheartened and we decided to kill ourselves because we feared the king of the monkeys. We had searched everywhere in the impenetrable forests and in the lakes and rivers of the mountains, but we had found no trace of you.
‘Angada had given up all hope and sat there, lamenting your loss, the death of his father and of Jatāyu, and the fact that we had decided to fast to death. The king of the vultures, Sampāti, overheard the part about the death of his brother Jaṭāyu and said angrily, “Who killed my brother and where does he live? Tell me, great monkeys!” Angada told him how Jaṭāyu was killed by the rākṣasa in Janasthāna for your sake. Sampāti was overcome by grief and told us that you were now in Rāvaṇa’s palace.
‘We were delighted with Sampāti’s information and were now eager to see you. But the monkey army grew despondent again when they saw the ocean. I set aside my fear and leapt over the one hundred yojanās. At night, I entered Lankā which was teeming with rākṣasas. I saw Rāvaṇa and now I have seen you, overcome by your grief.
‘Virtuous lady, I have now told you everything exactly as it happened. Speak to me, for I am Rāma’s messenger! I am here because of you, to accomplish Rāma’s goal. Know that I am Sugrīva’s minister and the son of the Wind! I can change form at will and I can go where I please. I have travelled the southern regions in search of you! Fortunately, I can now dispel the monkeys’ grief with news of you. My leap over the ocean has not been in vain and I shall be famous for having seen you. And soon, mighty Rāma will join you here after he has killed Rāvaṇa and his family and all his kin!
Valmiki's Ramayana Page 43