5.12. Alas, is it a failed effort?

Hari Om.

Let us begin the twelfth sarga of the sundara kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.

Sneaking into the enemy’s territory and moving to right under the enemy’s nose, hanumAn went about his avowed mission of finding sItA. The illustrious vAnara, walked right into the private chambers of rAvaNa and beheld the captive and captivating beauties of rAvaNa all of whom came from a great lineage, played music, performed dance, indulged amorously and were all tired by their passionate activities and slept as if they were unconscious. In the middle of the harem slept the demon king, rAvaNa himself, carrying scars of previous combats on his arms. hanumAn was momentarily taken aback at the lustre and mighty built of rAvaNa. He then beheld mandOdarI, the chief queen and mistaking her for sItA, celebrated briefly. He quickly realized his folly and moving on into the dining hall, he saw even more women in a state not fit to be seen. The moral dilemma of if he did the right thing struck him. But he deliberated, where else could you look for a lost woman if not among women? And further, no passion was aroused in him upon seeing everything he saw. His mid was as clean as ever and he was focused on his job. His senses were perfectly under control by a beautiful mind that didn’t see anything except his objectives of finding sItA. Thus, not finding the consort of rAma, hanumAn was a tad disappointed and moved out contemplating the next move. Onwards…

He then went to the middle of the mansion which housed small gardens, galleries and resting places, eager to locate sItA, but he couldn’t find the beloved of rAma and began to think of the possibilities – “By my efforts, I have not been able to locate jAnakI, surely, she is dead. Keen to protect her chastity and being a stickler to the noble path, she must have been killed by the king of the demons. The sight of the crooked, ugly, dull and terrifying long faces of the beloveds of the demon king might have caused trepidation in sItA and she might have perished.

Without finding sItA and not being successful in my goal after spending so much time with the vAnaras who came south, I cannot go to the mighty sugrIva who inflicts terrible punishment. Having searched in the private chambers of rAvaNa and searching among all his women, I did not find the noble lady sItA and so my effort seems to have gone in vain. Alas, when my mates led by the elderly jAmabavAn ask me what have I accomplished having come all the way to lanka, what can I say to them. Since the stipulated time has passed and jAnakI has not been found yet, they will surely fast unto death”.

Thinking thus, hanumAn again deliberated – “Not giving into depression is the root of prosperity, not being depressed indeed confers comfort, not despairing is the only way objectives can be met. Whoever puts efforts without despairing achieves success and therefore I shall put my best efforts without giving into depression. I shall search for sItA further in this lanka ruled by rAvaNa.

अनिर्वेदः श्रियो मूलमनिर्वेदः परं सुखम्।

अनिर्वेदो हि सततं सर्वार्थेषु प्रवर्तकः।।5.12.10।।

करोति सफलं जन्तोः कर्म यत्तत्करोति सः।

तस्मादनिर्वेदकृतं यत्नं चेष्टेऽहमुत्तमम्।।5.12.11।।

भूयस्तावद्विचेष्यामि देशान्रावणपालितान्।

I have already searched in the banquet hall, gardens, galleries, private chambers, private gardens and the pushpaka vimAna”.

Reflecting thus, he expanded the search to cellars, temples and the inner chambers of other houses. Going up, coming down, pausing to search thoroughly, opening the doors, closing them – thus wherever there was scope to search, he searched for sItA without leaving an inch anywhere in the inner chambers of rAvaNa.

चतुरङ्गुलमात्रोऽपि नावकाशः स विद्यते।

रावणान्तःपुरे तस्मिन् यं कपिर्न जगाम सः।।5.12.17।।

Then stepping out, he searched in the avenues between the walls, in the temples, around the vEdis, wells and ponds thoroughly. He saw ogresses of various forms, ugly and crooked but not the daughter of janaka.

He also saw the women of the vidyAdharas of unrivalled beauty but not the delight of rAghava. He saw the nAga princesses of shapely limbs and moon like countenance who were forcibly abducted by rAvaNa but not the slender sItA, the delight of king janaka.

The mighty hanumAn, not being able to see sItA but seeing all other great women, felt despondent for a moment. He reflected on the purported futility of the efforts of the vAnara warriors and his crossing of the ocean. The disappointment haunted him. As he repeatedly brooded about what seemed like a wasted effort, he experienced a terrible sadness in his mind.