Hari Om.
Let us begin the thirty sixth sarga of the sundara kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Estimating the depths of the depression of sItA, depending completely on the greatness of rAma, hanumAn began to narrate the entire series of happenings about the way the duo and the vAnaras came together, how the trust grew between sugrIva and rAma, how they struck a deal to help each other, how rAma killed vAlI and made sugrIva the king of kishkindhA and how sugrIva repaid this favour by dispatching valiant vAnaras in all the directions to search for sItA. hanumAn gave his own introduction and the way he was born and mentioned how he was the fortunate one to have crossed across the ocean and meet her. As per sItA’s command, he narrated in very great detail about the built and appearance of rAma and his virtues. The entire articulation had a very comforting and convincing effect on sItA as she believed that it was hanumAn indeed. The brilliant vAnara had met the second important milestone of the mission which was to convey rAma’s message to sItA. The time was ripe for sItA to get the ring with the insignia of rAma. Onwards…
The illustrious hanumAn, after a detailed articulation, earnestly spoke further to sItA in order to win her trust and said – “O noble woman, I am a vAnara and the emissary of the learned rAma. O dEvI, here is the royal ring of rAma bearing his signature which has been given by him to secure your trust. Wellness be upon you, be calm and let your sorrow vanish”!
वानरोऽहं महाभागे दूतो रामस्य धीमतः।
रामनामाङ्कितं चेदं पश्य देव्यङ्गुलीयकम्।।5.36.2।।
प्रत्ययार्थं तवाऽनीतं तेन दत्तं महात्मना।
समाश्वसिहि भद्रं ते क्षीणदुःखफला ह्यसि।।5.36.3।।
She accepted the finger ring of her husband from hanumAn and became ecstatic as if her dear husband has arrived himself.
गृहीत्वा प्रेक्षमाणा सा भर्तुः करविभूषणम्।
भर्तारमिव सम्प्राप्ता जानकी मुदिताऽभवत्।।5.36.4।।
Her charming face with the coppery eyes shone forth as if the moon was relieved from the clutches of rAhu. The bashful young woman who was delighted by the message from her husband was overjoyed and praised the great vAnara –
“O best among the vAnaras, you are valorous, capable and wise. You made the hundred yOjana long ocean look like a small puddle of water, leapt across it heroically and pounced on the enemy territory of the demon king all by yourself. Since you are not scared of or terrified by rAvaNa, I do not think of you to be ordinary vAnara. The formidable and learned rAma, will not send someone to me with a message without examining his abilities thoroughly. Therefore, sent by him, you are eligible to converse with me.
Fortunately the rAma, the embodiment of dharma and lakshmaNa the reason of sumitrA’s enhancing delight are safe. If indeed, kakutstha (rAma) is safe, why does he not unleash his anger that can cause the ultimate deluge and burn the entire earth with the oceans? Or perhaps, there is no solution to end my sorrows and hence the two brothers are not acting despite having the ability to repress even the gods.
I hope rAma is not suffering and depressed and is attending to appropriate actions from time to time. I hope he is not shying away from his duties overcome with misery and is performing actions expected of him. I hope he is being favourable to his friends by adopting the path of conciliation (sAma) and charity (dAna). And I hope he is practicing the trifold policy of settlement of conflict through understanding (dAna), creating rift among them (bhEda) and unleashing punishment (danDa) on hostile forces. I hope he is making allies and they hold him in high regard. Does he ever seek the blessings of the gods or does he think his own efforts and the blessings of the gods will bring fruition?
I hope he has not lost his love for me due to the separation and I hope he will rescue me from these troubles. I hope the suffering has not spoiled his focus and he will soon rescue me. Unused to the difficulties and used to comforts, how is rAma coping with this sorrow? I hope he keeps getting the news of the welfare of kausalyA, sumitrA and bharata. I hope Bharata, the fond brother of rAma will send a mighty army of an akshauhiNi well managed by expert generals and ministers for my sake. I hope the mighty warrior lakshmaNa will soon vanquish the demons with his weaponry. I hope the lord of vAnaras sugrIva, surrounded by the vAnara warriors and the bears will come for my sake. I hope to see very soon that some menacing weapon will burn rAvaNa and his coterie to ashes in the battle.
I hope his charming lotus like face has not withered like a lotus without water in my absence. In order to practice dharma, rAma without any fear of sorrow gave up his kingdom and went to the forest on foot followed by me. I hope he retains the same courage even now.
धर्मापदेशात्त्यजतश्च राज्यं मां चाप्यरण्यं नयतः पदातिम्।
नासीद्व्यथा यस्य न भीर्न शोकः कच्चित्स धैर्यं हृदये करोति।।5.36.29।।
न चास्य माता न पिता च नान्यः स्नेहाद्विशिष्टोऽस्ति मया समो वा।
तावत्त्वहं दूत जिजीविषेयं यावत्प्रवृत्तिं शृणुयां प्रियस्य।।5.36.30।।
Neither his mother nor father nor anyone else are dearer to him than me. O messenger, I shall survive until I hear the words of my beloved”.
इतीव देवी वचनं महार्थं तं वानरेन्द्रं मधुरार्थमुक्त्वा।
श्रोतुं पुनस्तस्य वचोऽभिरामं रामार्थयुक्तं विरराम रामा।।5.36.31।।
Having spoken sweetly and very meaningfully thus, the dEvI paused, wanting to hear again from the vAnara attractive speech eulogising rAma. Listening to sItA’s questions, the very valorous mAruti, raised his folded hands to his head and said –
“O lotus-eyed beauty, rAma was unaware of your presence here so far and hence he didn’t take you back like indra took his wife sachI back. Now once he hears about your whereabout from me, he will descend soon surrounded by an enormous army of vAnaras and bears. He will lay seize on the ocean with his arrows and will decimate the demons of lanka. And while he does so, whoever tries to stop his way, let it be gods or demons or even death itself, he will vanquish them all.
तत्र यद्यन्तरा मृत्युर्यदि देवास्सहासुराः।
स्थास्यन्ति पथि रामस्य स तानपि वधिष्यति।।5.36.36।।
O noble woman, without you, rAma is immersed in sorrow and doesn’t get respite from it for a moment like an elephant troubled by a lion. And I swear these by the mountains malaya, Vindhya, mEru, dardura and by the roots and fruits on which we vAnaras subsist. You will soon behold the charming face of rAma shining like the risen full moon. You will see him majestically seated on the praSravaNa mountain like indra seated in the havens.
O dEvI, in your absence, rAma neither eats meat or drinks. He has reduced his food intake to a fifth. He is so lost in your thought that he doesn’t shoe away the flies or reptiles that get onto his body. Absorbed in your love, his mind is completely fixated in you and he grieves on you single mindedly without any other thought. rAma hardly sleeps and even if he slips into it, he wakes up sweetly uttering your name! Whenever he comes across a lovely fruit or flower or any other thing that captivates his mind he immediately sighs and call out your name. O dEvI, he is ever grieving and speaks within himself as if he is speaking to you. The very determined great prince is putting efforts only to win you back”.
सा रामसङ्कीर्तनवीतशोका रामस्य शोकेन समानशोका।
शरन्मुखे साम्बुदशेषचन्द्रा निशेव वैदेहसुता बभूव।।5.36.47।।
The sorrow of the daughter of the vidEha (sItA) disappeared in the delight of the glory of rAma. Now her grief was equal to that of rAma (no more uncertainty, only the sorrow of separation). She resembled the moon in the sky at the advent of the autumn that was only partly obscured by the clouds and partly bright.
Here we conclude the thirty sixth sarga of the sundara kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Previous: 5.35. The winning and reassuring articulation
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 
