5.50. Looking the ten-headed in the eye, he readies to counsel

Hari Om.

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

Having spotted, spoken to and ascertained sItA of her rescue by rAma, hanumAn wanted to exceed the goal of his mission. So he displayed controlled aggression and triggered the demons who fell into his trap and lost their lives. He was determined to have an audience with rAvaNa who was unlikely to yield his attention in any other way. The actions of hanumAn and the vanquishment of the demons was catching rAvaNa’s attention and even worrying him. Finally, yielding to the brahmAstra of Indrajit, hanumAn, walked to rAvaNa’s court shrugging off the demons who were trying to torture him. This showed a great forbearance on part of hanumAn to make the mission a grand success. Finally as he beheld rAvaNa, the exquisite quality of admiring a foe for what is great about them also came to the fore. Being so powerful and mighty himself, hanumAn who agreed to captivity for this very moment, had a good look at rAvaNa. The ten-headed also got to see the vAnara who made him taste his own medicine and was awe struck. Onwards…

The tormentor of the worlds, the mighty rAvaNa beheld the copper-eyed hanumAn and was outraged. He was stunned by the splendor of hanumAn and that forced doubts to arise in his mind –

“Earlier during my sojourn to the kailAsa, I was once cursed by bhagavAn nandi, the servitor of lord Siva. Could this be him in the guise of the vAnara? Or could this be the great demon bANa who came assuming this form”?

किमेष भगवान्नन्दी भवेत्साक्षादिहागतः।।5.50.2।।

येन शप्तोऽस्मि कैलासे मया सञ्चालिते पुरा।

सोऽयं वानरमूर्तिस्स्यात्किंस्विद्बाणो महाऽसुरः।।5.50.3।।

And then the king, his eyes red in anger, instructed his minister-in-chief, prahasta in a diligent manner –

“Ask this vile fellow, where he came from and why, what was he trying to convey through the destruction of the grove and tormenting the demons. What was the cause for him to step into my inviolable city and if he wants to wage war against us, ask him why”?

रावणस्य वचश्श्रुत्वा प्रहस्तो वाक्यमब्रवीत्।

समाश्वसिहि भद्रं ते न भीः कार्या त्वया कपे।।5.50.7।।

Instructed thus, prahasta addressed hanumAn:

“O vAnara, relax and may good happen to you. Don’t be afraid. Tell us as a matter of fact if you have been sent by indra or kubEra, or varuNa or yama? Why have you sneaked into our city as a spy? Or have you been sent by vishNu to win over us? Your splendor is not that of a vAnara, only your form is. Tell us accurately and you will be released.

न हि ते वानरं तेजो रूपमात्रं तु वानरम्।।5.50.10।।

तत्त्वत: कथयस्वाद्य ततो वानर मोक्ष्यसे।

If you are lying about your reason for entering the abode of rAvaNa your life will be hard to be spared”.

Responding to the interrogation by prahasta, hanumAn looked at king of the demons and addressed him –

“I have not been commissioned by indra, yama or varuNa. I have no kinship with kubEra nor have I been dispatched by vishNu. I am a vAnara by my birth and here I am. It was impossible to get an audience with the king of the demons and hence to get his attention and audience I destroyed the forest. Then a series of demons who were war mongers attacked me and for the sake of self-defense I had to fight them. It is impossible for even the gods and demons to rein me in with their astras and other weapons. This is the boon I have received from the lord brahma.

अस्त्रपाशैर्न शक्योऽहं बद्धुं देवासुरैरपि।।5.50.16।।

पितामहादेष वरो मामाप्येषोऽभ्युपागतः।

राजानं द्रष्टुकामेन मयास्त्रमनुवर्तितम्।।5.50.17।।

विमुक्तो ह्यहमस्त्रेण राक्षसैस्त्वभिपीडितः।

केनचिद्राजकार्येण सम्प्राप्तोऽस्मि तवान्तिकम्।।5.50.18।।

I feigned captivity by this weapon and tolerated the torture of the demons only to see the king. On a certain mission of rAma, I have entered your abode.

दूतोऽहमिति विज्ञेयो राघवस्यामितौजसः।

श्रूयतां चापि वचनं मम पथ्यमिदं प्रभो।।5.50.19।।

Know me as the messenger of the supremely illustrious rAghava and listen to the good counsel I am about to offer”.