5.60. They’re raring to go but reined in!

Hari Om.

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

After narrating the tell-tale account of his flight to lanka, the eventful and successful search, thrilling aftermath and return as an accomplisher, hanumAn thought it fit to exhort the fellow vAnaras and praised them all one by one. He even proposed that their might could be worthless if they didn’t save sItA by themselves and united her with rAma! Although he had given this offer to sItA and she had rejected it (5.37), he asked his mates to consider saving sItA by themselves. This was perhaps with a view to invigorate them. In any case, there was the elder jAmbavAn and this was subject to his approval. Onwards…

Listening to the invigorating words of hanumAn, the son of vAlI, angada said –

“I alone am adequate to wipe out the entire city of lanka with its hordes of demons including rAvaNa. Accompanied by such accomplished warriors like you all who are mighty, deft in wielding weapons and keen to win it would be even easier. We have already heard that by the might of hanumAn alone, the city of lanka was gutted. It would be inappropriate and would be unbecoming of our fame if we go to rAghava and tell him that we have seen jAnakI but didn’t bring her to you. Neither the gods nor the demons are more mighty or valorous than us, therefore, let us invade lanka, vanquish rAvaNa, bring sItA and unite her with rAma and lakshmaNa. We should see rAma after accomplishing all these”.

Watching angada who resolved thus, delightfully jAmbavAn intervened and said –

“O discerning warrior, what you are suggesting is not the right thing to do. We were asked to go in search of sItA to the vast southern direction. We were never directed by either sugrIva or rAma to bring back sItA and hence it would be beyond our brief to somehow bring her back. Remember the vow of the king rAghva in front of all the vAnaras that he would lead the battle which will secure sItA. Why do you want to render that vow false? If you foild rAghava’s vow he won’t be pleased and our efforts will be in vain. Therefore, let us all go to where sugrIva, rAma and lakshmaNa are and report what has happened until now and let them decide the next course of action.

न तावदेषा मतिरक्षमा नो यथा भवान् पश्यति राजपुत्र।

यथा तु रामस्य मतिर्निविष्टा तथा भवान् पश्यतु कार्यसिद्धिम्।।5.60.6।।

O prince, it is not that such thoughts have not crossed our minds. But let us find out what is in the mind of rAma and act to accomplish that”.