5.67. Articulate to elevate the spirit!

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.

As hanumAn narrated the whereabouts of sItA and her lofty conduct in the far away place in captivity, a mix of emotions swept through rAma. The sweet memories felt very bitter due to her absence by his side. The stark reality of her absence haunted him and he wailed in a pitiful manner. The soothing words of hanumAn helped him to stay afloat, much like water revives a fainted man. He wanted to hear more about his beloved from the accomplisher hanumAn. And the extremely articulate hanumAn, who by the power of his persuasive speech brought hope to sItA now began to fill rAma with hope in a similar manner. Onwards…

Asked by thus by the great rAghava, hanumAn continued to submit to him the account of sItA in a comprehensive manner –

“O best among men, the dEvI narrated a past occurrence as an identifier. When both of you were resting in the chitrakUTa, once jAnakI woke up earlier as she was troubled by a crow which was pecking at her bosom. You both took turns to rest and when you were resting with your head in her lap, the crow hurt her in the bosom with its sharp nails. As she was hurt, she woke you up and complained to you. Seeing her bleeding from her breasts, you were livid and angrily inquired who had the temerity to flirt with a five hooded serpent!

नखाग्रैः केन ते भीरु दारितं तु स्तनान्तरम्।

कः क्रीडति सरोषेण पञ्चवक्त्रेण भोगिना।।5.67.8।।

At once your gaze fell on the crow, who was indeed the son of Sakra (indra). As you stared at him, he flew away with all his might with the speed of the wind. You immediately picked up a blade of grass, invoked brahmAstra into it and hurled it at the fleeing crow. The brahmAstra menacingly followed the crow and chased it as he ran around the three worlds. Neither his father indra, nor lord brahma nor any of the Rshis came to his rescue. Finding no other refuge, discarded by everyone, the crow came back to you and fell at your feet seeking forgiveness. Although he deserved nothing but death, out of compassion you saved him. Since your astra could not go in vain, you took away vision from the right eye of the crow. Bowing to you and king daSaratha, the crow ran away to its home.

स पित्रा च परित्यक्तस्सुरैश्च समहर्षिभिः।

त्रीन् लोकान् सम्परिक्रम्य त्रातारं नाधिगच्छति।।5.67.14।।

नरेवागतस्त्रस्तस्त्वत्सकाशमरिंदम।

स तं निपतितं भूमौ शरण्यश्शरणागतम्।।5.67.15।।

वधार्हमपि काकुत्स्थ कृपया पर्यपालयः।

That being so, she asked, O rAma, why are you, the greatest of the wielder of weapons, the truthful one of great conduct are no unleashing your astras on the demons. She said, if that great warrior at all feels anxious about me, he will very soon vanquish rAvaNa with his sharp arrows. Or, taking the sanction from his elder brother, why is the great man, suprreson of foes, lakshmaNa not coming to my rescue? That mighty duo, equal in splendour to wind and fire are unassailable for even the gods and yet they are indifferent to my plight! Alas! There is no doubt, there is some great fault that lies within me because of which, the powerful duo, even though very capable are not coming to my rescue.

ममैव दुष्कृतं किञ्चिन्महदस्ति न संशयः।।5.67.23।।

समर्थौ सहितौ यन्मां नावेक्षेते परन्तपौ।

O rAma, as she lamented thus pitifully shedding copious tears, I again began to speak.

O dEvI, in the grief of no seeing you, rAghava has lost interest in everything. Seeing his elder brother in grief, lakshmaNa also grieves. Now that somehow you have been found, this is no time to grieve. Right now you will see the end of this grief. The blemish-less prince duo, eager to see you will soon render lanka to ashes. Vanquishing rAvaNa along with his kin in the battle, rAghava will soon take you with him to his city (ayOdhyA). Give me an identifying mark, O blemish-less woman, by which rAghava shall know that you have been found and feel delighted. O mighty one, she then, opened the cloth piece which she had tied up and from that she removed this crown jewel and gave it to me. Having received it from her, I bowed to her and hastened to return. I grew in size and seeing me ready to leave, the dEvI was moved to tears and with her throat choking she said, O vAnara you are indeed fortunate that you will soon see the illustrious rAma and lakshmaNa! As she felt so, I requested her to get onto my back so that I can in no time fly her and she can behold rAma along with lakshmaNa and sugrIva. She flatly refused and said that won’t be dharma! She said I cannot touch and get onto your shoulders of my own volition. In the past, she said, when the demon touched me, I had no control over it and was tormented by time.

She then said, ‘O hanumAN, best among the vANaras, go now to where the two princes are and convey my inquiries of welfare to rAma, lakshmaNa and sugrIva. O hanumAn you have to act in such a way that rAghava comes and rescues me from this ocean of grief. Please convey to rAma, the intensity of my grief and the torment I am experiencing from the ogresses. O warrior vAnara, go to rAma, let your path be auspicious’.

O great king, these are the words that your noble sItA spoke full of grief. I conveyed the message to you in its entirety. Please be assured that sItA is entirely safe”.