Sundara Kãnda: Hanuman's Odyssey, BS Murthy [classic book list txt] 📗

Madhuvan that’s so dear to me?
 
Feel I certain Hanuman did
Find Seetha in thy waiting.
 
Espouses as he some cause  
Hanuman is ever dedicated.
 
Whatever he might undertake
Known is Angad for his luck.
 
Now that Angad advances
Like the one who succeeded 
That should make us feel easy.
 
That our vanars on errand
Wrecked my garden in orgies
Would but portend that Seetha
Was found in the pink of health.
Won’t they roar in joyous mood
What’s that but they got it right.
 
Saw vanar Lord in descent
Angad’s flock in bid to land.
 
In salute to that force his strong
Raised then Sugreev tail his straight.
 
Seeing Sugreev in welcome  
Signalled Angad to his flock
Land they might all on the trot.

Enthused as were all by then
Lost no time to land vanars.
 
Having went to Rama straight
‘Seen I Seetha’ told Hanuman.
 
Gladdened tidings of the news
Hearts of Ram and his sibling.
 
Felt glad Sugreev that Hanuman
Caressed was by Lakshman’s eyes.

Melted loving look of Ram

Hanuman to the core of heart

Canto 65

News in Brief

Followed Angad suit Hanuman
Paid he respects to Lord Ram. 
 
Such was vanars’ state of mind
Spoke they out of turn they all.
 
Blabbered they all one by one
In bits ’n pieces what they heard.
 
Amused by their hearsay Ram
Heard them all for quite sometime.
 
Enquired in time Ram of them
What doth Seetha think of him.
 
At that they all passed baton
To Hanuman who was in the know.
 
Set to recap then Hanuman
Thought of Seetha in reverence
And turned southward to face her. 
 
Taking seat at Rama’s feet
Handed him then that diadem  
Given by Seetha for recall
And thus spoke with folded hands.
 
Pressed as I was by my peers
Crossed I ocean lay there south
In search of Seetha there yonder.

Reached I Lanka in no time
Land that ruled by vile Ravan.
 
Found I Seetha in distress
Jailed as Ravan to digress
From her love to thee her Lord. 

In the hope of her rescue
Lingers she on in thy thought.
 
Never having had bad dream 
Wonder how her life turned sour. 
 
In tight rein is Seetha held 
Day ’n night of vigil to boot
Of the devilish guards in scores. 

Floor she uses for her bed 
Curses Ravan for her plight.

It’s that Seetha in lament
Found I at length in torment. 
 
In time I could impress her
That am but thine own agent.
 
How glad was she as I told
Hath Lord Sugreev turned thy friend.
 
Steadfast as she in thy thought
Prayed thee for long in reverence.
 
Told me she then that story
Of the eager crow and thee.
 
Beseeched Seetha then with me
To tell her tale of owes to thee.
 
Give this diadem to my Lord
When thy Lord is there with him. 
 
Tell my Ram that I relive
Touch his as he adorned me
With this diadem my dad gave
To me on our wedding day.
It’s this one that makes me feel
As if thee are ever with me.

Gave though Ravan two more months
To change my mind or face then death
Prefer I would to end my life
At the end of one more month. 
 
In her state of distress Lord
That’s how Seetha spoke to me. 
 
Now that I made thee privy 
To the plight of thy Seetha
Think of ways ’n means to take  
Our force there to bring her back.
 
Felt though Ram then so sad
Spouse his was in such distress,
Yet he felt glad that Hanuman
Could show him the way to her. 

Canto 66

Tears in Torrents

Moved by Seetha’s plight he heard
Wept Ram holding her diadem. 

Welling his eyes to then brim
Brought it memories in torrents.

Told he then the import of
Diadem that to Lord Sugreev.
 
It was gift of her father
At the time of our wedding.
 
Given it was by nonetheless
Than Lord Indra to her dad.
 
As I see this diadem now
Recall I well our wedding
Graced by parents of us both.
 
Ever I recall that aura
Gives this diadem to Seetha.
 
For the solace of my soul
Make it encore O Hanuman
How my Seetha misses me.
 
My dear sibling O Lakshman
How this diadem in my hands
Wrenches my heart to the core.
Though gave Seetha thirty days
Outer limit for me to act
How can ever I wait that long.
 
To my Seetha whom I love
Take me forthwith O Hanuman. 
 
Delicate being her nature
What an ordeal it could be
To be confined thus for long? 
 
Won’t her moon like face look like
Full moon shrouded by thick clouds?
 
Tell me what all Seetha said
Want I hear to her last word. 

Keen am I to get picture
Of the pining of my spouse. 

Canto 67

Hanuman’s Replay

Moved no end by Rama’s plight  
Spoke with ardour then Hanuman.
 
Narrate I would verbatim
Tale she told me to tell thee.
 
Woke up as I ahead of Ram
Slept when we both in open
Pecked my bosom Kakasur. 
 
Bore I pain all in silence
Not to disturb his sleep then. 
 
Taking advantage of that
Went on hurting me that crow
Making fountains of my breasts.
 
Fell as my blood on his chest
Woke up Ram to find me bleed. 
 
Saw he as me in distress
Hissed my man like king cobra. 
 
Dare who did to lay his hands
On thy breasts that brush my chest! 
 
To his dismay he then found
Kakasur with blood on hands.
 
Realized Ram that Kakasur
Bird of birds was Indra’s son.
Misdeed that of Indra’s son
Found then my man hard to bear. 
 
Plucked he then a nearby reed
And with power of his mantra
That he turned to Brahmastra.
 
Let as Ram that Brahmastra
To chase Kakasur to death
Spewed it tongues of fire at him.

So to save his life his dear
Turned that crow to one and all
Including his dad Indra.

None as came forward to help
Came back Kakasur to Ram
Sought he  pardon for his foul.

Inclined though Ram to pardon
Yet he couldn’t help hurt his eye
Since none retracts his mantra. 
 
Thanking Ram for his reprieve
Left Kakasur with left eye then. 
 
Said she thus she fails to grasp
How come Rama spares Ravan. 
 
Is there someone in all worlds
Who would stand up to fight Ram?
 
Concern if hath Lord Rama 
For me his spouse ever loyal
May he come ’n slay Ravan.
 
Am I not like mother to him
What made Lakshman thus stay put?

Oh my man and his sibling
Could kill Ravan on their own, 
And if they both feel for me
Why they fail to rescue me?
 
Seems both of them mistook me
For some reason know not what. 
 
Seeing Seetha doubt herself
Gave I her thus assurance. 
 
It’s his sorrow for thee know
Made that Rama lose his way.
 
Seeing thy man immobilized
As well Lakshman lost his wits,
Now that I would tell thy tale
Both of them would spring to life.
 
Enthused by the news I fetch
Land they would soon in Lanka.
 
That would be the beginning of
The end of Ravan’s reign on earth.

For thy Lord to trust my word
Give me keepsake he gave thee.
 
Having thought a while Seetha
Gave this diadem now thou hold. 
 
In my hurry to see thee
Bid I adieu to thy spouse.

As I started to gain size
So that I could cross the seas
Spoke then Seetha to me thus.
 
As she took thy name O Lord
Broke she down then in despair. 

Having at length set her tone
Chanted thy name like mantra.
 
That thou bestow trust in me
Praised my fortune then Seetha. 
 
As a seat for her fly back
Offered then I her my back.
 
Told I she would be with thee
Before she could spell thy name.
 
Said she it’s not in her vein
Touch to alien male on own.
 
Felt I it’s my misfortune
Laid as Ravan hand on me
Kidnapped as he me then thus.
 
So can’t I make on thy back
Though thou are a friendly soul. 
 
Once thou go back to thy folk
Pay my respects to them all.
 
Implore upon my Lord Ram
Help me come out clean early.
 
Mind thee tell all to my Lord
How guards all these distress me. 
 
Men of men O Lord Rama
That’s how Seetha pines for thee.

Canto 68

Times of Hope

Said then Hanuman to Rama
Came as thy spouse to trust me
Spoke she further thus with me. 
 
Stress the need to do needful
Speak as thou to my Lord Ram. 
 
How I wish thou gone by now
Yet I feel thou need some rest  
Stay so back for one more day.
It’s thy coming O Hanuman
Set the mind of mine at rest.
 
Leave as thee the Lankan shore
High ’n dry me that would leave. 

In contrast to strength thee gave
Won’t thy absence make it worse.
 
Be that as it may Hanuman
Reach to Lanka as thee did
Can all vanars cross this sea?
 
To slay Ravan for my sake
How my Lord ’n his sibling
Can cross over sea this vast?
 
But for Vayu, Garud ’n thou
Who else could cross Lankan seas?
 
How to bring all to these shores
Thus O Hanuman give a thought. 
 
Surely on thy own Hanuman
Make can Ravan bite the dust 
Yet that leaves no role for Ram
In the rescue of his spouse.
 
If my Lord doth declare war
And downs Ravan in combat
That would enhance his prestige
And earns me honour in reclaim. 
 
Ravan as did snare me then
Spirit if thou me from Lanka
Won’t it go down well with Ram.
 
Proper thus it’s for my Lord
Comes he here ’n takes me back. 

Keeping all this in thy mind
For my rescue by my man
Need there is for thee to come
Up with foolproof plan some now.   
 
Seeing how she lays in store
Honour of her beloved man
Spoke I to her in reverence.
 
Goddess like O Rama’s spouse
Know Sugreev is committed to
Help thy man to set thee free.
 
Know we vanars in millions
Stake our lives to keep the word
Lord our thus gave to thy lord.
 
Choose if vanars to breach earth
Is there someone to stop them?

Blessed are all of us with skills 
Roam we may all worlds are there.
 
Falls none ever as short of me
Vanars in scores better me true.
 
As I could do what I did
What to speak of rest of them?
 
Now it’s time thee feel easy
Soon we vanars land in droves
With thy Lord to set thee free.
 
Discount  if thou vanar strength
Don’t thee know that I could fly
Ram ’n Lakshman on my back
Shores to these to fight Ravan? 
 
Thou well know that thy man with
Sibling his would come out trumps.
 
Nevertheless we all vanars
To fight the forces of Ravan
Would be there on hand to Ram.
 
Land  as we on Lankan shores
To hear the roars of vanar force

Won’t it take thee now so long.
 
Slays when Ram the evil Ravan
Won’t thee hand in hand in time
Ascend Ayodhya’s throne with him?
 
Having heard my words Seetha
Said she would ever live in hope
That thee would