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

showed Hanuman.

 

Airborne was he soon over 
Lanka’s well-laid avenues all.

 

Pillars silver had buildings 
Windows whose wore golden frames.

 

Built were mansions eight-storied 
Set on gold floors were cat’s eyes.

 

Stuccoes precious gems had walls 
Adorned pearls their wide doors all.

 

Domes there were all gold plated 
Bright they were by day and night.

 

Having had a bird’s- eye view
Flustered Hanuman Lanka’s wealth.

 

Land that was of king Ravan 
Domicile of those demons varied.

 

As if to show him the way
Moon came out in full bloom then.

 

In the moon rays of full moon
Seen Hanuman the green signal.

 

 

 

Canto 3

Prelude to Entry

 

Having hovered in the skies
Landed Hanuman in Lanka. 

 

Bypassed Hanuman those sentries
Manned who Lanka’s gates all there.

 

Such was mirth of Lankans then
Matched in decibels roars of seas
Graced that place with soothing breeze.

 

Lived there people strong ’n stout 
Carved were elephants on main gates.

 

Of the star-filled bluish skies
Mirror image so Lanka seemed. 

 

Unfurled sea breeze Lankan flags 
Unleashed tinkles their trinkets.

 

Onto Lankan wall he jumped
Got he then a bird’s-eye view. 

 

Doors there all were gold plated  
Paved were verandahs with corals.

 

Facades were all filled with gems
Rooftops there had gold elephants.

 

Cat’s eyes inlaid staircases  
Furnished well were drawing rooms.

 

In tandem with those tinkles
Emanated from women’s jewels
Bird calls rent air from courtyards.

 

Wide-eyed he then stared for long  
At such splendour never equalled.

 

Marveled as he at such wealth 
Thoughts his turned to Ravan’s might.

 

Guarded as well Lanka thus
Is there scope for entry then?

 

But Kumud, Angad, Sushena too 
Might stand chance as Maind and Dwivid. 

 

Not to speak of Lord Sugreev 
Kusaparv, Jambavan, Ketumal, and I no less.

 

Be that as it may Lanka
Stands no chance with Ram Lakshman.

 

Won’t look Lanka like a dame
With these dwellings as ear-rings
And its workshops her huge boobs?

 

Lights with its on won’t Lanka
Look like woman in white saree?

 

Got wind of him Lankin then
Deity Lanka’s that huge fiend.

 

Came she forthwith in his way
Hideous with her frame so large.

 

Lost she no time to confront
Him in her tone that was harsh. 

 

Value if thou life thy now
Make a clean breast of thyself.

 

How it entered thy little head
Sneak thou might in Ravan’s land?

 

Undaunted said thus Hanuman:
Dared as thee to address thus
May I know now who art thou?

 

With thy hideous looks and all
Why thee stand guard at this time?

 

Then the deity in response
Spoke to Hanuman in disdain.

 

Guard I Lanka day ’n night
Serve I Ravan in good faith.

 

Tuck thy tail and run for life
Lest thy soul should rest in peace.

 

That thou realized who I am  
Make haste now ’n beat retreat.

 

Hanuman at this grew so huge
Matching Lankin pound for pound.

 

Having come thus face to face 
Hanuman then her thus addressed.

 

As I heard of thy Lanka 
Know I came as just tourist.

 

All I want is to saunter 
All through Lanka in leisure.

 

With that Lankin lost her cool
Flared she thus at Hanuman then.

 

Enough of cunning O simian
Dare if thou cross swords with me.

 

Acting then all innocent
Addressed Hanuman thus Lankin:
Seek as I to see thy place
Wonder why thou make big fuss?

 

Lankin at that turned physical  
With her fist on Hanuman’s frame.

 

Roused as Hanuman in anger 
Roared he loud like lion hungry. 

 

Then a left hook he landed
On her huge frame bare fisted. 

 

Yet he did no more than that
Out of respect for women folk. 

 

With the power of his punch then
On all fours the fiend fell down. 

 

Writhed  as she in such great pain
Pitied Hanuman the woman in her.

 

Scared no end was wounded fiend
Begged she mercy from Hanuman.

 

Hurt not women valorous men
Know am Lankin, Lanka’s deity.

 

As I was by thee matted  
Think I time to tell thee all.

 

Signalled Brahma to Lanka  
Nadir as I lose my fight 
At the hands of some simian.

 

Lost as I the fight to thee
End I see of Ravan’s reign. 

 

How can Brahma ever go wrong?
Seetha’s kidnap proves him right.

 

Thus O Hanuman get thee set 
On thy mission in Lanka straight.

Seizes us as Brahma’s curse
Go in search of Seetha now
Snared who Ravan to this land. 

 

Canto 4

Foray into Fort

 

Lankin as thus gave visa 
Set then Hanuman on his course.     

Having Lanka’s bird’s eye view  
Through its back door he entered.

So to bring it bad tidings
Put forth he then his left foot.

In time he went to King’s Way
Had that flowering trees on sides.

 

Dwellings in all either side 
Saw he mirth ’n merry then.

Glow of Lanka seemed to him
As cloud of silver in the skies.

Light as creaked out from houses
Swastiks in their scores rays made.

Roamed as he then Ravan’s town
Well-pleased Hanuman with himself.

Houses he passed one by one 
Each was shaped a different one.

Sang as dames in those dwellings
The sound of music pleased Hanuman.

Wore as women waist-bands all
Trinkets theirs made music scores.

Breathed in roars who exercised 
Rhapsodic too were Vedic chants.

 

Saw he demons all there gathered 
Sang they hymns in Ravan’s praise.

For men in arms and spies on rolls 
In Lanka’s heart lay large barracks.

Tonsured men in penance he saw
Magical powers all seemed to have.

 

Weird men he found single-eyed 
With lone ear some left him dumb.

Hideous many such fiends he found
Well armed with their arms varied,
Maces some had furrows-long 
Discs rest held that covered acres.

Medium built they by and large 
Frames theirs neither long nor short.

Fair were some and others darkish 
Lookers were there in both groups.

Turns took sentries to hold high 
Ravan’s standards of conquests.

Flowers men garlands wore pastel 
Frames their glowed with sandal paste.

 

Men all dressed in ways varied 
Myriad all they arms carried.

To guard Ravan’s gynoecium
In midst garrison was that laid.

Archways wide of solid gold 
Adorned Ravan’s famed palace.

Moats it had of lotus white 
Wide-eyed Hanuman witnessed them.

Chamber music rent then air
Neighed white horses in courtyards.

Lined as chariots in deep files
Lay in hangers airplanes large,
Languid while in move elephants  
Scores were horses with long manes.

Strolled all over deer in heat 
So the sentries on their beat. 

In spite of the vigil they kept
Threw Hanuman wool in their eyes.

 

Canto 5

Life in Lanka

 

Moon in time came overhead
Raged he bull like in cow-pen.

 

Kept he darkness all at bay 
Seemed to dispel sins of men.

 

Rays his splendid in columns 
Sparkled lotus-like in prime.

 

In those high skies full of clouds 
Seemed he like one swan encaged.

 

Spot his that was well visible 
Appeared like a well-horned bull.

 

Light the king of stars as shed
Fell that on his cousin blooming
Brought that latter’s spots luster.

 

Like the king on diamond throne
Shone as well the moon that night.

 

Ambience moonlight enticed all
Mates estranged to warm embrace. 

 

Went as wanton to walk streets
Women married were ever eager
To mate their men they loved to core.

 

Men there were no less in scores
Gulped who by then pint or more.

 

Some of them as tried to boast 
Rest in fistcuffs took to brawls.

 

Tried to shake their stupor as some
Others took amorous routes to mates.

 

Full of smiles were women fulfilled 
Heaved though heavy then unfulfilled.

 

Roared as skies then like trumpets   
Swore soldiers like hissing snakes.

 

Saw he many there sober souls
Took place debates informed then. 

 

Found he many an ugly folk
Were they none the less decent.

 

Women wondrous had virtuous mates
Matched they stars of cloudless skies.

 

Birds as hidden by flowering buds
Women charming lay in male arms.

 

Went to their men women in want
Fondlers they turned to rouse them.

 

Women lovelorn who rivalled moon 
Lacked as they mates turned all pale.

 

Men all who had women to mate 
Love they made to them all night.

 

Eye lashes of dove-eyed dames
Hid their eyes in thick black veils, 
Jewels that those wore in scores
Cast a charming light on them. 

 

None of them though made him feel 
Seetha could be one of them. 

 

Forlorn Seetha he knew well 
Would be lost in Rama’s thought.

 

Saw he none of that anguish 
In them Seetha would have felt. 

 

In her agonized mood Seetha  
Won’t she look like that crescent 
Screened by thick dark clouds in skies?

 

Failed as he to find Seetha
Nonplussed was then Vayu’s son.

 

Canto 6

Precincts to Beat

 

Having recouped from despair 
Roamed then Hanuman all the more.

 

Entered he then Admin block 
Came with face-to-face palace. 

 

Keep at bay as lions poachers  
Looked all scary palace guards. 

 

Archways silver, gateways gold 
Made that look like heaven on earth.

 

Vigil while some kept on elephants 
Rode others tireless horses there.

 

Guards had ivory chariots there 
Wheels of which were made of gold.

 

Facades had all well cut gems 
Furniture there lay out of world. 

Deer as ran fast in their stride
Birds went helter-skelter then.  

 

Like a diamond in the sky
Lay there palace of Ravan.

 

Wore there dames all such jewels 
Made which them all seem angels.

 

Lay shaking hands sandal trees  
And that gave it woods like look. 

 

Kettledrums as raised high decibels  
Conchs in chambers blared in scores. 

 

Ocean like spread had that fort 
Paved its rooftop with rare gems.

 

Such was splendour of that place 
Gaped it Hanuman wonder-struck.

 

Felt of Ravan’s place he then
As the jewel crown of worlds. 

 

Left he none there bush to search 
Peeped he then through all windows. 

 

Done with dwellings of hirelings 
Prahastha’s mansion then he reached.

 

Kumbhakarn ’n Vibhishan 
Ravan’s siblings both of them 
Lived in mansions magnificent. 

 

Went in Hanuman one by one
Quarters there of eminent men.

 

Entered he then abodes of 
Vidyunmal ’n Vidyujjivih. 

 

Spared he not the places of 
Sons of Ravan in his search.

 

Sumali’s palace he sauntered 
Jambumali’s own not to spare. 

 

Hurried Hanuman in his search
Of Math’s as well Yuddhonmath’s.

 

Into Sukana’s house he went 
Came he out of Vikata’s place.

 

Got as he in Vakra’s suite
Lost his privacy latter then.

 

Karala’s residence came under
Hanuman’s scanner along with
Pisaacha’s palace that was next.

 

In his search of Seetha thus  
Laid he bare there all nobles.

 

Having drawn blank with Lieutenants’ 
Quarters he searched then General’s. 

 

Hideous ogresses at the gates  
Guarded Ravan’s high fortress.

 

Fearful they looked head to foot
Carried weapons they weird in shape.

 

As though to catch foes in flight
Harnessed scores were horses there.

 

Battle hardened elephants then
In their hundreds he found there.

  

Mountain-like they move in wars
Make they enemies run for life.  

 

Shiver all mighty down the spine 
When they come to hear trumpets. 

 

In their gold shields soldiers all
Glittered then like mid-day sun. 

 

Found he there all palanquins gold 
Galleries filled with masters’ works.

 

Gyms as there for body builders
Parks to peck for lovers there were.

 

Ravan’s place was mountain like 
Peacocks there strolled on their toes.

 

Flags there fluttered in their scores 
Lent they breeze the roaring sound.

 

Like hot sun of mid-summer 
Dazzled Ravan in nightgown. 

 

Vessels of gold and ivory cots
Hanuman in scores saw them there.

 

Sauntered as he in aisles then 
Spillover on wine he stepped. 

 

Women there as had lovely gait
Rustled sarees to rhythmic beat. 

 

Women in numbers he found there
Looked who charming dream-girl like.

 

Canto 7

Palace in the Plane

 

To probe Ravan’s own chambers
Ventured Hanuman further down.

 

Armaments stacked in piles he found  
With rare conchs that give war cries.

 

With flaw none in cut or shine
Vessels he found with gems to brim.

 

What he saw in Ravan’s place 

To his wonder he found parked 
Aircar unique called Pushpak. 

 

Stood out for its looks Pushpak
Seemed it was like made for gods.

 

Lodged in it were women of charm
Live wire like they moved in aisles.

 

In its splendour looked Pushpak 
Like the moon on earth landed.

 

Insignia it had hills of gold 
Bore they trees of flowers diamond.

 

Housed it mansions furrows-long
Lawns theirs had large swimming pools.

 

Seemed it as if on take-off 
Sight that made him rub his eyes.

 

Carved were birds on huge corals 
Made of gems were horse statues.  

 

Birds therein all seemed to him 
Like the allies of Love God.

 

Goddess Lakshmi’s deity lay
On lotus red in blue waters
With elephants white on either side.

 

Swayed as it him no end then 
Went he in thrall round Pushpak. 

 

Overawed though he by Pushpak 
Resumed his search soon Hanuman. 

 

Having failed to trace