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

minded that Hanuman
Aside he set his doubts in time. 

 

For he had no covetous look
Women all failed to excite him. 

 

Felt he nice that his own mind 
Helped his celibate intent then. 

 

What else could he do to find
Seetha than to scan fair sex.

 

Would one expect to find her
Amidst a flock of deer on run.

 

With no stone as left unturned
Alas, Seetha he couldn’t find.

 

Lovely women all he found there 
But not Seetha his Lord’s spouse.

 

Looked he then back at Pushpak 
Searched he which from tip to toe.

 

Not the one to leave mid-course 
Pursued Hanuman Seetha’s search.

 

Canto 12

At Wits End
 
In his search for Seetha thus
Sauntered Ravan’s place Hanuman.

 

Failed as he to find her still
Felt she could have died of grief.

 

Finding her no yielding type 
Ravan could have got her hanged.

 

Or else Seetha should’ve gone
Underground in Ravan’s land. 

 

Were he to go with blank page 
Would Lord Sugreev approve that?  

 

Would not all the pains it took
For him to reach Ravan’s land
Come to naught were she not found?

 

When he would go back in time 
Won’t his peers and Lords as well
Get round him for Seetha’s news?  

 

Were he to show empty hand 
Won’t that break the hearts of all?

 

What would elder Jambavan say?
How Prince Angad would take it!

 

So as not to fail them all 
Not by finding Seetha now, 
Better I pull up socks my well
So to pass through pathless woods.

 

If one gives up not on hopes 
Tends that towards goal his own.

 

Resolved he thus not to sulk 
But to press then even more.

 

Having felt thus he went back 
To all those places he had been. 

 

After making one more round
Of the harem of Ravan 
Stepped he out of Pushpak then.  

 

Entered he then those dwellings 
Annexed to Ravan’s Royal Court.

 

Searched he then the town proper 
That was Lanka’s headquarters. 

 

As though to leave none to chance  
Sauntered Hanuman suburbs there all.

 

Left he none of private parks 
Nor he spared a public place.

 

But for woman of hideous looks 
Found he not there Rama’s spouse.

 

Saw he though there stunners too
Found he Seetha nowhere there. 

 

Saw he many an angel there 
In them in vain he searched her. 

 

Drew he blank in captive cells 
Lodged where women by Ravan brought.

 

Having failed to find her there
Agonized Hanuman even more.

 

What a waste of time it was
To come to Lanka in her search!

 

Sank he on his knees Hanuman
Despaired of that mission failure.

 

Canto 13

Errand in the Bend

 

On the rebound then Hanuman 
Like a lightning reached Pushpak.

 

Staring at the place he searched 
Thought he errand of his failed. 

 

How come Seetha was not found 
Left I though no room to search?

 

In all entire land of this
Had I left a stone unturned?

 

If I go by Jataayu’s words 
And fetch Rama here forthwith, 
Failing to see her he would  
Take his wrath on all of us. 

 

Would have Seetha in despair
Succumbed to Ravan in secret! 

 

Sped as Ravan her in arms
Out of range of Ram’s arrow,
Preferring death to his amour
Did she into ocean drop?

 

Flew as Ravan her in skies
Having seen never ending seas 
Lost she might have been her nerve
And thus died in mid-air then.

 

Chaste as Seetha to her man
The thought of rape by Ravan then
Would have led her heart to seize. 

 

Committed that she to her Lord
Tried as she to wriggle herself
Would have slipped from Ravan’s grip.

 

With none around to rescue her
Drowned she might have Ram in mind.

 

For that matter Ravan’s wives 
Would have killed her by envy.  

 

Or else forlorn Seetha might
Have died in her great despair.

 

For Lakshman to help her out
Seetha would have surely cried. 

 

Maybe in some secret vault
Ravan could have confined her. 

 

Seems it absurd even then 
Seetha would to Ravan turn.

 

With no news of Seetha now
Makes it no sense to go back.

 

Reported dead or found missing, 
What a breaking news it makes? 

 

What an end to such beginning 
Should that ever end in deadlock?

 

Were I to go now without a clue 
What’s the worth of my errand? 

 

Not for Sugreev sent me here 
Have I count of Ravan’s wives.

 

What would Rama have to say 
Were I to face him blank faced? 

 

Were I to state that found her not 
Wouldn’t he die of broken heart?

 

Hears if he of mission failure
What for he would like to live?

 

Seeing Rama slip in coma 
Lakshman too would come to grief.

 

Back home Bharat ’n Satrughna  
Break down hearing breaking news.

 

Won’t on hearsay go to grave
Mothers three of brothers those four?

 

Having failed to keep his word
Won’t our Sugreev die of shame?

 

Unable to bear her man’s death
Wouldn’t then Ruma forego life?

 

Mourns as Tara, Vali’s death
Won’t her new Lord’s death kill her?

 

Wont’ then follow suit Angad 
Tara’s son to Vali born.

 

If ever enemies eye our land 
What would come of our empire?

 

Made all prosper Sugreev’s reign 
Won’t they feel all orphaned now?

 

In the wake of Sugreev’s death 
Sport ’n pastime suffer no end? 

 

Won’t feel vanars fatherless  
And get scattered world over?

 

In that depressed state of theirs 
Many might as well end their lives. 

 

Were I to go without her sight
It’s like taking death sentence.

 

Serves no purpose going there 
Without the news of her welfare.

 

Were I to stay put here itself 
Might they as well live in hope. 

 

Better I remain in her search
Feed I would on fruits ’n roots. 

 

As and when I reach dead end
Can’t I immolate without a trace?

 

Or unto death I would fast
Upon my frame let beasts all feast.

 

Why not I let myself drown 
In the selfsame sea I crossed?

 

It was such a good beginning 
Why should it ever end different?

 

Fail in case to find Seetha
What if I turn ascetic here? 

 

Live if I in Lanka thus 
Won’t I let live my folk there?

 

Downs as curtain death on life 
Takes none further part on stage.

 

At not finding Rama’s spouse
That’s how Hanuman’s mind wavered. 

 

Brave that he was rose in time 
And thought of seeing Ravan’s end.

 

Or else I could lift Ravan  
And fly across the sea I crossed.

 

Confined somewhere in these parts
How that would serve Seetha’s cause? 

 

As he thought the better of it
And thought none of Ravan more
Came to sing the same old tune. 

 

Were I to go by Jataayu’s words 
And fetch Rama here forthwith, 
Finding her not he would sulk
And his wrath would harm us all.

 

Stay if I back in Lanka
Harm I none in Kishkindha.

 

Oh, isn’t yonder garden there? 
Well, how I failed to notice that!

 

Seems like gods are guiding me 
In my search of Rama’s spouse.

 

What if that grove yields that fruit 
Brings which joy to Rama’s heart?

 

Buoyed by that thought he set 
Sights his all then on that grove. 

 

So to bring him good tidings
Prayed he Ram ’n Seetha then
As well Lakshman and Rudra,
Besides Indra and Vayu 
Yama ’n Surya not to speak
Angels all there in the skies
Prayed them all he in reverence. 

 

Hoping to find her in grove
Sought he as well Sugreev’s grace. 

 

Striding there in long strides 
Worked out moves his in advance.

 

Find I would there guards for sure 
With swords drawn to stop trespass. 

 

For the comfort of someone  
Breezes past that he that grove
Seems that Vayu is concerned. 

 

Assume I might tiny form
And turn needle in haystack. 

 

Hope gods all of heavens there are
Help me in my mission on earth.

 

If I were to go blindfold  
Moonlight hope would lead me to
Rama’s spouse in Ravan’s land.

 

Sure to bless is Lord Vishnu 
That I would see Seetha now.

 

How I wish to see Seetha 
With such beauty that is rare.

 

Pining for so long for Ram 
May not she look at her best.  

 

Canto 14

Garden of Grief 

 

With Seetha in mind Hanuman
Reached that garden royal soon
Perched he then on compound wall. 

 

In that grove that’s thick and wide 
Saw he scores of full-grown trees.

 

Besides Asoka trees there were 
Flowering neem and mangoes too.

 

Like Ram’s arrow then he sped 
Towards a climber in that grove.

 

Flowers there all pleased him much
Thrilled him sounds all birds then made.

 

Shone there flowers North Star like 
Sauntered there then deer languid.

 

Craving cuckoos cried on trees
Bees on heat on flowers there zoomed.

 

Hovered birds then for their mates 
Clamoured peacocks there on ground.

 

Jumped as he from tree to tree
Woke up birds all from their sleep

Birds as fluttered into skies 
Severed by their wings flowers all there.

 

Fell as flowers those on him thus
Made they mountain on his frame.

 

To get rid of that flower burden
As he grew in size Hanuman
Seemed he Spring God on the rise.

 

Flowers as scattered all over 
Gave that mother earth maiden look.

 

Toyed as he then with trees there 
Fell all balance flowers they wore.

 

Tried as he to test his strength
Dropped were ripen fruits they bore.

 

Spared not his push leaves even 
Trees there stood like lost gamblers.

 

Bare as turned thus trees all there 
Birds were then left with no shades.

 

Pulled he trunks then with his tail 
Broke them all with arms and legs.

 

Like the ravaged women by him
Battered there lay Ravan’s grove. 

 

As would scatter clouds by wind 
Severed lay creepers from tree trunks.

 

Found as he his way inside 
Saw he footpaths paved with gold.

 

Ponds were there of pure water 
Steps which had with gems inlaid.

 

Beds of those had pearls for sand 
Grew there golden trees on banks.

 

Made flowers lotus red carpets 
Swans like royal guests sauntered.

 

Serviced were they by canals 
Brought they water nectar like.

 

Lined on banks of those canals 
Trees that nearly kissed skyline.  

 

In the midst of that vast grove  
Mountain there lay that was huge.

 

Had it numerous caves so deep 
House which could a million men.

 

Found on it a stream Hanuman
Seemed that like a dame enraged
Sprang who up from beloved’s lap.

 

As would desist her friends then
Her from leaving estranged mate
So bent branches on those banks
Touching waters at mid-stream. 

 

Wound its way then back that stream 
As would pacified woman backtrack.

On those branches of thick trees  
Birds of same feather flocked together. 

 

With clear water that was cool
Laid there was a swimming pool.

 

Change rooms built for both sexes
Gave that complex ambiance rare.

 

Gardens lay there in the scores 
Walkways were all coral paved. 

 

Flowerpots plenty of pure gold    
Contained colorful crotons there.

 

Spread there Sinsupa far and wide   
Dais of gold all covered its ground. 

 

Round the dais of spick and span
Grown were tropical trees varied. 

 

In that grove of golden hues 
Shone Hanuman like rising sun. 

 

Trinkets tied to branches there 
Set they tune for passing breeze.

 

Soared as hopes his sky high then 
Climbed he Sinsupa’s topmost branch.

 

Had a premonition Hanuman then
Seetha would grace that place soon. 

 

Wonder as was that Pushpak 
Seemed the garden none the less.

 

Forlorn so long that Seetha 
Wouldn’t she find this grove soothing?

  

Why not as she got used to 
Strolling in the thick jungles.

 

Fatigued as would be Seetha
By the constant thought of Ram
Might come her for recouping. 

 

As she saunters in that grove  
Recall she would with fondness
Time she spent with her man then.

 

Besides she was so fond of
All that goes for life in woods.

 

Fail she might not to turn up 
For her morning bath downstream.

 

Think I not of another place 
Better which would for morning walk.

 

Were she to be alive still 
Won’t she be drawn to this stream?

 

Driven by hope of finding her 
Lay there Hanuman in hiding.

 

Canto 15

Withered Flower

 

Failed as Seetha to turn up 
Came in open then Hanuman.

 

Deep breathed as he so he felt 
Scent there that of sandalwood. 

 

Ventured as he further down 
Thought he was in Indra’s grove.

 

Wildlife he found there so rare 
Thought he visited other planet.

 

Buildings there were five-storied 
By boulevards wide hundred feet.

 

Fruits they bore all golden hues 
Seemed they street lamps in their scores.

 

Perched as they in their thousands 
Seemed as trees had birds for leaves.

 

Birds as flew with flowers in beaks
Looked they all like well-decked brides.

 

For their flowery burden then
Developed branches some hunchbacks.

 

Garden plants in some courtyards 
Peeped over their compound walls.

 

Find them would a passerby 
In their varied shades of green.

 

Wondered Hanuman how he failed
First to search that wondrous place.

 

In the