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

Rama’s wrath
Better we into woods retreat.
 
No man ever spares tormentors 
Of the woman he comes to love.
Stop thy tirade at Seetha
Seek her pardon for thy life.
 
Portend but well such dreams all
For those hapless women forlorn.
 
Count thou on her good nature
Though all thee had abused her.
 
Nothing but her forgiveness
Can save us from Rama’s ire.
 
Take this all as just bad patch
In her glorious reign on earth.

In the regal mien of queen
Seen I Seetha with Rama
Flying back to her native.  
 
Portends trouble to our Ravan
At the hands of Seetha’s man.

See that eyelid left her twitch
Fetches it news her all good.
 
Shoulder as her left spasms
It’s but signal troubles exit.

See I quivering her left thigh  
Know it portends no different.
 
Heard I some bird tell Seetha
Expect she could her man soon.
 
Having heard what Trijata said
In her goodness Rama’s wife
Promised them all safe passage
As and when Ram comes chasing.

 

Canto 28

On the Verge

 

Stunned as guards all kept silent
Had then Seetha yet second thought.
 
Recalled as she Ravan’s threat
Thought she fit to end her life.

 
Wonder didn’t I drop dead now
Ravan though scared me to death!
 
If it were not made of stone
Why wouldn’t sorrow break my heart? 
Better on my own end my life  
Fiends all here sure skin me live. 

 
Fails to turn up if my Lord  
Bound to cruel Ravan then 
Like a surgeon at his work
Turn his scalpel on my frame.
 
Since the outer limit he gave
Me to lean my mind on him 
Would be at hand in two months
Feel I like one on death row
To be led for her hanging
One fine morning to gallows.
 
How can ever I tell my folk
Fate mine is like boat that caught
In the storm of high seas now.
 
It’s by craving golden deer
Brought I ruin on all of us.
 
Looks like ill-fate was at work
To make me lose my common sense.
 
Thou all-knowing O my Lord  
How thou fail to come to know
Me that Ravan vowed to kill?
 
My heart though is set on thee
It’s as though thou forsook me.

 

O my Lord, how come thou
Thought it fit to ignore me!
 
When thou regain crown thine soon
Won’t thou regale with new queens?

 
But thy Seetha likes to end
Life hers as thy faithful one.
 
Loyal here all to Ravan
Who would poison me procure?

 

Wavered as her hapless mind
So she wandered for low branch. 

In her bid to hang herself 
Coiled she her hair that long.
 
Thought she dearly of her man
And her beloved brother-in-law. 
 
As she was to take the plunge
Paused she finding omens some good.

 

Canto 29

Good Tidings

 

Courtiers as would flock to kings
Omens good came in thick and fast.

 

Twitched her left eye unceasing
Turned as bright her dark eyes then. 
 
Shoulder splendid of hers left
Wont to shoulder Rama’s head
Seized by spasm to usher good. 
 
As if her man was on hand 
Shivered the left one in welcome
Wondrous thigh of hers so round. 
 
As if Rama sought them both
Slid down pallu from her breasts.

Having read the signals right
Seed she seemed at onset sown
Of that monsoon which was full. 
 
In the phase of post eclipse
Moon like looked then Rama’s wife.
 
Felt at all ease Seetha then
Hoping better days would come soon.

 

Canto 30

Hanuman’s Dilemma

 

Picture perfect of Seetha
From his hiding got Hanuman. 
 
Divined having Seetha thus
Gloated Hanuman his fortune.
 
Hoping to see Rama’s wife
Roam as my peers world over 
Blessed am I that gods all willed
It’s me but who finds her now.

Having come to Ravan’s land
Won’t my spying aid Rama?
 
Privy if to ins and outs
Of the fortress of Lanka 
Won’t that come all so handy
For Lord Ram to win this war?
 
Isn’t lament pulling her
How to infuse hope in her!
Worry she had none of yore
Neck deep now she in sorrow 
Won’t I owe it to my Lord
Console should I his beloved.
 
Were I to fail to infuse hope
In the hapless Rama’s spouse
Of what avail this trip mine?
 
Fail if I to inform her
Rama’s intent to reach her  
In her state of helplessness
Won’t I leave her high and dry?
 
Truly it’s my chance of life 
Make I could Ram feel at ease
With the news of her welfare.
 
How to make it to Seetha
Encircled by Ravan’s guards?

Fail if I to sound her now
In her hapless state of mind
Might end her life as it dawns.
 
Fail if I to speak to her
What am I to tell her man?
 
Were I to go back to Rama  
Without a word from his beloved
Won’t that make him frustrated?

 
Fail if I were to lift her
Before we close in on Ravan
Won’t she bring her life to close? 
 
Why rush back to Kishkindha 
Why not find I ways ’n means
To appraise her of Rama’s plans. 

 

Speak I might as well to her 
To make her know there all to know.
 
Were I to converse in Sanskrit
Might she take me for Ravan
In the guise of Rama’s friend.
 
Let me talk in native slang
That she takes me for vanar.
 
In her state of shock Seetha
See might in me weird creature.
 
Fearing Ravan came in disguise
What if Seetha starts shouting? 
 
With the knives all drawn out now
Won’t guards all those gherao me?
 
Might they as well try to kill
Me to serve as mid-day meal.
 
Well, would they find me sitting duck 
Won’t I jump from branch to branch.
 
As I go on gaining size
Won’t they shiver all down their spines?
 
Forces to fetch to rein me 
Won’t they all to Ravan run?
 
Won’t then Ravan send his force
Chance that gives me to take them.

 

But in that sea of his army
How to find an escape route?
 
If I were to get captured  
Fail I would to contact her, 
So she fails to get the wind
Of the state of Rama’s mind?
 
Seetha as would stay perturbed
Won’t that make my trip wasted? 
 
Keeps that Rama in darkness
Place where Ravan confined her. 
 
Were I to get killed or captured
Leaves that Rama in square one. 
 
Can one Rama find to cross
Sea this vast to reach Seetha?

 

Take I can all Ravan’s men
But that drags on for so long
Thus I can’t go back in time.
 
How can one ever zero on
One who wins the war on hand 
Gauge I till width of the gulf
Wise it not to go for jump.
 
If I were to turn my tail
How would Seetha get my trial,
Were I to try to talk to her
Won’t I have a war on hand?
Won’t the success of errands
Come to depend on the one
Vested who is with the same?
 
Won’t the best of well-laid plans
Go awry in hands of those 
That lack tact to tackle them?
 
Better I fail not Rama’s cause
With some thoughtless act of mine.
 
How to make her take it cool
That me her man sent for her!

 

In the hearing of her now
Mutter if I would Rama’s tale
Might it as well dawn on her  
It was her Lord that sent me.
 
Won’t my words in praise of Ram
Bring back memories of their time?
 
So to sing then Rama’s tale
In the hearing of his spouse
Perched then Hanuman on low branch.

 

Canto 31

Rama’s Ballad 

 

For Seetha’s ears then Rama’s tale
Sang in sonorous tone Hanuman. 
 

In lineage old of Ikshvaakus
Known to all for his valour
Dasarath was the reigning king.
 

Noble as he was the king
Valued was he like a saint
Power he had to rival gods.
 

Generous was he by nature
Took he care of his subjects
Ruled he like a god on earth. 
 

For his righteous reign Dasarath
Earned he fame the world over.
 

Esteemed he his eldest son
Known to all as Lord Rama,
Prowess his to target well
Arrows at his enemies awe.
 

Wavers not he from dharma
Adheres he to human rights
Keeps his word at every turn
Gives no quarter to enemies.
 

Stepmother of Ram, Kaikeyi 
Wanted who crown for her son
Coerced as she Dasarath then
Gave up Ram thus his birthright
So led Seetha with Lakshman
To the thick woods of Dandak.
 

Demons that ruled roost in Dandak 
Menaced they folk lived all there
Killed them all Ram at one go
Restored he thus righteous reign.
 

At the news of kindred’s death
Thought of settling scores Ravan, 
So he summoned Maareecha
Turned who into golden deer
Tempting Seetha to seek him,
Sent then Seetha Ram to fetch
Magic deer that stole her heart, 
Arrow when Ram’s hit Maareech
Rent he cries then mimicking him 
Made which Seetha fear for Ram,
Goaded Rama’s wife Lakshman  
To go in search of his sibling, 
With none there to stand by her
Kidnapped Ravan Seetha then.
 

Set as he on search for spouse  
Came Ram in touch with Sugreev
Stole whose wife his own sibling.
 

To uphold dharma then Rama  
Slew he Vali that mighty
Helping Sugreev ascend throne.
 
In time as per pact he made
Sent Sugreev his vanar force
In search of Seetha thus missing. 

It’s my fortune that I came
Place to this in search of her. 

 

Picture have I of Seetha
Painted for me by Rama.
 
Won’t this lady well tally
Picture with that Ram gave me? 
 

Spake as he with all his warmth
Looked up Rama’s wife in hope.
 
Found though she no soul in sight
What she heard then made her glad.
 
Sensing Seetha’s upbeat mood  
From hideout then came out Hanuman.

Canto 32

Is it True?
 

Aura Hanuman’s made Seetha
Think in terms of sun at dawn
Peeping out of branching trees. 
 
Stared then Seetha in wonder
Hanuman sighted in splendour.

Wondered in awe then Seetha  
Who that wondrous vanar was.
 
As she was at loss to know
What to make of that visitor
Prayed she then Ram for guidance.
 
Stared as Hanuman at her long
In her awe then swooned Seetha. 
 
Seetha at length pulled herself
Wondered whether she had a dream.
 
Looked then Seetha all over
Waking up though from her sleep.
 
Finding Hanuman staring her
Lost she consciousness at once. 
 
Regained sense as she in time 
Recalled she then that proverb 
Portend simians ill in dreams.
 
Felt then Seetha to start with
Wink with none in lovelorn state
How she could have had a dream!

Since I tend to think of Ram
All the time with never a pause
What I heard that simian sing
Product could be of my mind.
 
Song as it’s that my heart sings
Seems my ears have probed inside.
 
But then it’s no illusion
Him I see in flesh and blood.
 

May god bless that what he said
Would come true to bring me cheer.

 

 

Canto 33

Genesis of Exile 

Seeing Seetha’s demeanour change
Gladdened Hanuman’s heart no end. 
 
Folding his hands in reverence
Approached he then Rama’s wife.
 
Find thee grieving for some time
What doth make thee feel so sad? 
 

Thy eyes that are all welled up 
Make they clear that thou are hurt.
 
From thy bearing one can see
Come that thou from noble stock.

Tend I think that thou are none
But an angel strayed to earth.
 
Wonder thou could be North Star
Came down here from those high