Valmiki Ramayana -
Sundara Kanda in Prose Sarga 57
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Hanuma, with a rush equal to that of wind, without a fatigue, leapt across the boundless sea looking analogous to sky, like a large ship crossing the ocean. In that pleasant and auspicious sky-like sea, shone the moon as a white water-like sea, shone having the constellations known by the names of Pushya and Shravana as swans, the clouds as its duck-weeds; the twin constellations the Punarvasus as its large fish, the planet Mars as its large alligator, a large island as Airavata (Indra's elephant), graced with a swan in the form of the constellation, Swati, having gales as its waves, the moon beams as its cool water and with the Nagas, Yakshas and Gandharvas as its full blown lotuses and water-lilies.
While moving in the sky, the illustrious Hanuma, the son of wind-god and the great monkey, appeared as if swallowing the sky, scratching the moon and carrying off the sky with its stars and the disc of the sun and was going as though dragging asunder, a mass of clouds.
Dense clouds, with white and red colours, blue and yellow colours as also green and reddish brown colours shone brightly in the sky. Time and again, entering and coming out of the clusters of clouds, Hanuma appeared like the moon becoming visible and invisible again and again. The heroic Hanuma, who was clad in white clothes, having found his way into various kinds of dense clouds (and emerging again) and having his personality becoming visible and invisible, shone like the moon in the sky.
Tearing asunder the clusters of clouds again and again as also emerging from them and roaring with a big noise, Hanuma the son of wind-god, making a thunderous great sound, shone flying like Garuda the eagle, in the sky. Killing the foremost of demons, becoming famous by is name, making Lanka perplexed, causing anguish to Ravana by tormenting his terrible army, and bidding his adieu to Seetha, Hanuma returned by flying over the middle of the sea.
Touching Mount Mainaka, the victorious Hanuma came with a great speed resembling an iron arrow discharged from a bow-string. Approaching a bit near and observing Mount Mahendra, the great mountain looking like a dense cloud, that Hanuma made a loud noise.
Emitting a great roar, that Hanuma, whole loud noise resembled the rumbling of a cloud, filled the whole space in all directions with the noise. Having reached that place, Hanuma who was ardently desirous of seeing his friends, roared and waved his tail.
The sky, with the disc of the sun, began to crack as it were, due to his roar, even as he repeatedly roared on the path of the sky as followed by Garuda, the eagle endowed with charming wings. Those mighty heroes who were waiting already on the northern shore of the sea, with an eagerness to see Hanuma, heard there at that time, the sound produced by the sweeping motion of Hanuma's thighs, which resembled the roar of a huge cloud propelled by the wind.
All those monkeys, who were distressed in mind (for not having heard the news of Seetha hitherto), heard Hanuma's roar similar to the roar of a rumbling cloud. Hearing that roar of Hanuma, who was making the sound, all those monkeys stationed there in all directions, became anxiously desirous of seeing their friend.
The Jambavan, the foremost among the monkeys and bears, with his mind thrilled with joy, having summoned all the monkeys, spoke the following words: "This Hanuma has accomplished his assignment in all ways. His sound will not indeed be like this, if he has not fulfilled his task. There is not doubt in this matter."
Hearing the sound of the dashing movement of the high souled Hanuma's arms and thighs, the monkeys moved by jumps with joy from their respective places. Those monkeys with joy, longing to see Hanuma, took off from the top of one tree to the tops of other trees as also from one mountain-summit to the other summits.
Those monkeys, grasping the boughs at the tops of trees, and standing there firmly, joyously waved the twigs, as if they are their raiment. The mighty, Hanuma the son of wind-god, roared as though the wind roars while it enters the caves of mountains.
Seeing that Hanuma then rushing like a dense cloud, all those monkeys stood there, joining their palms in salutation. The swift Hanuma, looking like a mountain, then descended on the summit of that Mount Mahendra, thick with trees. Hanuma like a mountain with its wings torn off, thrilled with joy, fell from the sky into a charming mountain-torrent.
Then, all the foremost of those monkeys, with their pleasing hearts, stood surrounding the high-souled Hanuma. Having encircled Hanuma, all of them obtained a supreme joy. All those monkeys with their delightful faces, taking roots and fruits as their presents, honoured Hanuma, the foremost among the monkeys, who came back hale and healthy.
Then, Hanuma the excellent one among the monkeys, on his part, offered his salutation to venerable persons and elders like Jambavan in the first place, as also Angada, the prince. Jambavan and Angada honoured that victorious and venerable Hanuma. The other monkeys also made him gracious. Hanuma informed them briefly that he had seen Seetha.
Then, seizing the hand of Angada, Vali's son, Hanuma sat down at a distinct spot in the charming forest of Mount Mahendra. Then, the pleased Hanuma spoke the following words to those excellent monkeys: "I saw that Seetha, the daughter of Janaka, who was staying in Ashoka garden, guarded unblemished by highly dreadful female-demons and wearing a single braid, young woman, as she was, longing to see Rama, thoroughly fatigued due to her fasting, with her hair twisted together, wearing soiled clothes and looking emaciated."
Hearing from Hanuma that important and nectar like word to the effect that Seetha had been seen all the monkeys became delighted. Some mighty monkeys made a lion's roar. Some were making a sound of approbation. Some were making a sound of thunder. Some others produced cries expressing joy. Some others were roaring in return.
Some eminent monkeys, with joy and with their tails lifted up, waved their distended curved tails. Descending from the mountain-tops; some other monkeys, with delight, fondingly touched Hanuma who resembled an elephant.
After hearing the words of Hanuma, Angada spoke the following excellent words in the midst of those eminent monkeys. "O Hanuma! Since you returned here crossing the extensive ocean, none stands equal to you in strength and prowess. What amazing is your devotion to the Lord! What a wonderful prowess! What a surprising courage! By our good fortune, you saw the illustrious Seetha, Rama's consort. Thank heaven! Rama can give up his sorrow born out of Seetha's separation."
Very much delighted, the monkeys then sat on extensive flat rocks encircling Angada, Hanuma and Jambavan. Longing to hear about crossing of ocean and the seeing of Lanka, Seetha and Ravana, all those excellent monkeys waited with their joined palms, in anticipation of Hanuma's words. The auspicious Angada encircled by many monkeys there, waited like Indra the lord of celestials, who was waited upon by celestials in heaven. The high and large summit of the mountain, on which were seated then with delight, the illustrious Hanuma and the famous Angada, with bracelets worn on his upper arms, stood blazed with splendour.
Thus completes 57th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
© July, 2006, K. M. K. Murthy