October 11 - Sargas 3 and 4 of Sundara Kanda.
Valmiki packs a punch in describing Lanka in the eyes of an astonished Hanuman. As he is about to step into the main city, Hanuman is stopped and threatened by "Lanka", the demoness charged by Ravana to be the spirit of Lanka and to protect it. She deals a blow to this denizen from the forest, a tiny monkey, who is daring to enter Lanka. When Hanuman draws himself up and returns the compliment to her by merely touching her with his left fist, she totters from the blow, falls to earth and begs for mercy. She says Brahma had ordained that when a monkey enters Lanka like this, Lanka's end is near. Ravana's abduction of Sita portends disaster for all those living there. She allows free passage to Hanuman with a welcome tone.
Hanuman wanders around the mighty city and enters Ravana's main palace.
***
Hanuman steps into Lanka in the dead of night as a diminutive monkey. Again Valmiki repeats the many descriptions with changes of phrase about the glittering, golden, bejewelled, glamorous, city of Lanka. Flags with tiny bells aflutter proclaimed its magnificence. Krauncha birds, peacocks, royal swans, were all singing its glory. Musical instruments sounded its pomp everywhere.
Hanuman is wondering who will be able to enter this impregnable fortress so fiercely guarded. He expands the list of possible heroes to include Kumuda, Angada, Sushena, Manida, Dvivida, Kushaparva, Ketumala, Jambavan, and himself, apart from Sugriva. He also recalls the might of Sri Rama and Lakshmana.
Hanuman imagines that Lanka had the personality of a well-endowed woman all decorated with the lights and glitter of its palaces and towers. Just then the presiding deity of Lanka stops him in her original, scary, grotesque form. She cries aloud:
कस्त्वं केन च कार्येण इह प्राप्तो वनालय ।
कथयस्येह यत्तत्वं यावत्प्राणा धरन्ति ते ॥
"Oh miserable monkey, who are you? what is your purpose entering here? Tell me before your breath forsakes you as I strike you down dead." She says this is a top security area under fierce surveillance and protection and out of bounds for any outsider.
Hanuman confidently replies. "Sure, I will answer you, but you first tell me who you are, with your fierce looks, and why do you stop me?"
"I am protecting this city as its guardian, on orders from the king of rakshasas, Ravana. I am going to strike you, an intruder, dead. This is my answer."
Hanuman draws himself up and looks like a mountain confronting Lanka. "Oh Lanka, I am interested in seeing the sights and gateways, markets and so on of Lanka. I am curious. I want to see its gardens, groves and palaces." Lanka replies, "Oh evil and foolish monkey दुरबुद्धे वानराधम, you cannot look around the city without first conquering me मामानिर्जित्य न शक्यमद्य पुरीयं द्रष्टुम् ।
Hanuman politely replies, "Oh Lanka, just a little touristic visit and I shall leave!"
***
Lanka was not amused. She made a loud noise and struck Hanuman hard with her palm. Hanuman was incensed. Enraged, Hanuman clenched his left fist and gave Lanka a blow. He did not want to kill a woman. But the blow was enough to floor the demoness. Her limbs shattered, face contorted in pain, she said
प्रसीद सुमहाबाहो त्रायस्व हरिसत्तम ।
समये सौम्य तिष्ठन्ति सत्त्ववन्तो महाबलाः ॥
अहं तु नगरी लङ्का स्वयमेव प्लवङ्गम ।
निर्जिताहं त्वया वीर विक्रमेण महाबल ॥
इदं तथ्यं शृणु वै ब्रुवन्त्या मे हरीश्वर ।
स्वयम्भुवा पुरा दत्तं वरदानं यथा मम ॥
यदा त्वां वानरः कश्चिद्विक्रमाद्वशमानयेत् ।
तदा त्वया हि विज्ञेयं रक्षसां भयमागतम् ॥
स हि मे समयः सौम्य प्राप्तोऽद्य तव दर्शनात् ।
स्वयम्भूविहितः सत्यो न तस्यास्ति व्यतिक्रमः ॥
"Oh, mighty-armed hero of vanaras, please be kind to me. The powerful yet wise people know when to stop, and you are gentleness personified. Indeed I am Lanka, the guardian deity of Lanka and have been vanquished by you.
"Now listen to the truth I have to disclose to you. I received a boon long ago from Brahma. As long as I was not defeated by a monkey, I was going to be in my element. But the moment a vanara overcame me by force, I should know that frightful times have come for the rakshasas.
"That bad time has now come for Lanka after I have encountered you. The pronouncement of Brahma is inviolable. Nobody can negate it. I can now see that Ravana's bad act of abducting Sita will bring ruin to rakshasas. I give you a welcome passage. Please enter Lanka and achieve your objective."
***
Hanuman now entered Lanka. He could hear women laughing and their ornaments making sounds, combined with the sounds of musical instruments. The palaces had auspicious marks like Swastika and were well illuminated even at night. Women were singing musically in three octaves, like celestials. Laughter and energetic movements by people emanated from the buildings. Some were chanting sacred verses. There were many armed guards and plainclothesmen. A large variety of weapons were held by the soldiers. A hundred thousand of them guarded the women's quarters. Several chariots were on display.
Ravana's main palace had a glorious archway. Guarding the entrance were four-tusked elephants. Hanuman entered Ravana's inner chambers.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
