October 12 - Sarga 5 of Sundara Kanda.
Hanuman starts roaming in the vast palace complex of Lanka, looking for Sita. He searches everywhere, sees several women, but there is no sign of Sita.
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I forgot to mention yesterday that Valmiki pointedly mentions that Hanuman stepped into Lanka with his left foot forward. चक्रेऽथ पादं सव्यं च शत्रूणां स तु मूर्धनि "Hanuman put his left foot forward first (an inauspicious act) and it looked as if he was stepping on his enemy's head." Conversely, we always put our right foot forward to bring Lakshmi wherever we enter with happy thoughts.
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At this moment, Valmiki decides to wax eloquent and describe the moon and his splendour that bathed Lanka as Hanuman roamed there. Valmiki is no business-like writer. Everyone of his characters has some poetic talent. Hanuman is supreme in this. So we should think Hanuman was not blind to the beauties of the moon-lit night.
I am captivated by the several comparisons Valmiki makes.
"Hanuman witnessed the lustrous moon, who casts his spell to ward off gloom, makes oceans rise, and bathes the earth and heavens in glory.
या भाति लक्ष्मीर्भुवि मन्दरस्था
यथा प्रदोषेषु च सागरस्था ।
तथैव तोयेषु च पुष्कस्था
रराज सा चारुनिशाकरस्था ॥
"The same goddess of prosperity, Lakshmi, who shines to give splendour to the Mandara mountain, as splendour in the mighty ocean, as the sweetness in water, as the lotuses that bloom in the lake, cast her splendour, being in the moon."
Look at this wonderful poetry. Lakshmi, the goddess of splendour, is shining everywhere. Where is the Lakshmi that Hanuman is looking for, viz. Sita!?
Valmiki compares the moon to a swan, to a lion, to a hero riding an elephant, to a bull roaming among cattle, to the Himalayas, to an elephant decorated with gold-covered tusks.
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Valmiki now turns to Lanka women, who enjoy the company of their lovers in moonlight. Hanuman heard music. He saw many women sleeping happily with their husbands. This was while many rakshasas were going about their nasty business like drinking, quarreling, gambling, uncivil talk and so on.
Hanuman saw a wide variety of women, some all decked up, sporting, drinking, some engaged in gentle pastimes. Many beautiful men and women. Many terribly ugly ones too. Many women unabashedly embracing their lovers. Many engaged in amorous activities. Many looking forlorn, missing their beloveds.
But where was Sita!!!??? Nowhere was she to be seen. Born in an illustrious family, adhering always to the noble path, delicate and precious like a lovely creeper, having very beautiful eyes as Hanuman imagined, extremely fond of sporting with her husband, ever the epitome of Dharma - where was she?
Sita's neck which sported ornaments was now bathed in tears, her lovely voice was choking with grief, her lovely eyes besmirched by constant weeping.
सीतामपश्यन्मनुजेश्वरस्य
रामस्य पत्नीं वदतां वरस्य ।
बभूव दुःखोपहतश्चिरस्य
प्लवङ्गमो मन्द इवाचिरस्य ॥
"Hanuman, the vanara, was despondent now, after searching for long and yet not having set his eyes on Sita, wife of Sri Rama, supreme in speech and the lord of all humans. "
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
Bonus:
I want to share a nice legend about Hanuman. After Sri Rama's coronation, Hanuman was busy serving him and going around wherever anyone chanted the name of Rama. One morning, he saw a man (remember this was pre-Modi days) defecating in a field, and heard him uttering the name of Rama. Hanuman was scandalised and angry. He went and gave a powerful kick to the man on his back to teach him to say the sacred name of Sri Rama in a more pure circumstance.
Next morning, Hanuman went to give Sri Rama the oil massage and bath. He found a big footprint marked on Sri Rama's back, as if someone had kicked him hard. He was astonished and asked, "Oh, Lord! Who dared to kick you from behind!?" Sri Rama replied. "Well Hanuman, it was you of course who kicked me yesterday in that field. Remember?"
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