November 11 - Sargas 49 and 50 of Sundara Kanda.
When Hanuman sees Ravana in his royal court, he is awestruck and astonished by his obvious magnificence - both physical opulence as well as his impressive personality exuding power and supreme confidence. Hanuman muses how such a great character could be the beloved ruler of even gods but has now become the detested enemy of the three worlds by his vile acts.
Hanuman is questioned as to who he is and what business he has in Lanka and why did he do what he did so far. Hanuman begins to answer Ravana.
***
Hanuman has not taken kindly to the ill-treatment at the hands of rakshasas he has had to bear after being bound hand and foot. He betrays his anger in his red eyes as he stares at Ravana.
भ्राजमानं महार्हेण काञ्चनेन विराजता ।
मुक्ताजालवृतानेथ मुकुटेन महाद्युतिम् ॥
"Hanuman saw Ravana with his innate splendour, radiant with his exquisite golden crown encircled with strings of pearls. " He wore ornaments of gold, studded with diamonds and of a design beyond normal craftsmanship. He wore a most precious silk garment and was smeared with rare fragrances. With his protruding rakshasa teeth, blood-red eyes, and ten heads that looked like mountain peaks, indeed Ravana was the epitome of heroic splendour. He looked like a huge rain-bearing cloud with the string of pearls on his torso looking like cranes flying in formation.
Ravana sat on a huge throne made of crystal, adorned with precious gems and upholstered with a wonderful carpet. Very beautiful young maidens fanned him.
His four ministers, Prahasta, Durdhara, Mahaparshva, and Nikhumba sat around Ravana.
अहो रूपमहो धैर्यमहो सत्त्वमहो द्युतिः ।
अहो राक्षसराजस्य सर्वलक्षणयुक्तता ॥
यद्यधर्मो न स्यादयं सुरलोकस्य रक्षिता ।
अस्य क्रूरैर्नृशंसैश्च कर्मभिर्लोककुत्सितैः सर्वे बिभ्यति ॥
Hanuman was buried in a welter of thoughts. "What a physical personality! What courage! What power! What radiance! This Ravana is endowed with everything, yes, everything, that one can imagine. Indeed, but for his total unrighteousness, he is fit to rule heaven, Indra included. Instead, now his wicked and cruel way of life has incurred the condemnation of everyone in the three worlds and the only feeling he invokes in everyone is fear."
***
Ravana was busy with his own thoughts.
किमेष भगवान्नन्दी भवेत्साक्षादिहागतः ।
येन श्प्तोऽस्मि कैलासे मया सञ्चालिते पुरा ॥ किं सोऽयं बाणो महासुरः
"Could this be Bhagavan Nandi himself, by whom I was cursed when I misbehaved in Kailasa, now come here to teach me a lesson? Or perhaps this is the big asura Bana himself?"
Ravana instructed his minister Prahasta in a few words to extract all information from the vanara.
दुरात्मा पृच्छयातामेष कतः किं वात्र कारणम् वनभङ्गे च कोऽस्यार्थो राक्षसीनां च तर्जने
"Find out who this miscreant is, why did he desecrate Ashoka Vana and frighten the rakshasis."
***
Prahasta spoke to Hanuman:
समाश्वसिहि भद्रं ते न भीः कार्या त्वया कपे मा भूत्ते भयं वानर मोक्ष्यसे
"Oh vanara, relax. Speak the truth. Are you sent here by Indra? Don't be afraid. You will be let free."
"Have you been sent by Kubera, or Yama, or Varuna, or even Vishnu?"
"It is clear that only your form is that of a vanara. But your prowess and radiance speak of someone special."
"If you lie, you shall not live."
Hanuman drew himself up and spoke in a dignified tone:
"Nay, I have not been sent by Indra, Kubera, Yama, Varuna, or Vishnu. By birth, I am a vanara. I came here to see the sights of Ashoka Vana, I had to fight in self-defence with the rakshasas. I allowed myself to be bound by the rakshasas as I wished to meet Ravana. Know that I have a special boon from Brahma that these astras shall have no effect on me.
"Know that I have a special mission for my lord, the powerful Sri Rama. Please, of lord Ravana, listen to the beneficial words I have for you. श्रूयतां चापि वचनं मम पथ्यमिदं प्रभो ।
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
