November 17 - Sarga 58 of Sundara Kanda - shlokas 1 to 101.
Hanuman narrates in detail all his adventures and experiences to an eager crowd of vanaras on the Mahendra mountain.
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There is an atmosphere of great celebration as the vanara army sitting on the Mahendra peak crowd around Hanuman.
जाम्बवान्कार्यवृत्तान्तमपृच्छदनिलात्मजम् ।
On behalf of all, Jambavan requests Hanuman to tell them everything he has done.
कथं दृष्टा त्वया देेवी कथं वा तत्र वर्तते ।
तस्यां वा स कथंवृत्तः क्रूरकर्मा दशाननः ॥
"Dear Hanuman, how did you meet with Devi Sita? How is she doing there? How has the evil ten-headed Ravana been treating her?"
तत्त्वतस्सर्वमेतन्नः प्रब्रूहि त्वं महाकपे - "Oh great vanara! Please tell us everything in detail, well. We will then decide what should be done next."
Jambavan says Hanuman should tell all and also indicate what should not be disclosed to Sri Rama and Sugriva!
Hanuman bows down, and saluting in the direction where Sita is now, i.e. the south, as a mark of his respect to Devi Sita, he begins.
***
Hanuman tells how he took off from Mahendra, and sped aerially southward until encountering a huge golden mountain rising from the sea. He discovered it was Mainaka, paying his respect to him as the son of the Wind-god, and also offering hospitality. He did not stop but sped on in the sky until meeting Surasa, sent by the gods to test his intelligence. After winning her praise, he had to deal with Simhika, the monstress. Then, on entering Lanka, he was stopped by Lankini who wanted to kill him. Instead, she got a thrashing from him and wished him well and let him explore Lanka.
After searching frantically everywhere, including every nook and corner of Ravana's palace, deep into the night, and when he was on the verge of despair, Hanuman spotted the Ashoka Vana. There, near the Shimshupa tree, he saw Devi Sita.
As he hid in the thick branches of the Shimshupa tree, he witnessed how Sita was being harassed by ugly demonesses. Then Ravana himself came in a grand procession along with his queens and courtiers. Sita crouched on the ground and hid closely clasping her arms. Ravana spoke grandly and threateningly to Sita while she was frightened and shaking all over:
यदि चेत्त्वं तु मां दर्पान्नाभिनन्दसि गर्विते ।
द्वामासान्नन्तरं सीते पास्यामि रुधिरं तव ॥
"Oh, Sita! Understand this well. If by your arrogance and pride, you do not show your affection for me and accept me, after two months, I shall drink your blood."
परमकृद्धा सीता - "Sita was livid with rage and warned Ravana, addressing him as a despicable rakshasa, that she was the wife of the glorious Sri Rama and daughter-in-law of the great emperor Dasharatha."
अवाच्यं वदतो जिह्वा कथं न पतिता तव - "How come your tongue after uttering these unspeakable words has not dropped off in retribution?"
"Sita said that she well knew how Ravana was a coward unable to face Sri Rama in a straight battle. Indeed, he was so low that he was ineligible even to serve Sri Rama as a servant."
"Ravana was so angry he raised his fist to kill her there and then. He was stopped by one of his queens, Mandodari, who placated him by saying that he should forget this Sita who did not reserve to be with him and instead go and enjoy the company of his queens ready to please him."
***
"After Ravana went, the rakshasis escalated their torment. Sita was most aggrieved. Then Trijata, one elderly rakshasi who was there, woke up from a dream wherein, as she described, she saw that Devi Sita would be saved by her valiant husband, and all Lanka and its rakshasas would be destroyed. She encouraged the rakshasis to seek forgiveness from Devi Sita at once. At this point, the Devi said,
ततः सा ह्रीमती बाला भर्तुर्विजयहर्षिता ।
अवोचद् यदि तत्तथ्यं भवेयं शरणं हि वः ॥
"The glorious, divine lady Sita, full of feminine shyness and tenderness, on hearing of this wonderful dream of her dear husband's victory, was indeed glad. She at once assured the rakshasis, the very ones who were constantly tormenting her, "if these words come true, rest assured that I shall give you all my protection!""
"Soon the rakshasis fell asleep. I decided not to delay making contact with Sita. I started narrating the story of Sri Rama from the beginning, still hiding in the tree. Sita heard it in wonderment and spotting me in the tree branches, responded, asking how come I was singing the story of her worthy husband? Who was I?"
"I told Devi Sita how after her abduction, Sri Rama and Sugriva had become friends. I was King Sugriva's emissary. Sri Rama had given me his signet ring to give Sita as proof of my being truly his messenger, and also as a token of his deep love for her."
"I asked Devi Sita, "oh lady, what is your reply to Sri Rama?""
एतच्छ्रुत्वा विदित्वा च सीता जनकनन्दिनी ।
आह रावणमुत्पाट्य राघवो मां नयत्विति ॥
"Devi Sita, the delightful daughter of King Janaka, after hearing everything from me, and understanding my genuineness, replied that her message to Sri Rama was, "Please come, destroy this Ravana, and take me back."
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
