November 3 - Sarga 37 of Sundara Kanda.
Hanuman explains to Sita that all her grief can be banished at once if she travels sitting on his back to Sri Rama on Prasravana mountain in Rishyamuka.
Sita jokes that it is a monkey idea because Hanuman is so small. Hanuman feels slighted. He swells to his immense size like a mountain and conveys how he can lift and carry away even Lanka, being the son of the Wind-god and therefore no ordinary vanara.
Sita agrees but explains to Hanuman that for several reasons, it is inadvisable for her to travel sitting on Hanuman's back. She says Hanuman has to find a way so that Sri Rama himself arrives in time and releases Sita with his own prowess.
***
अमृतं विषसम्पर्कं त्वया वानर भाषितम् - Sita reacts to the news of Sri Rama's longing for her and his resultant distress and austerity by telling Hanuman that this news is like Amruta laced with poison.
एश्वर्ये वा सविस्तीर्णे व्यसने वा सुदारुणे ।रज्जेव पुरुषं बद्ध्वा कृतान्तः परिकर्षति ॥सौमित्रिं मां च रामं च व्यसनैः पश्य मोहितान् ।
"Oh Hanuman, indeed the inexorable rope of Fate pulls a man relentlessly like a beast whether he is enjoying the largesse of wealth or endless misery. Look at the way Fate is pulling Lakshmana, me, and Sri Rama cruelly in our stupified and hapless condition. "
Sita is unable to see how Sri Rama will reach the shore of the ocean of his grief, destroy the rakshasas and release her. Of one whole year since her abduction, only two months are left and Ravana's ultimatum is ending soon.
Sita now narrates how Vibhishana, the younger brother of Ravana, rooted in righteousness, has been telling Ravana to restore Sita to Sri Rama and restitute his evil act of abduction. Vibhishana's wife has conveyed to Sita through their eldest daughter Kala/Nala that Vibhishana has been warning Ravana of the total destruction of Lanka and Ravana's sure death at Sri Rama's hands unless he returns Sita.
Sita alternates between strong faith and grave despair. She says that the incomparably virtuous, mighty, and determined Sri Rama will soon arrive, kill Ravana and release her. And yet, she urges Hanuman anxiously not to allow any more delay in bringing over Sri Rama to Lanka.
Hanuman reassures Sita that Sri Rama will start at once and come with the immense vanara army.
Then Hanuman offers a great solution.
त्वां हि पृष्टगतां कृत्वा संतरिष्यामि सागरम् । द्रक्ष्यस्वद्यैव वैदेहि राघवं सहलकहष्मणम् ॥
"Oh Devi Sita, let us do one thing! Climb on my back. I shall take you across the ocean in no time to Sri Rama! You can see him instantly, seated along with Lakshmana, on the Prasravana mountain!"
Hanuman paints a wonderful picture of Sita's reunion with Sri Rama. The imagery gladdens Sita no end. But being practical, she says,
हुनुमान्दूरम्ध्वानं कथं मां नेतुमिच्छसि । तदेव खलु ते मन्ये कपित्वं हरियूथप ॥ कथं वाल्पशरीरस्त्वम्
"Oh, but Hanuman, how indeed do you even think you can carry me that far on your back? After all, you have such a tiny body!!! I suppose that idea has come because of your monkey mind, after all."
***
परिभवं कृतम् Hanuman is insulted by this. He explains to himself that after all Sita has seen only his small monkey form on top of the Shimshupa tree. He climbs down.
ततो वर्धितुमारेभे मेरुमन्दरसङ्काशो बभौ दीप्तानलप्रभः "Then Hanuman began to swell to his massive form and soon looked like the Meru mountain, and shone with a fiery radiance in his incredible glory."
Sita is astonished to see Hanuman. She realizes that Hanuman is the same as the Wind-god in capability.
With his huge form, radiant face with sharp teeth, his big hands with diamantine nails, Hanuman says, "Oh Devi Sita, even to carry away Lanka, with its fort and all, is a small task for me."
***
"Oh Hanuman, of course, I realize that you could have come across the ocean only by being this strong and capable. Now I know your power glory, oh, great-souled Hanuman!"
Then again, Sita says something very important.
Yes, Hanuman can very easily lift Sita and leap across the ocean. But let us consider all the possibilities.
Sita will be dead scared looking down at the ocean, and could easily fall to her death.
Hanuman will be surely accosted by rakshasas. It will be difficult for him to fight them off while balancing Sita.
They will attack him with deadly weapons and he has only his limbs and teeth to defend himself.
In fact, seeing all that, Sita would very well drop into the ocean and become a fine meal for all the deadly sea creatures.
War is always uncertain. What if the rakshasas come in such force that they can defeat even Hanuman!? Then they will take Sita and kill her. Or hide her in such a place that no one including Hanuman will be able to discover her.
Indeed, Sita adds that, being a devoted wife, her loyalty to Sri Rama prevents her from ever touching another male voluntarily. It is a different matter that she was forcibly abducted by Ravana and that was bad enough. So there is no way will she travel with Hanuman. It is a great suggestion, thank you, but unworkable.
Indeed, it behoves on Sri Rama, with all his glory and incomparable prowess, that he should come here himself to Lanka and rescue Sita.
स मे हरिश्रष्ठ सलक्ष्मणं प्रियं सयूथपं क्षिप्रमिहोपपादय ।
चिराय रामं प्रति शोककर्षितां कुरुष्व मां वानरवीर हर्षिताम् ।
"Oh great hero among vanaras, Hanuman, therefore, kindly find a way to bring Sri Rama along with Lakshmana and Sugriva with his troops here. Please find a way to end my long-standing sorrow of separation from my dear Sri Rama and bring me cheer."
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॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
