November 5 - sargas 39 and 40 of Sundara Kanda.
As Hanuman prepares to take his leave, Sita is seized of the significance of the moment. After ten months of torture in Ravana's captivity, when she was about to take her life out of sheer despair, Sri Rama's emissary has achieved the impossible by leaping across the ocean and brought her the good news.
Hanuman is also extremely happy that he has discovered Sita and can now take the good news to Sri Rama.
They are both loath to say Goodbye. They repeat themselves somewhat.
***
मणिं दृष्ट्वा तु रामो वैत्रयाणां संश्मरिष्यति ।
वीरो जनन्या मम च राज्ञो दशरथस्य च ॥
"Dear Hanuman, when Sri Rama sees this Choodamani, he will at once fondly remember three people - my mother, the queen who gave this ornament to me at our wedding, and me, from the moment I put it on at our wedding, and his dear departed father, King Dasharatha, who witnessed the auspicious ceremony."
As Hanuman bowed down in acquiescence, Sita repeatedly told him that she was now confident that he would enthuse Sri Rama and make it happen that Sri Rama will come over with the army, destroy Ravana and take her back.
Hanuman repeatedly told Sita she did not have to wait long.
अर्कमपि पर्जन्यमपि वैवस्वतं यमं सोढुं शक्तस्तव हेतोर्विशेषतः "Devi Sita, particularly on your account, Sri Rama's valour is such that he will brook no obstacle, even if it is posed by the Sun-god, Rain-god, or the god of death, Yama, himself."
***
Sita tells Hanuman to stay a day longer, hide somewhere but be around. She will miss him and be filled with anxiety about what will happen next if he goes away.
***
Suddenly a doubt seizes Sita. It is difficult to imagine this, but the fact is that Hanuman has been able to leap across the ocean, mainly because he is the son of the Wind-god and hence his equal.
सागरस्येह लङ्घने शक्तिः स्याद् वैनतेयस्य तव वा मारुतस्य वा "Oh! Hanuman! How will others cross the ocean!!!??? That impossible feat is possible only for Garuda, yourself, and the Wind-god! None else!!!"
Poet Valmiki says that Hanuman gave Sita a most wonderful reply, and this has been quoted often in discourses and books about Ramayana.
Hanuman says, " My lady, Sita! Know that there are hundreds and hundreds of vanaras capable as much as I am and even more powerful than me in Sugriva's army! For them going around the globe is a small task! So worry not!" "And Sugriva has taken an oath that he will rescue you!"
न हि प्रकृष्टाः प्रेष्यन्ते प्रेष्यन्ते हीतरे जनाः "Devi Sita, you can easily understand that the best one of any army will never be sent as an emissary (for fear of exposing him to untold dangers). The gambit is always to send someone else, more dispensable than the best of the best."
मा रुदो देवि शोकेन माभूत्ते मनसोऽप्रियम् "Dear Devi Sita, stop crying. No more weeping please. Don't fill your mind with sad thoughts at all. " न ते चिरादागमनं प्रियस्य "Before long, your beloved will reunite with you."
***
Sita again says, "Dear Hanuman, please tell Sri Rama that I narrated to you the episode of how he launched the Brahmastra at the crow when he hurt me. And also another incident - once the tilaka mark on my forehead was wiped away. He at once lovingly took a pigmented stone and marked the tilaka on my forehead. Remind him of this too! Tell him, "Oh, Sri Rama, Sita is unable to live a moment longer away from you.""
Hanuman asks if Sita has any other memento to give Sri Rama. Sita says that the Choodamani she has given is the most sacred and the best.
Hanuman starts swelling in size, ready to take off. Sita starts weeping copiously. Hanuman's mind travels at once to Kishkindha, where Sri Rama is waiting anxiously, and Hanuman feels happy he has been able to meet Sita.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
