The Sundara Kanda-Rai Bahadur Lala Baij Nath

1 – 3. Sri Mahadeva said : Wishing to cross the ocean which extended for a hundred yojanas and was the abode of crocodiles, the son of the wind and the embodiment of bliss, having meditated upon Rama the supreme self, said : "Let all the monkeys see me going by the path of the welkin. Like an unfailing arrow shot by Rama, this day shall I see the wife of Rama and daughter of Janaka.

4 – 5. "Blessed I shall again see Raghava. By remembering his name at the time of death, a man having crossed this ocean of worldly life goes to the supreme abode, what is to be said of me whose messenger, am carrying his own ring as a token.

6 – 7. "Meditating upon him in my heart I shall cross this little ocean." So saying Hanuman extended his arms and tail, made his neck straight and looking upwards contracted his two feet and facing southwards leaped into the ocean with the speed of the wind.

8 – 9. In the sight of the gods in heaven speedily he went off. Seeing him going with the speed of the wind, the gods in order to test the strength of the son of the wind, said; "This very powerful monkey of the strength of wind is going.

10 – 11. "we do not know if he has the strength to enter Lanka." Thus, thinking impelled by curiosity those hosts of gods said to the mother of the serpents called Sursa:- "Do thou go and throw some obstacle in the way of the chief of the monkeys.

12. "Having known his strength and intelligence, do thou speedily come back here." So directed she speedily went forth in order to throw obstacles in the way of Hanumana.

13. Having covered the way and standing in front of him, she said to the monkey. "Come and speedily enter my mouth, O thou of great intelligence.

14 – 16. "Thou hast been ordained as my food, troubled with hunger as I am." Unto her Hanumana said, "O mother, I am going to see Janaki by the command of Rama. Having come back speedily and told Rama of her welfare, I shall come and enter thy mouth. Give me way, O Sursa, let my salutations be to thee."

17. Thus addressed Sursa said. "I am hungry, Do thou go after entering my mouth, otherwise I shall eat thee up." Thus addressed Hanumana said: "Do thou open thy mouth immediately. Having entered thy mouth I shall go as I am in a hurry."

18. So saying Hanumana made his body extend up to a yojana and stood before her.

19. Seeing him thus Sursa made her mouth five yojanas wide. Hanumana made his body twice as much.

20. Then Sursa made her mouth twenty yojanas wide and Hanumana made his body thirty yojanas.

21 – 22. Then Sursa made her body extend for fifty yojanas. But Hanumana became of the size of a thumb. Having entered her mouth, he came out again and stood before her, and said, "O goddess I have entered thy mouth and come out, my salutations be unto thee."

23. As he was saying so, she said to Hanumana: "Go and do the work of Rama, O thou the wisest of men.

24. "O monkey, I had been sent by the gods to test thy strength. Having seen Sita, thou shalt go and see Rama. Proceed on, sir."

25. So saying she went to the world of the gods. The son of the wind proceeded on by the passage of the air like Garuda, the king of birds.

26 – 28. The ocean also said to the mountain Mainaka, which was full of gold and gems: "This great being Hanumana, the son of the wind, is going for the purpose of doing the work of Rama, do thou help him.

"In days of yore, reared by the sons of Sagara, I became Sagara."

"In his family is born the lord Rama, son of Dasratha. This great monkey is going for the accomplishment of his work".

29. "Do thou speedily rise up from the waters, let him take rest over thee and go."

"Very well," so saying, he rose up to a great height from amidst the waters.

30 – 31. It had tops full of diverse gems. Over it a human being said to Hanumana as he was going: "I am, O great monkey, the mountain Mainaka directed by the ocean to give thee rest. O son of the wind, I am here. Come and partake of my ripe fruits which are like nectar.

32 – 33. "Having rested here for a while thou shalt go at ease." Thus addressed Hanumana said, "When I am going for the work of Rama, how can I eat anything or how can there be rest of me. I must go forth speedily."

34. So saying he touched the top of the hill with his hand and proceeded onwards. As he had gone a short distance some one who catches at a shadow, caught his shadow.

35. She was a terrible monster named Singhika who always lived in the waters. She seized hold of the shadows of those who went through the welkin and having brought them down ate them.

36. seized by her Hanumana the brave thought: "Who has caused the impediment in my way, and stopped my passage."

37. " I do not see any one here. I am struck with astonishment." Thus thinking he cast his eyes downwards.

38. There he saw Simhika having a huge body and a terrific appearance. He fell into the waters and killed her in anger with his feet.

39 – 40. Having risen up again he went towards the south.

41. Having reached the southern shore he saw on the top of the Trikuta hill, which was full of fruit trees of various kinds, abounding in deer and birds of diverse description and surrounded with different kinds of flowering creepers, a town surrounded with ramparts and ditches on all sides. "How shall I enter Lanka," thus he became filled with anxiety.

42. Making my body small at night shall I see Lanka. Protected by Ravana. Having resolved thus he remained there and went to Lanka.

43 – 46. Having assumed a diminutive shape the brave Hanumana entered the gate. Seeing him entering the town a Rakshasa woman in the city of Lanka stopped him and said " "Who art thou that disregarding me, the guardian of Lanka, enterest the town in the form of a monkey like a thief. What dost thou wish to do?" So saying with eyes red with anger she struck him with her foot. Hanumana also struck her with his left fist, as if she were of no consequence. She fell down instantly vomitting forth blood.

47. Getting up she said to Hanumana of great strength. "O Hanumana, go forth; may good betide thee, thou hast conquered Lanka, O sinless one."

48 – 49. "Formerly I was told by Brahma that in the twenty eighth Treta Yoga the undecaying Narayana shall incarnate as Rama, the son of Dasratha, by his yoga maya (yoga energy) and Sita as his consort in the house of Janaka."

"For the purpose of removing the burden of the earth he had been solicited by me some time ago."

50. "Raghava (Rama) shall go to the great forest with his wife. Thence Ravana shall carry off Sita the great Maya."

51. "After that Rama shall have Sugriva for his helpmate, and Sugriva shall send monkeys for the purpose of seeing Janaki."

52. "Then one of the monkeys shall come to thee at night, Repulsed by thee he shall strike thee with his fist."

53. "When struck by him thou shalt, O sinless one, suffer pain. Then verily shall come the end of Ravana. There is no doubt in this."

54 – 56. "Therefore, having conquered Lanka, thou hast conquered all, O sinless one.

"Inside the beautiful palace of Ravana is a pleasure garden of handsome appearance. Inside it is the Asoka Vanika full of heavenly trees. In its middle is a shinshipa tree. There Janaki sits guarded by terrific Rakshasa women. Having seen her, do thou go back and inform Raghava of it.

57. "Blessed am I that I had remembrance of Rama to-day after a long time. That remembrance cuts asunder the noose of transimigratory existence. The company of his devotees is very difficult to attain. Let the son of Dasratha (Rama) be gracious unto me and abide in my heart."

58. As the son of the wind had crossed the ocean, the left side of the body of the daughter of the earth (Sita) and the left arm of Ravana fluttered much. The right side of the body of Rama, who was beyond the senses, also fluttered.

Note: The fluttering of the left side of a man and the right of a woman is indicative of evil to both, while the fluttering of the left side of a woman and the right of a man is indicative of good fortune, thus betokening future prosperity to Rama and Sita, downfall to Ravana.

In the Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kanda, Chapter 3, Lanka only tells Hanumana that Brahma had told her that when she was conquered by a monkey it will be the end of the Rakshasa. She does not repeat the story of the Ramayana. The Adhyatma also omits altogether the beautiful description of Lanka given by Valmiki. According to that ancient poet the first impression of Hanumana on seeing Lanka was one of wonder at its beautiful grandeur and strength. Its houses high as mountains its broad car drives, its flags waving on tops of palaces, its impregnable fortresses made Hanumana ponder, as to how such a place which was built by Vishwakarma himself could be assailed by Rama. "Not even the gods can subdue it, what will the monkeys do? There is no time for conciliation or of gifts or of sowing dissensions nor fight. I shall however enter it at night in a dimunitive form. There is no other method of entering it. Even the wind cannot enter here unknown." Thus thinking Hanumana reduces himself to the size of a cat and enters the palace.

© "The Adhyatma Ramayana" by Rai Bahadur Lala Baij Nath, published by Oriental Books, 54, Rani Jhansi Road, New Delhi 110 055.

<< Back