Paumacariya 53
English (machine translation) 53
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53.1
Then, O lord of Magadha!, Hanumat arrived at the city of Laṅkā; / he entered the house of Vibhīṣaṇa, alone, remaining at the door.
53.2
Seen by Vibhīṣaṇa, Hanumat was greeted and seated. / Having conversed, he then declared his purpose:
53.3
"In my words, Vibhīṣaṇa, speak thus to the supreme lord of Laṅkā: / 'Association with another’s wife is condemned in both worlds.
53.4
A king is the source of moral boundaries, as a mountain is of rivers; / when he takes his stand in improper conduct, the people follow [him] all the more.
53.5
Your fame, white as the moon, a conch, and jasmine, roams through all the three worlds; / let it not now become black as collyrium through union with another’s wife!
53.6
Together with sons, wife, and kinsmen, enjoy your kingdom with splendour equal to the lord of gods!' / Having spoken thus, [say]: 'O Ten-faced One!, surrender Sītā to Rāma."
53.7
Hearing these words, Vibhīṣaṇa said: "He was previously / told by me, [but] does not desire it; from that time on, he does not even speak [to me].
53.8
Even so, you say [I should] go speak to the supreme lord of Laṅkā by your word; / [yet] he whose mind is haughty with pride, O son of Māruta, will not give up his grasp."
53.9
Hearing these words, the son of Pavana went to the lotus garden, / covered with various kinds of trees, exceedingly delightful like the Nandana grove itself.
53.10
Having entered there, he saw Sītā, looking like a smokeless fire, / resting her face on her left hand, her hair dishevelled, tears flowing down.
53.11
Advancing with quiet footsteps, his heart filled with agitation, Hanumat made a bow / and quickly dropped that ring into Sītā’s lap.
53.12
Taking it, Sītā, the hair on her body bristling with joy, / highly delighted, gave Hanumat her upper garment set with jewels.
53.13
Hearing that Sītā’s face was exceedingly radiant, Mandodarī quickly arrived / surrounded by her female companions at that excellent garden.
53.14
Then the chief queen said: "You have shown us supreme favour! / O maiden!, attend upon the Ten-faced One, freed from sorrow for a very long time."
53.15
Enraged, Sītā spoke: "O Vidyādharī!, news of my beloved has arrived; / now, with a delighted mind, my body has bristled with joy on that very account!"
53.16
Hearing these words, the daughter of Maya was filled with utmost astonishment. / Then Sītā, casting aside doubt, questioned the son of Māruta.
53.17
As soon as he was thus addressed, Hanumat, adorned with excellent bracelets and earrings, / explained his family, his father, his mother, and his name:
53.18
"I am the son of Pavanañjaya, born indeed from the womb of Añjanā, / and a servant of Sugrīva, Hanumat by name."
53.19
Then the son of Pavana said: "Padma is distressed and despondent due to separation from you; / he finds no firmness even for a moment in a palace, with all its wealth, beds, and seats.
53.20
He listens to no celestial songs, nor does he engage in other conversation; / he only contemplates you, as a sage fixed in yoga [contemplates] perfection."
53.21
Hearing these words, her pair of eyes shedding drops of tears, / Sītā, overcome by grief, asked for news once again:
53.22
"In what region, O handsome one!, was Padma seen by you together with Lakṣmaṇa, / uninjured in body and limbs? Or is he beset by great grief?
53.23
Or, Lakṣmaṇa having been slain by the Vidyādharas, did he, stricken with grief / and abandoning care for me, actually accept initiation?
53.24
Or, slipping from his emaciated [finger] in the forest in separation from me, / was this signet ring found by you, O gentle one?
53.25
How did acquaintance between you and him arise in a single moment? / Having crossed the ocean, how have you come without any cause?
53.26
Tell this in full, O handsome one, adjured by truth; / I wish to hear, do not make any hesitation now!"
53.27
Then Hanumat said: "O lady!, listen: there in the forest / Ravihāsa, the excellent sword, was seized by Lakṣmaṇa.
53.28
Candranakhā, seeing that her own son was slain by Lakṣmaṇa, / angered her husband and brought the news to the Ten-faced One.
53.29
While the lord of Rākṣasas was coming, Dūṣaṇa arrived; / joining battle, he fought together with Lakṣmaṇa.
53.30
Meanwhile the lord of Laṅkā also swiftly arrived at that place; / merely upon seeing you, he fell into supreme infatuation.
53.31
He uttered a lion's roar; hearing it, while Rāghava arrived / and went to the battle-front, you were carried off by him.
53.32
Seen by Lakṣmaṇa, he was quickly sent back to your side; / having returned and not seeing [you], Rāma then fainted away.
53.33
Recovering, he wandered about for your sake and saw Jaṭāyus; / Padma, radiant as a lotus, gave this Fivefold Homage [mantra] to him as he was dying.
53.34
Lakṣmaṇa too, having killed Khara and Dūṣaṇa, arrived at that place; / having departed, he saw lord Padma bereft of you.
53.35
Rāghava met with Sugrīva and came to Kiṣkindhī; / Rāma killed Sāhasagati, who had assumed the form of a monkey.
53.36
Clearly, because of that favour and by the news told by Ratnakeśin, / for the sake of returning the favour, I was dispatched by the elders.
53.37
Through friendship with the lord of Rākṣasas I shall release you, not by conflict; / success in undertakings inevitably belongs to those who employ prudent policy.
53.38
He, the lord of Vidyādharas, is steadfast, compassionate, and truthful in speech, / discerning in dharma and worldly affairs; he will surely heed my words.
53.39
Born of an exalted family, supreme in the world by his noble conduct, / fearful of censure, he will certainly surrender you."
53.40
Hearing this and highly delighted, the daughter of Janaka said: / "O Hanumat!, how many warriors equal to you belong to my beloved?"
53.41
Meanwhile Mandodarī spoke these words: "Listen, O maiden!, / among the Vānaras there is no great warrior equal to him,
53.42
by whom, before the Ten-faced One, a great battle was fought with Varuṇa / and Anarakusumā, daughter of Candranakhā, was then won.
53.43
Hanumat, whose banner bears a monkey, is renowned throughout the entire world of the living; / yet one possessing such virtues has been reduced to messengership by mere earth-dwellers!"
53.44
Hanumat replied to that: "O Mandodarī!, simple woman, do you not know? / A man must always be intent on returning a favour.
53.45
O Mandodarī!, you bear this worthless pride in your own good fortune; / being the chief queen, you act as a messenger for your husband!
53.46
If the Ten-faced One learns that you have undertaken messengership / and come here on account of Sītā, he will deal with your life!
53.47
All those Vānaras who, having abandoned Rāvaṇa, / have accepted servitude to Rāghava, stand in the path of the realm of Death!"
53.48
Hearing these words of Mandodarī, Vaidehī said:
“Why do you blame my beloved, O Vidyādhara woman—Padma, who is famed throughout the world?
53.49
At the front of battle, having only heard of his excellent bow Vajrāvarta,
all warriors lose their pride entirely and tremble, seized by a fever of fear.
53.50
His brother Lakṣmaṇa is steadfast and weighty like Mount Meru;
he alone is indeed capable of destroying the faction of enemies.
53.51
What is the use of speaking much? Right now, having crossed the ocean,
my husband will arrive, accompanied by the host of Vānaras.
53.52
In a few days I shall see your husband
slain in battle by my lord, Rāma, whose dharma is untarnished.”
53.53
Hearing this speech unpleasant to the ear, Mandodarī became enraged;
accompanied by thousands of young women, she began to beat Sītā.
53.54
While they were striving to strike her with harsh words and the palms of their hands,
Hanumat stood between them, like a high [mountain] between rivers.
53.55
Rebuked, they went together with Mandodarī
and clearly reported to the lord of the Rākṣasas that Hanumat had arrived.
53.56
Then Hanumat addressed Sītā: “Now take food,
and let the vow be fulfilled which was previously made by you.”
53.57
Being settled, excellent food was swiftly brought from the camp
by the girls of Hanumat's lineage; and just then the sun arose.
53.58
Thereupon the son of Pavana together with the soldiers was permitted by Sītā,
and offered the excellent food; meanwhile three muhūrtas elapsed.
53.59
Having swept and smeared [the ground] cleanly, placing Rāghava in her heart,
Sītā partook of the supreme food endowed with various flavors.
53.60
When the rite of taking food was completed, the daughter of Janaka was entreated by the son of Marut:
“Mount upon my shoulder; I shall take you to where your beloved is.”
53.61
Weeping, Sītā said: “It is not fitting for me to attempt this—
even touching contact with another man, let alone mounting upon his shoulder!
53.62
Clinging to another man, I will not go there even in thought;
either death will happen to me here, or Rāma will come and take me away.
53.63
As long as Daśavadana does not cause any affliction to you here,
so long, O son of Marut, go quickly to Kiṣkindhī without hindrance.
53.64
O Hanumat, having bowed down to Rāghava, speak in my words,
so that he may again be confident through these token words:
53.65
‘In that place, I reverently bowed to the Cāraṇa ascetics endowed with great virtues,
and you too bowed with intense devotion;
53.66
in the lotus-pool of clear water, O highly renowned one, a wild elephant whose cheeks dripped with rut
was tamed by you, just as a serpent is tamed by a master of mantras;
53.67
and, O master, another sandal-creeper, weighed down by the burden of fragrant blossoms
and echoing with the hum of bees, was embraced in your arms;
53.68
standing on the bank of the lotus-pool, having become slightly overcome by jealousy,
I was struck by you with a lotus stalk from your extremely tender hand;
53.69
then upon the mountain, O lord, having been asked by me, you explained:
“O blessed lady, these with dense green leafy boughs are nandi trees!”;
53.70
and on the bank of the river Karṇaravā at midday,
sādhus were served with food by both of us with devotion;
53.71
the cry “Oh, what a gift!” was proclaimed, and a rain of jewels with gold fell,
a breeze blew sweet with fragrance, and drums were beaten by the gods;
53.72
blazing with splendor, this crest-jewel was obtained at that time;—
take this, O monkey-bannered one, as a token of recognition to my beloved.’”
53.73
Having said this, the son of Pavana took the crest-jewel,
and with sweet words comforted Sītā, who was weeping:
53.74
“Do not be dejected, O mistress! In a few days
I shall bring Lord Padma together with the army of Vānaras.”
53.75
Having paid homage to her, he swiftly departed from that place;
and the son of Pavana was seen by the women who were in the garden.
53.76
They spoke to one another: “Or can it be that from a celestial chariot
an eminent god has descended, taking this to be the Sumanas grove?”
53.77
Having heard completely the report concerning Hanumat, Daśānana
dispatched a force of servants and said: “Kill him swiftly!”
53.78
At the command of their lord, numerous servants arrived with weapons in hand;
seeing them, Hanumat began to uproot the grove:
53.79
Trees weighed down with masses of flowers and fruit—aśoka, punnāga, nāga, arjuna, kunda, mandāra, mango, hog-plum, grape, rudrākṣa, kuraṇṭaka, kubjaka, saptaparṇa, tāla, deodar, large trees, mālatī, jasmine, floral shrubs, kandali, mallikā, sinduvāra, bowers, priyaṅgu trees, / bakula, tilaka, campaka, red kuraṇṭaka, coconut, kaḍāha, dhātakī, mādhavī, ketakī, noble areca-nut, rāyanna, pāṭalī, bilva, ankola, aśvattha, banyan, brahma-trees, kāñcanāra, and many āsana trees—having broken such trees as these, how did the son of Marut proceed? / Stretching out his agile hands, some were dragged and uprooted; struck by blows of his feet, shattered into pieces, swiftly whirled around, cut down and broken, snapping, bursting, dangling, many leaves, fluttering, shaking, dry boughs, breaking heaps of fruits, dense with fragrance, casting down showers of flowers, the trees were made to reach the earth. / Again the son of Marut, taking up clubs, striking, smashed the bathing-reservoirs of the pure garden, fashioned of gold, echoing with lions' roars, radiant with rubies and sapphires; then the son of Marut beheld the host of the Rākṣasas, whose vanguard was leaping and running with foot-soldiers shouting loudly.
53.80
That lotus garden broken by the son of Marut, with its beauty destroyed,
appeared like a bed of lotus plants trampled by a rutting elephant.
53.81
Meanwhile, the mighty army with foot-soldiers overrunning [the place] arrived,
and encircled the son of Pavana, just as a mass of clouds encircles the sun.
53.82
Eager and full of enmity, striving in their master's cause,
all the warriors discharged arrows, javelins, spears, and darts towards the venerable hero.
53.83
Having warded off that shower of weapons, the son of Añjanā
struck down the Rākṣasa warriors with threshold stones, rocks, and trees.
53.84
By him alone, O Śreṇika, unarmed though he was, that entire army
was struck down, routed, scattered, and, longing for life, took to flight.
53.85
Mansions, gateway arches, lofty towers painted in various ways,
and many temple peaks the son of Pavana reduced to powder.
53.86
With his feet and the palms of his hands, all struck by blows of his club,
those pinnacles of jewels fell crashing, ringing out kaṇa-kaṇa-kaṇa.
53.87
With the multicolored dust rising from the trampling of his legs spreading out, / pieces as if of rainbows were made across the vast pathway of the sky.
53.88
Loud shrieks, weepings, laments, and confused babble of young women and children were heard, / as people, agitated by fear, kept crying out, “What is this? What is this?”
53.89
Breaking their posts, the elephants ran off; the horses snapped their neck-ropes; / they roamed through the midst of the city, constantly terrifying the citizens.
53.90
Thus destroying hundreds of thousands of mansions in the city of Laṅkā, / the resolute Hanumat advanced toward Rāvaṇa.
53.91
Seeing the shattered mansions and parks in his own city, the lord of the Rākṣasas, / overcome by fury, declared: “Listen to my words,
53.92
O Maya, Mālyavant, Triśiras, Śuka, Sāraṇa, Vajradaṃṣṭra, and Aśanivega! / O Kumbha, Niśumbha, Vibhīṣaṇa, Hasta, Prahasta, and all the rest!
53.93
The fame that was mine throughout all the three worlds in lifting Mount Kailāsa / has now been wiped away here by the son of Pavana who has destroyed the city.
53.94
It is not pleasant to see Laṅkā dejected, its gardens ruined by a monkey, / like a beloved woman distressed by having her hair seized by the hand of another man.
53.95
Yama, Varuṇa, Indra, and many other great warriors were conquered by me; / so how have I now been mocked by this vile monkey?
53.96
Therefore beat the great war-drums! Bring out quickly the invincible chariot! / Approaching that wicked one, I shall execute severe punishment here.”
53.97
To him who was speaking thus, Prince Indrajit submitted to his father: / “For the sake of this one, O Lord, why do you torment yourself so intensely?
53.98
Flying far above, causing the host of astral bodies to vanish, and crushing Mount Meru, / tell me, father, shall I overturn the entire three worlds upon my arms?”
53.99
Knowing his intention, Daśamukha then commanded his son: / “Capturing that wicked one, bring him quickly before me.”
53.100
Bowing to Rāvaṇa, he mounted a chariot harnessed with excellent elephants; / fully armored and mail-clad, he set forth accompanied by a mighty army.
53.101
Then Meghavāhana too, skilled in battle, mounted an elephant; / seated upon Airāvaṇa, he looked just like Indra himself.
53.102
With the display of elephant troops surging against the hosts of excellent chariots and swift steeds, / the army set forth with the roar of many thousands of musical instruments.
53.103
In a mere moment, Hanumat’s own army, / with quivers bound and armored, repelled [them], filled with proud wrath.
53.104
In both armies the warriors rushed forward, their enthusiasm blazing with force; / with hundreds of swords, golden staves, discs, and javelins, they struck one another.
53.105
Then those monkey-warriors, struck and broken / by Indrajit’s formidable warriors, fell back toward Māruti.
53.106
Seeing the defeat of his own army, the son of Pavana was enraged; / then he proceeded to fight along with the warriors of Indrajit.
53.107
Holding fierce commands of authority, endowed with golden bracelets, / with swaying ear-ornaments and threads bound with gold,
53.108
adorned with splendid garments and ornaments, wearing crests of fragrant flowers, / their limbs anointed with saffron, with pearls radiant on their diadems,
53.109
bearing discs, swords, and maces, tridents, bows, and double-edged swords, / with glittering darts and speckled spears, huge lances and javelins,
53.110
intent on their master’s mission, torn apart by the monkey’s blows, / those great warriors then fell, released from the bonds of life.
53.111
Naturally swift-hoofed, with beautiful chowries waving, / struck down by the monkey’s weapons, the horses met destruction.
53.112
Their temples shattered by the monkey, their radiant pearls scattering, / the cloudy spray of their temporal juice stopped, the rutting elephants fell.
53.113
Fashioned of splendid gold, with their golden flagstaffs destroyed, / crushed by the blows of the monkey, the great chariots were destroyed.
53.114
Seeing his own army thus routed, Indrajit / set about covering the son of Pavana with arrows.
53.115
Then Māruti too, with swift-moving hands, severed in the sky / with sharp crescent-tipped arrows the volley of shafts released by his enemy.
53.116
Seizing a huge mace, Indrajit hurled it; / Hanumat swiftly countered it, striking it away with a rock.
53.117
The warrior Indrajit hurled a barrage of iron bars, stones, and darts at Hanumat; / with swift-moving hands, he too warded them off as they came.
53.118
Having fought thus for a long time, the son of Pavana was then quickly bound / by Indrajit with serpent-nooses resembling beams of the moon.
53.119
And his own soldiers were instructed by Indrajit: “Binding him firmly in chains, / show this wicked Māruti quickly to my father.”
53.120
He was led to the assembly of Daśānana by the men, watched by the townspeople; / they announced to the lord of Laṅkā: “O Lord, this wicked one has been brought!”
53.121
Those men of Rāvaṇa recounted Hanumat’s offenses: / “He was sent by Sugrīva and Rāghava as an envoy for Sītā.
53.122
O Master, the city of Mahendra was destroyed and that king was defeated [by him]; / and the affliction to the monks was warded off on Dadhimukha island.
53.123
O greatly renowned one! The three daughters of the Gandharva, maiden brides, / were swiftly dispatched to Kiṣkindhī for Rāma by him.
53.124
Breaking the adamantine barrier, Vajramukha was swiftly slain in battle; / and then Laṅkāsundarī became attached in desire to him.
53.125
Stationing his own army on the outskirts of Laṅkā, / he shattered the Padma garden, filled with various kinds of trees and creepers.
53.126
O Lord! Thousands of mansions adorned with jewels were broken by him, / and the entire city was thrown into turmoil, crowded with old and young.”
53.127
Hearing these offenses, the lord of Laṅkā was enraged and spoke thus: / “Bind his hands and feet swiftly in strong chains!”
53.128
With harsh, rough, and cruel speech, Rāvaṇa, intensely enraged, / then began to revile Hanumat in the midst of the court:
53.129
“Shameless one! Vile monkey! You perform the role of an envoy / for ground-dwellers! Devoid of discernment, [acting] in opposition to sky-going warriors!
53.130
A base-born man does not bear marks upon his body; / the wicked conduct of one who acts unworthily proclaims his true nature.
53.131
You were not born of Pavanañjaya, but of some other man; / through your blameworthy bad deeds, O vilest of men, you have fallen low!
53.132
Even with thousands of favors and the glory of new honor and gifts, / when you were not won over by me, how will you be held by another?
53.133
Do not many jackals take shelter with a five-faced lion here in the forest? / Good men in this world never show favor to a low-born one.”
53.134
Laughing, Hanumat replied: “The mouth of noble men, / whose hearts are deeply set on dharma, is devoid of engagement in abusive words.”
53.135
Rāma, accompanied by Lakṣmaṇa and surrounded by the monkey army, will arrive quickly, / and he cannot be stopped by you, like a cloud [cannot be stopped] by the wind.
53.136
Just as someone who is never satisfied with food, even when sweet and nectar-like, / meets destruction with a single drop of poison,
53.137
so you, who are never satisfied with thousands of young maidens, like fire with firewood, / will perish in this way through your attachment to another’s wife.
53.138
When the time of destruction arrives, the intellect of men is completely lost; / it cannot be altered otherwise, owing to the conjunction of deeds done in the past.
53.139
You whose death is near, who associate with the wives of others, / will later go to a hell-birth and suffer thousands of miseries.
53.140
By being born, O Rāvaṇa! you, the worst of sons, / have brought about the destruction of the lineage of heroes headed by Ratnaśravas, you wrongdoer!
53.141
No sooner had he spoken thus than Rāvaṇa became enraged and cried out: / 'Kill him in the middle of the city, this mass of insults!
53.142
Bind him firmly with chains and parade him through the city from house to house! / Indeed, let him, having been disgraced, be seen by the noble folk!'
53.143
When he was spoken to thus by Rāvaṇa, the son of the Wind became furious; / he snapped the mass of bonds, just as a virtuous monk [snaps] the bonds of affection.
53.144
Leaping into the sky, Hanumat shattered Rāvaṇa's palace, / which had a thousand pillars and was inlaid with jewels, with kicks of his feet.
53.145
As it fell, [the palace], though firmly fitted upon the heights, / shook the entire earth together with the great ocean.
53.146
Having reduced Laṅkā's many mansions, archways, and ramparts to ruin, / Hanumat, disregarding the fear of the enemy, leapt into the sky.
53.147
Mandodarī reported to Sītā: 'Noble lady, this son of the Wind, / having broken his bonds, is departing towards the city of Kiṣkindhī.'
53.148
As he was leaving, Janaka's daughter, exceedingly delighted, threw an offering of flowers / and said: 'May the planets be favorable, and may you always be free from obstacle!'
53.149
Thus those whose conduct is virtuous become renowned in fame; bound fast by enemies, they quickly release themselves; / and those living beings in this world who have performed pure deeds obtain a distinguished dwelling, a treasury of diverse happiness.
53.150
Thus ends the fifty-third chapter, entitled 'Hanumat's Departure from Laṅkā', in the Paümacariya.
Linked texts (1)
- Paümacariya — Vimalasūri, Māhārāṣṭrī Prakrit