War in Ancient India c12.36

c12.36

But his message to Rāvaṇa is of historical value. Hanumān was no ordinary being. He was the chief councillor of King Sugrīva, and versed in all arts and sciences. Truly did Jānakī remark¹⁸ that he was endowed with prowess, intelligence and skill of the highest order. He had all the qualifications of an ambassador and even more. After seeing Sītā, he contemplated visiting Rāvaṇa also, the king of Laṅkā, in person as the envoy of his brother sovereign Sugrīva of Kiṣkindhā, with a view to secure the release of Sītā through open negotiation. But it appeared to him well-nigh impossible to get access to him by any fair or friendly means. So he began to destroy the favourite flower and fruit gardens of Rāvaṇa with the result that the brave Rākṣasas who came to attack him were all slain. After this, royal princes were sent against him, and it was Indrajit who ultimately succeeded in vanquishing him and carrying him as a captive before his father, the king of the Rākṣasas. But Hanumān was not in the least daunted. He delivered the message boldly and fearlessly even at the risk of his life. He represented himself as the envoy of Sugrīva. But Rāvaṇa turned red with anger and ordered his execution, whereat Vibhīṣaṇa rose and explained the Rājadharma regarding the treatment to be accorded to envoys in general. First of all, an envoy should not be punished with death at all.¹⁹ That is against all international morality. Such a course would be censured by the world at large. But when questioned about the forms of punishment to be inflicted on guilty or obnoxious envoys, Vibhīṣaṇa mentioned mutilation of certain limbs, beating and other forms of chastisement. Thereupon Rāvaṇa ordered Hanumān’s tail to be burnt. But Hanumān with undaunted courage set the whole city on fire with his lighted tail. Once again taking leave of Jānakī, but without the permission of the Lord of Laṅkā, lest it should imperil his life, he returned to the other side of the sea and rejoined his brother-monkeys and filled their ears with the glad tidings. During his stay in Laṅkā, Hanumān took full stock of the situation, surveyed the citadel in all its aspects, and was convinced that the four expedients of sāma, dāna, bheda, and daṇḍa would be of no avail against the great and mighty Rāvaṇeśvara. He acquainted himself with the strength of his army, of his friends and enemies, of the forts and fortresses, and other vantage grounds for camps and battlefields, if such should be necessary in the future. Burning the city, taking cognisance of the future events and leaving the place without any formal permission, all these go to show that he had even issued an ultimatum for war.