Sundarakandam chapter 58 1

Valmiki RamayanaM Sundara Kandam  Sargam 58

 The Sundarakandam inValmiki Ramayanam describes the valiant adventures of  Hanuman the Aanjaneya who  performed the heroic task of jumping over the Southern ocean(the present Bay of Bengal) from the southern tip of India (somewhere in Dhanushkoti?) in a single leap,  reached Devi Sita who was kept in captivity by the Rakshasa King Ravana in his Island Kingdom Lanka, delivered to her the message of Sri Rama, Caused irreparable damages to Lanka and reached back where his friends were wating for him eagerly.  Once the whereabouts of Sita were known and the tidings were passed on to Rama and Lakshmana and the Monkey king Sugriva, the princes along with the army of monkeys built a bridge across the ocean, crossed over to Lanka and fought  a fierce battle with Ravana.  Ravana with all his associates was killed and Sita was released and she was restored to  the company of her husband Rama.

But for the amazing show of valour and astuteness of Hanuman as described in the Sundarakandam,  the glorious turn of events in Ramayana would not have been possible at all. Rarely indeed in lores of heroism that we can find such an exploit by a single person with  nothing other than his own adroitness to come to his rescue, performing actions in uncanny precision where even a single wrong step forward would have proved fatal for both the Hero and all others whose life and dreams entirely depended upon the success of this one person.

After having seen Sita, Hanuman has jumped back to India and is in the eager company of his  doting associates including Angada, the heir apparent  of the Kingdom of Monkeys, Kishkinda, Jambavaan the valiant and deathless boar, and hundreds of  other valiant monkeys. 

The 58^th chapter of Sundarakandam is actually a resume' of what all the inimitable Hanuman did during the time-span starting with  his jump towards Lanka leaving behind his friends and ending with the moment he  jumped back home after successful completion of his great mission.  The narrative comes in the form of answer to a query by the wizened Jamabavan and one can have a clear Idea of the contents of the  whole of Sundarakandam by reading this single chapter alone.  The chapter in 166 couplets is an erudite condensation of the whole Sundarakandam consisting of more that 2800 couplets. This chapter is as important as the first chapter of the first Kandam (Bala Knandam) of Ramayanam, where the whole story of the epic which is later described in about 24000 couplets, is given in a nutshell.

ततः तस्य गिरेः शृङ्गे महैन्द्रस्य महाबलाः।

हनुमत् प्रमुखाः प्रीतिम् हरयो जग्मुरुत्तमाम्॥ ५-५८-१

तम् ततः प्रतिसम्हृष्टः प्रीतिमन्तम् महाकपिम्।

जाम्बवान् कार्य वृत्तान्तम् अपृच्छत् अनिलात्मजम्॥ ५-५८-२

कथम् दृष्टा त्वया देवी कथम् वा तत्र वर्तते।

तस्याम् वा स कथम् वृत्तः क्रूर कर्मा दशाननः॥ ५-५८-३

तत्त्वतः सर्वम् एतन् नः प्रब्रूहि त्वम् महाकपे।

श्रुतार्थाः चिन्तयिष्यामो भूयः कार्यविनिश्चयम्॥ ५-५८-४

यश्चार्थः तत्र वक्तव्यो गतैः अस्माभिः आत्मवान्।

रक्षितव्यम् च यत् तत्र तत् भवान् व्याकरोतु नः॥ ५-५८-५

स नियुक्तः ततः तेन सम्प्रहृष्ट तनूरुहः।

नमस्यन् शिरसा देव्यै सीतायै प्रत्यभाषत॥ ५-५८-६

प्रत्यक्षम् एव भवताम् महैन्द्राग्रात् खमाप्लुतः।

उदधेः दक्षिणम् पारम् काङ्क्षमाणः समाहितः॥ ५-५८-७

गच्छतः च हि मे घोरम् विघ्न रूपम् इव अभवत्।

काञ्चनम् शिखरम् दिव्यम् पश्यामि सुमनोहरम्॥ ५-५८-८

स्थितम् पन्थानम् आवृत्य मेने विघ्नम् च तम् नगम्।

उपसंगम्य तम् दिव्यम् काञ्चनम् नगसत्तमम्॥ ५-५८-९

कृता मे मनसा बुद्धिः भेत्तव्यो अयम् मया इति च।

प्रहतम् च मया तस्य लाङ्गूलेन महागिरेः॥ ५-५८-१०

शिखरम् सूर्य संकाशम् व्यशीर्यत सहस्रधा।

व्यवसायम् च मे बुद्ध्वा सहोवाच महागिरिः॥ ५-५८-११

पुत्र इति मधुराम् बाणीम् मनः प्रह्लादयन्निव।

पितृव्यम् च अपि माम् विद्धि सखा अयम् मातरिश्वनः॥ ५-५८-१२

मैनाकम् इति विख्यातम् निवसन्तम् महोदधौ।

पक्ष्ववन्तः पुरा पुत्र बभूवुः पर्वतोत्तमाः॥ ५-५८-१३

चन्दतः पृथिवीम् चेरुः बाधमानाः समन्ततः।

श्रुत्वा नगानाम् चरितम् महेन्द्रः पाकशासनः॥ ५-५८-१४

चिच्छेद भगवान् पक्षान् वज्रेण एषाम् सहस्रशः।

अहम् तु मोक्षितः तस्मात् तव पित्रा महात्मना॥ ५-५८-१५

मारुतेन तदा वत्स प्रक्षिप्तो अस्मि महार्णवे।

रामस्य च मया साह्ये वर्तितव्यम् अरिन्दम॥ ५-५८-१६

रामो धर्मभृताम् श्रेष्ठो महेन्द्र सम विक्रमः।

एतत् श्रुत्वा मया तस्य मैनाकस्य महात्मनः॥ ५-५८-१७

कार्यम् आवेद्य तु गिरेः उद्धतम् च मनो मम।

तेन च अहम् अनुज्ञातो मैनाकेन महात्मना॥ ५-५८-१८

स चाप्यन्तर्हितः शैलो मानुषेण वपुष्मता।

शरीरेण महाशैलः शैलेन च महोदधौ॥ ५-५८-१९

उत्तमम् जवम् आस्थाय शेषम् अध्वानम् आस्थितः।

ततो अहम् सुचिरम् कालम् वेगेन अभ्यगमम् पथि॥ ५-५८-२०

śikharam sūrya saṁkāśam vyaśīryata sahasradhā |

vyavasāyam ca me buddhvā sahovāca mahāgiriḥ || 5-58-11

putra iti madhurām bāṇīm manaḥ prahlādayanniva |

pitṛvyam ca api mām viddhi sakhā ayam mātariśvanaḥ || 5-58-12

mainākam iti vikhyātam nivasantam mahoudadhau |

pakṣvavantaḥ purā putra babhūvuḥ parvatottamāḥ || 5-58-13

candataḥ pṛthivīm ceruḥ bādhamānāḥ samantataḥ |

śrutvā nagānām caritam mahendraḥ pākaśāsanaḥ || 5-58-14

ciccheda bhagavān pakṣān vajreṇa eṣām sahasraśaḥ |

aham tu mokṣitaḥ tasmāt tava pitrā mahātmanā || 5-58-15

mārutena tadā vatsa prakṣipto asmi mahāarṇave |

rāmasya ca mayā sāhye vartitavyam arindama || 5-58-16

rāmo dharmabhṛtām śreṣṭho mahendra sama vikramaḥ |

etat śrutvā mayā tasya mainākasya mahātmanaḥ || 5-58-17

kāryam āvedya tu gireḥ uddhatam ca mano mama |

tena ca aham anujñāto mainākena mahātmanā || 5-58-18

sa cāpyantarhitaḥ śailo mānuṣeṇa vapuṣmatā |

śarīreṇa mahāśailaḥ śailena ca mahodadhau || 5-58-19

uttamam javam āsthāya śeṣam adhvānam āsthitaḥ |

tato aham suciram kālam vegena abhyagamam pathi || 5-58-20

tataḥ tasya gireḥ śṛṅge mahaindrasya mahābalāḥ |

hanumat pramukhāḥ prītim harayo jagmuḥ uttamām || 5-58-1

tam tataḥ pratisamhṛṣṭaḥ prītimantam mahākapim |

jāmbavān kārya vṛttāntam apṛcchat anilāatmajam || 5-58-2

katham dṛṣṭā tvayā devī katham vā tatra vartate |

tasyām vā sa katham vṛttaḥ krūra karmā daśānanaḥ || 5-58-3

tattvataḥ sarvam etan naḥ prabrūhi tvam mahākape |

śrutārthāḥ cintayiṣyāmo bhūyaḥ kāryaviniścayam || 5-58-4

yaḥ ca arthaḥ tatra vaktavyo gataiḥ asmābhiḥ ātmavān |

rakṣitavyam ca yat tatra tat bhavān vyākarotu naḥ || 5-58-5

sa niyuktaḥ tataḥ tena samprahṛṣṭa tanūruhaḥ |

namasyan śirasā devyai sītāyai pratyabhāṣata || 5-58-6

pratyakṣam eva bhavatām mahaindrāgrāt khamāplutaḥ |

udadheḥ dakṣiṇam pāram kāṅkṣamāṇaḥ samāhitaḥ || 5-58-7

gacchataḥ ca hi me ghoram vighna rūpam iva abhavat |

kāñcanam śikharam divyam paśyāmi sumanoharam || 5-58-8

sthitam panthānam āvṛtya mene vighnam ca tam nagam |

upasaṁgamya tam divyam kāñcanam nagasattamam || 5-58-9

kṛtā me manasā buddhiḥ bhettavyo ayam mayā iti ca |

prahatam ca mayā tasya lāṅgūlena mahāgireḥ || 5-58-10

After the arrival of Hanuman who was received by his friends in great jubiliation,  the whole group of valiant  monkeys with the heroic Anjaneya in the forefront, proceeded to one of the  prominent and comfortable peaks of the mountain Mahendra.  There the venerated elder minister Jaambavan who was in an excited  state of greatest admiration for the achievement of his colleague, asked the great monkey about all that had been achieved by the latter after he had left all alone in his glorious mission.   “ How did you manage to meet Devi Sita in captivity? What is her state of welfare there?   Has the Cruel Demon Ravana inflicted on  her any damages  or has he tortured her ?  You the valiant monkey, be pleased to tell us all these in great detail. We have to decide on our further course of action after hearing what you have to say.

Now we have to go and report to the Princes Rama and Lakshmana and our King Sugriva.  We have to decide on what all things we should report and what tidings we should refrain from divulging.  You are the best judge.  Please tell us.”

Thus persuaded, Hanuman the great monkey possessed of great intellect and immense physique,  was very happy, and after offering pranams mentally to Sita, started his great narrative.

“  You were all witnesses to my huge leap from the top of this very mountain Mahendra.  towards the sky in the direction of  Lanka  seeking the southern-most tip of the ocean.  While I was forging ahead there appeared some serious-looking  obstacle in my path. It was in the shape of a very beautiful peak of a mountain raising skywards.  Placing himself in my aerial path the mountain appeared to be a great obstacle for my onward jouney. 

 Approaching the great mountain peak of golden hue  the idea that occurred in my mind was that the obstacle before me should be shattered to pieces.  Therefore I lashed at the mountain with my huge tail.The top of the mountain which was shining like the Sun itself, was shattered to smithereens.  Then the great mountain,  apprehending  my hostility addressed me in endearing terms  intent upon  pacifying  me “My son,  you please recognize me as your uncle.  I am the dear friend of your father the God of wind.  I am popularly known as Mainaaka

( the son of the great mountain Himavan and Mena) and I am at present staying immersed in the great ocean of the south.  In ancient days, the mountains had wings and  they flew across the sky and landed upon the earth  at random on various locations, causing great damages to the occupants on the planes.  Learning about the unruly behavior of the mountains, Paakashaasana, the  illustrious Indra, hunted the mountains in thousands and started cutting off their wings.  While I was fleeing from the fall of the weapon of thunderbolt belonging to  Indra, your father helped me by carrying me in great speed and dropping me in  the southern seas there to hide in the depth of the ocean.

 Moreover since the seas were  created by the forefathers of Rama,  and since the ocean is my benefactor, I am bound by duty to be of service to Rama.  Rama is the foremost among the virtuous persons and is equal in valour to Lord Indra himself. " 
My spirits were roused by hearing the words of the great mountain Mainaka, and after paying respects to him and having been  lauded by him,  I continued  my journey along my aerial route. The mountain and its human form then submerged itself into the great ocean.  And I surged along in the southern direction with great speed.