Sundara Kanda: Hanuman's Odyssey by BS Murthy - HTML preview

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Canto 14

Garden of Grief 

 

With Seetha in mind Hanuman

Reached that garden royal soon

Perched he then on compound wall.

 

In that grove that’s thick and wide

Saw he scores of full-grown trees.

 

Besides Asoka trees there were

Flowering neem and mangoes too.

 

Like Ram’s arrow then he sped

Towards a climber in that grove.

 

Flowers there all pleased him much

Thrilled him sounds all birds then made.

 

Shone there flowers North Star like

Sauntered there then deer languid.

 

Craving cuckoos cried on trees

Bees on heat on flowers there zoomed.

 

Hovered birds then for their mates

Clamoured peacocks there on ground.

 

Jumped as he from tree to tree

Woke up birds all from their sleep

Birds as fluttered into skies

Severed by their wings flowers all there.

 

Fell as flowers those on him thus

Made they mountain on his frame.

 

To get rid of that flower burden

As he grew in size Hanuman

Seemed he Spring God on the rise.

 

Flowers as scattered all over

Gave that mother earth maiden look.

 

Toyed as he then with trees there

Fell all balance flowers they wore.

 

Tried as he to test his strength

Dropped were ripen fruits they bore.

 

Spared not his push leaves even

Trees there stood like lost gamblers.

 

Bare as turned thus trees all there

Birds were then left with no shades.

Pulled he trunks then with his tail

Broke them all with arms and legs.

 

Like the ravaged women by him

Battered there lay Ravan’s grove.

 

As would scatter clouds by wind

Severed lay creepers from tree trunks.

 

Found as he his way inside

Saw he footpaths paved with gold.

 

Ponds were there of pure water

Steps which had with gems inlaid.

 

Beds of those had pearls for sand

Grew there golden trees on banks.

 

Made flowers lotus red carpets

Swans like royal guests sauntered.

 

Serviced were they by canals

Brought they water nectar like.

 

Lined on banks of those canals

Trees that nearly kissed skyline. 

 

In the midst of that vast grove 

Mountain there lay that was huge.

 

Had it numerous caves so deep

House which could a million men.

 

Found on it a stream Hanuman

Seemed that like a dame enraged

Sprang who up from beloved’s lap.

 

As would desist her friends then

Her from leaving estranged mate

So bent branches on those banks

Touching waters at mid-stream.

 

Wound its way then back that stream

As would pacified woman backtrack.

 

On those branches of thick trees 

Birds of same feather flocked together.

 

With clear water that was cool

Laid there was a swimming pool.

 

Change rooms built for both sexes

Gave that complex ambiance rare.

Gardens lay there in the scores

Walkways were all coral paved. 

 

Flowerpots plenty of pure gold   

Contained colorful crotons there.

 

Spread there Sinsupa far and wide  

Dais of gold all covered its ground. 

 

Round the dais of spick and span

Grown were tropical trees varied. 

 

In that grove of golden hues

Shone Hanuman like rising sun. 

 

Trinkets tied to branches there

Set they tune for passing breeze.

 

Soared as hopes his sky high then

Climbed he Sinsupa’s topmost branch.

 

Had a premonition Hanuman then

Seetha would grace that place soon.

 

Wonder as was that Pushpak

Seemed the garden none the less.

 

Forlorn so long that Seetha

Wouldn’t she find this grove soothing?

  

Why not as she got used to

Strolling in the thick jungles.

 

Fatigued as would be Seetha

By the constant thought of Ram

Might come her for recouping. 

 

As she saunters in that grove 

Recall she would with fondness

Time she spent with her man then.

 

Besides she was so fond of

All that goes for life in woods.

 

Fail she might not to turn up

For her morning bath downstream.

 

Think I not of another place

Better which would for morning walk.

 

Were she to be alive still

Won’t she be drawn to this stream?

 

Driven by hope of finding her

Lay there Hanuman in hiding.