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

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Canto 15

Withered Flower

 

Failed as Seetha to turn up

Came in open then Hanuman.

 

Deep breathed as he so he felt

Scent there that of sandalwood.

 

Ventured as he further down

Thought he was in Indra’s grove.

 

Wildlife he found there so rare

Thought he visited other planet.

 

Buildings there were five-storied

By boulevards wide hundred feet.

 

Fruits they bore all golden hues

Seemed they street lamps in their scores.

 

Perched as they in their thousands

Seemed as trees had birds for leaves.

 

Birds as flew with flowers in beaks

Looked they all like well-decked brides.

 

For their flowery burden then

Developed branches some hunchbacks.

 

Garden plants in some courtyards

Peeped over their compound walls.

 

Find them would a passerby

In their varied shades of green.

 

Wondered Hanuman how he failed

First to search that wondrous place.

 

In the gardens of all earth

Won’t it score a perfect ten?

What other place can Ravan find

Helps which Seetha change her mind?

 

Saw he then that hall supreme

Built by Ravan to rival

God’s own pavilion in grandeur.

 

Raised on thousand gold pillars

Glowed that like one thousand suns.

 

When he could his sight adjust

Saw he towers its kiss the clouds.

As if it were by sixth sense  

To Sinsupa turned back Hanuman

Only to find there seated

Woman so young with dress so old.

 

Heard her sighs he on and off

Circled her as demonic guards. 

 

Seemed she like a flame so bright

Shrouded then by smoke that thick.

 

Clad she was in soiled silk

Wore no necklace on her self.

 

Grief her wore down to core

Sat she bowing head in shame.

 

Cried she with her tear-filled eyes

Looked she distraught ’n famished.

 

Like a hare that lost its way

Into hounds on hunt she looked.

 

Dark hair hers in plait that thick

Touched the ground on which she sat.

 

In spite of her soiled dress

Demeanor hers was lady like.

 

Well she could be Rama’s wife

Kidnapped by the Lankan king.

 

No doubt it was Rama’s spouse

For she matches thumbnail sketch

That Lord Rama drew for him.

 

Charm her golden frame oozes

Brings forth brightness to darkness.

 

Waist her narrow lends her frame 

The flowing look that aids her gait.

 

Eyes her wide like lotus leaves 

Were shaped to acquire amorous looks.

 

But, in her grief they lost lustre

As would stars by clouds shrouded.

 

As would spendthrift his holding

Agony of hers shrivelled her frame.

 

With signs none of her rescue

Seemed she lost her will to live.

 

Wanted she her man to know

Ravan by force brought her there

Though she would not yield to him.

 

Swollen were her tearful eyes

Sunken were her crimson cheeks.

 

Ever since Ravan brought her there

Looked she had no bath since then  

Made which seem her cloudy moon.

 

Found in dilemma Hanuman then

If she could be Rama’s spouse.

 

But then aura he espied

None but Seetha could have that. 

 

Looked he then on for jewels

As though they were missing links.

 

Those to him Ram made privy

Found them lying on low branch. 

 

To help Seetha please Rama

Well crafted were all of them.

 

Dust as they all thus gathered

Turned those into dirty brown. 

  

Missing indeed from that lot

What she let go from mid-air

So to give clue to her man.

 

It was vanars who found her  

Shawl with jewels hers tied in

That she dropped on Rushyamook.

 

How well these all now I see

Match with those that dropped by her.

 

That she wears the same saree

Wore she when was abducted

Won’t that shawl well go with this.

 

Who else would have this aura

Than dear Rama’s spouse Seetha!

Bound am I to rescue her

From the clutches of these guards.

 

Won’t that gladden Rama’s heart

Saddened for so long for her?

 

Paired as well as Seetha-Ram

Were there ever a couple on earth!

  

Ravan though had parted them

Minds in their they stay as one.

 

Robbed as he of his Seetha

Rama still has will to fight.

 

What a wonder Rama lived

Sans his spouse for so long now.

 

Felt glad Hanuman that he could

 Find the beloved of his Lord.