Canto 56
Havoc of a Take-off
Finding Seetha in fine shape
To her Hanuman prostrated.
As bade Hanuman her goodbye
Spoke in fondness Rama’s spouse.
Wish I now thee in some nook
Take some rest for day or two.
Well, O Hanuman thy advent
Made my sorrows turn their backs.
Bring as and when thou my Ram
Know am not sure whether I live.
Leave as thee to fetch Rama
Wonder whether I stand agony
Replace that would joy thou gave.
Can ever Ram ’n Lakshman cross
Sea this vast to reach Lanka
With the vanar force that’s large?
In spite of thy words so bold
Find I linger doubts these mine.
Apart Garud ’n Vayu, thou
Who else could cross sea this vast?
Tell me how thou would address
Problem this that confronts Ram.
If thee take me back I know
Spares the bother for my man
To cross this sea with force of his,
But then Rama wouldn’t have it
Since it’s not the proper way
For him to reclaim his Seetha.
It’s but proper for Lord Ram
That he takes me on his own.
Measure of Ravan as thou got
Guide my Ram to subdue him.
Impressed as he by her words
Addressed Hanuman her concerns.
Vast is bear and vanar force
To help thy man sure rescue thee
Lord Sugreev mine hath at hand.
Know our army is so vast
Once it lands on Lankan shores
Fills it to the last square inch.
Ram ’n Lakshman with arrows
Could kill Lankans to last man.
Once they thus end Ravan’s reign
Takes thee back Ram to thy town.
Having endured ordeals long
Time thou embrace hope from now.
Having Ravan seen thus dead
Walk thee would free to thy man.
Know the day is not far off
Lands when Ram on Lankan shores.
Having said thus Hanuman took
Leave of Rama’s spouse Seetha.
That Hanuman had come and gone
Seemed that all like dream for her.
That he did make Lankans rue
Portend well for things to come.
Assured that he Ravan’s end
Made Seetha pray Ram no end.
For his take-off to go back
Arishta mountain climbed Hanuman.
Passing clouds made Arishta look
Like the shy bride that was veiled.
Caressed by those sun rays thus
Seemed it woke up then from sleep.
Water falls of rivers on that
Sounded they like Vedic chants.
Seemed all trees of Arishta then
Like raised arms of scores of those
Ascetics engaged in prayers there.
Orchestra of magic flutes
Breeze made Arishta’s bamboos turn.
Covered by snow from tip to toe
Seemed Arishta then blissful soul.
Peaks sky high ’n caves all deep
Made Arishta seem cover all worlds.
Flowers varied of myriad trees
Gave that touch of bridal ware.
Beasts in woods all in their scores
Sauntered in groves that were thick.
Home it made all Gandharvas
Home away home for all of them.
Herbs it all had so myriad
Made they medicines that varied.
Set as Hanuman his huge foot
Rocks all got to pebbles reduced.
In his bid to sail across
Grew he further frame his large.
Sighted Hanuman sea across
Crossed that he to reach Lanka.
On his return trip to home
Veteran like he then took-off.
With the pressure it came to bear
Sank then Arishta deep in ground.
Pressed as Arishta to its core
Caved in with groan ocean bed.
Lost as Arishta its bearing
Trees then there got uprooted.
With their fate as thus got sealed
Roared lions all there in distress.
Flew as Gandharv women all there
Slipped their pallus off their breasts.
Serpents there lay furlongs long
Curled in pits of square foot then.
Angels all then came to rest
On its lovely peak foremost,
With that havoc of take-off
Took flight all of them in fright.
In time only seen was tip
Of that Arishta of great girth.
Left no trace of its glory
At length that peach of mountains.
Unmindful of that havoc
Had a smooth sail back Hanuman.