Hanuman Nataka (critical study)

by Nurima Yeasmin | 2015 | 41,386 words

This page relates ‘Hanuman-Nataka, Act 10 (Summary)’ of the English study on the Hanuman-nataka written by Shri Damodara Mishra in the 11th century. The Hanumannataka is a Mahanataka—a fourteen-act Sanskrit drama dealing with the story of Rama and Hanumat (Hanuman) and presents the events in the lifes of Rama, Sita, Ravana and Hanuman (the son of Anjana and Vayu—the God of the Winds) based on the Ramayana story.

Hanuman-Nāṭaka, Act 10 (Summary)

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In this Act Rāvaṇa tried his best to show some artificial power to Sītā in order to convince her.^[1] But he failed in his attempt owing to the demoness Saramā.^[2] Rāvaṇa again came to Sītā, disguised as Rāma and tried her to convince to love him. Sītā also initially took him for Rāma, but at last the fact came to be revealed.^[3] Rāma was very unhappy and thought about his wife Sītā.^[4]

This Act is known as Rāvaṇaprapañca.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

rāvaṇaḥ—
atha rajanicareśo rāmasaumitrimāyā viracitaśirasī tadrūpalāvaṇyapurṇe /
galadaviralarakte pretaparyyastanetre janakaduhituragre sthāpayāmāsa pāpaḥ // ibid., X.1

[2]:

saramā rākṣasī (sadayam)—
jānaki tvaṃ na jānīṣe rāvaṇasyātidārūṇām/
māyāmāsādya mā bhaisī rāmaḥ kāmaṃ sa jīvati// ibid., X. 6

[3]:

rāmaveṣadhārī rāvaṇaḥ (saviṣādam) bhūtvā tatopyavasare janakātmajāyāṃ laṅkāpatirmakaraketuśarāturāyām/
klībo viśīrṇamaṇidaṇḍayutaḥ smarārtaḥ pāpāttataḥ śiva śivāntaradhīyata drāk // ibid., X.21

[4]:

janasthāne bhrāntaṃ viṣayamṛgatṛṣṇāhatadhiyā vaco vaidehīti pratipadamudaśru pralapitam/
kṛtā laṅkābharturvadanaparipāṭīṣu ghaṭanā mayāptaṃ rāmatvaṃ kuśalavasutā na tvadhigatā// ibid., X. 24

Last Updated: 01 July, 2023