Chapter 56 - Hanuman’s takes leave of Sita

Paying obeisance to Janaki seated at the foot of the Shimshapa tree, Hanuman said to her: “By the grace of heaven I find you unharmed!”

Looking on him again and again as he stood ready to depart, Sita, inspired by conjugal affection, said to him:—

“If, O Child, you judgest it opportune, then, O Irreproachable Friend, remain here in some hidden spot to-day; to-morrow, having rested, do you set out. Your proximity, O Monkey, will make me forget mine overwhelming grief awhile. You will go, O Great Monkey and it is doubtful whether I shall still be living on your return, O Foremost of Monkeys! In thine absence my torments will increase and falling into one misfortune after another, I shall be consumed with grief and sorrow. Further, O Hero, this fear is ever present with me; how will the most valiant Sugriva or that host of bears and monkeys cross the impassable ocean or those two sons of men supported by those powerful monkeys? Three beings alone are able to bound over the deep, Vainateya, you and Maruta.

“In the face of this insurmountable obstacle, in your consummate experience dost you see any possibility of success? O Destroyer of Hostile Warriors, you alone art competent to perform this task, you shalt attain renown by your prowess; yet, if Kakutstha, the scourge of his foes were able to lay Lanka waste with his forces and bear me away, it would be worthy of him. Therefore do that which will enable the magnanimous Rama to manifest his prowess in conformity with a warrior’s nature.”

Hearing these words full of loving solicitude, reason and significance, the valiant Hanuman answered:—

“O Noble Lady, that lord and foremost of monkeys, Sugriva, endowed with power, has resolved to deliver you. Attended by thousands of billions of powerful monkeys, he will not delay in coming hither, O Vaidehi, and those foremost of men, the flower of the human race, Rama and Lakshmana, coming here, will afflict Lanka with their arrows. Having destroyed the titans and their adherents, the son of Raghu, O Exceedingly Fair One, shall bear you away and bring you to his capital. Take heart, therefore, O Gentle One and await that hour 1 Soon shalt you see Rama strike down Ravana on the field of battle. The Lord of the Titans slain with his sons, ministers and people, you shalt be re-united with Rama, as Rohini with the moon. Ere long Kakutstha will appear accompanied by the foremost of monkeys and bears and, triumphing in the fight, shall remove your grief.”

Having thus consoled Vaidehi, Hanuman, born of Maruta, prepared to depart, offering salutations to her and, having comforted her and displayed his surpassing strength by rendering that city desolate, having thwarted Ravana and exhibited his immeasurabke power, Hanuman, paying obeisance to Vaidehi, intent on returning, resolved to cross the ocean once more.

Then the repressor of his foes, that powerful monkey, eager to see his lord, ascended the foremost of mountains, Arishta, covered with dark groves of Padmaka trees, resembling a mantle which, with the clouds clinging to its sides, seemed to expand with joy under the sun’s rays; the metals scattered here and there appeared to be its eyes and the solemn sound of its torrents resembled its voice chanting the Veda; the waterfalls, the singing of its song and the tall Devadaru trees caused the mountain to resemble a giant with uplifted arms, the thundering of the torrents were its cries re-echoing round about and the autumnal woods agitated by the wind made it appear as if it trembled; as the breeze whistled through the reeds, it seemed to be piping while great and venomous serpents created the illusion of its hissing in anger. With its ravines shrouded in mist, investing it with a solemn air, as if it were deeply absorbed in contemplation and the clouds moving here and there on its slopes lending it the appearance of walking; with its peaks towering heavenwards, so that it appeared to be yawning, it was bristling with escarpments and filled with innumerable caves. Planted with Sala, Tala. Kharjura, Tamala, Kama and Vanisha trees with a myriad creepers laden with flowers and abounding in herds of deer and containing innumerable streams, with countless crags, rich in minerals, intersected by rills, frequented by Maharishis, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Kinneras and Uragas, impenetrable on account of the thorns and briars, its caves were filled with lions, and tigers and other beasts abounded there and that mountain was furnished with trees having delicious fruit and roots.

Then the foremost of monkeys, the son of Anila, ascended that mountain burning to behold Rama once more and, wherever he placed his foot on those enchanting slopes, the rocks crumbled and broke away with a thundering sound.

Having scaled the Indra of Mountains, that mighty monkey gathered up his strength, desirous of crossing from the southern to the northern shore of the salty sea and, reaching the summit, he beheld that formidable expanse of water inhabited by dreadful monsters. Then the son of Maruta, with the swiftness of the wind as it blows through space, leapt from the southern region to the northern shore and, pressed under foot by that monkey, the mountain giant re-echoing to the cries of countless denizens sank into the bosom of the earth with its peaks toppling and its trees overturned. Borne down by Hanuman’s prodigious bounds, trees laden with blossom fell to the ground as if struck by Indra’s thunderbolt and the dreadful roar of great lions lurking in the caverns rent the skies as they were crushed by the falling mountain. Vidya-dharas, their raiment tom and their ornaments in disorder, fled in terror from that place and large and powerful serpents, filled with poison, shooting out their tongues, lay in coiled heaps, their heads and necks crushed. Kinneras, Uragas, Gandharvas, Yakshas and Vidyadharas, deserting that mountain, returned to the celestial realm and that mighty hill, measuring forty miles in extent and thirty in height, was levelled to the earth with its trees and lofty summits

Then that monkey, desirous of crossing over the salty sea, whose shores were threatened by the tides, rose into the air.