Sankshiptaparayana (Sundarakanda) Part 15 Final.

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Dear friends and devotees,

 

Bhakti is eternal.

 

(Part – 15)

 

SANKSHIPTA PARAYANA

 

(Sundarakanda)

 

Hidden by the branches, Hanumaan sang in a sweet and gentle voice the story of

Rama so that it fell on Seetha's ears:

 

" King Dasaratha ruled his kingdom well. His army was mighty and comprised of

chariots, elephants and horses. He was virtuous and a doer of great deeds. He

kept his word and was foremost among the famous kings of the world. He was equal

to the rishis in virtue and to Indra in statesmanship. He hated no one and

harmed no one. All his endeavors were crowned with success. Therefore men called

him Satya-paraakrama, truly valiant. The richest of the Ikshavaaku race, a king

of kings, the ruler of the world, he enjoyed and communicated happiness. The

eldest of his four sons was Raamachandra, whose face was like the full moon.

Wise, virtuous and a master of the bow, Raama was beloved of all. And he was

full of kindness for all the people in the kingdom, a warrior wedded to dharma.

He was the heir to the throne. And yet, to preserve the honour of his father, he

left the kingdom with his wife Seetha and his brother Lakshmana and lived in the

forest.

 

" There he vanquished the Raakshasas and protected the Rishis. He destroyed

Khara and Dooshana and their mighty army. Coming to hear of this, Raavana bent

on revenge induced a Raakshasa to assume the form of a deer and beguile the

princes in pursuit and, in their absence, carried off Seetha by force.

 

" Grief-struck Raama went in search of Seetha. He met Sugreeva, the Vaanara,

and made friends with him. Raama slew Vaali, the Vaanara king, and secured to

his brother Sugreeva the Vaanara kingdom. And Sugreeva sent his Vaanara warriors

to all the quarters of the globe to find out where Seetha was.

 

" These Vaanara warriors, who could assume what shape they would, searched the

whole world for the missing Seetha. Following a clue given by Sampaati, I

crossed the sea a hundred yojanaas broad, and have come here. And now I see one

whose form, complexion and qualities are those described to me by Raama as his

royal spouses. "

 

Having said this, Hanumaan paused.

 

These sweet words, uttered by some one from somewhere, filled Seetha with

wonder and delight. She looked around in all directions to discover who conveyed

such sweet matter in so sweet a voice and in such exquisite language.

 

She looked round, and up and down but found no human form to match this

perfect speech. She only saw a lovely little monkey seated on the branch above

her.

 

Seetha saw the son of Vaayu, the wise minister of the Vaanara king, in the

form of a little monkey, radiant like the rising sun.

 

Seeing Hanumaan, Seetha said to herself: " The words I heard, the form I

see,-and they cannot be real. I am only dreaming. One sees in one's dream what

one is constantly brooding over. How often has my mind dwelt on the story of my

Lord! Is it any wonder then that I seem to hear the tale as told by some one? It

is not real, it is only a dream.

 

" They say that if one sees a monkey in a dream, it forebodes evil to one's

kinsfolk. May God protect Raama from harm! May God keep all evils away from

Lakshmana! May God bless all my kinsfolk in Mithila!

 

" No, no, this is no dream. My eyes are open and I see the same form still

seated above me. There it is, clear and solid. No, this is no dream. And I am

not asleep. How can one dream without sleeping. This is no dream. All this is

real. Oh Gods! Could this indeed be a messenger from my dear Lord? Oh grant that

it be so! Oh Vaachaspati! Master of speech, I salute you. Oh Agni! I salute you.

Oh Swayambhu! I salute you. Oh Gods! Protect me. May this be Raama's messenger! "

 

Hanumaan, radiant with the joy of seeing Seetha, descended to the ground and

stood before her, palms joined and head bent in salutation.

 

And he said in a deep soothing voice: " Mother, tears are failing from your

eyes like drops from lotus petals. May I know who you are, who stands there,

leaning on the tree trunk, face clouded with sorrow and eyes wet with tears? Are

you a goddess or a Naaga maiden? The radiance of your body makes me question

whether you could be of merely terrestrial birth! Are you Rohini separated for a

while from the Moon-god? Or are you Arundhati parted from sage Vasishta?

 

" No, on closer observation, you seem to be a human woman, may be a princess

adorable in your distress. Please tell me who indeed you are. May God bless you!

Are you the princess Seetha carried off by Raavana from Janasthaana? Is mine the

bliss of seeing Seetha, the beloved of Raama? "

 

Seetha was beside herself with joy. " My child, " she said, " indeed I am Seetha,

daughter of the king of Videha and Sree Raamachandra's spouse. For twelve years

I enjoyed all happiness with him in Ayodhya. In the thirteenth year, King

Dasaratha made preparations to crown my husband. Then Kaikeyi, his youngest

wife, reminded him of boons he had granted long ago, and demanded that in

redemption of his word he should crown her son Bharata king, and exile Raama to

the forest. She threatened to kill herself if this was not done. Bound by

promise the king had to yield to her insistence. At his bidding Raama

relinquished the crown and betook himself to the forest not only without regret

but happy that it was given to him to enable his father to keep his plighted

word. I refused to be left behind and insisted on going with my lord into the

forest. Even before me, Lakshmana had put on bark-garments, determined to

accompany his brother to the forest and serve him. The three of us entered the

forest and were living in Dandaka. One day the evil-hearted Raavana carried me

off by force. And be has kept me a prisoner here in this Asoka garden. Of the

time limit of twelve months he has set for me, only two more months remain. When

they are over I shall end my life. "

 

Thus spoke the helpless princess in her sorrow.

 

The speeches of Hanumaan and of Jaanaki are sung by Vaalmeeki in two brief

chapters. As Hari appeared before the emperor Bali in the form of Vaamana and

measured the universe in two steps, so Vaalmeeki has given the tale of Raama in

a short recital by Hanumaan and another by Seetha. What greater joy can I have

than reading Hanumaan and Seetha telling the divine story themselves? As Vaamana

got the better of Bali and saved him from his ahankaara, may this tale of Raama

as told by Hanumaan and Seetha rid me of the sense of 'I' and 'my'.

 

Seetha concluded her story with the statement that two more months remained of

the allotted twelve-month term and that her life would then end. To Seetha

overwhelmed by grief, Hanuman spoke words of comfort.

 

" O princess of Videha! Raama, the noblest of men and the mightiest of

warriors, has sent me to you with good news. His beloved brother Lakshmana, ever

anxious for your welfare, sends through me his salutations to you.

 

" Ah! What happiness is mine! " she exclaimed. " I now see the truth of the

common saying that so long as life lasts there is hope. "

 

Thus between these two utter strangers a profound confidence and affection

sprang up like the sudden blossoming of the paarijaata in Indra's garden. Yet

when, in his joyful eagerness to console and encourage Seetha, Hanumaan took a

nearer step towards her, Seetha lost the confidence inspired by his words and

again grew suspicious. She shut her eyes and moved away further from the tree.

Hanuman, noticing this, withdrew respectfully and stood with hands clasped in

obeisance.

 

" I have been deceived, " she cried. " You are no other than Raavana, once you

came disguised as an ascetic and imposed on me. Now you have come again in

another disguise and speak sweet words'. All this will bring you no good. Why do

you torture me, O Raavana?

 

I am weary and full of sorrow. You call yourself a warrior. Is it a warrior's

part to persecute a helpless woman? "

 

Then she opened her eyes and thought again, " No, no. This cannot be Raavana.

Trust and friendship spring in joy heart at the sight of him. He can be no enemy

of mine. It is wrong to suspect him "

 

She addressed him saying: " O Vaanara Are you indeed a messenger sent by Raama?

May God bless you. Tell me more concerning Raama. Let my ears hear and my heart

rejoice. "

 

Then once again doubts assailed her. " Am I a victim of delusion, imagining

good news? Is this a dream that mocks me with the illusion of joy to make my

despair blacker when I am awake? Am I in my right senses? Of course, I am. My

thoughts, my words are all normal. I am sane and sensible, but then he says that

he crossed the sea a hundred yojanas broad. No, no. This cannot be true. He is

Raavana and none else. "

 

So she concluded in her mind and without lifting her eyes to look at Hanuman

sat apart in silence.

 

Hanuman understood her doubts and fears. They were natural in one who had been

deceived by the Raakshasa. He thought for a while and realised that the only

approach to her confidence was to awaken hope and joy in her sorely tired heart

by extolling Raama and harping on the certainty of her rescue and his victory.

 

And he began: " Raama has sent me, Raama radiant like the Sun, Raama pleasant

to look at like the moon, Raama praised by all the rulers of the earth, Raama

valiant like Vishnu, Raama wise like Brihaspati, Raama handsome like Manmatha

the god of love, Raama whose words are ever sweet and true, Raama whose

indignation is ever righteous and well directed, Raama peerless warrior, Raama

has sent me”.

 

Hanuman continued to say with tears in his eyes. “While a Raakshasa in the

shape of a deer beguiled Raama and drew him away in the forest, you were left

alone and Raavana carried you off by force. Soon he will pay dearly for this

evil deed. You will see it with your own eyes. Soon the shafts of Raama and

Lakshmana will strike Lanka and destroy it along with Raavana and his entire

race. At Raama's bidding I have come to you to learn about your safety, which is

his constant concern. On Lakshmana's behalf I place at your feet his respectful

salutations. So also, place reverence from Sugreeva, the Vaanara king. Raama,

Lakshmana and Sugreeva are ever thinking of you. It is my good fortune to have

seen you alive. Now there will be no more of loss of time. Soon Raama, Lakshmana

and Sugreeva, accompanied by the whole Vaanara army, will descend on Lanka. I am

Sugreeva's minister. My name is Hanuman. I crossed the sea and reached Lanka.

You may take it that my foot is already on the head of the evil-minded Raavana.

By Raama's grace, even more than by my own prowess have I, his servant, crossed

the sea to behold you. Do not suspect me. Have faith in my words, mother. "

 

These sweet words of Hanuman acting on her great love for Raama and confidence

in him put an end to Seetha's fears and gave her courage and faith.

 

" Forgive my suspicion, O Vaanara friend, " she said. " Deceived by the Raakshasa

and surrounded by his artifices, I am prone to needless fear. O friend and

messenger of Raama! How did you first meet Raama? How did the Prince make

friends with the Vaanaras? Tell me all " .

 

To confirm her faith, Hanuman recounted once again the virtues and attractive

qualities of Raama and Lakshmana.

 

He said: " What wonder is there in Raama’s becoming friends with me and my king

and the Vaanaras when the whole world lives and finds bliss by his loving

kindness? "

 

He proceeded to describe fully how the quarrel arose between Vaali and

Sugreeva, how the latter first met Raama and Lakshmana, how they became friends,

how Raama promised to slay Vaali and secure the Vaanara kingdom for Sugreeva,

how the Vaanaras had picked up and preserved the jewels dropped by Seetha, how

with mounting sorrow Raama recognised them, how Vaali was slain and Sugreeva

crowned, how after the rainy season was over the Vaanara hosts searched the

whole world for Seetha, how the party led by Angada and proceeding south having

failed to find her, decided to fast to death, how they met Sampaati and received

a clue from him, how he, Hanuman, crossed the sea and searched the inner

apartments of Raavana-all this he recounted.

 

At the end of the narration he placed in her hand Raama's signet ring that he

had brought.

 

Seetha received the ring and pressed it to her eyes with joy. Now all fear of

Raavana's deceit and Raakshasa magic was over. She had complete faith in Hanuman

and infinite affection for him.

 

My child! " she said, " How foolish was my error! How could I suspect one like

you? "

 

The son of Vaayu explained to her who he was and who his father was and what

his own might was.

 

Though one, who enjoys the grace of my father Vaayu, should not sing my own

praises, I do so now to end your sorrow. Soon the Vaanara warriors will be here

to destroy the Raakshasas and their kingdom. I must first return and tell them

where you are. "

 

And then he described Raama's desolation in being parted from Seetha, and the

ascetic life he led, and Seetha's heart melted in loving sorrow.

 

Seetha forgot her own suffering thinking of Raama's grief.

 

O Sreemahaalakshmi! Jaganmaatha! In the camouflage as Seetha you are

comforted and in turn, not only me but the entire universe is COMFORTED.

 

SarvE janaa sukhinObhavantu.

 

With love and regards,

 

Sastry

 

 

 

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