Sundara-kāṇḍa - Part 5 - Hanūmān Returns; Vānaras enjoy in the Madhuvana

Hanūmān flew through the sky which resembled the ocean in all its features. He entered and reemerged from the mass of clouds and resembled the moon, which is alternately hidden and revealed. He stroked the king of mountains, Sunābha (Maināka) with his hand and flew like an arrow shot from a bow. As he spotted the Mount Mahendra, he roared and it was heard by the vānaras who were waiting eagerly for him. Jāmbavān understood from Hanūmān’s joyous roar that he had brought good news and told so to all the other vānaras. The delighted vānaras leapt from one tree to another, from one hill to another to see Hanūmān. They shook the branches that had colourful flowers and it looked as if they were waving brightly coloured clothes. As Hanūmān arrived atop the Mount Mahendra, the vānaras welcomed him with hands joined in reverence and excitedly offered him fruits, roots, and branches. Hanūmān bowed down to the elders, to Jāmbavān, and to Aṅgada. As all the vānaras bowed down to him reverence, Hanūmān said in brief, “I saw the devi – the queen!” All vānaras celebrated the news; some roared, others chattered and yet others, stood with their tails raised up. Many hugged him.

Upon the request of Jāmbavān, Hanūmān explained every detail of his trip to Laṅkā. He concluded by saying, “I was able to do all this only because of Rāma’s prowess and all your energy!” He added, “Sītā’s strength of character is such that she can hold up the three worlds; if she so wishes, she can reduce them to ashes as well! Rāvaṇa must also be immensely powerful for he has not gotten destroyed upon touching her body. His tapas must be great as well. Even the flames of fire cannot do to one’s hand what Sītā’s touch can do! In fact, Rāma will merely be an instrument of destruction; such is the condition of her sorrow. Let us put all our efforts in trying to help Sītā overcome her sorrow!”

The vānaras decided that it would be best to inform Rāma and Sugrīva of the good news and headed towards them with great alacrity. As they leaped into the sky and jumped from tree to tree, they arrived at a grove known as Madhuvana, which was as beautiful as Indra’s Nandana-vana. It was under the protection of Sugrīva and was guarded by his maternal uncle, Dadhimukha. The vānaras got wildly excited as they arrived there and begged Aṅgada to permit them to enjoy honey there. The prince got them the permission of Jāmbavān and other senior vānaras. As they drunk the honey-wine, they began dancing with joy. Some sang, some jumped, some leapt to the top of tall trees. One went laughing to another which was singing and yet another went weeping to another which was laughing. The army of vānaras was in a state of delirium induced by drinking of the mead. There was no vānara, who was not drunk. Some of the drunk monkeys roared like lions and others chirped like birds. Some threw beeswax at each other and many passed out on the ground. They dragged the guardians by their feet and insulted them by showing their posteriors. Then, an enraged Dadhimukha entered the grove, as the vānaras were tearing down the leaves and blossoms from the trees. He tried to bring them under control by shouting at some and requesting others. But the vānaras, led by Hanūmān mauled him with their claws, bit him, and nearly killed him with their hands and feet. Aṅgada too attacked him, without even realising that he was harming a family elder. In the state of intoxication, they knew no fear and did not know what they were doing.

Dadhimukha, who was bleeding and had his bones broken, somehow freed himself from the vānaras. In a secluded spot, he told his servants, “Let them be. Let us rush to our master Sugrīva, where he is with Rāma. I will report to him all the misdeeds of Aṅgada; once he hears it, he will surely execute these monkeys. The Madhuvana is a cherished possession of Sugrīva, which he has inherited from his forefathers! The monkeys must be taught a lesson!”

Dadhimukha went to Sugrīva with his hands cupped in revered and narrated everything that had taken place. As Sugrīva was listening to Dadhimukha, Lakṣmaṇa asked, “O king! Why has this guardian of the grove come before you with such a doleful face?” Sugrīva said, “Lakṣmaṇa! Dadhimukha says that vānaras led by Aṅgada have drunk up my honey-wine. If they hadn’t accomplished their mission, they would not have behaved this way. I am sure the queen has been found by Hanūmān! No one else could have achieved success. In an endeavour where Jāmbavān is the leader, Aṅgada is the general, and Hanūmān is the director, there can be no other outcome!” Listening to Sugrīva’s words, both Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa were delighted. Sugrīva said to Dadhimukha, “I am delighted that the vānaras, having successfully completed their task, have devoured the grove. People who have accomplished their mission may be pardoned when they engage in such behaviour and I have already done so. I would like to see Hanūmān and the vānaras at once!”

Delighted, Dadhimukha sprang up and rushed back to Madhuvana. He saw that the vānaras were now sober and were urinating all the mead they had drunk. Dadhimukha informed Aṅgada of Sugrīva’s eagerness to see them and begged him for pardon for asking the guards to restrain the vānaras. Immediately, Aṅgada and the vānaras leapt up into the sky, just as flames of Agni from a yajña spread into the sky.

While Aṅgada and the vānaras were on their way, Sugrīva reassured Rāma, “I am sure that the queen has been found. If not, the vānaras wouldn’t have dared to come here after the expiration of the time limit I had set. If the mission had failed, Aṅgada would not have dared to come to me; would have been dejected when the vānaras destroyed the Madhuvana, which is an ancestral inheritance for him as well. I am sure that it was Hanūmān who has found the queen!”

Even as he was saying so, they heard the chatter and roars of the approaching vānaras; they were screeching in pride as though to announce their success. The lord of vānaras, upon hearing the sound, was so delighted that he stretched his tail to the full and raised it over his head. Led by Aṅgada, the vānaras arrived at the Mount Prasravaṇa. Hanūmān joyfully informed Rāma that the queen was unharmed and possessed immense self-control. The brothers were overjoyed and Lakṣmaṇa cast an affectionate glance at Sugrīva. Rāma, who was revelling in extreme joy, looked at Hanūmān with immeasurable affection and regard. The vānaras together related everything that had taken place and the manner in which Sītā had been discovered.

Rāma further enquired, “Where is Devī Sītā? How is she disposed toward me? Tell me in detail, vānaras!” Hanūmān recounted all the events in detail and conveyed Sītā’s message to Rāma. When he was confident that the princes were reassured with his narration, he gave the means of recognition – Sītā’s cūḍāmaṇi to Rāghava. Upon hearing his from Hanūmān, Rāma hugged the cūḍāmaṇi to his heart and wept dearly and so did Lakṣmaṇa.

Rāma said, “Just as a loving cow spills milk at the thought of her loved calf, so my heart melts at the sight of this splendid jewel. It was given to Vaidehī by my father-in-law on the occasion of our wedding and was a prized possession of her family. This gem was born from the waters and was gifted by Śakra who was very pleased with a yajña. It looked even more beautiful when she wore it on her head. As I look at this jewel, I am reminded of my father and father-in-law. Now with the gem with me, I feel as though my beloved herself is back. O gracious one, please tell me again and again what Vaidehī said; sprinkle me with her words, just as a person who has fainted is sprinkled with water. Saumitri! What can be more painful than this – This jewel has landed in my hands without Vaidehī! If Vaidehī can survive for a month, I cannot even live for a moment without her. I cannot remain here for a moment longer, as I have heard about her. Please take me to where she is. How does she survive amidst rākṣasīs? How does Jānakī bear greater and greater sorrow, one after the other?”

Hanūmān recounted the episode of the crow as narrated to him by Sītā. He also narrated the way he reassured her and instilled confidence.

To be continued...
[The critically constituted text and the critical edition published by the Oriental Institute, Vadodara is the primary source. In addition, the Kannada rendering of the epic by Mahāmahopādhyāya Sri. N. Ranganatha Sharma and the English translation by Sri. N. Raghunathan have been referred.]

 

Author(s)

Valmiki
About:

Visionary sage and the author of the fifth Veda, the Rāmāyaṇa

Translator(s)

About:

Arjun is a writer, translator, engineer, and enjoys composing poems. He is well-versed in Sanskrit, Kannada, English, Greek, and German languages. His research interests lie in comparative aesthetics of classical Greek and Sanskrit literature. He has deep interest in the theatre arts and music. Arjun has (co-) translated the works of AR Krishna Shastri, DV Gundappa, Dr. SL Bhyrappa, Dr. SR Ramaswamy and Shatavadhani Dr. R Ganesh

Prekshaa Publications

Among the many contributions of ancient Indians to world thought, perhaps the most insightful is the realisation that ānanda (Bliss) is the ultimate goal of human existence. Since time immemorial, India has been a land steeped in contemplation about the nature of humans and the universe. The great ṛṣis (seers) and ṛṣikās (seeresses) embarked on critical analysis of subjective experience and...

One of the two great epics of India and arguably the most popular epic in the world, the Ramayana has enchanted generations of people not just in Greater India but the world over. In less than three hundred pages The Essential Ramayana captures all the poetic subtleties and noble values of the original and offers the great epic in an eminently readable form that will appeal to the learned and...

The Bhagavad-gītā isn’t merely a treatise on ultimate liberation. It is also a treatise on good living. Even the laity, which does not have its eye on mokṣa, can immensely benefit from the Gītā. It has the power to grant an attitude of reverence in worldly life, infuse enthusiasm in the execution of duty, impart fortitude in times of adversity, and offer solace to the heart when riddled by...

Indian Perspective of Truth and Beauty in Homer’s Epics is a unique work on the comparative study of the Greek Epics Iliad and Odyssey with the Indian Epics – Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata. Homer, who laid the foundations for the classical tradition of the West, occupies a stature similar to that occupied by the seer-poets Vālmīki and Vyāsa, who are synonymous with the Indian culture. The author...

Karnataka’s celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the sixth volume of reminiscences character sketches of prominent public figures, liberals, and social workers. These remarkable personages hailing from different corners of South India are from a period that spans from the late nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. Written in Kannada in the 1970s, these memoirs go...

An Introduction to Hinduism based on Primary Sources

Authors: Śatāvadhānī Dr. R Ganesh, Hari Ravikumar

What is the philosophical basis for Sanātana-dharma, the ancient Indian way of life? What makes it the most inclusive and natural of all religio-philosophical systems in the world?

The Essential Sanātana-dharma serves as a handbook for anyone who wishes to grasp the...

Karnataka’s celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the fifth volume, episodes from the lives of traditional savants responsible for upholding the Vedic culture. These memorable characters lived a life of opulence amidst poverty— theirs  was the wealth of the soul, far beyond money and gold. These vidvāns hailed from different corners of the erstwhile Mysore Kingdom and lived in...

Padma Bhushan Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam represents the quintessence of Sage Bharata’s art and Bhārata, the country that gave birth to the peerless seer of the Nāṭya-veda. Padma’s erudition in various streams of Indic knowledge, mastery over many classical arts, deep understanding of the nuances of Indian culture, creative genius, and sublime vision bolstered by the vedāntic and nationalistic...

Bhārata has been a land of plenty in many ways. We have had a timeless tradition of the twofold principle of Brāhma (spirit of wisdom) and Kṣāttra (spirit of valour) nourishing and protecting this sacred land. The Hindu civilisation, rooted in Sanātana-dharma, has constantly been enriched by brāhma and safeguarded by kṣāttra.
The renowned Sanskrit poet and scholar, Śatāvadhānī Dr. R...

ಛಂದೋವಿವೇಕವು ವರ್ಣವೃತ್ತ, ಮಾತ್ರಾಜಾತಿ ಮತ್ತು ಕರ್ಷಣಜಾತಿ ಎಂದು ವಿಭಕ್ತವಾದ ಎಲ್ಲ ಬಗೆಯ ಛಂದಸ್ಸುಗಳನ್ನೂ ವಿವೇಚಿಸುವ ಪ್ರಬಂಧಗಳ ಸಂಕಲನ. ಲೇಖಕರ ದೀರ್ಘಕಾಲಿಕ ಆಲೋಚನೆಯ ಸಾರವನ್ನು ಒಳಗೊಂಡ ಈ ಹೊತ್ತಗೆ ಪ್ರಧಾನವಾಗಿ ಛಂದಸ್ಸಿನ ಸೌಂದರ್ಯವನ್ನು ಲಕ್ಷಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ತೌಲನಿಕ ವಿಶ್ಲೇಷಣೆ ಮತ್ತು ಅಂತಃಶಾಸ್ತ್ರೀಯ ಅಧ್ಯಯನಗಳ ತೆಕ್ಕೆಗೆ ಬರುವ ಬರೆಹಗಳೂ ಇಲ್ಲಿವೆ. ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಕಾರನಿಗಲ್ಲದೆ ಸಿದ್ಧಹಸ್ತನಾದ ಕವಿಗೆ ಮಾತ್ರ ಸ್ಫುರಿಸಬಲ್ಲ ಎಷ್ಟೋ ಹೊಳಹುಗಳು ಕೃತಿಯ ಮೌಲಿಕತೆಯನ್ನು ಹೆಚ್ಚಿಸಿವೆ. ಈ...

Karnataka’s celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the fourth volume, some character sketches of the Dewans of Mysore preceded by an account of the political framework of the State before Independence and followed by a review of the political conditions of the State after 1940. These remarkable leaders of Mysore lived in a period that spans from the mid-nineteenth century to the...

Bharatiya Kavya-mimamseya Hinnele is a monograph on Indian Aesthetics by Mahamahopadhyaya N. Ranganatha Sharma. The book discusses the history and significance of concepts pivotal to Indian literary theory. It is equally useful to the learned and the laity.

Sahitya-samhite is a collection of literary essays in Kannada. The book discusses aestheticians such as Ananda-vardhana and Rajashekhara; Sanskrit scholars such as Mena Ramakrishna Bhat, Sridhar Bhaskar Varnekar and K S Arjunwadkar; and Kannada litterateurs such as DVG, S L Bhyrappa and S R Ramaswamy. It has a foreword by Shatavadhani Dr. R Ganesh.

The Mahābhārata is the greatest epic in the world both in magnitude and profundity. A veritable cultural compendium of Bhārata-varṣa, it is a product of the creative genius of Maharṣi Kṛṣṇa-dvaipāyana Vyāsa. The epic captures the experiential wisdom of our civilization and all subsequent literary, artistic, and philosophical creations are indebted to it. To read the Mahābhārata is to...

Shiva Rama Krishna

சிவன். ராமன். கிருஷ்ணன்.
இந்திய பாரம்பரியத்தின் முப்பெரும் கதாநாயகர்கள்.
உயர் இந்தியாவில் தலைமுறைகள் பல கடந்தும் கடவுளர்களாக போற்றப்பட்டு வழிகாட்டிகளாக விளங்குபவர்கள்.
மனித ஒற்றுமை நூற்றாண்டுகால பரிணாம வளர்ச்சியின் பரிமாணம்.
தனிநபர்களாகவும், குடும்ப உறுப்பினர்களாகவும், சமுதாய பிரஜைகளாகவும் நாம் அனைவரும் பரிமளிக்கிறோம்.
சிவன் தனிமனித அடையாளமாக அமைகிறான்....

ऋतुभिः सह कवयः सदैव सम्बद्धाः। विशिष्य संस्कृतकवयः। यथा हि ऋतवः प्रतिसंवत्सरं प्रतिनवतामावहन्ति मानवेषु तथैव ऋतुवर्णनान्यपि काव्यरसिकेषु कामपि विच्छित्तिमातन्वते। ऋतुकल्याणं हि सत्यमिदमेव हृदि कृत्वा प्रवृत्तम्। नगरजीवनस्य यान्त्रिकतां मान्त्रिकतां च ध्वनदिदं चम्पूकाव्यं गद्यपद्यमिश्रितमिति सुव्यक्तमेव। ऐदम्पूर्वतया प्रायः पुरीपरिसरप्रसृतानाम् ऋतूनां विलासोऽत्र प्रपञ्चितः। बेङ्गलूरुनामके...

The Art and Science of Avadhānam in Sanskrit is a definitive work on Sāhityāvadhānam, a form of Indian classical art based on multitasking, lateral thinking, and extempore versification. Dotted throughout with tasteful examples, it expounds in great detail on the theory and practice of this unique performing art. It is as much a handbook of performance as it is an anthology of well-turned...

This anthology is a revised edition of the author's 1978 classic. This series of essays, containing his original research in various fields, throws light on the socio-cultural landscape of Tamil Nadu spanning several centuries. These compelling episodes will appeal to scholars and laymen alike.
“When superstitious mediaevalists mislead the country about its judicial past, we have to...

The cultural history of a nation, unlike the customary mainstream history, has a larger time-frame and encompasses the timeless ethos of a society undergirding the course of events and vicissitudes. A major key to the understanding of a society’s unique character is an appreciation of the far-reaching contributions by outstanding personalities of certain periods – especially in the realms of...

Prekṣaṇīyam is an anthology of essays on Indian classical dance and theatre authored by multifaceted scholar and creative genius, Śatāvadhānī Dr. R Ganesh. As a master of śāstra, a performing artiste (of the ancient art of Avadhānam), and a cultured rasika, he brings a unique, holistic perspective to every discussion. These essays deal with the philosophy, history, aesthetics, and practice of...

Yaugandharam

इदं किञ्चिद्यामलं काव्यं द्वयोः खण्डकाव्ययोः सङ्कलनरूपम्। रामानुरागानलं हि सीतापरित्यागाल्लक्ष्मणवियोगाच्च श्रीरामेणानुभूतं हृदयसङ्क्षोभं वर्णयति । वात्सल्यगोपालकं तु कदाचिद्भानूपरागसमये घटितं यशोदाश्रीकृष्णयोर्मेलनं वर्णयति । इदम्प्रथमतया संस्कृतसाहित्ये सम्पूर्णं काव्यं...

Vanitakavitotsavah

इदं खण्डकाव्यमान्तं मालिनीछन्दसोपनिबद्धं विलसति। मेनकाविश्वामित्रयोः समागमः, तत्फलतया शकुन्तलाया जननम्, मातापितृभ्यां त्यक्तस्य शिशोः कण्वमहर्षिणा परिपालनं चेति काव्यस्यास्येतिवृत्तसङ्क्षेपः।

Vaiphalyaphalam

इदं खण्डकाव्यमान्तं मालिनीछन्दसोपनिबद्धं विलसति। मेनकाविश्वामित्रयोः समागमः, तत्फलतया शकुन्तलाया जननम्, मातापितृभ्यां त्यक्तस्य शिशोः कण्वमहर्षिणा परिपालनं चेति काव्यस्यास्येतिवृत्तसङ्क्षेपः।

Nipunapraghunakam

इयं रचना दशसु रूपकेष्वन्यतमस्य भाणस्य निदर्शनतामुपैति। एकाङ्करूपकेऽस्मिन् शेखरकनामा चित्रोद्यमलेखकः केनापि हेतुना वियोगम् अनुभवतोश्चित्रलेखामिलिन्दकयोः समागमं सिसाधयिषुः कथामाकाशभाषणरूपेण निर्वहति।

Bharavatarastavah

अस्मिन् स्तोत्रकाव्ये भगवन्तं शिवं कविरभिष्टौति। वसन्ततिलकयोपनिबद्धस्य काव्यस्यास्य कविकृतम् उल्लाघनाभिधं व्याख्यानं च वर्तते।

Karnataka’s celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the third volume, some character sketches of great literary savants responsible for Kannada renaissance during the first half of the twentieth century. These remarkable...

Karnataka’s celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the second volume, episodes from the lives of remarkable exponents of classical music and dance, traditional storytellers, thespians, and connoisseurs; as well as his...

Karnataka’s celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the first volume, episodes from the lives of great writers, poets, literary aficionados, exemplars of public life, literary scholars, noble-hearted common folk, advocates...

Evolution of Mahabharata and Other Writings on the Epic is the English translation of S R Ramaswamy's 1972 Kannada classic 'Mahabharatada Belavanige' along with seven of his essays on the great epic. It tells the riveting...

Shiva-Rama-Krishna is an English adaptation of Śatāvadhāni Dr. R Ganesh's popular lecture series on the three great...

Bharatilochana

ಮಹಾಮಾಹೇಶ್ವರ ಅಭಿನವಗುಪ್ತ ಜಗತ್ತಿನ ವಿದ್ಯಾವಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಮರೆಯಲಾಗದ ಹೆಸರು. ಮುಖ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಶೈವದರ್ಶನ ಮತ್ತು ಸೌಂದರ್ಯಮೀಮಾಂಸೆಗಳ ಪರಮಾಚಾರ್ಯನಾಗಿ  ಸಾವಿರ ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಂದ ಇವನು ಜ್ಞಾನಪ್ರಪಂಚವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಭಾವಿಸುತ್ತಲೇ ಇದ್ದಾನೆ. ಭರತಮುನಿಯ ನಾಟ್ಯಶಾಸ್ತ್ರವನ್ನು ಅರ್ಥಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಇವನೊಬ್ಬನೇ ನಮಗಿರುವ ಆಲಂಬನ. ಇದೇ ರೀತಿ ರಸಧ್ವನಿಸಿದ್ಧಾಂತವನ್ನು...

Vagarthavismayasvadah

“वागर्थविस्मयास्वादः” प्रमुखतया साहित्यशास्त्रतत्त्वानि विमृशति । अत्र सौन्दर्यर्यशास्त्रीयमूलतत्त्वानि यथा रस-ध्वनि-वक्रता-औचित्यादीनि सुनिपुणं परामृष्टानि प्रतिनवे चिकित्सकप्रज्ञाप्रकाशे। तदन्तर एव संस्कृतवाङ्मयस्य सामर्थ्यसमाविष्कारोऽपि विहितः। क्वचिदिव च्छन्दोमीमांसा च...

The Best of Hiriyanna

The Best of Hiriyanna is a collection of forty-eight essays by Prof. M. Hiriyanna that sheds new light on Sanskrit Literature, Indian...

Stories Behind Verses

Stories Behind Verses is a remarkable collection of over a hundred anecdotes, each of which captures a story behind the composition of a Sanskrit verse. Collected over several years from...