Chereads / Sundara Kānda: Hanuman's Odyssey / Chapter 37 - Aborted Move

Chapter 37 - Aborted Move

In time Seetha gave Hanuman

The key to state of mind of hers.

That my man is so constant

Lifts my spirits all well to skies

But the news of his despair

Pulls me down back to square one.

Vices if were to drag down

Man on road of his misery

In the plenty of riches

Forever loses man his course,

Can one really overcome

What is ordained by his fate?

Won't my story underscore

Aspect this of life on earth.

In the high seas of sorrows

Boat of my life as capsized

Can my man ever carry me

To the joyous shores of life?

When Rama would bring nadir

Closer to the Lankan shores?

Tell Rama to beat deadline

Set by Ravan for my death.

For Ravan to snuff my life

Left are just but two more months.

Plead did my case Vibhishan

But paid deaf ear his sibling.

Won't make my man Ravan pay

The price for treating me badly?

Told me Anala in person

Daughter dear of Vibhishan.

Aid de Ravan Avindhya

Advised his Lord in public

'Better give Seetha to her man'.

Averred Ravan's ablest aide

Lands when Rama in Lanka

That would be the end of it.

Sixth sense of mine seems to tell

That my man would come for sure.

It's not in Ram to leave his wife

High and dry in enemies' hands.

Know I know that he did kill

Demons in thousands at one go.

Know I my man can tackle

Ticklish things as one trivia

Strike his arrows his enemies

As would lightning its targets.

Felt glad Hanuman he induced

Hope in Rama's distressed spouse.

To cheer Seetha all the more

Assured he then Ram would come.

Or else why not escape now

Carry thee would on my back

And land thee in thy man's lap.

Permit if thou I would pluck

Lanka from its roots in earth

And place it at the feet of Ram.

Either way it helps thee meet

Man thine who is in thy wait.

Be that as it may thy man

Is all set to rescue thee.

Choose if thou to come with me

Cuts that short thy separation.

Make up thy mind Rama's wife

Leave thus thou this Ravan's den.

Rest as thou on my strong back

Fly I would at Mach two speed.

Thee as I fly back to Ram

None of Ravan's could catch up.

Came as I here in flicker

Won't we slip back in whisker?

Amused at what Hanuman said

Spoke then Seetha to him thus:

With due respect to thyself

To take me over sea this wide

More it takes than simian jumps.

Tell me how with tiny frame

Thou me carry on thy back?

Words those Seetha's naïve uttered

Made great Hanuman feel slighted.

Why to fault good Rama's wife

For she knows not my true worth.

So thought it fit then Vayu's son

To show her all his innate strength.

For that he then chose a spot

Which wouldn't restrict his full growth.

Tried as she to keep up pace

Glimpse to have of his face then

Seetha at length found herself

Staring at the stars themselves.

Having shown her his prowess

Assumed normal form Hanuman.

Told he then her that he could

Fetch her forthwith to her man.

Won't that let her cut short all

Suffering of her beloved Ram?

Splendorous Seetha then in awe

Spoke to wondrous Hanuman thus.

Seen O Hanuman with my eyes

What a mighty frame thou have!

If not for thy skill Hanuman

Know I it's no joke to reach

Lanka across sea this vast.

Sure I feel thou fly me back

For me to reach Rama's feet.

But on second thought I wonder

Whether I lose my self in flight.

Once in mid-air nerve I might

Lose and fall down from that height.

Then the hungry whales in seas

Won't they make a meal of me?

Slow down if thou for my sake

Won't that make us sitting ducks?

Gives that Ravan's loyal men

Time to spare in catching us.

Gherao as they us mid-air

Contrive how thou to escape?

Won't that put thy life at risk

And mine as well in mid-flight?

Fight as thee all Ravan's men

Won't in fright I lose balance?

Dares not one to ever engage

Thee in dogfight in high skies,

But then Ravan's men in hoards

Prevail might by hook or crook.

Engage as thou all of them

Won't that leave me unguarded?

For vile Ravan's men to kill

Won't that make me easy prey?

Comes it if to such a pass

Won't thy toil go in vain?

In spite of the odds so great

Should thou take me to my man

Won't that leave him feel slighted?

In case Ravan gets me back

Holds me tight in no man's land

How on earth my man gets there?

Whichever way might one may look

Seems it sound that thou might fetch

Man mine here than other way round.

Turns it if our mission failure

Won't that put the life of Ram

As well the rest all at risk?

Hear if they soon none of me

Ram 'n Lakshman both of them

For sure embrace death in time.

Credo it's but of my soul

Touch I never another man

Than my Rama whom I love.

Held me Ravan in kidnap

Disgust it caused all the way.

Know I well my man doth hit

Bull's-eye every time he aims.

Enters he once battle zone

Know his arrows like sun-rays

Cease they never from his bow.

To join battle with Ravan

It's my request O Hanuman

Fetch thou my man with Lakshman.