Chereads / Sundara Kānda: Hanuman's Odyssey / Chapter 52 - Placates the Sibling

Chapter 52 - Placates the Sibling

In rage Ravan then ordered

Hanuman be to put to death.

Stood up Vibhishan in dismay

The sibling fair of Lankan king.

To stall the folly of the court

Pleaded Vibhishan with Ravan.

To set Ravan in right frame

Praised his sibling him to skies.

Heed me learned king Ravan

Fair it's none to kill Hanuman.

Kill if we one on errand

Don't all we earn infamy?

Remind none thee O learned

It's not how the king should act.

Swayed if thou by thine anger

What would come of thy learning?

Thus O Ravan unrivalled

Better be prudent in thy act.

Words at these of his sibling

Hissed in anger then Ravan.

The way he acted mala fide

It's no ill to kill Hanuman.

Would not let go Vibhishan

Ravan on the path that's wrong.

Won't thee realize O learned

It's no dharma to kill one

Brings that missive from rivals?

Brief it's not mine to plead for

Life of one who harmed us all

But to keep up thy fair name

Deal thou with him as ordained.

Severe a limb or lash him well

That's the way to deal with him.

It's not wise to act in haste

Calm down so my great sibling.

Is there any better than thee

Knows who dharma in theory

Nuances as well in practice?

Valour with thine unrivalled

Conquer did thou all three worlds.

High such being thy position

Why let act such lower that?

Uphold honour of Lanka

Not by killing this vanar

But by slaying Ram who sent

Him to act in foul manner.

How this vanar on errand

Could have acted on his own

Without the goading of his Lord?

Were he to be freed by thee

Fetch he would then his masters

Itching to land on our shores

For thee to see the end of them.

Falls if Rama at thy feet

Bites as and when he the dust

It's then but gods would realize

How thou made all cowards of them.

With thy penchant to conquer

Were thee to slay this vanar now

Would thou lose the chance of life

To slay that Ram 'n Lakshman too

For they fail to come to know

Made thou captive Seetha thus.

To slay vanar hordes are all

Itching are our men at arms,

Slay if thee but one vanar

Won't thou deprive them their chance?

So to let our foes to know

To face us death is no less scared

Force we may all foes to show

Backs of theirs in battlefield.

Takes it no more than a score

Of our men to settle all scores

With Ram 'n Lakshman if they dare

Ever to set foot on our shores.

Averred as thus his own sibling

Changed his mind then king Ravan

To kill Hanuman lay there tied.