Chereads / Sundara Kānda: Hanuman's Odyssey / Chapter 56 - Havoc of a Take-off

Chapter 56 - Havoc of a Take-off

Finding Seetha in fine shape

To her Hanuman prostrated.

As bade Hanuman her goodbye

Spoke in fondness Rama's spouse.

Wish I now thee in some nook

Take some rest for day or two.

Well, O Hanuman thy advent

Made my sorrows turn their backs.

Bring as and when thou my Ram

Know am not sure whether I live.

Leave as thee to fetch Rama

Wonder whether I stand agony

Replace that would joy thou gave.

Can ever Ram 'n Lakshman cross

Sea this vast to reach Lanka

With the vanar force that's large?

In spite of thy words so bold

Find I linger doubts these mine.

Apart Garud 'n Vayu, thou

Who else could cross sea this vast?

Tell me how thou would address

Problem this that confronts Ram.

If thee take me back I know

Spares the bother for my man

To cross this sea with force of his,

But then Rama wouldn't have it

Since it's not the proper way

For him to reclaim his Seetha.

It's but proper for Lord Ram

That he takes me on his own.

Measure of Ravan as thou got

Guide my Ram to subdue him.

Impressed as he by her words

Addressed Hanuman her concerns.

Vast is bear and vanar force

To help thy man sure rescue thee

Lord Sugreev mine hath at hand.

Know our army is so vast

Once it lands on Lankan shores

Fills it to the last square inch.

Ram 'n Lakshman with arrows

Could kill Lankans to last man.

Once they thus end Ravan's reign

Takes thee back Ram to thy town.

Having endured ordeals long

Time thou embrace hope from now.

Having Ravan seen thus dead

Walk thee would free to thy man.

Know the day is not far off

Lands when Ram on Lankan shores.

Having said thus Hanuman took

Leave of Rama's spouse Seetha.

That Hanuman had come and gone

Seemed that all like dream for her.

That he did make Lankans rue

Portend well for things to come.

Assured that he Ravan's end

Made Seetha pray Ram no end.

For his take-off to go back

Arishta mountain climbed Hanuman.

Passing clouds made Arishta look

Like the shy bride that was veiled.

Caressed by those sun rays thus

Seemed it woke up then from sleep.

Water falls of rivers on that

Sounded they like Vedic chants.

Seemed all trees of Arishta then

Like raised arms of scores of those

Ascetics engaged in prayers there.

Orchestra of magic flutes

Breeze made Arishta's bamboos turn.

Covered by snow from tip to toe

Seemed Arishta then blissful soul.

Peaks sky high 'n caves all deep

Made Arishta seem cover all worlds.

Flowers varied of myriad trees

Gave that touch of bridal ware.

Beasts in woods all in their scores

Sauntered in groves that were thick.

Home it made all Gandharvas

Home away home for all of them.

Herbs it all had so myriad

Made they medicines that varied.

Set as Hanuman his huge foot

Rocks all got to pebbles reduced.

In his bid to sail across

Grew he further frame his large.

Sighted Hanuman sea across

Crossed that he to reach Lanka.

On his return trip to home

Veteran like he then took-off.

With the pressure it came to bear

Sank then Arishta deep in ground.

Pressed as Arishta to its core

Caved in with groan ocean bed.

Lost as Arishta its bearing

Trees then there got uprooted.

With their fate as thus got sealed

Roared lions all there in distress.

Flew as Gandharv women all there

Slipped their pallus off their breasts.

Serpents there lay furlongs long

Curled in pits of square foot then.

Angels all then came to rest

On its lovely peak foremost,

With that havoc of take-off

Took flight all of them in fright.

In time only seen was tip

Of that Arishta of great girth.

Left no trace of its glory

At length that peach of mountains.

Unmindful of that havoc

Had a smooth sail back Hanuman.