Summary
Hanuma falls in a dilemma whether to console Seetha or to remain silent. Finally Hanuma decides to console Seetha, by eulogizing (to speak or write in high praise of) Rama's attributes in a sweet voice, so that Seetha can give credence to his words.
Chapter [Sarga] 30 in Detail
hanumaan api vikraantah sarvam shushraava tattvatah |
siitaayaah trijataayaah ca raakshasiinaam ca tarjanam || 5-30-1
The valiant Hanuma also heard truly all those words of Seetha, Trijata and the threatening words of the female demons.
avekshamaanah taam deviim devataam iva nandane |
tato bahu vidhaam cintaam cintayaamaasa vaanarah || 5-30-2
Thereafter, seeing that Seetha as a divine lady in the garden of Nandana, Hanuma echoed his thought in various ways.
yaam kapiinaam sahasraani subahuuni ayutaani ca |
dikshu sarvaasu maargante saa iyam aasaaditaa mayaa || 5-30-3
"Which Seetha is being searched in all directions by many thousands and myriads of monkeys, the same Seetha has been found by me."
caarena tu suyuktena shatroh shaktim avekshitaa |
guudhena carataa taavat avekshitam idam mayaa || 5-30-4
"By me, employed thoughtfully (by my Master) as a secret agent and gone about secretly with a view to ascertain the enemy's strength, this has been perceived.
raakshasaanaam visheshah ca purii ca iyam avekshitaa |
raakshasa adhipateh asya prabhaavo raavanasya ca || 5-30-5
"The characteristics of demons, this town and the power of the king of demons, Ravana, have been perceived by me."
yuktam tasya aprameyasya sarva sattva dayaavatah |
samaashvaasayitum bhaaryaam patidarshana kaankshiniim || 5-30-6
"It is proper for me to console the wife of Rama, desirous of seeing her husband who is compassionate towards all beings and who is of immeasurable might."
aham aashvaasayaami enaam puurna candra nibha aananaam |
adrishta duhkhaam duhkhasya na hi antam adhigacchatiim || 5-30-7
"I shall console this woman, whose face resembles a full moon, who is having an unforeseen affliction, who is tormented by grief and who is not attaining the end to her affliction."
yadi hi aham imaam deviim shoka upahata cetanaam |
anaashvaasya gamishyaami doshavat gamanam bhavet || 5-30-8
"If I return without consoling this Seetha, the wife of Rama, even though her mind is tormented by grief, my departure becomes blemished."
gate hi mayi tatra iyam raaja putrii yashasvinii |
paritraanam avindantii jaanakii jiivitam tyajet || 5-30-9
"Not finding a rescue when I return to Kishkindha, the illustrious princess Seetha may give up her life."
mayaa ca sa mahaabaahuh puurna candra nibha aananah |
samaashvaasayitum nyaayyah siitaa darshana laalasah || 5-30-10
"That long-armed Rama having the countenance of a full moon, eagerly longing to see Seetha, is fit to be consoled by me."
nishaa cariinaam pratyaksham akshamam ca abhibhaashanam |
katham nu khalu kartavyam idam kricchra gato hi aham || 5-30-11
"It is not proper to speak with her within the sight of these female-demons. How indeed is this to be done? I am indeed perplexed."
anena raatri sheshena yadi na aashvaasyate mayaa |
sarvathaa na asti samdehah parityakshyati jiivitam || 5-30-12
"If she is not consoled by me during the rest of this night, she will forsake her life by all means. There is no doubt about it."
raamah ca yadi pricchen maam kim maam siitaa abraviit vacah |
kim aham tam pratibruuyaam asambhaashya sumadhyamaam || 5-30-13
"If Rama enquires of me as to what words did Seetha speak about him, what can I say to Rama without speaking now to this Seetha, the slender-waisted lady?"
siitaa samdesha rahitam maam itah tvarayaa gatam |
nirdahet api kaakutsthah kruddhah tiivrena cakshushaa || 5-30-14
"To me returning in haste from here without carrying Seetha's message Rama may get irritated and burn me up with his pungent eyes."
yadi cet yojayishyaami bhartaaram raama kaaranaat |
vyartham aagamanam tasya sasainyasya bhavishyati || 5-30-15
"Even if I instigate my master Sugreeva to do his best in the cause of Rama, his arrival here with an army will be futile."
antaram tu aham aasaadya raakshasiinaam iha sthitah |
shanaih aashvaasayishyaami samtaapa bahulaam imaam || 5-30-16
"Staying here itself and getting hold of an opportunity even in the midst of the female-demons (when they are in attentive), I shall slowly console Seetha who is very much in distress."
aham hi atitanuh caiva vanarah ca visheshatah |
vaacam ca udaaharishyaami maanushiim iha samskritaam || 5-30-17
"However, I am very small in stature, particularly as a monkey and can speak now Sanskrit, the human language too."
yadi vaacam pradaasyaami dvijaatih iva samskritaam |
raavanam manyamaanaa maam siitaa bhiitaa bhavishyati || 5-30-18
vaanarasya vishesena katham syaadabhibhaasanamm |
"If I use Sanskrit language like a Brahmin, Seetha will get frightened, thinking me as Ravana. Especially, how can a monkey speak it?"
avashyam eva vaktavyam maanusham vaakyam arthavat || 5-30-19
mayaa saantvayitum shakyaa na anyathaa iyam aninditaa |
"Certainly, meaningful words of a human being are to be spoken by me. Otherwise, the virtuous Seetha cannot be consoled."
saa iyam aalokya me ruupam jaanakii bhaashitam tathaa || 5-30-20
rakshobhih traasitaa puurvam bhuuyah traasam gamishyati |
"Looking at my figure and the language, Seetha who was already frightened previously by the demons, will get frightened again."
tato jaata paritraasaa shabdam kuryaan manasvinii || 5-30-21
jaanamaanaa vishaala akshii raavanam kaama ruupinam |
"Thereafter, this large-eyed Seetha who is full of mind, thinking me as Ravana who can assume any form at will, may shout loudly, engendered by fear."
siitayaa ca krite shabde sahasaa raakshasii ganah || 5-30-22
naanaa praharano ghorah sameyaat antaka upamah |
"As soon as Seetha shouts loudly, a troop of female-demons, wielding various kinds of weapons and appearing dreadful as Yama the Lord of Death, may assemble here."
tato maam samparikshipya sarvato vikrita aananaah || 5-30-23
vadhe ca grahane caiva kuryuh yatnam yathaa balam |
"Then those ugly faced female-demons may encircle me from all sides and try to catch and kill me with all their might."
grihya shaakhaah prashaakhaashcha skandhaamshchottamashaakhinaam || 5-30-24
dristvaa viparidhaavantam bhaveyurbhayashankitaah |
"Then, seeing me running hither and thither, seizing big branches, twigs and trunks of excellent trees, they may get alarmed with fear."
mama ruupam ca samprekshya vanam vicarato mahat || 5-30-25
raakshasyo bhaya vitrastaa bhaveyuh vikrita aananaah |
"The ugly faced female-demons will be frightened with fear, after seeing my huge figure wandering in the grove."
tatah kuryuh samaahvaanam raakshasyo rakshasaam api || 5-30-26
raakshasa indra niyuktaanaam raakshasa indra niveshane |
"Then those female-demons may call the other demons too retained by Ravana in his house."
te shuula shara nistrimsha vividha aayudha paanayah || 5-30-27
aapateyuh vimarde asmin vegena udvigna kaarinah |
"Those female-demons with an element of turbulence and rapidity may rush into a battle with various kinds of weapons like spears lances and swords."
samkruddhah taih tu parito vidhaman rakshasaam balam || 5-30-28
shaknuyam na tu sampraaptum param paaram mahaaudadheh |
"Surrounded on all sides by them, I may not be able to reach the other shore of the great ocean, while destroying the army of demons."
maam vaa grihniiyuh aaplutya bahavah shiighra kaarinah || 5-30-29
syaat iyam ca agrihiita arthaa mama ca grahanam bhavet |
"Or having jumped up (over me) many demons operating speedily may capture me. Then, Seetha may not be able to know the occurrence of my arrival. Even I may get captured too."
himsaa abhirucayo himsyuh imaam vaa janaka aatmajaam || 5-30-30
vipannam syaat tatah kaaryam raama sugriivayoh idam |
"Or the violent minded demons may kill this Seetha. Consequently this work of Rama and Sugreeva will be ruined."
uddeshe nashta maarge asmin raakshasaih parivaarite || 5-30-31
saagarena parikshipte gupte vasati jaanakii |
"Seetha is residing in this secret place, with a concealed access, surrounded by demons and encircled by an ocean."
vishaste vaa grihiite vaa rakshobhih mayi samyuge || 5-30-32
na anyam pashyaami raamasya sahaayam kaarya saadhane |
"If I am killed in the battle or got captured by the demons, I do not see any other companion for Rama who can fulfill this work (of searching for Seetha)."
vimrishan ca na pashyaami yo hate mayi vaanarah || 5-30-33
shata yojana vistiirnam langhayeta mahaaudadhim |
"Even after due reflection, I do not see any monkey who can transgress the ocean with a breadth of one hundred Yojanas, in case I am killed."
kaamam hantum samartho asmi sahasraani api rakshasaam || 5-30-34
na tu shakshyaami sampraaptum param paaram mahaaudadheh |
"I am competent to kill even thousands of demons. I am quite sure. But, after doing such a large battle, I may not be capable of reaching the other shore of the ocean."
asatyaani ca yuddhaani samshayo me na rocate || 5-30-35
kah ca nihsamshayam kaaryam kuryaat praajnah sasamshayam |
'Conflicts are unreal too and to me, there is no desire for uncertainty. Which intellectual will do an assured act with an apprehension?"
esha dosho mahaan hi syaan mama siitaa abhibhaashane || 5-30-36
praana tyaagah ca vaidehyaa bhavet anabhibhaashane |
"If I do not talk, there will be Seetha's death. If I talk to Seetha, this great lapse will occur."
bhuutaah ca arthaa vinashyanti desha kaala virodhitaah || 5-30-37
viklavam duutam aasaadya tamah suurya udaye yathaa |
"Actions which are going to be accomplished shortly, get spoiled at the hands of a accomplished shortly, get spoiled at the hands of a confused messenger, when the actions are set in opposition to time and space, even as darkness disappears at sun rise."
artha anartha antare buddhih nishcitaa api na shobhate || 5-30-38
ghaatayanti hi kaaryaani duutaah pandita maaninah |
"Even if a decision is taken, regarding what is worthy and what is worthless, it does not yield good results. Messengers boasting themselves to be learned, thus indeed ruin those actions."
na vinashyet katham kaaryam vaiklavyam na katham bhavet || 5-30-39
langhanam ca samudrasya katham nu na vrithaa bhavet |
"How does not my work get spoiled? How should I avoid my feebleness? Also how does not my leaping across the sea become vain?"
katham nu khalu vaakyam me shrinuyaan na udvijeta ca || 5-30-40
iti samcintya hanumaan cakaara matimaan matim |
"How can Seetha hear my words without fear?" Thinking in this way, the wise Hanuma made up his mind (as follows):
raamam aklishta karmaanam sva bandhum anukiirtayan || 5-30-41
na enaam udvejayishyaami tat bandhu gata maanasaam |
"If I eulogize Rama, who is unwearied in action and a good relation, I shall not frighten her, whose mind is directed towards that relation."
ikshvaakuunaam varishthasya raamasya vidita aatmanah || 5-30-42
shubhaani dharma yuktaani vacanaani samarpayan |
shraavayishyaami sarvaani madhuraam prabruvan giram || 5-30-43
shraddhaasyati yathaa hi iyam tathaa sarvam samaadadhe |
"Offering auspicious and righteous words about Rama the most excellent prince Ikshvaku dynasty who possesses a learned soul and myself speaking in a sweet voice, I shall make everything intelligible so that Seetha rightly believes everything."
iti sa bahu vidham mahaaanubhaavo |
jagati pateh pramadaam avekshamaanah |
madhuram avitatham jagaada vaakyam |
druma vitapa antaram aasthito || 5-30-44
The noble-minded Hanuman, abiding in the midst of the twigs of the trees and seeing Seetha, spoke the following words of many kinds which were not futile.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye sundarakaande trimshah sargah
Thus completes 30th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate