Summary
Hanuma again visits Ashoka garden and sees Seetha once more. He consoles Seetha that Rama along with his forces of monkeys and bears will come soon and after conquering the enemies in battle, will take her back. After bidding adieu to Seetha, he ascends Mount Arishta and enlarges his body making himself ready to leap across the ocean.
Chapter [Sarga] 56 in Detail
tatah tu shimshapaa muule jaanakiim paryavasthitaam |
abhivaadya abraviit dishtyaa pashyaami tvaam iha akshataam || 5-56-1
Thereafter, having offered his salutation to Seetha, who was present at the foot of Ashoka tree, Hanuma spoke: "Thank heaven! I am seeing you uninjured here!"
tatah tam prasthitam siitaa viikshamaanaa punah punah |
bhartri sneha anvitam vaakyam hanuumantam abhaashata || 5-56-2
Then, beholding again and again, that Hanuma, who had made ready for his return journey, Seetha spoke the following words, filled with affection towards her husband.
kaamam asya tvam eva ekah kaaryasya parisaadhane |
paryaaptah para viiraghna yashasyah te bala udayah || 5-56-3
"O Hanuma, the annihilator of enemies! You are yourself surely sufficient single-handed completion of this task. Your elevated energy is creditable indeed.
sharaistuh samkulaam kritvaa lankaam para bala ardanah |
maam nayet yadi kaakutsthah tasya tat saadrisham bhavet || 5-56-4
"But, it will be appropriate for Rama, who destroys the hostile forces, to take me with him, after routing Lanka with his arrows."
tat yathaa tasya vikraantam anuruupam mahaatmanah |
bhavati aahava shuurasya tattvam eva upapaadaya || 5-56-5
"Therefore, you act in such a way that the high-souled Rama, valiant in battle, may exhibit prowess worthy of him."
tat artha upahitam vaakyam prashritam hetu samhitam |
nishamya hanumaan tasyaa vaakyam uttaram abraviit || 5-56-6
Hearing those humble, reasonable and meaningful words of Seetha, Hanuma spoke the following words in reply.
kshipram eshyati kaakutstho hari riksha pravaraih vritah |
yah te yudhi vijitya ariin shokam vyapanayishyati || 5-56-7
"Rama, accompanied by the leaders of monkeys and bears, will come soon and after conquering the enemies in battle, will take away your grief."
evam aashvaasya vaidehiim hanuumaan maarut aatmajah |
gamanaaya matim kritvaa vaidehiim abhyavaadayat || 5-56-8
Hanuma, the son of wind-god, thus consoling Seetha and making up his mind to go, saluted Seetha with reverence.
tatah sa kapi shaarduulah svaami samdarshana utsukah |
aaruroha giri shreshtham arishtam ari mardanah || 5-56-9
Thereafter, that Hanuma the foremost among the monkeys, and the annihilator of enemies, with an anxious desire to see his lord, ascended the Mount Arishta of excellence.
tunga padmaka jushtaabhih niilaabhih vana raajibhih |
sottariiyamivaambhodaih shrimgaantaravilambibhih || 5-56-10
That mountain was covered as it were with dark green rows of gardens inhabited by towery elephants with red spots on their skin and with its clouds hanging between its summits, as with an upper garment.
bodhyamaanamiva priityaa divaakarakaraih shubhaih |
unmisantimivoddhuutairlochanairiva dhaatubhih || 5-56-11
By metals scattered here and there, looking like eyes drawing up the eye-lids, the mountain looked like being awakened, as it were, with love by the bright rays of the sun.
toyaughanisvanairmandraih praadhiitamiva parvatam |
pragiitamiva vispastairnaanaaprasravanasvnai || 5-56-12
The mountain looked resembling the one which has started reciting the scriptures clearly in the form of the deep sound of running streams of water, singing as it were at a high pitch, in the form of roaring sound of various cascades.
devadaarubhiratyuchchairuurdhvabaahumiva sthitam |
prapaatajalanirghosaih praakristamiva sarvatah || 5-56-13
The mountain stood as it were with uplifted arms in the form of very lofty deodars and which started crying loudly as it were, on all sides, in the form of the sound of its cascades.
vepamaanamiva shyaamaih kampamaanaih sharadvanaih |
venubhirmaarutoddhuutaih kuujantamiva kiichakaih || 5-56-14
The mountain seemed to be trembling in the form of waving dark autumnal groves, which was piping as it were, in the form of hollow bamboos shaken up by the wind and whistling.
nihshvasantamivaamarsaadghorairaashiivisottamaih |
viihaarakritagambhiirairdhyaayantamiva gahvaraih || 5-56-15
The mountain was hissing as it were with fury, in the form of its terrible and most poisonous snakes and which sat absorbed in meditation as it were, in the form of its deep caves covered with mist.
meghapaadanibhaih paadaih prakraantamiva sarvatah |
jrimbhamaanamivaakaashe shikharairabhraamaalibhih || 5-56-16
The mountain seems to be setting out on a journey on all four sides, with feet of the mountain, looking like rising clouds, which with its peaks having a lining of clouds, seemed to stretch its limbs in the sky.
kuutaishcha bahudhaa kiirnai shobhitam bahukandaraih |
saala taala ashva karnaih ca vamshaih ca bahubhih vritam || 5-56-17
The mountain was embellished with a number of summits and adorned with numerous caves scattered at many places and endowed with many sal, palmyrah, karna and bamboo trees.
lataavitaanairvitataih pspavadbhiralamkritam |
naanaamrigaganaakiirnam dhaatunisyandabhuusitam || 5-56-18
The mountain was adorned with clusters of creepers having plenty of flowers, filled with a number of summits and adorned with numerous caves scattered at many places and endowed with many Sal, palmyrah, karna and bamboo trees.
bahuprasravanopetam shilaasamchayasamkatam |
maharsiyaksagandharvakinnaroragasevitam || 5-56-19
The mountain was endowed with many cascades, crowded together with heaps of rocks and frequented by great sages, Yakshas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras and celestial serpents.
lataapaadapasamghaatam simhaadhyusitakandaram |
vyaagrasamghasamaakiirnam svaadumuulaphaladrumam || 5-56-20
The mountain was exquisite with creepers and trees, having caves inhabited by lions, spread over with a number of tigers and endowed with sweet roots and fruit-trees.
tam aaruroha hanumaan parvatam pavanaatmajah |
raama darshana shiighrena praharshena abhicoditah || 5-56-21
Hanuma, the son of wind-god, in a hurry to see Rama, ascended that mountain, excited as he was with an extreme joy.
tena paada tala aakraantaa ramyeshu giri saanushu |
saghoshaah samashiiryanta shilaah cuurnii kritaah tatah || 5-56-22
Then, the rocks in the charming table-land of the mountain, on which the soles of Hanuma lied heavily, were crushed with noise and fallen to pieces.
sa tam aaruhya shaila indram vyavardhata mahaakapih |
dakshinaat uttaram paaram praarthayaml lavana ambhasah || 5-56-23
Desirous of reaching the northern shore from the southern shore of that ocean, Hanuma ascended that mountain and enlarged his body.
adhiruhya tato viirah parvatam pavana aatmajah |
dadarsha saagaram bhiimam miina uraga nishevitam || 5-56-24
Then, the valiant Hanuma after ascending the mountain saw the terrific ocean inhabited by fishes and water-snakes.
sa maaruta iva aakaasham maarutasya aatma sambhavah |
prapede hari shaarduulo dakshinaat uttaraam disham || 5-56-25
Hanuma, the foremost among the monkeys and the son of the wind-god, entered the sky towards northern direction, like a wind, from southern direction.
sa tadaa piiditah tena kapinaa parvata uttamah |
raraasa saha taih bhuutaih praavishat vasudhaa talam || 5-56-26
kampamaanaih ca shikharaih patadbhih api ca drumaih |
Pressed at that moment by Hanuma, that excellent mountain sank into the bowels of the earth along with the various living beings and made a noise with its shaking summits and toppling trees.
tasya uuru vegaan mathitaah paadapaah pushpa shaalinah || 5-56-27
nipetuh bhuu tale rugnaah shakra aayudha hataa iva |
Shaken by the impetus of the thighs of Hanuma, trees in blossom were broken and fell down on earth, as though struck by a thunder-bolt.
kandara udara samsthaanaam piiditaanaam mahaaojasaam || 5-56-28
simhaanaam ninado bhiimo nabho bhindan sa shushruve |
When the lions of great prowess dwelling in the midst of caves were tormented and roared terribly, that roaring noise was heard as it was piercing the sky.
trasta vyaaaviddha vasanaa vyaakulii krita bhuushanaa || 5-56-29
vidyaadharyah samutpetuh sahasaa dharanii dharaat |
The females of Vidyadhara class of supernatural beings, with their raiments in disorder through fear and their ornaments fallen off, went up all of a sudden from the mountain.
atipramaanaa balino diipta jihvaa mahaavishaah || 5-56-30
nipiidita shiro griivaa vyaveshtanta mahaahayah |
Large poisonous serpents of immense size, possessing vigor and having fiery tongues with their hoods and necks severely pressed lay coiled.
kinnara uraga gandharva yaksha vidyaa dharaah tathaa || 5-56-31
piiditam tam naga varam tyaktvaa gaganam aasthitaah |
Then, leaving that tormented mountain of excellence; Kinnaras, Nagas, Gandharvas, Yakshas and Vidyadharas ascended to the sky.
sa ca bhuumi dharah shriimaan balinaa tena piiditah || 5-56-32
savriksha shikhara udagraah pravivesha rasaa talam |
Pressed down by that strong Hanuma, that beautiful mountain having its elevated summits crowned with trees entered the bowels of the earth.
dasha yojana vistaarah trimshat yojanam ucchritah || 5-56-33
dharanyaam samataam yaatah sa babhuuva dharaa dharah |
That mountain, with a width of ten yojanas (or eighty miles) and a height of thirty yojanas (or two hundred and forty miles) got level with the earth.
sa lilanghuyirbhiimam saliilam lavanaarnavam || 5-56-34
kallolaasphaalavelaantamutpapaata nabho harih |
With a desire to cross easily the terrific ocean, whose shores were being lashed by its waves, which Hanuma jumped up into the air.
ityaarse shriimadraamaayane aadikaavye sundarakaande stpajnchaashah sargahh
Thus completes 56th Chapter of Sundara Kanda of the glorious Ramayana of Valmiki, the work of a sage and the oldest epic.
Sriman Moola Rama Vijayate