Monday 23 March 2015

246. Hanuman advised Ravana to return Seetha.

         Looking at Ravana, Hanuman continued "O king of rakshasas! By the command of Sugreeva, the lord of all vanaras and the brother of Vali, I have come here to your abode. Sugreeva, the Lord of vanaras, asked me to enquire about your welfare. He asked me to convey his message to you. Please let me do so.
     "There was a king named Dasharatha, who was like a father to all the people in his kingdom and endowed with splendour like that of Indra, the lord of celestials. His eldest son named Rama, having mighty arms, a bestower of affection and our lord, by the command of his father, abiding in a righteous path, went out on exile and entered a forest called Dandaka along with Lakshmana his brother and Seetha his wife. Seetha, the wife of Rama, devoted to her husband and the daughter of the redoubtable  king, named Janaka, the monarch of the Videha kingdom, got lost in the forest. That prince, Rama together with his brother, searching that lady, reached the Mount Rishyamuka and happened to meet Sugreeva.
       "While Sugreeva promised Rama to get Seetha searched and found, Rama too promised as a quid pro quo, to get the kingdom of vanaras to Sugreeva. Thereafter, killing Vali, Rama installed Sugreeva on the throne as the lord of all vanaras and bears. I am given to understand that you know Vali, the foremost among vanaras. Rama killed that Vali with a single arrow. Sugreeva, the lord of vanaaras, true to his promise, sent his vanaras to all directions to search and find Seetha. Innumerable number of vanaras and bears were sent to search  her in all quarters, including below and above the sky. Among those vanaras, some are mighty and virile like Garuda, the eagle. Some are capable of moving like wind without any hindrance.
       “I, a son of Vayu named as Hanuman have come here by crossing the ocean, which is a hundred yojanas (or eight hundred miles) wide to search and find Seetha. I did find her here at the Ashoka Vana where she is kept captive. You know about religious merit and wealth. You performed and mastered the austerities. As a highly learned person, it is highly unbecoming of you to have abducted Seetha.
          "Intellectuals like you would not think, even in their wildest dream, of such an act, for the simple reason that it is antagonistic to righteousness and is associated with many dangers including the ruin of the doer at the roots. Let me tell you that none, even among devas and asuras, to withstand the arrows discharged by Lakshmana in the wake of the fury of Rama. O king! No one is known in all the three worlds, to have gained happiness, by doing harm to Rama. That is why, accede to my words, which are beneficial for you for all the three divisions of time (viz. the past, present and future), resulting in affluence and respectability as well. Be sensible and let Seetha be restored to Rama.
        "I beheld Seetha, the princess. It is for Rama to decide his remaining task of future consequence. Seetha, whom you have captured without recognizing her as a five-hooded female serpent, has been found by me in your abode wholly given over to sorrow. She is incapable of being devoured  even by celestials and rakshashas, any more than food mixed with abundant poison could be digested with one's digestive power, if consumed.
         "Do not let your exceptional longevity  and that fortune which is an outcome of your virtue, both of which have been acquired by you through the practice of austerities, end abruptly. You may be thinking that you cannot be killed by rakshashas or celestials, because of your austerities. But you are wrong in respect of Sugreeva.
       "This Sugreeva is  neither a god  nor an asura nor a child of Danu the rakshash nor a Gandharva the celestial musician nor an Yaksha the semi-divine being nor a Pannaga the serpent-demon. O King! You will not be able to protect your life from him. The fruit of righteousness does not coexist  with the result of unrighteousness.The consequence of unrighteousness alone will prevail.
         "You already are enjoying the fruit of virtue till now. There is no doubt about it. In a short time, you will taste the fruit of unrighteousness, too. Ponder the killing of the rakshasas in the forest of Janasthana, of Vali and  the bond of friendship between Rama and Sugreeva, and decide sensibly your future course of action vis-a-vis Seetha.
       "I alone can destroy Lanka, along with its horses, chariots and elephants. I however, do not propose to do so as it will contravene the resolution of Rama, who has promised in the presence of troops of vanaras and bears, to exterminate the one and all his associates  by whom Seetha was actually laid violent hands upon.
      "Even Indra the Lord of celestials, in person, will be made to rue  if he does any harm to Rama.  Know her, whom you know as Seetha and who stays in your captivity, to be none else than Kalaratri (the goddess presiding over and responsible for dissolution), who can destroy you and the entire Lanka.
        "Beware of the noose of death in the form of Seetha's personality, which has been garlanded by yourself unwittingly around your neck. Ponder sensibly of the safety of yourself as well as this city of Lanka with its markets and main streets which will be burnt away by the effulgence of Seetha.
        "Do not lead to the extermination of your friends, counselors, kinsmen, brothers, sons, well-wishers, enjoyments, wives and Lanka. O king of rakshasas! Listen to my truthful words coming as it is from the lips of this servant of Rama, his messenger and particularly of this vanara. The renowned Rama is capable of destroying totally all the worlds together with its five elements, along with its animate and inanimate things and also to create yet again all the worlds in like manner as before.
        "After hurting  Rama, the lord of all worlds as well as the king nonpareil, in this manner, your survival will not be for long. O king of rakshasas! Nobody, celestials, rakshashas, Gandharvas the celestial musicians, Vidyadharas, Nagas the semi-divine serpents or Yakshas the semi divine beings will be able to stand before Rama the lord of the three worlds. Not even Brahma, the god with four faces or Rudra with three eyes and the destroyer of Tripura (the city built of gold, silver and iron in the sky, air and earth, by Maya for the asurass and burnt by Shiva), or Mahendra the god of atmosphere and sky as also the lord of celestials, would be able to protect anyone from Rama in battle."
              Ravana became terribly angry to hear the sermon from that animal. He unceremoniously ordered the execution of that rude and mannerless animal.
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