Seeing the city of Lanka blazing and its multitude of rakshasas getting frightened and alarmed, Hanuman felt immensely happy. Suddenly he felt something hit hard his heart. He said to himself 'Hare Ram! I didn't think about Seetha'. With a feeling of self-contempt he became anxious about Seetha. He said to himself "It was a stupid act to burn Lanka without thinking about Seetha."
He was blaming himself for his thoughtlessness. His mind was racing with various thoughts like "As a burning fire is extinguished with water, blessed indeed are those great-souled men of excellence, who in their wisdom, restrain their elevated fury. Which enraged man would not incur a sinful act? An enraged person may even kill his elders. An enraged person may insult virtuous men with harsh words. An agitated person ever does not know which are appropriate words and which are forbidden words to be uttered. An enraged person does not know what is improper word and what is improper act.
"As a serpent casts off its slough, whoever casts aside an intense anger sprung up in him suddenly by virtue of his endurance, he verily is said to be an excellent man. Shame be upon me, who the greatest sinner with utter foolishness and impudence, became a fire-brand without giving thought to that Seetha and became hurtful to my master. If this whole Lanka for its part has been burnt, the worshipful Seetha too has surely been burnt. Thus, I have spoilt the purpose of my lord inadvertently.
"That purpose for which all this effort was taken, has been spoilt. At the time of burning the city, I did not think about Seetha. This task of burning Lanka has been completed by me without any great effort. Overpowered as I was with anger, the very root of that fulfillment has been destroyed by me. There is no doubt. The entire Lanka has been reduced to ashes. No place is seen left in this City. Therefore, Seetha also must have been surely lost.
"If this task has been spoiled due to my perverted intelligence, it is appropriate for me, here and now itself, to give up my life. Shall I jump into fire now or into the mouth of a submarine fire? Or shall I give up my body as a feed to the marine animals? By me who has ruined the entire task, how can I, even while remaining alive, see Sugreeva the Lord of vanaras or Rama and Lakshmana, the men nonpareil?
"Due to the culpability of my anger, I have shown this apishness that is famous for instability in the three worlds. Let there be shame upon the passionate way of my thinking, which breeds helplessness and instability. For, eventhough capable as I am, Seetha was not saved by me due to my exciting passion of anger. If Seetha dies, those two princes, Rama and Lakshmana will die. Then Sugreeva along with his associates will also die.
"How can the virtuous Bharata together with Shatrughna, who are affectionate to his brother, survive after hearing this news? When the virtuous Ikshvaku dynasty perishes, all the people will undoubtedly be tormented with anguish and affliction. Therefore, I, the unfortunate culprit, deprived of the values of duty and interest, with my mind filled with culpability of anger, clearly became the destroyer of the world."
Not knowing what to do now, Hanuman was blandly looking up and down, right and left and so on. Suddenly he noticed some omens, whose welcome-results had already been directly experienced by him. This made him think "Or else, Seetha the auspicious lady, who is completely charming with her limbs and protected by her own effulgence, may not be affected. Fire does not indeed destroy fire! Fire will not be able to touch Seetha, the wife of that Rama the virtuous man having unlimited splendour, and duly protected by her own good conduct.
"If this fire with its burning nature is not hurting me, it is surely due to the power of Rama and the benevolence of Seetha. How can that Seetha, who is a godhead for the three brothers of Rama and who is dear to the heart of Rama, perish? This fire, which spreads everywhere without any hindrance, is not burning my tail. How can it burn the venerable Seetha?
"On the other hand, Seetha can burn away the fire by her chastity, true utterances and undivided devotion towards her husband. Fire cannot not harm her.”
While Hanuman was thus thinking about the safety of Seetha, suddenly heard some voice from above. He recognized it as that of the celestial singers. They were telling "Alas! Hanuman, who hurled a very terrific fire into Ravana's house, has indeed done a difficult act. The rakshasas in the city of Lanka, their wives, children and elders running hither and thither, appears as if it is weeping through its mountain-caves. It is just so surprising and marvelous to us that the entire City with its market-places, ramparts and arched door-ways was burnt, but Seetha alone was not affected in any way by the fire.”
Hearing that, Hanuman became ecstatic. Then, Hanuman, heaving a sigh of relief decided to see Seetha before returning to Kishkindha.
He was blaming himself for his thoughtlessness. His mind was racing with various thoughts like "As a burning fire is extinguished with water, blessed indeed are those great-souled men of excellence, who in their wisdom, restrain their elevated fury. Which enraged man would not incur a sinful act? An enraged person may even kill his elders. An enraged person may insult virtuous men with harsh words. An agitated person ever does not know which are appropriate words and which are forbidden words to be uttered. An enraged person does not know what is improper word and what is improper act.
"As a serpent casts off its slough, whoever casts aside an intense anger sprung up in him suddenly by virtue of his endurance, he verily is said to be an excellent man. Shame be upon me, who the greatest sinner with utter foolishness and impudence, became a fire-brand without giving thought to that Seetha and became hurtful to my master. If this whole Lanka for its part has been burnt, the worshipful Seetha too has surely been burnt. Thus, I have spoilt the purpose of my lord inadvertently.
"That purpose for which all this effort was taken, has been spoilt. At the time of burning the city, I did not think about Seetha. This task of burning Lanka has been completed by me without any great effort. Overpowered as I was with anger, the very root of that fulfillment has been destroyed by me. There is no doubt. The entire Lanka has been reduced to ashes. No place is seen left in this City. Therefore, Seetha also must have been surely lost.
"If this task has been spoiled due to my perverted intelligence, it is appropriate for me, here and now itself, to give up my life. Shall I jump into fire now or into the mouth of a submarine fire? Or shall I give up my body as a feed to the marine animals? By me who has ruined the entire task, how can I, even while remaining alive, see Sugreeva the Lord of vanaras or Rama and Lakshmana, the men nonpareil?
"Due to the culpability of my anger, I have shown this apishness that is famous for instability in the three worlds. Let there be shame upon the passionate way of my thinking, which breeds helplessness and instability. For, eventhough capable as I am, Seetha was not saved by me due to my exciting passion of anger. If Seetha dies, those two princes, Rama and Lakshmana will die. Then Sugreeva along with his associates will also die.
"How can the virtuous Bharata together with Shatrughna, who are affectionate to his brother, survive after hearing this news? When the virtuous Ikshvaku dynasty perishes, all the people will undoubtedly be tormented with anguish and affliction. Therefore, I, the unfortunate culprit, deprived of the values of duty and interest, with my mind filled with culpability of anger, clearly became the destroyer of the world."
Not knowing what to do now, Hanuman was blandly looking up and down, right and left and so on. Suddenly he noticed some omens, whose welcome-results had already been directly experienced by him. This made him think "Or else, Seetha the auspicious lady, who is completely charming with her limbs and protected by her own effulgence, may not be affected. Fire does not indeed destroy fire! Fire will not be able to touch Seetha, the wife of that Rama the virtuous man having unlimited splendour, and duly protected by her own good conduct.
"If this fire with its burning nature is not hurting me, it is surely due to the power of Rama and the benevolence of Seetha. How can that Seetha, who is a godhead for the three brothers of Rama and who is dear to the heart of Rama, perish? This fire, which spreads everywhere without any hindrance, is not burning my tail. How can it burn the venerable Seetha?
"On the other hand, Seetha can burn away the fire by her chastity, true utterances and undivided devotion towards her husband. Fire cannot not harm her.”
While Hanuman was thus thinking about the safety of Seetha, suddenly heard some voice from above. He recognized it as that of the celestial singers. They were telling "Alas! Hanuman, who hurled a very terrific fire into Ravana's house, has indeed done a difficult act. The rakshasas in the city of Lanka, their wives, children and elders running hither and thither, appears as if it is weeping through its mountain-caves. It is just so surprising and marvelous to us that the entire City with its market-places, ramparts and arched door-ways was burnt, but Seetha alone was not affected in any way by the fire.”
Hearing that, Hanuman became ecstatic. Then, Hanuman, heaving a sigh of relief decided to see Seetha before returning to Kishkindha.
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