Presentation of the ring

Presentation of the ring

(To prove his bonafides, Hanuman presents the royal ring of Rama to Sita .She is convinced by this memento .She then realizes her mistake and praises Hanuman. She sounds hopeful about her being saved by Rama ,She is also perplexed because Rama does not appear to her anything to save her. Hanuman tries to dispel her misunderstanding and tells how sad Rama is.)

The son of wind god and the greatly resplendent Hanuman with an intention of increasing Sita’s faith in him told the following  words with all humility. 1

Hey holy lady, I am the monkey who is the emissary of the great Hero Rama. And so to dispel any misunderstanding that you may have and to increase your faith, please see here, the signet ring of Rama in which his name is inscribed , which was given to me by him and which was brought here by me. You would remain safe. You would soon see the end of your sorrow. 2-3

After telling like this he presented the ring to Sita. 4

That Sita after receiving the ornament of the hand of Rama examined it closely and became as happy as if she saw her husband in person. 5

Then that lady becoming a little shy and also becoming pleased by hearing the story of Rama, being mentally happy and understanding that the monkey chief has done her a great help started praising him. 6

(According to Tilaka she became shy because she felt that her husband was near by and another commentator feels that she became shy because she suspected the great Hanuman instead of trusting him.)

Hey great monkey, you are a great hero, you are greatly wise and you are greatly intelligent and only because of those qualities you were able to see this place of Rakshasas all alone and without any help. 7

You, who can be described as a great hero, have crossed this ocean which is one hundred yojanas broad and which is the home of sharks, in one jump and made it equivalent to the hoof mark of the cow.   8

Hey monkey chief, I do not think that you are an ordinary monkey for you do not have any fear for Ravana and you also are not nervous. 9

Hey chief of monkeys, due to the fact that you have been sent by Rama, who knows the mind of others , you are definitely fit to hold conversation with me. 10

 That matchless Hero Rama would not send an emissary, without knowing his valor and without examining him especially to me. 11

 That very just votary of truth, Sri Rama is luckily all right and it is also lucky that the greatly resplendent Lakshmana who increases the happiness of Sumithra is also all right. 12

Because the Kakustha is all right, possibly he would burn all the earth surrounded by the sea by his anger, which is similar to the fire that will engulf the world during deluge. 13

 I know that both of them are capable of even punishing the Devas but I think there is no end in sight for my sorrow. 14

I think that Rama is not mentally upset and would do what remains to be done now without being affected by sorrow. 15

I think that prince Rama is not broken down and is not committing mistakes because he is perplexed and also is doing the duties of a man. 16

He who gives pain to his enemies, I hope is using two approaches (peaceful affectionate advice (sama) and by bestowing help, riches etc (Dhana)) with love towards his relatives and three approaches (bribery (dhana) creating rift and confusion (Bhedha) and punishment (Dhanda)) towards enemies with a view to win over them. 17

I believe that he is being visited by his friends, he is hospitable towards them and he is respected by them. 18

 I believe that Rama who is the son of an emperor is praying Gods for blessing and has faith in the fact that physical effort is God’s blessing.  19

 I believe that though he is far away from me, his love towards me has not diminished and Hey, Monkey, I also believe that he is taking appropriate action to free me from this sorrow. 20

 I believe that Rama who always deserves to be happy and who does not deserve to be sad is not becoming very feeble because of this intense sorrow. 21

I believe that he gets news about Kausalya and Sumithra frequently and that he gets news about Bharatha also.  22

(Please note that she is not asking about news of Kaikeyi)

I believe that because of the sorrow caused by me , he has not lost his pride and is listless. I also believe that Rama would save me from this misery. 23

 I believe that Bharatha would send one great Akshouhini army protected by ministers for the sake of me. 24

(21,870 chariots, 21870 elephants, 65, 610 horses and 1,09, 350 infantry is termed as Akshouhini army)

I believe that the great monkey chief Sugreeva would come surrounded by monkeys who have claws and teeth as weapons for my sake. 25

I believe that the great hero and great archer Lakshmana who increases the happiness of Sumithra would exterminate all the Rakshasas by his rain of arrows. 26

I believe that very soon, Rama using burning arrows would kill Ravana along with his friends and that I would be able to see him very soon. 27

I believe that that golden face of Rama who has a perfume similar to the lotus flowers would not wilt because of my separation, similar to the lotus flower being wilted by torrid Sun light. 28

I believe that courage permanently resides in his heart which neither had sorrow, fear or worries even when he forsook the kingdom for the sake of just action or when he brought me by walk in to this forest. 29

Hey emissary, for me, because of my love towards him, my great father is not equal to him, nor my mother nor any one else and so I wish to continue this life only till I hear about his actions. 30

That all knowing holy lady, after telling these very meaningful and pleasant to hear words halted with a view to hear the reply of Hanuman which were aimed at attaining Rama and which was about Rama. 31

That great hero Hanuman hearing the words of Sita, keeping his hands in salutations over his head told the following words. 32

(Salutations with hands opposite to the chest is done for persons of equal stature and over head to God and to persons who are much above your stature)

That lotus eyed Rama does not know that you are here and that is why he is not taking you back like Indra took back his queen Sachi Devi. 33

(Anuhlada abducted Sachi Devi, the queen of Indra. Indra after killing the Rakshasa took back his queen)

 As soon as Raghava hears my words, he along with a great army consisting of only monkeys and bears is going to reach here soon.  34

(Hanuman’s reply indicates that he would not ask for armed help from Bharatha as indicated by Sita)

That Kakustha is going to freeze the ocean which cannot be moved and going to make Lanka devoid of Rakshasas. 35

If the god of death or Asuras along with Devas are going to block his way, he would kill them immediately. 36

Hey, holy lady, that Rama because of his sorrow in not being able to see you, is suffering like an elephant attacked by a lion and does not know what is pleasure 37

Hey, holy lady, I am taking an oath with witnesses the Malaya mountain, the Vindhya mountain, the Meru mountain, the Mandhara mountain, the Durudhura mountain and on the vegetables and fruits , that you are going to see and enjoy the handsome face of Rama, which has very pretty eyes, which has lips like the red guava fruit, which has wonderful ear rings and which is like the rising full moon. 38-39

(Note that Hanuman being a monkey is taking an oath on things, which he considers as Important)

Hey, Vaidehi, you are going to see immediately Rama who is on Prasravana mountain and who resembles Indra on Naga Prashta in heaven. 40

Raghava is daily not taking either the edible portions of fruit or drinking honey and takes food in the fifth part of the day that too only cooked vegetables and roots as ordained for people who are about to forsake the world (Vana prastha ashrama). 41

(1.The words used can also be translated, as Raghava is daily not taking meat or drinking wine. There is nothing wrong in this translation also because Lord Rama is a King and is permitted to take these Rajasic foods.

2. It is believed by Hindus that after leading a complete family life, at a particular stage the husband and wife retire in to the forest and lead a life of partial renunciation called Vana prastha Ashrama. It is believed that they should take only one-fifth portion of food that they usually took earlier.)

Because he has already given his heart to you, Raghava is not driving away the flies which sit on him, nor mosquitoes nor worms and nor insects that crawl. 42

(Here the lovelorn Rama is described in the state of Arathi i.e. loosing of the senses due to parting from the beloved.)

That Rama due to extreme love is always drowned in sorrow and is always thoughtful and does not know any other thing. 43

That great man, Rama is always without sleep and even if he is asleep wakes up immediately muttering sweetly Hey Sita 44

If he happens to see either fruits or flowers or any other thing dear to ladies, with very great sorrow, he remembers you as My darling  45

Hey holy lady, that great soul and prince Rama who believes firmly in just action, is always unhappy and always keeps on muttering Hey Sita and keeps on trying to find you. 46

That Sita who is the daughter of king Videha got rid of her sorrow due to hearing the praise of Rama and became equally sad when she came to know that Rama is drowned in sorrow and looked similar to the night lit by early autumn moon hid by dark clouds. 47

 Thus ends the thirty sixth chapter of Sundara Kanda which is in the Ramayana which is the first epic written by Valmiki.