Reaching the northern shore of the sea (Chapter 57)

Contents

1 Read Next
2 Searching inside the Asoka forest (Chapter 14)
3 Crashing of hopes of Hanuman (Chapter 13)
4 Seeing of good omens (Chapter 29)
5 The arrival of Ravana (18th Chapter)
6 Sundara Kandam-An introduction
7 Telling of the memento news and giving of the hair brooch (Chapter 65)
8 Seeking clarifications of the message of Sita (Chapter 66)
9 Informing the message of Sita (Chapter 67)
10 Further news about the consolation of Sita (Chapter 68)
11 Hurting of the security staff of the forest (Chapter 62)
12 Words of Angadha (Chapter 60)
13 Informing about the destruction of the honey forest (Chapter 63)
14 Return of Hanuman and other monkeys (Chapter 64)
15 Thinking about future action (Chapter 59)
16 Telling the happenings of Lanka
17 Destruction of Honey forest (Chapter 61)
18 Fear of the monkey (Chapter 55)
19 The crossing of the sea from Lanka (Chapter 56)
20 Avoiding of death of an emissary (Chapter 52)
21 Sunderkand: Setting fire to the tail of Hanuman (Chapter 53)

This article is part of “Sundara Kandam of Sage Valmiki”

Fifty- seventh Chapter

Reaching the northern shore of the sea,

(Hanuman crossed the ocean and was received by the monkeys with happiness. He informed them that he has seen Sita. He also told them about the pitiable but virtuous condition she was in.)

Hanuman like a great ship crossing though the shore less ocean of the sky, which was having the moon as its flower, the worshipful sun as its water fowl, the stars Poosam (pushyam) and Thiruvonam (sravanam) as its swimming water birds, the clouds as its floating plants, the star Punarpoosam (Punarvasu) as its sharks, the planet mars as its crocodile, the rainbow as its great island, the star Swathi as the swan playing here and there, the movement of the cyclone as its waves, the rays of the moon as its cold water, the Nagas, Gandarwas and Yakshas as its fully opened lotus and lily flowers, swam effortlessly with the speed of the wind. 1-4

That great monkey who was the son of wind god and who had the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi moving in the sky appeared as if he was the moon who was going to swallow the sky, as if he was rubbing the sky, as if he was robbing the sky of its solar system and stars and as if he was dragging the crowd of clouds. 5-6

Those great clouds were seen as white, red, blue, yellow mixed with red and green mixed with red. 7

Hanuman appeared similar to the moon by becoming invisible while entering the sky and shining when he came out of it. 8

Then the warrior Hanuman clothed in white, hiding and coming out of various types of clouds, and thus being visible and invisible at times appeared as if he was the moon. 9

Breaking out of the crowds of clouds, that son of wind god appeared as if he was an eagle in the sky. 10

That greatly resplendent Hanuman, after killing several great Rakshasas, after exterminating a horrible army, after spoiling the great city, after creating fear in Ravana, after talking with Vaidehi and after spreading his name everywhere ,flew above the sky for a second time making booming reverberating sound. 11-12

That valorous Hanuman after patting the great mountain Mainaka traveled with great speed like the arrow shot out of a bow. 13

That great monkey when he neared and saw the Mahendra Mountain, which resembled a cloud roared. 14

That monkey roared like the thunder and all the ten directions reverberated by his sound 15

Anxious to see his close friends, that Hanuman when he neared the other shore, roared loudly and also shook his tail. 16

Because of the roar of Hanuman who was traveling in path of the sky, which is usually frequented by birds, that entire sky with its solar system ,appeared as if it was breaking. 17

When it was like this, the very strong monkey heroes anxious to see Hanuman were waiting in the northern shore of the ocean with great anxiety. They at that time listened to the great Hanuman’s roar, which was like the cloud’s thunder and also the vibration made by his thighs. 18-19

All those monkeys, who normally live in forests, heard the thunderous great roar of that monkey with a mind filled with anxiety 20

All those monkeys hearing the sound of Hanuman, which was echoing in all the four directions, waited to see their friend in person. 21

Jambhavan, who was liked by all the monkey chiefs ,with a very happy frame of mind due to love, asked the monkeys to come near him and told them as follows. 22

This Hanuman has completed his task completely and there is no doubt about it because if he had not completed the job, his roar will not be like this. 23-24

Hearing the roar of the great soul and the sound of vibrations of his hand and thighs, those monkeys jumped with joy, here and there. 25

They with extreme desire to see Hanuman, with great enthusiasm jumped from the tip of one tree to another and from top of one tree to another and .joined together to form a crowd. 26

Then those enthusiastic monkeys broke the small flowering branches of the trees and holding them in their hand waved them as if they were waving costly cloth banners. 27

The son of wind God and the very strong Hanuman roared making sounds like the wind entering the mountain cave. 28

Those monkeys stood with folded hands to welcome that great monkey who was rushing towards them like a huge black cloud. 29

Then that monkey, who was as strong as a mountain, got down in one of the thickly wooded peaks of Mahendra Mountain. 30

That Hanuman fully overjoyed jumped on to the mountain spring, from the sky like a featherless hill. 31

Pleased because of that, all those monkey chiefs surrounded Hanuman and came near him 32

All of them surrounded Hanuman with great love. On seeing him safe they came near him with fully pleased faces, because of that. 33

Those monkeys brought fruits and tubers and offered them to the monkey chief. 34

Then that Hanuman saluted Jambhavan, other teachers and elderly ones as well as Angadha, who was their crown prince. 35

That Hanuman who was a great warrior and who was honourable was praised by those two (Jambhavan and Angadha), and worshipped by other monkeys and shortly informed them that Sita was seen by me 36

(Hanuman uses short message to inform all of them that the mission was accomplished).

Hanuman who was very happy, then interlinked arms with Angadha who was the son of Bali and went and sat in a very pretty spot in the forest and addressing all monkeys told them as follows. 37

That daughter of Janaka who is young, who was occupying the Asoka forest, who was being guarded by cruel Rakshasis, who had one single dropping plait , whose hair was tufted, who was dirty, who does not have reason not to be famous, who is anxious to see Rama and who was tired and famished because of starvation was seen by me. 38-39

All those monkeys hearing the nectar like word, â€œ I have seenâ€ which was also very meaningful, became extremely happy. 40

Some very strong ones started jumping, some others made sounds, some others roared and some others made sounds likeâ€Â Kil Kilaâ€ and others echoed it. 41

Some other monkey warriors because of extreme happiness lifted up their tails and rotated their pretty thick tails over their head. 42

Some incomparably strong monkeys came jumping from the top of the mountain and with great pleasure embraced Hanuman who was similar to an elephant. 43

Addressing Hanuman who had comprehensively told the information to all monkey warriors, Angada ,told the following good words. 44

Because you have jumped and crossed the very broad sea and returned back, Hey monkey, there is none equal to you in strength and valour. 45

What a great devotion you have to our lord, what valour, what courage, that famous holy lady who is the wife of Rama has been seen by you because of God’s blessings. 46

It is very good, that Kakustha will forsake the sorrow due to parting of Sita. 47

Those monkeys surrounded the big rocks on which Hanuman, Angadha and Jambhavan were sitting with great happiness in their mind. 48

All those monkey warriors stood still with folded hands interested in hearing about the crossing of the sea, about Lanka, about Sita and about Ravana and were seeing the face of Hanuman. 49-50

At that time the lucky Angadha who was looked up by several monkeys appeared similar to Devendra who was looked up by all devas. 51

That very high and great mountain top which was being occupied by Hanuman who was famous and the famous Angadha who wore armlets was resplendent because of its luck. 52

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

Searching inside the Asoka forest (Chapter 14)

Fourteenth Chapter Searching inside the Asoka forest (Graphic description of the Asoka forest as seen by Hanuman is given. Seeing the forest Hanuman decides that Sita should definitely visit there because she likes the forest and also needs to do her morning ablations) The very powerful Hanuman after thinking for some more time and after…

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