Telling of the memento news and giving of the hair brooch (Chapter 65)

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 Seeking clarifications of the message of Sita (Chapter 66)
8 Informing the message of Sita (Chapter 67)
9 Further news about the consolation of Sita (Chapter 68)
10 Hurting of the security staff of the forest (Chapter 62)
11 Words of Angadha (Chapter 60)
12 Informing about the destruction of the honey forest (Chapter 63)
13 Return of Hanuman and other monkeys (Chapter 64)
14 Thinking about future action (Chapter 59)
15 Telling the happenings of Lanka
16 Destruction of Honey forest (Chapter 61)
17 Fear of the monkey (Chapter 55)
18 The crossing of the sea from Lanka (Chapter 56)
19 Reaching the northern shore of the sea (Chapter 57)
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”

Sixty-fifth Chapter

Telling of the memento news and giving of the hair brooch

(Hanuman then tells about the state of Sita and the messages sent by her and gave the hair brooch which was the memento given by her)

They reached the Prsravana Mountains with its very peculiar forests and again saluted with bowed head the very strong Rama, Lakshmana and Sugreeva and keeping their crown prince Angadha in front and waited for permission to tell about the current state of Sita in detail. 1-2

All those monkeys told in front of Rama the fact that Sita was imprisoned in the harem of Ravana, her being terrorized by the Rakshasis, her special love towards Rama and also the fact that time period has been set for her life. 3

Hearing that no harm has come to the virtue of Sita Rama afterwards spoke,â€Hey monkeys, where is Sita now? What is her attitude towards me? Please tell me in detail all news about Vaidehi. 4

Hearing the words of Rama, the monkeys requested Hanuman, who only knew about all details about Sita in person, to go in front of Rama. 5

Then hearing their request, Hanuman who had mastery over words, bowed and saluted Sita looking in the direction she was and told the following in detail about the news of his seeing Sita. 6

(In the Tamil Kambha Ramayana, even at the first meeting Hanuman salutes Sita turning the southern direction and tells, I have seen Sita. This is supposed to give the good news quickly and also indicate to Rama that Sita is still virtuous.)

I, with a desire to see Sita who is the daughter of Janaka searched for her and crossed the ocean which was one hundred yojanas broad. 7

There in the southern shore of the southern ocean, the bad soul Ravana has a city called Lanka. 8

Hey, Rama, I saw Sita who is virtuous and the store house all that is good in the harem of Ravana. She is just managing to keep her soul intact because of her love towards you.

She was in front of my eyes in the garden of the harem, in between the Rakshasis, being terrorized often by those horrible Rakshasis, shaking with fear and was under their custody. 10

That virtuous lady who did not merit sorrow was undergoing sorrow thus. 11

I found out with difficulty that the holy lady, who had made her hair singly, sleeping on the bare floor was being prevented from entering Ravana’s harem and well guarded by those Rakshasis, resembled the lotus of winter, was completely depressed, not able to see any way to escape from Ravana, having decided to give up her life and living in a pitiable state but in spite of all that having given her entire mind to you and always thinking about you. 12-13

Hey innocent lion among men, having heard me praising the fame of the Ikshuvaku clan, confidence in me developed in her. 14

After that I conversed with the great lady. All information was told to her. She became pleased to hear about the treaty between Sugreeva and Rama Lakshmanas. 15

Since she is devoted to you, the only aim of that lady was protecting her virtue. 16

Hey great man, I saw the daughter of Janaka who is great forever having devotion and thought about you. 17

Hey, very knowledgeable one, She entrusted me to remind you the story of crow near you in Chithrakoota which you know already. 18

Janaki told me, Hey son of wind god, You have to tell Rama the lion among men, all what I said without leaving any thing about this matter. 19

This hair brooch which would bring pleasure to my mind was carefully preserved by me. This should be carefully preserved by you, without the knowledge of others and has to be given carefully to Rama in presence of Sugreeva and he has to be told. This born out of water and capable of creating happiness has been sent by me to you. Please remember the tilaka(dot) drawn by red stone on my forehead. 20-22

(The story of Tilaka is a private story and should not be narrated in front of every one but should only be indicated.)

Sita who was having doe like eyes which are awake, who was prevented from entering the harem of Ravana, who was having a lean body, also told me, Hey, Son of Dasaratha who is not subject to aging, when I was very sad, I used to take this and look at it and imagined that I was seeing you and console myself. I would keep my soul for one more month. After one month, I would get in to the custody of Rakshasas and would not be alive. 23-25

Hey, Raghava, all these have been told by me as it is. It is necessary to order building one dam in the ocean. 26

(Note that Hanuman does not tell any news about his exploits while crossing the sea or in the city of Lanka because it is not proper to praise oneself before ones boss.)

The son of wind God seeing that those two princes were sufficiently consoled gave that memento to them and told all the messages of the holy lady from beginning to end. 27

Thus ends the sixty fifth 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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