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

Fifty-first Chapter

The advice of Hanuman

(Hanuman points out to Ravana, the prowess of Rama, Lakshmana, Sugreeva and other monkeys and advices him to give back Sita to Rama to avoid destruction of Lanka and death to him and his near and dear. Then Ravana sentences Hanuman to death.)

That valorous Hanuman stared at the greatly valorous ten headed one and without fear told the following meaningful words. 1

 Hey, king of Rakshasas, I have come here to your place because of the orders of Sugreeva. The king of monkeys told me to inform you of his welfare. 2

(Since Bali and Ravana had signed a treaty of friendship, Sugreeva becomes like a brother to Ravana)

Be pleased to hear the words of the great Sugreeva who is your brother, which would be useful to you in this and the other world. 3

 There was a king called Dasaratha who was equal to Indra, who had a an army with chariots, horses and elephants and who was related to the world like a father. 4

Rama, his greatly resplendent son, who had great arms, who did good to all people and who was a lord ordered by his father, chose the path of justice and entered the Dandakaranya forest along with his brother Lakshmana and his wife Sita. 5-6

His wife Sita who never left the company of her husband and who was the daughter of Janaka the great king of Videha was lost in the forest. 7

 That prince along with his brother searching for that lady reached Rishya mooka and became a friend of Sugreeva.  8

 That Sugreeva promised him to search and find out Sita and Rama promised him the kingdom of monkeys. 9

 Because of that that prince killed Bali and Sugreeva was appointed as the king of all the monkeys and bears. 10

 You know about Bali for a long time. That monkey was killed by just one arrow by Rama in war. 11

(When once Ravana went to war with Bali, he caught hold of him and hung in the cradle of his baby Angada as a plaything. Brahma interceded and got him free. Ravana from that time was exceedingly afraid of Bali. It should be also noted that Rama did not kill Bali in war but sent an arrow from hiding.)

 The monkey king Sugreeva who is steadfast on his words, carefully sent monkeys to all directions to search for Sita. 12

 Tens, thousands and millions of monkeys are searching in all directions, top and bottom as well as the sky for her. 13

 Some of them who are powerful are equal in prowess to Garuda and some like wind can travel to even nooks and corners with great speed. 14

 I am the son of wind god and am known as Hanuman. For the sake of Sita and to see her I crossed with speed this ocean, which is one hundred yojanas long and have come here. I searched for her hither and thither and found her in your home. 15-16

 Hey, very intelligent king, you know well the path of justice, and you have achieved great heights by penance and so you do not merit to steal other peoples wives and keep them under custody. 17

 Intelligent people like you would not stick on to actions which are against justice, which would lead to several dangers and which would destroy one completely. 18

 Who is there among Devas or Asuras who can stand before arrows sent by Lakshmana and those arrows sent by Rama in anger? 19

 Hey king, once a bad deed is done to Raghava, where can you live with pleasure and I feel nowhere in the three worlds. 20

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 So please understand what I say, as the one which leads to good in past, present and future, one which is according to the path of justice and one which leads to good luck. Let Janaki be returned to the God of the world. 21

 This holy lady has been seen by me. Whatever was extremely difficult has been achieved and whatever remaining in this is to be done by Raghava himself. 22

 This Sita has been found by me with indescribable sorrow. You are not understanding that she is a five headed serpent in your house. 23

 Like the rice which is laced with poison and which was eaten in plenty cannot be digested, Asuras and even devas cannot digest her with their valour. 24

 It is not proper for you to waste away, this lucky life earned by you, by control of senses and by doing just deeds. 25

 You are thinking with courage that you will not attain death from devas and asuras because of the strength of your penance. But this is not sufficient enough reason. 26

 This Sugreeva is neither a deva nor a rakshasa nor a Danava nor Gandharwa nor Yaksha nor Pannaga for Sugreeva is but a monkey king. And that Raghava is but a human being. 27

(Ravana asked Brahma for a boon of deathlessness which he refused. Then he requested for deathlessness from all known type of people except monkeys and men. Hanuman is pointing out to him that the people who are opposing him are monkey and men.)

 So king how are you going to save your life. The result of just action will not save you from the sins of unjust action for just action would only give its result. 28

(What he means that by doing some good things, the result of sinful action cannot be washed way.)

 You have already enjoyed your life which is the result of just action and you are going to immediately suffer for your misdeeds. 29

(If you want to wash away the sin of stealing Sita, you have to do the just deed of returning her. No other just action is going to help you.)

 Please remember the war of Janasthana, the killing of Bali and the treaty between Rama and Sugreeva and decide what is good for you. 30

(In Janasthana Rama alone killed a huge army of Rakshasas stationed there by Ravana.)

 I alone could have destroyed the city of Lanka with its horses, chariots and elephants. But this is not his wish. 31

 It has been sworn before the assembly of monkeys and bears that the complete destruction of those people who were the reason for abduction of Sita would be done by Rama alone. 32

 Even if bad is done to Rama by real Devendra himself or any one else, he would not be able to live happily. Then what about a person like you? 33

 Understand that she whom you are the impression as Sita and who is under your custody as the intense dark night who is going to destroy the entire Lanka. 34

 So please stop the impending destruction by Sita who is like the rope of God of death which you have put as garland round your neck. And think of what is proper for your welfare.  35

 Think in your mind immediately that this city which is full of palaces, towers and spires as already destroyed by the power of Sita and is burning because of the anger of Rama. 36

Please do not allow the destruction of the city of Lanka as well as your friends, ministers, forefathers, brothers, sons, dears, pleasures and wives. 37

 Hey Rakshasa king, understand clearly that this advice as coming from me who is a monkey and a servant of Rama who has come as an emissary as based only on just action and follow it. 38

(He calls himself as servant because he knows the power of Rama, emissary because he is relating a message and monkey because he is neither a rakshasa nor a man and can be impartial)

 Rama is capable of destroying very easily the entire world with its beings, with its movable and immovable assets and create them again and he is famous beyond the speed of the mind. 39

 There is none among devas, asuras, kings, yakshas, rakshasas, vidhyadaras, Gandharwas, Uragas, Sidhas, Kinnaras, birds, and not only that but among all beings, in  all worlds, in everything, in all directions and for all time, who can oppose and wage a war against Rama who is equal to Lord Vishnu. 40-41

 After doing this bad act to Rama who is the king of all worlds and who is the lion among kings, for you it is impossible to keep your soul in tact any longer. 42

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 Hey king of Rakshasa, even if all the devas, asuras, Gandharwas, Vidhyadaras, Nagas and Yakshas joined together they will not able to withstand the war with Rama. 43

 Even the four headed Brahma who created himself, the three eyed Rudra who burnt the three cities, Indra who is the king of Devas and who killed Vrthrasura cannot save one whom  Rama has decided to kill. 44

(Commentators believe that because Hanuman did not include Vishnu, he must be knowing that Rama is Vishnu himself. But this is contradictory to his calling Rama equal to Vishnu in sloka 40-41)

That incomparable Rakshasa with ten heads and with rolling red eyes due to intense anger, finding that the cleverest words delivered with fearlessness by the monkey not suiting to his taste, sentenced the monkey chief with death. 45

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

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