||Sundarakanda ||

|| Sarga 55 ||(Summary in English)

 

||om tat sat||
लंकां समस्तां संदीप्य लांगुलाग्निं महाबलः।
निर्वापयामास तदा समुद्रे हरिसत्तमः॥1||
The mighty Hanuman having burnt whole of Lanka then tried to put off the fire on his tail in the ocean.

Sundarakanda
Sarga 55

The mighty Hanuman having burnt whole of Lanka then tried to put off the fire on his tail in the ocean. Seeing the destroyed and burning city of Lanka as well as the panic stricken Rakshasas, Vanara started thinking.

A great fear overtook him within in his mind. Hanuma said to himself. 'By burning Lanka what did I do?'. Those who put out the rising anger by their wisdom like a burning fire is put out by water, are blessed. They are best of men and great souls. 'What sin, the angry will not commit? The angry one will kill even the masters. The angry will insult good people with harsh words. An angry one will not know what can be said and what cannot be said. For the angry one there no act that is barred. No word that cannot be said. Like a snake sheds its skin, the one who sheds the rising anger with tolerance he alone is called a truly wise man. Fie on me, who set fire to Lanka without thinking about Sita, thus betraying my master with wicked mind and without shame. If this Lanka is burnt then respectable Janaki is also burnt. Without realizing I have destroyed my master's mission. The purpose for which this was started that purpose was destroyed. I burnt Lanka without saving Sita'.

'This is a small work done. With anger generated I destroyed the root of my achievement. Surely Janaki was lost. There is no place that is not burnt in Lanka. All of the city was burnt. If because of my stupidity that mission was destroyed, then it is proper that I should also sacrifice my life here itself. Shall I jump in the fire? Shall I jump in the mouth of the submarine fire or offer my body as the food for the sea creatures? Having destroyed the whole mission, how can I see the king of Vanaras. Or even the two tigers among men. Because of my yielding to the fault of rising anger, I have exhibited the instable mind of monkeys, known in the three worlds. Fie upon the uncontrollable unstable excitable nature. Though powerful, I could not save Sita because of my anger. If Sita is destroyed those two will die. Their loss will result in the loss of Sugriva and all relatives'.

'Hearing those words about a loving brother, the righteous one along with Shatrughna will perish. When the righteous Ikshvaku race perishes, all the people will be tormented by grief and remorse. No doubt. Then, I am the unfortunate one who failed to secure Dharma and Artha, who overwhelmed by anger is the cause of the destruction of the world'.

While he was thinking like this, good omens as in the past appeared before him. He started thinking. 'Or else the lady of beautiful limbs is saved by her own brilliance. The auspicious lady cannot perish. Fire cannot burn fire. The wife of the righteous one, who is protected by her own chastity cannot be touched by the fire'.

'This fire which consumes, which carries the oblations did not burn me. This is surely because of the power of Rama and the good deeds of Vaidehi. How can the one, who is goddess for three brothers Bharata and others, who is the dear one of Rama perish? If the fire which burns everything has not burnt my tail, how can he burn Sita?'.

Then Hanuman thought of the appearance of mountain Hiranya Nabha in the middle of the ocean, a wonderful phenomenon. 'By virtue of her asceticism, adhering to truth, devotion to her husband, she may even burn others, but she cannot be burnt'.

As he was thinking so, he heard the words of the great Charanas. "In the Rakshasa palaces extremely fierce fire was spread by Hanuman, a marvelous task has been accomplished".

Crowded with children women and old ones running, the city was loud with wails of Rakshasas, it was as if the city was wailing. "This city of Lanka along with its ramparts and arches is burnt. But Janaki is not burnt. It is surprising and wonderful".

Then with appearance of omens, proofs seen, and the words of sages giving good tidings Hanuman became happy at heart.

Then the Vanara having achieved the cherished goal, knowing that the princess is not burnt, thought of departing after seeing Sita.

Thus ends the Sarga fifty five of Sundarakanda in Ramayana the first poem ever composed in Sanskrit by the first poet sage Valmiki.

||om tat sat||
ततः कपिः प्राप्त मनोरथार्थः
तामक्षतां राजसुतां विदित्वा।
प्रत्यक्षतः तां पुनरेव दृष्ट्वा
प्रतिप्रयाणाय मतिं चकार॥35||
स॥ ततः कपिः प्राप्तमनोरथार्थः तां राजसुतां अक्षतां विदित्वा तां पुनरेव प्रत्यक्षतः दृष्ट्वा प्रतिप्रयाणाय मतिं चकार॥
Then the Vanara having achieved the cherished goal, knowing that the princess is not burnt, thought of departing after seeing Sita.
||om tat sat||