||om tat sat||

Sundarakand
Sarga 18

Tattvadipika
Search Through a night

By the time Hanuma comes out of his doubts,
and confirms for himself that
the emaciated lady he saw is Sita,
the poet says

"किंचित् शेषा निशाभवत्"

meaning there by that "only a very little part of the night is left.

In the night with darkness covering everything,
when the objects could not be seen with clarity,
part of the night was left.

Appalacharyulu garu says,
that night is also the story of a life time. .

Night is the time with darkness enveloping every object ,
and the object is not seen clearly.
It is like ignorance covering true "Self" making it invisible.

When Ignorance does cover the mind,
and makes the "Self" invisible,
the discovery of "self" may not happen for many a life time.

After many a life time
one may feel inclined towards Bhagavan on his own
or under the tutelage of a teacher.
Then his heart may hanker after the Bhagavan.

We hear the same thing in Gita
"बहूनां जन्मनां अंते.." (भग 7-03,20).
After the end of many a lifetime,
by the grace of god one may acquire a Teacher of knowledge.

In that association with that teacher ,
the preponderance of Rajo Tamo gunas is destroyed
and the Satvic nature is enhanced or developed.

The brilliance of the moon lit night is that Satvic nature.
Then Sadhaka is on his search.
Teacher too searches for his disciple.
When this happens that is seen as a life time.

The life cycle of Sadhaka parallels Hanuma's search.

There are some more thoughts.
Sadhaka with a burning desire for realization continues his search.
Sita shows how one in separation with a burning desire may act.

In that state of separation from the Supreme being
there is a struggle between the mind covered by ignorance and the "Self",
Unless one stands firm and has the blessings of a teacher,
one may not attain that realization of Self.

In the process of a guru accepting a Sadhaka too,
the determination of the Sadhaka is tested.
Only then Sadhaka is accepted.

The dialogue of Ravana and Sita is like the
the struggle between the mind covered by ignorance and the "Self",
After those fiery dialogs of Ravana and Sita,
where in Sita stands her ground ,
then only we see Hanuma talking to Sita

Now the Night is over.
The Search for Sita has been completed.
The story forward has some more thoughts.

Now we see what happened in the18th Sarga briefly .

At the end of the night in the early morning hours of the day
Hanuman heard sound of Vedas from those Brahmins among Rakshasas
who are experts in the Vedas and the six auxiliary parts there of .

Then the delightful sounds of auspicious musical instruments,
awakened Ravana the powerful ten headed one with powerful arms.

Waking up as per time with disarranged garlands and garments,
the valorous king of Rakshasas thought about Vaidehi.
Gripped by his exceedingly high passion for Vaidehi ,
and overwhelmed with that passion
the Rakshasa could not hide his passion within himself.

Adorned with all excellent ornaments glowing with splendor,
he went to that Ashoka grove full of trees filled with all kinds of flowers and fruits.
He entered the Ashoka grove observing path ways, gateways ornamented with gold and gems.
The grove was occupied by several wolves,
filled with variety of herds of animals.
Fruits fallen from the trees can be seen every where.

That wandering son of Pulastya was followed by hundred women,
like Indra was followed by Deva Gandharva women.
There some women carried golden lamps.
Others carried palm leaf fans.
Some others held fans made of hair from Yak's tail.
Some carried water in golden pitchers in the front.
Others in the back carried circular seats as they moved.
One courteous woman carried a gem studded jar filled with wine.
Another carried a umbrella with golden handle resembling a royal swan and bright like a full moon.

With eyes dizzy with intoxication and sleep
Ravana's wives followed the heroic husband.
Like the lightning following the dark clouds,
his wives followed him with disarrayed necklaces ,
and smudged sandal paste and other unguents on the body.

Ravana was followed by his wives adorned with beautiful flowers in their hair,
with garlands of wilted flowers due to sweat from their limbs,
moving to and fro, being dizzy with left over intoxication as well as due to left over sleep.

Their husband, the powerful and dull Ravana
who is under the control of passion,
with a mind full of thoughts on Sita walked slowly.

Then the son of wind god that Vanara heard
the sounds of golden girdles and small bells of anklets.

The Vanara Hanuman who performs incomparable deeds
saw the hero of unimaginable strength and valor at the entrance.

Ravana was shining in the glow of fragrant oil lamps
held in the front by many every where.
Endowed with lust pride and intoxication,
possessed of long hot red eyes with his quiver and arrows set aside,
he looked like Manmatha himself.
Without any dust, looking like foam of the churned nectar,
the upper cloth which was stuck in his armlet was sportively dragged.

Hidden in the leaves on the branch covered with leaves and flowers
Hanuman looked at the identity of the one coming nearer.
Then the best of Vanaras looking carefully saw
the Ravana's chief women who are young and beautiful.
The famous king surrounded by beautiful charming women entered the grove
A grove meant for women which echoed with sounds of beasts and birds.
The very powerful son of Visravasa, the king of Rakshasas
excited by drinking, wearing wonderful ornaments,
with long tapering ears, was seen by Hanuma.

the brilliant Hanuman saw that splendid king of Rakshasas
Surrounded by best of women,
looking like the Moon surrounded by stars, .

The powerful Hanuman, the son of wind god ,
thinking that "this one with strong arms is Ravana" came down a little as though to have a peek.
Hanuman , possessor of extraordinary strength
was taken aback by the might of Ravana.
Concealed deep in the leaves he remained there.

||ओम् तत् सत्||

||om tat sat||
|| This is what we understood from Tattva Dipika of Shri Bhashyam, Appalacharyulu garu"||
|| om tat sat||