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|| om tat sat||
Sundarakanda
Sarga 8
atha aṣṭamassargaḥ

Hanuman in his search for Sita, having moved from the entrance to various buildings,having jumped across the mansions of many Rakshasas,
reaches the palace complex of the king .

In the center of that complex, Hanuman sees a wonderful aerial vehicle called Pushpaka, which was decorated with rubies sapphires and diamonds. Its windows were made of gold. An incomparable one made by the celestial architect Viswakarma. It was shining like the blazing path of Sun,on the way to the world of Gods. There was nothing in that which did not require a special effort. There was nothing in that which was not decorated with celestial sapphires. There was nothing in that which is not special in some way. Indeed one cannot say firmly that what ever was there, was indeed there in the world of Gods. It was so unique. That aerial car was acquired with great effort of penance and great valor. That aerial car moves according to the wishes of the mind. That aerial car was built with many many special parts. The aerial car is wonderful look at with all special features.The aerial car moves as if following the dictates of the mind and moves far too. That aerial car goes with the speeds equal to that of the wind. That aerial car is like a temple for the great souls, people who acquired many merits and those delighted many fold.

The aerial car decorated with the springtime flowers was looking beautiful. It was looking more beautiful than the spring itself. Hanuman saw that aerial car Pushpaka, in the palace complex of the Rakshasa king.

That is the summary of the eighth Sarga. Thus poet Valmiki described the beautiful aerial car Pushpaka in very beautiful verses.

 

||Sloka 8.01||

sa tasya madhyē bhavanasya saṁsthitam
mahadvimānaṁ maṇivajracitritam|
pratapta jāmbūnadajālakr̥trimam
dadarśa vīraḥ pavanātmajaḥ kapiḥ||8.01||

sa|| vīraḥ pavanātmajaḥ kapiḥ bhavanasya tasya madhyē saṁsthitaṁ mahat vimānaṁ dadarśa| tat vimānaṁ maṇivajracitritaṁ pratapta jāmbūnadajālakr̥trimam api (asti)|

||Sloka meanings||

vīraḥ pavanātmajaḥ kapiḥ - Vanara, the mighty son of wind god
bhavanasya tasya madhyē saṁsthitaṁ -
stationed in the middle of that palace complex
mahat vimānaṁ dadarśa -
saw the great Arial vehicle
tat vimānaṁ maṇivajracitritaṁ -
That arial car was crafted with gems and pearls
pratapta jāmbūnadajālakr̥trimam api -
adorned with latticed windows of gold.

||Sloka summary||

"That mighty son of wind god Vayu saw the great aerial car stationed in the middle of that palace. The aerial car was rendered beautiful with gems and diamonds and was adorned with latticed windows of gold." ||8.01||

||Sloka 8.02||

tadapramēyāpratīkārakr̥trimam
kr̥taṁ svayaṁ sādhviti viśvakarmaṇā|
divaṁ gataṁ vāyupathapratiṣṭitam
vyarājatā''ditya pathasya lakṣmavat|| 8.02||

sa|| tat apramēya apratīkārakr̥trimam (vimānaṁ ) svayaṁ viśvakarmaṇā sādhu kr̥taṁ iti |(tat vimānaṁ) divaṁ gataṁ vāyu pathē pratiṣṭhitam āditya pathasya lakṣmavat vyarājata||

||Sloka meanings||

tat apramēya apratīkārakr̥trimam (vimānaṁ )-
w of incomparable beauty and immeasurable skill
svayaṁ viśvakarmaṇā sādhu kr̥taṁ iti -
built by Viswakarma ( the divine architect) himself
divaṁ gataṁ vāyu pathē pratiṣṭhitam -
aerial car placed in the aerial path
divilōkamunaku pōvu ākāśamārgamu lō
āditya pathasya lakṣmavat vyarājata -
in the orbit of Sun shone like a beacon light..||

||Sloka summary||

"That aerial car with images of incomparable beauty and immeasurable skill was built by Viswakarma ( the divine architect) himself. That aerial car which was placed in the aerial path in the orbit of Sun shone like a beacon light." ||8.02||

||Sloka 8.03||

natatra kiṁcinnakr̥taṁ prayatnatō
na tatrakiṁcinnamahārharatnavat|
na tē viśēṣā niyatā ssurēṣvapi
na tatra kiṁcinna mahāviśēṣavat|| 8.03||

sa|| tatra kiṁcidapi prayatnataḥ na kr̥taṁ nāsti| tatra na maharharatnavat kiṁcidapi nāsti| tē viśēṣāḥ surēṣvapi na niyatāḥ | tatra na mahāviśēṣavat kiṁcdapi nāsti|

||Sloka meanings||

tatra kiṁcidapi prayatnataḥ na kr̥taṁ nāsti -
nothing in that chariot that was executed without special care and effort.
tatra na maharharatnavat kiṁcidapi nāsti -
nothing in that that was made without costly gems.
tē viśēṣāḥ surēṣvapi na niyatāḥ
- Those unique things were not available even to gods
tatra na mahāviśēṣavat kiṁcdapi nāsti-
nothing in that which was not unique.

||Sloka summary||

"There was nothing in that chariot that was executed without special care and effort. There was nothing in that that was not made with costly gems. Those unique things were not available even to gods. There is nothing in that which was not unique." ||8.03||

||Sloka 8.04||

tapaḥ samādhānaparākramārjitam
manaḥ samādhānavicāracāriṇam|
anēkasaṁsthāna viśēṣanirmitam
tatastatastulya viśēṣadarśanam|| 8.04||

sa|| tat vimānaṁ tapaḥ samādhānaparākramārjitam| tat vimānaṁ manaḥ samādhānavicāra cāriṇam| tat vimānaṁ anēka saṁsthāna viśēṣanirmitam | tataḥ tataḥ tulyaviśēṣa darśanam||

||Sloka meanings||

tapaḥ samādhānaparākramārjitam -
acquired through special efforts of penance and prowess
manaḥ samādhānavicāracāriṇam -
go to desired places even by a thought (of its master)
anēkasaṁsthāna viśēṣanirmitam -
is built with many special seats
tatastatastulya viśēṣadarśanam-
of wonderful appearance at all places.

||Sloka summary||

"That aerial car was acquired through special efforts of penance and prowess. It can go to desired places even by a thought (of its master). It is built with many special seats. It is of wonderful appearance at all places." || 8.04||

||Sloka 8.05||

manaḥ samādhāyatu śīghragāminaṁ
durāvaraṁ mārutatulyagāminaṁ|
mahātmanāṁ puṇyakr̥tāṁ mahardhināṁ
yaśasvinā agryamudāmivālayaṁ||8.05||

||Sloka meanings||

manaḥ samādhāyatu śīghragāminaṁ-
moving speedily in respinse to the thoughts of the Master
durāvaraṁ mārutatulyagāminaṁ -
impossible to stop and able to move with the speed of Vayu
mahātmanāṁ puṇyakr̥tāṁ mahardhināṁ -
pious , valorous, very rich ones
yaśasvinā agryamudāmivālayaṁ -
like a temple for people with lot of fame, people with unbounded happiness etc

||Sloka summary||

"Moving speedily in respinse to the thoughts of the Master, impossible to overcome, and able to move with the speed of air, it( teh arial vehicle) is like a temple of pious, valorous, very rich ones, people with lot of fame, people with unbounded happiness etc." ||8.05||

||Sloka 8.06||

viśēṣamālambya viśēṣa saṁsthitam
vicitrakūṭaṁ bahukūṭamaṇḍitam|
manō'bhirāmaṁ śaradindu nirmalam
vicitrakūṭaṁ śikharaṁ girēryathā ||8.06||

sa|| tat vimānaṁ viśēṣaṁ ālaṁbyaviśēṣa saṁsthitaṁ| tat vimānaṁ vicitrakūṭaṁ bahukūṭamaṁḍitam asti| nirmalaṁ śarad indu iva manōbhirāmaṁ| girē śikharaṁ yathā vicitrakūṭaṁ (api asti)|

||Sloka meanings||

tat vimānaṁ viśēṣaṁ ālaṁbyaviśēṣa saṁsthitaṁ-
That aerial car was specially designed in a unique manner.
tat vimānaṁ vicitrakūṭaṁ bahukūṭamaṁḍitam asti -
It had many wonderful towers
nirmalaṁ śarad indu iva manōbhirāmaṁ -
Like the autumnal full moon it was pleasing to the heart.
vicitrakūṭaṁ śikharaṁ girēryathā -
With many wonderful towers, it is like a mountain with many peaks

||Sloka summary||

"That aerial car was specially designed in a unique manner. It had many wonderful towers. Like the autumnal full moon it was pleasing to the heart. With many wonderful towers, it is like a mountain with many peaks." ||8.06||

||Sloka 8.07||

vahaṁti yaṁ kuṇḍalaśōbhitānanāḥ
mahāśanā vyōmacarā niśācarāḥ |
vivr̥ta vidhvastaviśālalōcanāḥ
mahājavā bhūtagaṇāḥ sahasraśaḥ||8.07||

sa|| yaṁ ( vimānaṁ) sahasraḥ kuṇḍalaśōbhitānanaḥ mahāśanāḥ vyōmacarāḥ niśācarāḥ vivr̥ta vidhvasta viśāla lōcanāḥ mahājavāḥ bhūtagaṇāḥ vahaṁti||

||Sloka meanings||

sahasraḥ bhūtagaṇāḥ kuṇḍalaśōbhitānanaḥ -
thousands of groups of beings who have faces brightened by earrings,
mahāśanāḥ vyōmacarāḥ niśācarāḥ -
who are gluttons, who are ranging in the sky, who are night birds,
vivr̥ta vidhvasta viśāla lōcanāḥ -
who are with big rolling and frightening eyes
mahājavāḥ bhūtagaṇāḥ vahaṁti-
those who have tremendous speed ,

||Sloka summary||

"That aerial car was borne by thousands of groups of Bhuthas who have faces brightened by earrings, who are gluttons, who are ranging in the sky, who are night birds, who are with big rolling and frightening eyes as well as those who have tremendous strength". ||8.07||

||Sloka 8.08||

vasantapuṣkōtkaracārudarśanam
vasantamāsādapi kānta darśanam|
sa puṣpakaṁ tatra vimānamuttamam
dadarśa tadvānaravīrasattamaḥ||8.08||

sa|| tat vānara sattamaḥ tat uttamaṁ puṣpakaṁ vimānaṁ dadarśa | vasaṁtapuṣkōttaracārudarśanaṁ taṁ vimānaṁ dadarśa| vasaṁta māsādapi kānta darśanam taṁ vimānaṁ dadarśa|

||Sloka meanings||

tat vānara sattamaḥ - the best of Vanaras
tat uttamaṁ puṣpakaṁ vimānaṁ dadarśa -
saw the best of aerial cars namely Pushpaka
vasaṁtapuṣkōttaracārudarśanaṁ -
looking beautiful like a collection of blossoms of the spring
vasaṁta māsādapi kānta darśanam
appearing more beautiful than the spring itself.

||Sloka summary||

"That best of Vanaras saw the best of aerial cars namely Pushpaka. The aerial car was looking beautiful like a collection of blossoms of the spring. It was appearing more beautiful than the spring itself." ||8.08||

Thus ends the description of the Arial car Pushpaka in the eighth Sarga. Here poet Valmiki described the beautiful aerial car Pushpaka in very beautiful verses.

Appalacaryulu garu in his commentary finds the thread of search for Self in this Sarga also.

The search for Sita takes Hanuma through many layers of Lanka. He moved from the gates of Lanksto inner palaces. He is yet to find Sita. That the search for 'Self' not reached the goal is clear. Where is 'Self'?

Upanishads talk about how one goes about the search for Self. Upanishads talk about Self as hidden within five sheaths or " Pancha Kosa" These five are Annamaya Kosa, Pranamaya kosa, Manomaya Kosa, Vijnanamaya Kosa, and Anandmaya Kosa.

Annamaya Kosa is the gross physical sheath. Dependent on food it exists as along as it can assimilate food. Its existence is transitory not seen prior to birth nor after death.It is not the Self.

Pranamaya Kosa is the sheath of vital force ( Prana). This is finer than the physical sheath. And it impels the physical sheath for action.
This itself is five vital airs. Enters the body after conception and leaves after death. Insentient and limited object,it cannot be Self the all seeing witness.

Manomaya Kosa is a finer sheath than the Prana. It has the feelings of 'I' and 'you'. Seed bed of desires , impels the senses to act.Stained by passion it creates bondage. Subject to change and is characterized by pain and pleasure. It cannot be the Self. Jnynamaya Kosa , the sheath of intelligence or Buddhi. Insentient by nature, appears intelligent or conscious. It reflects chit or pure Intelligence. This reflection of pure consciousness in buddhi is called Jiva. Self identifying itself with Buddhi experiences misery and happiness. Self identifying itself with Jiva is due to ignorance. It is not Self.

Anandmaya Kosa is the sheath of Bliss. The chief features of this sheath are pleasure and rest. The pleasure comes when in contact with agreeable objects. The full manifestation of Sheath of Bliss is experienced in deep sleep.

These sheaths are not the real coverings of Self. Self shines through all the layers. It is the ignorance that makes one identify Self with one or the other sheaths. That is what is stated in Upanishads.

Appalacharyulu garu says as Hanuman moves from one complex of palaces to another in the search for Sita,the thought that strikes one is about the search for "Self". Specifically the search for 'Self" through the 'Pancha Kosas".

Valmiki in his description of Hanuman's search says "asasādātha lakṣmīvān rākṣasēndranivēśanam" - "Hanuman entered the Rakshasa kings palace complex"; This is repeated at three different times. It appears at 6.2, 6.28 and 9.4 After such entrances Valmiki proceeds with esoteric descriptions . In all those three places Sita was not there. So those three complexes represent the three sheaths in the search for Self, Namely the Annamaya Kosa, Pranamaya Kosa and the Manomaya kosa. The complex he enters at the end of fifth and beginning of sixth Sarga as Annamaya Kosa, Then he enters the palace complex having Pushpaka. The description "divaṁ gataṁ vāyupatha pratiṣṭhitaṁ" gives the hint to vital airs,
and reminds one of Pranamaya Kosa, the second sheath. The search in the eighth Sarga is symbolic of search in the Pranamaya Kosa.

We hear that statement again in the beginning of Sarga nine, That is while entering Ravana's sleeping quarters.The Ravana sleeping quarters is like "Manomaya Kosa". Why? We have already read in the first Sarga about Ravana. "asat pralāpān rāvayati iti rāvaṇaḥ" Because he makes one think of "ego"use egoistic words, he is called Ravana. The one that makes us think of those egoistic words is our ever flickering mind.
Ravan is the identification of that "ever flickering mind" Thus the Ravana's sleeping chamber is the "Manomaya kosa" The third sheath.

ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē ādikāvyē vālmīkīyē
caturviṁśat sahasrikāyāṁ saṁhitāyām
śrīmatsuṁdarakāṁḍē aṣṭamassargaḥ||

Thus ends the eighth Sarga of Sundarakanda in Ramayana, the first ever poem of mankind composed by Maharshi Valmiki.
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|| om tat sat||