Sundara Kanda · Sarga 30 of 68 · 44 verses
Hanuman Weighs How to Speak
Hanuman has heard everything: Sita’s despair, Trijata’s dream, the rakshasis’ threats. He has found the woman thousands of monkeys are searching for, and seen Lanka and Ravana’s power as a good spy should. Now he must comfort her: if he leaves without a word, she may take her life, and if Rama asks what message she sent, he will have nothing to say. But speaking is dangerous.
He thinks it through. If he speaks refined Sanskrit like a brahmana, she may take him for Ravana in disguise and cry out; the rakshasis will come running, call the rakshasa army, and he will have to fight. He could kill thousands, but he might be captured, or too exhausted to recross the ocean, or Sita might be killed in the struggle, and then Rama’s whole purpose would fail, for no other monkey can leap a hundred leagues. Battles are uncertain, and a wise man does not risk a sure thing. A messenger who is confused, or who thinks himself clever, ruins his master’s cause. So he decides: he will speak in the ordinary human tongue, softly, from inside the tree, and begin by praising Rama, so that her mind, fixed on Rama, will not be startled.
Press › to begin with verse 1.
हनुमानपि विक्रान्तः सर्वं शुश्राव तत्त्वतः । सीतायास्त्रिजटायाश्च राक्षसीनां च तर्जितम् ॥ १ ॥
Valiant Hanuman too had heard everything truly: Sita’s words, Trijata’s, and the rakshasis’ threats.
Commentary on the whole sarga
Hanuman Weighs How to Speak 1 min read.
Read the commentary
अवेक्षमाणस्तां देवीं देवतामिव नन्दने । ततो बहुविधां चिन्तां चिन्तयामास वानरः ॥ २ ॥
Looking at that goddess, like a deity in Nandana, the monkey then fell into thought of many kinds:
यां कपीनां सहस्राणि सुबहून्ययुतानि च । दिक्षु सर्वासु मार्गन्ते सेयमासादिता मया ॥ ३ ॥
“She whom many thousands and tens of thousands of monkeys are seeking in every direction: here she is, found by me.
चारेण तु सुयुक्तेन शत्रोः शक्तिमवेक्षता । गूढेन चरता तावदवेक्षितमिदं मया ॥ ४ ॥
“As a well-trained spy, watching the enemy’s strength, moving in secret, I have observed this for now:
राक्षसानां विशेषश्च पुरी चेयं निरीक्षिता । राक्षसाधिपतेरस्य प्रभावो रावणस्य च ॥ ५ ॥
“the rakshasas’ strength in detail, and this city, have been surveyed, and the power of Ravana, lord of the rakshasas.
यथा तस्याप्रमेयस्य सर्वसत्त्वदयावतः । समाश्वासयितुं भार्यां पतिदर्शनकांक्षिणीम् ॥ ६ ॥
“As is fitting for that immeasurable one, compassionate to all beings, to comfort his wife, longing for the sight of her husband,
अहमाश्वासयाम्येनां पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् । अदृष्टदुःखां दुःखस्य न ह्यन्तमधिगच्छतीम् ॥ ७ ॥
“I will comfort her, her face like the full moon, who never knew sorrow before and finds no end to her sorrow.
यदि ह्यहं सतीमेनां शोकोपहतचेतनाम् । अनाश्वास्य गमिष्यामि दोषवद् गमनं भवेत् ॥ ८ ॥
“If I go without comforting this virtuous lady, her mind struck down by grief, my going would be at fault.
गते हि मयि तत्रेयं राजपुत्री यशस्विनी । परित्राणमपश्यन्ती जानकी जीवितं त्यजेत् ॥ ९ ॥
“For once I have gone, this glorious princess Janaki, seeing no rescue, might give up her life.
यथा च स महाबाहुः पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननः । समाश्वासयितुं न्याय्यः सीतादर्शनलालसः ॥ १० ॥
“And as that mighty-armed one, with face like the full moon, longing to see Sita, should rightly be comforted,
निशाचरीणां प्रत्यक्षमक्षमं चाभिभाषितम् । कथं नु खलु कर्तव्यमिदं कृच्छ्रगतो ह्यहम् ॥ ११ ॥
“speaking to her in front of the night-wanderers is not possible. How should this be done? I am in a difficulty.
अनेन रात्रिशेषेण यदि नाश्वास्यते मया । सर्वथा नास्ति संदेहः परित्यक्ष्यति जीवितम् ॥ १२ ॥
“If she is not comforted by me in what remains of this night, there is no doubt at all: she will give up her life.
रामस्तु यदि पृच्छेन्मां किं मां सीताब्रवीद्वचः । किमहं तं प्रतिब्रूयामसम्भाष्य सुमध्यमाम् ॥ १३ ॥
“And if Rama asks me, ‘What did Sita say to me?’, what could I answer him if I have not spoken to the slender-waisted lady?
सीतासंदेशरहितं मामितस्त्वरया गतम् । निर्दहेदपि काकुत्स्थः क्रोधतीव्रेण चक्षुषा ॥ १४ ॥
“If I go from here in haste without a message from Sita, Kakutstha might even burn me with an eye fierce with anger.
यदि वोद्योजयिष्यामि भर्तारं रामकारणात् । व्यर्थमागमनं तस्य ससैन्यस्य भविष्यति ॥ १५ ॥
“And if I urge my master to action for Rama’s sake, his coming here with the army would be in vain.
अन्तरं त्वहमासाद्य राक्षसीनामवस्थितः । शनैराश्वासयाम्यद्य संतापबहुलामिमाम् ॥ १६ ॥
“So, finding an interval when the rakshasis are off guard, I will comfort her slowly today, she who is so full of anguish.
अहं ह्यतितनुश्चैव वानरश्च विशेषतः । वाचं चोदाहरिष्यामि मानुषीमिह संस्कृताम् ॥ १७ ॥
“I am very small, and a monkey besides; and I will speak the human speech here, in refined form.
यदि वाचं प्रदास्यामि द्विजातिरिव संस्कृताम् । रावणं मन्यमाना मां सीता भीता भविष्यति ॥ १८ ॥
“But if I use speech refined like a twice-born’s, Sita will take me for Ravana and be afraid.
अवश्यमेव वक्तव्यं मानुषं वाक्यमर्थवत् । मया सान्त्वयितुं शक्या नान्यथेयमनिन्दिता ॥ १९ ॥
“I must certainly speak human words full of meaning; otherwise this blameless lady cannot be comforted by me.
सेयमालोक्य मे रूपं जानकी भाषितं तथा । रक्षोभिस्त्रासिता पूर्वं भूयस्त्रासमुपैष्यति ॥ २० ॥
“Seeing my form and hearing my speech, Janaki, already frightened by the rakshasas, will be frightened again.
ततो जातपरित्रासा शब्दं कुर्यान्मनस्विनी । जानाना मां विशालाक्षी रावणं कामरूपिणम् ॥ २१ ॥
“Then, terrified, the high-minded, large-eyed lady might cry out, taking me for Ravana, who takes any form he likes.
सीतया च कृते शब्दे सहसा राक्षसीगणः । नानाप्रहरणो घोरः समेयादन्तकोपमः ॥ २२ ॥
“And when Sita cries out, the troop of rakshasis, terrible, with all kinds of weapons, like Death, would suddenly gather.
ततो मां सम्परिक्षिप्य सर्वतो विकृताननाः । वधे च ग्रहणे चैव कुर्युर्यत्नं महाबलाः ॥ २३ ॥
“Then, surrounding me on every side, the mighty ones with hideous faces would try to kill or capture me.
तं मां शाखाः प्रशाखाश्च स्कन्धांश्चोत्तमशाखिनाम् । दृष्ट्वा च परिधावन्तं भवेयुः परिशङ्किताः ॥ २४ ॥
“Seeing me running about among the branches, sub-branches and trunks of these fine trees, they would become suspicious.
मम रूपं च सम्प्रेक्ष्य वने विचरतो महत् । राक्षस्यो भयवित्रस्ता भवेयुर्विकृतस्वराः ॥ २५ ॥
“And seeing my huge form roaming in the grove, the rakshasis, terrified, would scream with harsh voices.
ततः कुर्युः समाह्वानं राक्षस्यो रक्षसामपि । राक्षसेन्द्रनियुक्तानां राक्षसेन्द्रनिवेशने ॥ २६ ॥
“Then the rakshasis would call the rakshasas too, those appointed by the king of the rakshasas in the king’s palace.
ते शूलशरनिस्त्रिंशविविधायुधपाणयः । आपतेयुर्विमर्देऽस्मिन् वेगेनोद्वेगकारणात् ॥ २७ ॥
“They, with spears, arrows, swords and weapons of every kind in their hands, would rush in alarm into this fray.
संरुद्धस्तैस्तु परितो विधमे राक्षसं बलम् । शक्नुयां न तु सम्प्राप्तुं परं पारं महोदधेः ॥ २८ ॥
“Hemmed in on all sides by them, I would scatter the rakshasa army, but might not be able to reach the far shore of the great ocean.
मां वा गृह्णीयुरावृत्य बहवः शीघ्रकारिणः । स्यादियं चागृहीतार्था मम च ग्रहणं भवेत् ॥ २९ ॥
“Or many of them, quick to act, might surround and seize me; and she would not learn my purpose, and I would be captured.
हिंसाभिरुचयो हिंस्युरिमां वा जनकात्मजाम् । विपन्नं स्यात् ततः कार्यं रामसुग्रीवयोरिदम् ॥ ३० ॥
“Or those who delight in violence might kill this daughter of Janaka; then this undertaking of Rama and Sugriva would be ruined.
उद्देशे नष्टमार्गेऽस्मिन् राक्षसैः परिवारिते । सागरेण परिक्षिप्ते गुप्ते वसति जानकी ॥ ३१ ॥
“Janaki lives in a hidden place whose ways are lost, surrounded by rakshasas, encircled by the sea.
विशस्ते वा गृहीते वा रक्षोभिर्मयि संयुगे । नान्यं पश्यामि रामस्य सहायं कार्यसाधने ॥ ३२ ॥
“If I were cut down or captured by the rakshasas in battle, I see no other helper for Rama in carrying out his task.
विमृशंश्च न पश्यामि यो हते मयि वानरः । शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं लङ्घयेत महोदधिम् ॥ ३३ ॥
“Considering, I see no monkey who, if I were killed, could leap across the great ocean, a hundred leagues wide.
कामं हन्तुं समर्थोऽस्मि सहस्राण्यपि रक्षसाम् । न तु शक्ष्याम्यहं प्राप्तुं परं पारं महोदधेः ॥ ३४ ॥
“I can certainly kill even thousands of rakshasas; but I might not be able to reach the far shore of the great ocean.
असत्यानि च युद्धानि संशयो मे न रोचते । कश्च निःसंशयं कार्यं कुर्यात्प्राज्ञः ससंशयम् ॥ ३५ ॥
“Battles are uncertain, and I do not like doubt. What wise man would do with doubt a task that can be done without doubt?
एष दोषो महान् हि स्यान्मम सीताभिभाषणे । प्राणत्यागश्च वैदेह्या भवेदनभिभाषणे ॥ ३६ ॥
“There would be this great fault in my speaking to Sita; and if I do not speak to her, Vaidehi may give up her life.
भूताश्चार्था विरुध्यन्त देशकालविरोधिताः । विक्लवं दूतमासाद्य तमः सूर्योदये यथा ॥ ३७ ॥
“Even achieved ends fall apart when they run against place and time, coming into the hands of a confused messenger, as darkness does at sunrise.
अर्थानर्थान्तरे बुद्धिर्निश्चितापि न शोभते । घातयन्ति हि कार्याणि दूताः पण्डितमानिनः ॥ ३८ ॥
“Between what serves the purpose and what does not, even a settled judgement does not shine; messengers who think themselves clever destroy the task.
न विनश्येत् कथं कार्यं वैक्लव्यं न कथं मम । लङ्घनं च समुद्रस्य कथं नु न वृथा भवेत् ॥ ३९ ॥
“How may the task not be lost? How may I not be confused? How may the leap across the ocean not be in vain?
कथं नु खलु वाक्यं मे शृणुयान्नोद्विजेत च । इति संचिन्त्य हनुमांश्चकार मतिमान् मतिम् ॥ ४० ॥
“How might she hear my words and not be alarmed?” Having thought it over so, wise Hanuman made up his mind:
राममक्लिष्टकर्माणं सुबन्धुमनुकीर्तयन् । नैनामुद्वेजयिष्यामि तद्बन्धुगतचेतनाम् ॥ ४१ ॥
“Telling the praises of Rama, unwearied in action, her good kinsman, I will not alarm her, her mind fixed on her kinsman.
इक्ष्वाकूणां वरिष्ठस्य रामस्य विदितात्मनः । शुभानि धर्मयुक्तानि वचनानि समर्पयन् ॥ ४२ ॥
“Offering auspicious words, full of dharma, of Rama, best of the Ikshvakus, who knows himself,
श्रावयिष्यामि सर्वाणि मधुरां प्रब्रुवन् गिरम् । श्रद्धास्यति यथा सीता तथा सर्वं समादधे ॥ ४३ ॥
“I will let her hear them all, speaking in a sweet voice; I will arrange everything so that Sita will believe.”
इति स बहुविधं महाप्रभावो जगतिपतेः प्रमदामवेक्षमाणः । मधुरमवितथं जगाद वाक्यं द्रुमविटपान्तरमास्थितो हनूमान् ॥ ४४ ॥
So, gazing in many ways at the beloved wife of the lord of the earth, Hanuman of great power, sitting among the branches of the tree, spoke sweet and true words.