Sundara Kanda · Sarga 50 of 68 · 19 verses
“I Am Rama’s Messenger”
Looking at the tawny-eyed monkey standing before him, Ravana, filled with rage and suspicion, wonders: could this be Nandi himself, who cursed him long ago on Kailasa when Ravana laughed at him, now in the shape of a monkey? Or the asura Bana? He orders Prahasta to question the wretch: where is he from, why did he break the grove and threaten the rakshasas, why did he enter this unassailable city?
Prahasta tells Hanuman not to be afraid: if he was sent by Indra, Kubera, Yama, Varuna or Vishnu, disguised as a monkey, let him tell the truth and he will be freed; his splendour is not a monkey’s, only his form. If he lies, he will not live. Hanuman answers Ravana directly: he was not sent by Indra, Yama or Varuna, is no friend of Kubera’s, and was not sent by Vishnu. He really is a monkey. He destroyed the grove only to get to see the king of the rakshasas, which would otherwise have been impossible; he fought the rakshasas who came for him to protect his own body. No weapon can bind him, by a boon from Brahma; he allowed himself to be bound because he wanted to see the king, and though he has since been freed from the weapon, he let the rakshasas bring him here. “I have come to you on Rama’s business. Know that I am the messenger of Raghava of boundless might, and listen, lord, to my words for your good.”
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तमुद्वीक्ष्य महाबाहुः पिङ्गाक्षं पुरतः स्थितम् । रोषेण महताऽऽविष्टो रावणो लोकरावणः ॥ १ ॥
Looking at that tawny-eyed, mighty-armed one standing before him, Ravana, who makes the worlds cry out, was filled with great anger.
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शङ्काहतात्मा दध्यौ स कपीन्द्रं तेजसा वृतम् । किमेष भगवान् नन्दी भवेत् साक्षादिहागतः ॥ २ ॥
His mind struck by suspicion, he looked at the lord of monkeys, wrapped in splendour: “Could this be the blessed Nandi himself, come here,
येन शप्तोऽस्मि कैलासे मया प्रहसिते पुरा । सोऽयं वानरमूर्तिः स्यात्किंस्विद् बाणोऽपि वासुरः ॥ ३ ॥
“by whom I was cursed on Kailasa long ago when I laughed? Could he be in the form of a monkey? Or is he even the asura Bana?”
स राजा रोषताम्राक्षः प्रहस्तं मन्त्रिसत्तमम् । कालयुक्तमुवाचेदं वचो विपुलमर्थवत् ॥ ४ ॥
That king, his eyes copper with rage, spoke these weighty, timely words to Prahasta, best of ministers:
दुरात्मा पृच्छ्यतामेष कुतः किं वास्य कारणम् । वनभङ्गे च कोऽस्यार्थो राक्षसानां च तर्जने ॥ ५ ॥
“Let this wicked one be asked where he is from and what his purpose is, what he meant by breaking the grove and threatening the rakshasas.
मत्पुरीमप्रधृष्यां वै गमने किं प्रयोजनम् । आयोधने वा कं कार्यं पृच्छ्यतामेष दुर्मतिः ॥ ६ ॥
“What was the purpose of coming into my unassailable city? Or what was his aim in fighting? Let this evil-minded one be asked.”
रावणस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्तो वाक्यमब्रवीत् । समाश्वसिहि भद्रं ते न भीः कार्या त्वया कपे ॥ ७ ॥
Hearing Ravana’s words, Prahasta said: “Take heart, bless you; you need have no fear, monkey.
यदि तावत् त्वमिन्द्रेण प्रेषितो रावणालयम् । तत्त्वमाख्याहि मा ते भूद् भयं वानर मोक्ष्यसे ॥ ८ ॥
“If you were sent to Ravana’s dwelling by Indra, tell the truth; do not be afraid, monkey; you will be freed.
यदि वैश्रवणस्य त्वं यमस्य वरुणस्य च । चारुरूपमिदं कृत्वा प्रविष्टो नः पुरीमिमाम् ॥ ९ ॥
“If you are a spy of Vaishravana, of Yama or of Varuna, and have taken this lovely form to enter this city of ours,
विष्णुना प्रेषितो वापि दूतो विजयकाङ्क्षिणा । नहि ते वानरं तेजो रूपमात्रं तु वानरम् ॥ १० ॥
“or a messenger sent by Vishnu, who wants victory: your splendour is not a monkey’s; only your form is a monkey’s.
तत्त्वतः कथयस्वाद्य ततो वानर मोक्ष्यसे । अनृतं वदतश्चापि दुर्लभं तव जीवितम् ॥ ११ ॥
“Tell the truth now, and then you will be freed, monkey. If you speak falsely, your life will be hard to keep.
अथवा यन्निमित्तस्ते प्रवेशो रावणालये । एवमुक्तो हरिवरस्तदा रक्षोगणेश्वरम् ॥ १२ ॥
“Or tell why you have entered Ravana’s dwelling.” Spoken to so, the best of monkeys then said to the lord of the rakshasa hosts:
अब्रवीन्नास्मि शक्रस्य यमस्य वरुणस्य च । धनदेन न मे सख्यं विष्णुना नास्मि चोदितः ॥ १३ ॥
“I am not from Shakra, Yama or Varuna; I have no friendship with Kubera, and I was not sent by Vishnu.
जातिरेव मम त्वेषा वानरोऽहमिहागतः । दर्शने राक्षसेन्द्रस्य तदिदं दुर्लभं मया ॥ १४ ॥
“This is my real kind: I am a monkey who has come here. Seeing the king of the rakshasas was hard for me to manage,
वनं राक्षसराजस्य दर्शनार्थं विनाशितम् । ततस्ते राक्षसाः प्राप्ता बलिनो युद्धकाङ्क्षिणः ॥ १५ ॥
“so I destroyed the grove of the king of the rakshasas in order to see him. Then those mighty rakshasas came, eager for battle,
रक्षणार्थं च देहस्य प्रतियुद्धा मया रणे । अस्त्रपाशैर्न शक्योऽहं बद्धुं देवासुरैरपि ॥ १६ ॥
“and I fought them in battle to protect my body. I cannot be bound by weapon-nooses, even by gods and asuras;
पितामहादेष वरो ममापि हि समागतः । राजानं द्रष्टुकामेन मयास्त्रमनुवर्तितम् ॥ १७ ॥
“for I too received this boon from the Grandsire. Wanting to see the king, I submitted to the weapon.
विमुक्तोऽप्यहमस्त्रेण राक्षसैस्त्वभिवेदितः । केनचिद् रामकार्येण आगतोऽस्मि तवान्तिकम् ॥ १८ ॥
“Though freed from the weapon, I was brought before you by the rakshasas. I have come into your presence on some business of Rama’s.
दूतोऽहमिति विज्ञाय राघवस्यामितौजसः । श्रूयतामेव वचनं मम पथ्यमिदं प्रभो ॥ १९ ॥
“Knowing that I am the messenger of Raghava of boundless might, hear these words of mine for your good, lord.”