Yuddha Kanda · Sarga 113 of 128 · 53 verses
Hanuman Brings Sita the News
So instructed, Hanuman, son of the Wind, enters Lanka honoured by the night-wanderers, takes leave of Vibhishana, and with his permission enters the grove of trees. Coming before Sita with proper courtesy, he sees her without bathing or adornment, anxious like Rohini, joyless at the foot of a tree, surrounded by rakshasis; quietly, bowed and humble, he approaches and salutes her. Seeing mighty Hanuman come, the queen is silent; then, recognising him, she is glad. Seeing her gentle face, Hanuman begins to give Rama’s whole message: Vaidehi, Rama is well, with Sugriva and Lakshmana; his purpose achieved, his enemy slain, the conqueror of foes asks after your welfare. Queen, with Vibhishana’s help, with the monkeys and with Lakshmana, Rama has killed mighty Ravana. I bring you good news, queen, and honour you again: by your power, knower of dharma, Rama has won this great victory in battle. Be at ease, Sita, free from fever; Ravana, the enemy, is killed and Lanka is subdued. Sleepless, holding to the task of winning you back, he has fulfilled his vow by building a bridge across the great ocean. Have no fear, though you are in Ravana’s house: the sovereignty of Lanka has been placed in Vibhishana’s hands. So take heart and trust; you are as if in your own home. And he is coming, overjoyed, eager to see you.
Spoken to so, Sita, her face like the moon, is choked with joy and cannot speak. Hanuman asks: what are you thinking, queen, and why do you not speak to me? Standing firm on the path of dharma, she answers in great joy, her voice choked with tears: hearing this good news of my husband’s victory, I was overcome with joy and could not speak for a moment. Thinking it over, leaper, I see nothing worthy to give you in return for the message you bring; I see nothing on the whole earth, gentle monkey, fit to give for the good news that would make me happy: gold or precious metal or jewels of every kind, or kingship over the three worlds, are not worth these words. Standing before Sita with joined palms, Hanuman answers with joy: such loving words befit only you, blameless one, devoted to your husband’s good and pleasure, longing for his victory. These true and loving words of yours, gentle one, are worth more than heaps of jewels or the kingdom of the gods; I have truly gained the kingdom of the gods and every good thing, for I see Rama victorious, his enemy slain, well established. Hearing this, Maithili, daughter of Janaka, says still more beautiful words: you alone can speak words so rich in qualities, adorned with sweetness, joined with the eightfold intelligence. You are the praiseworthy, supremely righteous son of the Wind: strength, heroism, learning, courage, valour, the highest skill, energy, patience, steadiness, firmness and humility, these and many other virtues shine in you, without doubt.
Calm and humble, standing before her with joined palms in joy, Hanuman says again: if you permit, I wish to kill all these rakshasis who threatened you before, cruel in form and conduct, with cruel eyes, who tormented you in the Ashoka grove, you whose god is your husband. I heard them here, queen, these deformed rakshasis, speaking harsh words to you again and again at Ravana’s command; deformed, misshapen, cruel, with cruel hair and eyes, very dreadful, speakers of dreadful words. Grant me this boon: I want to strike them down and kill them with fists, kicks, great arms, blows of shins and knees, grinding of teeth, cutting off of ears and noses and tearing out of hair, these who did you wrong; I would kill them with many blows, glorious one, these fierce ones who threatened you before. Pitiful, compassionate to the wretched, Sita thinks and considers and says: who would be angry, best of monkeys, with dependent servant-women who do as they are told under a king’s orders? Through the fault of my ill fortune and my own past misdeeds I have met all this; one reaps what one has done. Do not speak so, mighty-armed one; this is the supreme course of fate. It was settled that I must meet this from the conjunction of my circumstances; weak as I was here, I bear with Ravana’s servants. Ordered by the rakshasa, the rakshasis threatened me; now that he is dead, they do not threaten me, son of the Wind. There is an ancient verse, joined with dharma, sung by a bear in the presence of a tiger; hear it, leaper: a good man does not take on himself the evil of others who do evil; the vow must be kept, for the good are adorned by their conduct. To the wicked or the good, or even to those who deserve death, a noble one must show compassion: there is no one who never does wrong. Even to cruel evildoers who delight in harming the world, even while they do evil, nothing ugly should be done. Hanuman, master of speech, replies to blameless Sita, Rama’s wife: you are a fitting lawful wife for Rama, endowed with virtues. Give me your message, queen; I will go where Raghava is. The Vaidehi, daughter of Janaka, says: I wish to see my husband, who loves those devoted to him. Gladdening Maithili, wise Hanuman says: today you will see Rama, his face like the full moon, with Lakshmana, his friends firm and his enemies slain, as Shachi sees Indra, lord of the gods. Having said this to Sita, who shines like Shri herself, radiant Hanuman goes to where Raghava is, and at once tells Raghava, equal to the best of the gods, the reply of the daughter of the lord of Janaka’s line, in order, as she spoke it.
Press › to begin with verse 1.
इति प्रतिसमादिष्टो हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः । प्रविवेश पुरीं लङ्कां पूज्यमानो निशाचरैः ॥ १ ॥
So instructed, Hanuman, son of the Wind, entered the city of Lanka, honoured by the night-wanderers.
Commentary on the whole sarga
Hanuman Brings Sita the News 1 min read.
Read the commentary
प्रविश्य च पुरीं लङ्कामनुज्ञाप्य विभीषणम् । ततस्तेनाभ्यनुज्ञातो हनूमान् वृक्षवाटिकाम् ॥ २ ॥
Entering the city of Lanka and taking leave of Vibhishana, then, permitted by him, Hanuman, into the grove of trees,
सम्प्रविश्य यथान्यायं सीताया विदितो हरिः । ददर्श मृजया हीनां सातङ्कां रोहिणीमिव ॥ ३ ॥
entering properly, made known to Sita, the monkey saw her without bathing or adornment, anxious, like Rohini,
वृक्षमूले निरानन्दां राक्षसीभिः परीवृताम् । निभृतः प्रणतः प्रह्वः सोऽभिगम्याभिवाद्य च ॥ ४ ॥
joyless at the foot of a tree, surrounded by rakshasis. Quiet, bowed, humble, he approached and saluted her.
दृष्ट्वा तमागतं देवी हनूमन्तं महाबलम् । तूष्णीमास्त तदा दृष्ट्वा स्मृत्वा हृष्टाभवत् तदा ॥ ५ ॥
Seeing mighty Hanuman come, the queen remained silent then; having seen and remembered him, she became glad then.
सौम्यं तस्या मुखं दृष्ट्वा हनूमान् प्लवगोत्तमः । रामस्य वचनं सर्वमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे ॥ ६ ॥
Seeing her gentle face, Hanuman, best of leapers, began to tell all Rama’s words:
वैदेहि कुशली रामः सहसुग्रीवलक्ष्मणः । कुशलं चाह सिद्धार्थो हतशत्रुरमित्रजित् ॥ ७ ॥
“Vaidehi, Rama is well, with Sugriva and Lakshmana; his purpose achieved, his enemy killed, the conqueror of foes asks after your welfare.
विभीषणसहायेन रामेण हरिभिः सह । निहतो रावणो देवि लक्ष्मणेन च वीर्यवान् ॥ ८ ॥
“With Vibhishana as helper, by Rama with the monkeys, and by Lakshmana, the valiant Ravana has been killed, queen.
प्रियमाख्यामि ते देवि भूयश्च त्वां सभाजये । तव प्रभावाद् धर्मज्ञे महान् रामेण संयुगे ॥ ९ ॥
“I tell you good news, queen, and I honour you again: by your power, knower of dharma, this great victory has been won by Rama in battle.
लब्धोऽयं विजयः सीते स्वस्था भव गतज्वरा । रावणश्च हतः शत्रुर्लङ्का चैव वशीकृता ॥ १० ॥
“Be at ease, Sita, free of fever; Ravana the enemy is killed, and Lanka is brought under control.
मया ह्यलब्धनिद्रेण धृतेन तव निर्जये । प्रतिज्ञैषा विनिस्तीर्णा बद्ध्वा सेतुं महोदधौ ॥ ११ ॥
“By me, without sleep, holding to the winning of you back, this vow has been fulfilled by building a bridge across the great ocean.
सम्भ्रमश्च न कर्तव्यो वर्तन्त्या रावणालये । विभीषणविधेयं हि लङ्कैश्वर्यमिदं कृतम् ॥ १२ ॥
“And no alarm need be felt by you, living in Ravana’s dwelling; for this sovereignty of Lanka has been made subject to Vibhishana.
तदाश्वसिहि विस्रब्धं स्वगृहे परिवर्तसे । अयं चाभ्येति संहृष्टस्त्वद्दर्शनसमुत्सुकः ॥ १३ ॥
“So take heart, trusting; you are living in your own home. And he comes, greatly delighted, eager to see you.”
एवमुक्ता तु सा देवी सीता शशिनिभानना । प्रहर्षेणावरुद्धा सा व्याहर्तुं न शशाक ह ॥ १४ ॥
Spoken to so, that queen Sita, with a face like the moon, choked with joy, could not speak.
ततोऽब्रवीद्धरिवरः सीतामप्रतिजल्पतीम् । किं त्वं चिन्तयसे देवि किं च मां नाभिभाषसे ॥ १५ ॥
Then the best of monkeys said to Sita, who did not answer: “What are you thinking, queen, and why do you not speak to me?”
एवमुक्ता हनुमता सीता धर्मपथे स्थिता । अब्रवीत् परमप्रीता बाष्पगद्गदया गिरा ॥ १६ ॥
Spoken to so by Hanuman, Sita, standing on the path of dharma, greatly pleased, spoke in a voice choked with tears:
प्रियमेतदुपश्रुत्य भर्तुर्विजयसंश्रितम् । प्रहर्षवशमापन्ना निर्वाक्यास्मि क्षणान्तरम् ॥ १७ ॥
“Hearing this good news, founded on my husband’s victory, overcome by joy, I was without words for a moment.
नहि पश्यामि सदृशं चिन्तयन्ती प्लवंगम । आख्यानकस्य भवतो दातुं प्रत्यभिनन्दनम् ॥ १८ ॥
“For, thinking, leaper, I do not see anything fitting to give as a return to you, the bearer of the tale.
न हि पश्यामि तत् सौम्य पृथिव्यामपि वानर । सदृशं यत्प्रियाख्याने तव दत्त्वा भवेत् सुखम् ॥ १९ ॥
“For I do not see on earth, gentle monkey, anything fitting, by giving which to you for your good news I might be happy.
हिरण्यं वा सुवर्णं वा रत्नानि विविधानि च । राज्यं वा त्रिषु लोकेषु एतन्नार्हति भाषितम् ॥ २० ॥
“Gold or precious metal, and jewels of many kinds, or kingship in the three worlds: these are not worth this speech.”
एवमुक्तस्तु वैदेह्या प्रत्युवाच प्लवंगमः । प्रगृहीताञ्जलिर्हर्षात् सीतायाः प्रमुखे स्थितः ॥ २१ ॥
Spoken to so by the Vaidehi, the leaper replied, standing before Sita with joined palms from joy:
भर्तुः प्रियहिते युक्ते भर्तुर्विजयकांक्षिणि । स्निग्धमेवंविधं वाक्यं त्वमेवार्हस्यनिन्दिते ॥ २२ ॥
“Devoted to your husband’s pleasure and good, longing for your husband’s victory, only you, blameless one, are fit for such loving words.
तवैतद् वचनं सौम्ये सारवत् स्निग्धमेव च । रत्नौघाद् विविधाच्चापि देवराज्याद् विशिष्यते ॥ २३ ॥
“These words of yours, gentle one, full of substance and loving, surpass a flood of many jewels and even the kingdom of the gods.
अर्थतश्च मया प्राप्ता देवराज्यादयो गुणाः । हतशत्रुं विजयिनं रामं पश्यामि सुस्थितम् ॥ २४ ॥
“And in truth I have gained the virtues of the kingdom of the gods and the rest, since I see Rama victorious, his enemy killed, well established.”
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा मैथिली जनकात्मजा । ततः शुभतरं वाक्यमुवाच पवनात्मजम् ॥ २५ ॥
Hearing those words of his, Maithili, daughter of Janaka, then said still more beautiful words to the son of the Wind:
अतिलक्षणसम्पन्नं माधुर्यगुणभूषणम् । बुद्ध्या ह्यष्टाङ्गया युक्तं त्वमेवार्हसि भाषितुम् ॥ २६ ॥
“Endowed with excellent qualities, adorned with sweetness, joined with the eightfold intelligence: only you can speak so.
श्लाघनीयोऽनिलस्य त्वं सुतः परमधार्मिकः । बलं शौर्यं श्रुतं सत्त्वं विक्रमो दाक्ष्यमुत्तमम् ॥ २७ ॥
“You are the praiseworthy son of the Wind, supremely righteous: strength, heroism, learning, courage, valour, the highest skill,
तेजः क्षमा धृतिः स्थैर्यं विनीतत्वं न संशयः । एते चान्ये च बहवो गुणास्त्वय्येव शोभनाः ॥ २८ ॥
“energy, patience, steadfastness, firmness, humility, without doubt: these and many other virtues shine in you alone.”
अथोवाच पुनः सीतामसम्भ्रान्तो विनीतवत् । प्रगृहीताञ्जलिर्हर्षात् सीतायाः प्रमुखे स्थितः ॥ २९ ॥
Then, unflustered, humble, he spoke again to Sita, standing before Sita with joined palms from joy:
इमास्तु खलु राक्षस्यो यदि त्वमनुमन्यसे । हन्तुमिच्छामि ताः सर्वा याभिस्त्वं तर्जिता पुरा ॥ ३० ॥
“These rakshasis here, if you permit, I wish to kill, all of them, by whom you were threatened before,
क्लिश्यन्तीं पतिदेवां त्वामशोकवनिकां गताम् । घोररूपसमाचाराः क्रूराः क्रूरतरेक्षणाः ॥ ३१ ॥
“tormenting you, whose god is your husband, gone to the Ashoka grove: terrible in form and conduct, cruel, with crueller eyes.
इह श्रुता मया देवि राक्षस्यो विकृताननाः । असकृत्परुषैर्वाक्यैर्वदन्त्यो रावणाज्ञया ॥ ३२ ॥
“Here, queen, I heard these rakshasis with deformed faces speaking to you again and again with harsh words at Ravana’s command.
विकृता विकृताकाराः क्रूराः क्रूरकचेक्षणाः । इच्छामि विविधैर्घातैर्हन्तुमेताः सुदारुणाः ॥ ३३ ॥
“Deformed, of deformed shapes, cruel, with cruel hair and eyes, very dreadful: I wish to kill them with many kinds of blows,
राक्षस्यो दारुणकथा वरमेतत् प्रयच्छ मे । मुष्टिभिः पार्ष्णिघातैश्च विशालैश्चैव बाहुभिः ॥ ३४ ॥
“these rakshasis of dreadful speech; grant me this boon. With fists, with blows of the heel, and with great arms,
जङ्घाजानुप्रहारैश्च दन्तानां चैव पीडनैः । कर्तनैः कर्णनासानां केशानां लुञ्चनैस्तथा ॥ ३५ ॥
“with blows of shins and knees, with grindings of the teeth, with cuttings of ears and noses and pullings of hair,
निपात्य हन्तुमिच्छामि तव विप्रियकारिणीः । एवं प्रहारैर्बहुभिः सम्प्रहार्य यशस्विनि ॥ ३६ ॥
“I wish to strike down and kill those who did you wrong. Having struck them so with many blows, glorious one,
घातये तीव्ररूपाभिर्याभिस्त्वं तर्जिता पुरा । इत्युक्ता सा हनुमता कृपणा दीनवत्सला ॥ ३७ ॥
“I would kill those of fierce form by whom you were threatened before.” Spoken to so by Hanuman, she, pitiful, loving to the wretched,
हनूमन्तमुवाचेदं चिन्तयित्वा विमृश्य च । राजसंश्रयवश्यानां कुर्वतीनां पराज्ञया ॥ ३८ ॥
having thought and considered, said this to Hanuman: “Of those dependent on the support of a king, acting at another’s command,
विधेयानां च दासीनां कः कुप्येद् वानरोत्तम । भाग्यवैषम्यदोषेण पुरस्ताद्दुष्कृतेन च ॥ ३९ ॥
“obedient servant-women, who would be angry, best of monkeys? Through the fault of the unevenness of my fortune, and through misdeeds of the past,
मयैतत् प्राप्यते सर्वं स्वकृतं ह्युपभुज्यते । मैवं वद महाबाहो दैवी ह्येषा परा गतिः ॥ ४० ॥
“all this is met by me; for what one has done oneself is reaped. Do not speak so, mighty-armed one; for this is the supreme course of fate.
प्राप्तव्यं तु दशायोगान्मयैतदिति निश्चितम् । दासीनां रावणस्याहं मर्षयामीह दुर्बला ॥ ४१ ॥
“It was settled that this must be met by me through the conjunction of circumstances; weak as I am, I bear with Ravana’s servants here.
आज्ञप्ता राक्षसेनेह राक्षस्यस्तर्जयन्ति माम् । हते तस्मिन् न कुर्वन्ति तर्जनं मारुतात्मज ॥ ४२ ॥
“Commanded by the rakshasa here, the rakshasis threatened me; now that he is killed, they do not threaten, son of the Wind.
अयं व्याघ्रसमीपे तु पुराणो धर्मसंहितः । ऋक्षेण गीतः श्लोकोऽस्ति तं निबोध प्लवंगम ॥ ४३ ॥
“There is this ancient verse, joined with dharma, sung by a bear near a tiger; learn it, leaper:
न परः पापमादत्ते परेषां पापकर्मणाम् । समयो रक्षितव्यस्तु सन्तश्चारित्रभूषणाः ॥ ४४ ॥
“’One does not take on oneself the evil of others who do evil; the vow must be guarded; the good are adorned by conduct.
पापानां वा शुभानां वा वधार्हाणामथापि वा । कार्यं कारुण्यमार्येण न कश्चिन्नापराध्यति ॥ ४५ ॥
“’To the evil or the good, or even to those who deserve death, compassion must be shown by a noble one; there is no one who does no wrong.
लोकहिंसाविहाराणां क्रूराणां पापकर्मणाम् । कुर्वतामपि पापानि नैव कार्यमशोभनम् ॥ ४६ ॥
“’To the cruel, of evil deeds, who make sport of harming the world, even while they do evil, nothing ugly should be done.’”
एवमुक्तस्तु हनुमान् सीतया वाक्यकोविदः । प्रत्युवाच ततः सीतां रामपत्नीमनिन्दिताम् ॥ ४७ ॥
Spoken to so by Sita, Hanuman, skilled in speech, then replied to Sita, the blameless wife of Rama:
युक्ता रामस्य भवती धर्मपत्नी गुणान्विता । प्रतिसंदिश मां देवि गमिष्ये यत्र राघवः ॥ ४८ ॥
“You are a fitting lawful wife of Rama, endowed with virtues. Give me your message in return, queen; I will go where Raghava is.”
एवमुक्ता हनुमता वैदेही जनकात्मजा । साब्रवीद् द्रष्टुमिच्छामि भर्तारं भक्तवत्सलम् ॥ ४९ ॥
Spoken to so by Hanuman, the Vaidehi, daughter of Janaka, said: “I wish to see my husband, who is loving to his devotees.”
तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः । हर्षयन् मैथिलीं वाक्यमुवाचेदं महामतिः ॥ ५० ॥
Hearing those words of hers, Hanuman, son of the Wind, very wise, gladdening Maithili, said these words:
पूर्णचन्द्रमुखं रामं द्रक्ष्यस्यद्य सलक्ष्मणम् । स्थितमित्रं हतामित्रं शचीवेन्द्रं सुरेश्वरम् ॥ ५१ ॥
“You will see Rama today, with a face like the full moon, with Lakshmana, his friends firm, his enemies killed, as Shachi sees Indra, lord of the gods.”
तामेवमुक्त्वा भ्राजन्तीं सीतां साक्षादिव श्रियम् । आजगाम महातेजा हनूमान् यत्र राघवः ॥ ५२ ॥
Having said this to Sita, shining like Shri herself, radiant Hanuman came to where Raghava was.
सपदि हरिवरस्ततो हनूमान् प्रतिवचनं जनकेश्वरात्मजायाः । कथितमकथयद् यथाक्रमेण त्रिदशवरप्रतिमाय राघवाय ॥ ५३ ॥
Then at once Hanuman, best of monkeys, told Raghava, equal to the best of the thirty gods, the reply spoken by the daughter of the lord of the Janakas, in its order.