सुन्दर-काण्ड > सीताजी का हनुमान पे संदेह



Hearing the words of the grief-stricken Seetha, Hanuma reveals himself to be a messenger of Rama and repeats the enquiries made by Rama, Lakshmana and Sugreeva. Seetha, however, suspects Hanuma to be Ravana in disguise and chides him when Hanuma approaches nearer to her. Seetha then asks Hanuma to describe the good qualities of Rama. Hanuma on his part discloses to her his actuality as a minister of Sugreeva and tells the important qualities of Rama. He requests her to have faith in his words.

तस्याः तत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा हनूमान् हरि यूथपः |
दुह्खात् दुह्ख अभिभूतायाः सान्तम् उत्तरम् अब्रवीत् || ५-३४-१
Hearing those words of Seetha who was overthrown from one grief to another, Hanuma the best of monkeys gave the following reply in a kindly and affectionate manner.
अहम् रामस्य संदेशात् देवि दूतः तव आगतः |
वैदेहि कुशली रामः त्वाम् च कौशलम् अब्रवीत् || ५-३४-२
"O Seetha the daughter of the king of Videha Kingdom! I have come here as your messenger on Rama's directions. The virtuous Rama enquired about your welfare too."
यो ब्राह्मम् अस्त्रम् वेदान् च वेद वेदविदाम् वरः |
स त्वाम् दाशरथी रामो देवि कौशलम् अब्रवीत् || ५-३४-३
"O Divine Lady! Rama the son of Dasaratha, who is excellent among the knowers of Veda and who knows Brahma's missile (a mythical weapon which deals infallible destruction) and Vedas the sacred knowledge, enquired about your welfare."
लक्ष्मणः च महातेजा भर्तुः ते अनुचरः प्रियः |
कृतवान् शोक सम्तप्तः शिरसा ते अभिवादनम् || ५-३४-४
"Also the greatly splendourous Lakshmana, the favourite brother and the follower of your husband, himself tormented with grief, performed salutation to you by bowing his head."
सा तयोः कुशलम् देवी निशम्य नर सिम्हयोः |
प्रीति सम्हृष्ट सर्व अन्गी हनूमान्तम् अथ अब्रवीत् || ५-३४-५
Hearing that news of welfare of Rama and Lakshmana the excellent of men, the divine lady, with all her limbs thrilled with joy, spoke to Hanuma (as follows):
कल्याणी बत गथा इयम् लौकिकी प्रतिभाति मे |
एहि जीवन्तम् आनदो नरम् वर्ष शतात् अपि || ५-३४-६
" 'Joy rushes to surviving man even though (it be) as the end of a hundred years' - this popular adage appears true and and auspicious for me."
तयोः समागमे तस्मिन् प्रीतिः उत्पादिता अद्भुता |
परस्परेण च आलापम् विश्वस्तौ तौ प्रचक्रतुः || ५-३४-७
Seetha showed wonderful friendly disposition towards Hanuma who approached her. Both of them also conversed with each other in full confidence.
तस्याः तत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा हनूमान् हरि यूथपः |
सीतायाः शोक दीनायाः समीपम् उपचक्रमे || ५-३४-८
Hearing that reply of Seetha who was afflicted with grief, Hanuma the army-chief of monkeys endeavoured to draw nearer to her.
यथा यथा समीपम् स हनूमान् उपसर्पति |
तथा तथा रावणम् सा तम् सीता परिशन्कते || ५-३४-९
In as much as that Hanuma drew nearer to her, in the same way, that Seetha suspected him as Ravana.
अहो धिग् धिग् कृतम् इदम् कथितम् हि यत् अस्य मे |
रूप अन्तरम् उपागम्य स एव अयम् हि रावणः || ५-३४-१०
"O shame! It was my guilt to tell him all this to him. He is indeed that Ravana, who obtained another guise."
ताम् अशोकस्य शाखाम् सा विमुक्त्वा शोक कर्शिता |
तस्याम् एव अनवद्य अन्गी धरण्याम् समुपाविशत् || ५-३४-११
That Seetha, having faultless limbs, leaving that branch of Ashoka tree and as emaciated with grief, sat down on that ground itself.
हनुमानपि दुःखार्तां तां दृष्ट्वा भयमोहिताम् |
अवन्दत महाबाहुः ततः ताम् जनक आत्मजाम् || ५-३४-१२
सा च एनम् भय वित्रस्ता भूयो न एव अभ्युदैक्षत |
Seeing Seetha afflicted with grief and deluded with fear, the great armed Hanuma also then simply saluted her. She too, trembling with fear, did not look towards him again.
तम् दृष्ट्वा वन्दमानम् तु सीता शशि निभ आनना || ५-३४-१३
अब्रवीत् दीर्घम् उच्छ्वस्य वानरम् मधुर स्वरा |
Seetha, with her countenance resembling the moon, seeing Hanuma saluting her, had a deep sigh and spoke to Hanuma in a sweet-sounding voice (as follows)
मायाम् प्रविष्टो मायावी यदि त्वम् रावणः स्वयम् || ५-३४-१४
उत्पादयसि मे भूयः सम्तापम् तन् न शोभनम् |
"If you are Ravana, who made use of an illusive guise and yourself a conjurer, you are causing me a further agony. It is no good."
स्वम् परित्यज्य रूपम् यः परिव्राजक रूपधृत् || ५-३४-१५
जन स्थाने मया दृष्टः त्वम् स एव असि रावणः |
'You are indeed the same Ravana, who, abandoning your real form, appeared to me in the guise of a vagrant religious mendicant in Janasthana."
उपवास कृशाम् दीनाम् काम रूप निशा चर || ५-३४-१६
सम्तापयसि माम् भूयः सम्तापम् तन् न शोभनम् |
"O demon who can assume any form at your will! It is no good that again you are causing agony to me, emaciated because of fasting and feeling very miserable."
अथवा नैतदेवं हि यन्मया परिशङ्कितम् || ५-३४-१७
मनसो हि मम प्रीतिरुत्पन्ना तव दर्शनात् |
"Otherwise, whatever is suspected by me is not indeed true because in my mind, a pleasurable sensation indeed occurred by reason of your audience."
यदि रामस्य दूतः त्वम् आगतो भद्रम् अस्तु ते || ५-३४-१८
पृच्छामि त्वाम् हरि श्रेष्ठ प्रिया राम कथा हि मे |
"If you have come as Rama's messenger, may you be blessed! O the best of monkeys! Rama's anecdote is very pleasurable for me. Hence, I am requesting you to narrate it."
गुणान् रामस्य कथय प्रियस्य मम वानर || ५-३४-१९
चित्तम् हरसि मे सौम्य नदी कूलम् यथा रयः |
"O monkey! Narrate the qualities of my beloved Rama. O gentle one! You are eroding my mind as a rapid course of stream erodes a river bank."
अहो स्वप्नस्य सुखता या अहम् एवम् चिर आहृता || ५-३४-२०
प्रेषितम् नाम पश्यामि राघवेण वन ओकसम् |
"I, who was taken away long ago, is seeing a monkey sent by Rama in this way. Alas! How delightful this dream is!'
स्वप्नेऽपि यद्यहम् वीरं राघवम् सहलक्ष्मणम् || ५-३४-२१
पश्येयम् नावसीदेयम् स्वप्नोऽपि मम मत्सरी |
"If I have seen the eminent Rama together with Lakshmana, I would not have disheartened. In my case, even my dream is wicked!"
न अहम् स्वप्नम् इमम् मन्ये स्वप्ने दृष्ट्वा हि वानरम् || ५-३४-२२
न शक्यो अभ्युदयः प्राप्तुम् प्राप्तः च अभ्युदयो मम |
"I do not deem it as a dream. Seeing a monkey in a dream does not bring about prosperity But prosperity has come to me!"
किम् नु स्याच् चित्त मोहो अयम् भवेत् वात गतिः तु इयम् || ५-३४-२३
उन्मादजो विकारो वा स्यात् इयम् मृग तृष्णिका |
"How possibly is it a delusion of my mind? Is it an impending course of flatulence or changing mental condition of madness? Is it a looming mirage?"
अथवा न अयम् उन्मादो मोहो अपि उन्माद लक्ष्मणः || ५-३४-२४
सम्बुध्ये च अहम् आत्मानम् इमम् च अपि वन ओकसम् |
"Otherwise, it is neither madness nor even a delusion, which is a symptom of madness. Because I am knowing about myself as also about this monkey."
इति एवम् बहुधा सीता सम्प्रधार्य बल अबलम् || ५-३४-२५
रक्षसाम् काम रूपत्वान् मेने तम् राक्षस अधिपम् |
Thus deliberating upon the strengths and weaknesses in several ways, Seetha finally imagined him to be Ravana, as demons can change their forms at will.
एताम् बुद्धिम् तदा कृत्वा सीता सा तनु मध्यमा || ५-३४-२६
न प्रतिव्याजहार अथ वानरम् जनक आत्मजा |
Then, that slender waisted Seetha, the daughter of Janaka, thus having made up her mind, did not reply in return anything further to Hanuman.
सीतायाः चिन्तितम् बुद्ध्वा हनूमान् मारुत आत्मजः || ५-३४-२७
श्रोत्र अनुकूलैः वचनैः तदा ताम् सम्प्रहर्षयत् |
Understanding the contemplation of Seetha, Hanuma the son of wind-god then brought about a great joy in her with his words most favourable to her ears (as follows):
आदित्य इव तेजस्वी लोक कान्तः शशी यथा || ५-३४-२८
राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य देवो वैश्रवणो यथा |
विक्रमेण उपपन्नः च यथा विष्णुः महायशाः || ५-३४-२९
"Rama has a great splendour like that of the sun. He is pleasing to all like the moon. As Kubera the Lord of wealth, he is a lord to the entire world. Like Vishnu, he is greatly renowned and endowed with valour."
सत्य वादी मधुर वाग् देवो वाचस्पतिः यथा |
रूपवान् सुभगः श्रीमान् कन्दर्प इव मूर्तिमान् || ५-३४-३०
"Rama is a speaker of truth. Like Lord Brihaspati, he has a sweet voice. He is a handsome man, possessing good fortune and a royal dignity. He is a personified Manmadha, the lord of love."
स्थान क्रोध प्रहर्ता च श्रेष्ठो लोके महारथः |
बाहुच् चायाम् अवष्टब्धो यस्य लोको महात्मनः || ५-३४-३१
"Rama gets anger only at right time. He strikes a befitting person at a right time. He is an excellent chariot-warrior. The world is resting under the shelter of arms of this high souled man."
अपकृश्ष्य आश्रम पदान् मृग रूपेण राघवम् |
शून्ये येन अपनीता असि तस्य द्रक्ष्यसि यत् फलम् || ५-३४-३२
"Showing an illusory antelope, Ravana detracted Rama and took you away from a deserted hermitage. You will see later, the consequence Ravana will get for this act."
नचिरात् रावणम् सम्ख्ये यो वधिष्यति वीर्यवान् |
रोष प्रमुक्तैः इषुभिः ज्वलद्भिः इव पावकैः || ५-३४-३३
तेन अहम् प्रेषितो दूतः त्वत् सकाशम् इह आगतः |
त्वत् वियोगेन दुह्ख आर्तः स त्वाम् कौशलम् अब्रवीत् || ५-३४-३४
"Which valiant Rama with arrows strongly shining like sparkles released with anger, by the same Rama I was sent here as a messenger and I arrived at your presence. That Rama, agonised by your separation wishes to enquire of your welfare."
लक्ष्मणः च महातेजाः सुमित्र आनन्द वर्धनः |
अभिवाद्य महाबाहुः सो अपि कौशलम् अब्रवीत् || ५-३४-३५
"That long-armed Lakshmana too, having a great splendour and who augments the happiness of Sumitra his mother, saluted you and enquired about your welfare."
रामस्य च सखा देवि सुग्रीवो नाम वानरः |
राजा वानर मुख्यानाम् स त्वाम् कौशलम् अब्रवीत् || ५-३४-३६
"O princess! That monkey called Sugreeva, a companion of Rama and the king of the excellent monkeys, asked about your welfare."
नित्यम् स्मरति रामः त्वाम् ससुग्रीवः सलक्ष्मणः |
दिष्ट्या जीवसि वैदेहि राक्षसी वशम् आगता || ५-३४-३७
"Rama, together with Sugreeva and Lakshmana, is always recollecting you. O Seetha! Eventhough coming into the control female-demons, you are somehow surviving by your good luck!"
नचिरात् द्रक्ष्यसे रामम् लक्ष्मणम् च महारथम् |
मध्ये वानर कोटीनाम् सुग्रीवम् च अमित ओजसम् || ५-३४-३८
"Within a few days, you will see Rama, the mighty Lakshmana and the highly splendorous Sugreeva, in the presence of crores of monkeys."
अहम् सुग्रीव सचिवो हनूमान् नाम वानरः |
प्रविष्टो नगरीम् लन्काम् लन्घयित्वा महाउदधिम् || ५-३४-३९
"I am a monkey, the minister of Sugreeva, called Hanuma. I entered the city of Lanka, by traversing the great ocean."
कृत्वा मूर्ध्नि पद न्यासम् रावणस्य दुरात्मनः |
त्वाम् द्रष्टुम् उपयातो अहम् समाश्रित्य पराक्रमम् || ५-३४-४०
"Asserting my strength and putting down my feet on the head of the evil minded Ravana, I have come to see you."
न अहम् अस्मि तथा देवि यथा माम् अवगच्छसि |
विशन्का त्यज्यताम् एषा श्रद्धत्स्व वदतो मम || ५-३४-४१
"O Princess! I am not so, as you comprehend me (as Ravana). Let your suspicion be given up. Believe me as I say it."
इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे चतुस्त्रिंशः सर्गः