Recalling Ram
Suman K Sharma
Often enough, the great have to be nudged to perform great deeds.
Jatayu’s older brother, Sampati, had given a clue to Ram and Lakshman where Sita could be found. But between Sugriv’s immense army in Rameshwaram and Sita’s prison in Lanka lay the Indian Ocean in all its awesome vastness. Raja Sugriv’s generalissimo, Prince Angad, asked his captains – Gaj, Gwaksh, Gavey, Sharabh, Gandhmadan, Maind, Dvivid, Sushen and Jambvan – of their capabilities to go across the ocean and find how Sita was. One by one they told him about their limited range. Old Jambvan even went on to decry his decrepitude –
Sa idaanimaham vriddhah plavne mandvikramah/
Yauvne ch tadaasinme balpratimam param//
Sampratyetavadevadya shakyam me gamane swatah/
Naitavata ch samsiddhih karyasyas bhavishyati//
At this time, I have grown old and my strength to take a jump has diminished much; but during my youth I had great strength that had no match anywhere.
These days I have strength enough to walk by myself, but with such a speed it would not be possible to cross the ocean.
– Balmiki Ramayan/Kishkindhakand/Canto 65(xvi-xvii)
It was then that Jambvan reminded Hanuman of his divine origins, as also of his strength, vigour and wisdom nonpareil.
Hanuman’s mother, Punjiksthala, was a prominent apsara. She came to be born for some reason into the race of monkeys to the saintly monkey-king, Kunjar. Named as Anjana, she could take any form she desired. In time she attained fame for her beauty and was married to Kesari. Once, on a rainy day, when she was strolling in human form on a mountain peak, the God of Winds, Pavan Dev, blessed her unmanifested with a son. The baby that was born to Anjana showed extraordinary qualities as he grew up. He was very persevering, extremely energetic, incredibly powerful, terribly valiant and highly adept at jumping and leaping like his father, the Wind God himself. As a small boy wandering about in a thick forest, he mistook the rising Sun for a fruit and took a jump to grab it. Penetrating the space, he was going to reach the Sun when Lord Indra hit him furiously with his thunderbolt, breaking the left part of his chin. (‘Chin’ in Sanskrit is called ‘Hanu’: hence the name, ‘Hanuman’). The Wind God got so annoyed at Indra’s show of anger that he stopped circulating in all of the three worlds. The universe fell into utter distress. Hanuman’s divine father was appeased only when Lord Brahma bestowed a boon on Hanuman that no weapons would kill him in a battlefield. Lord Indra too gave him a boon: death would be at his command – he would die only when he so desired.
Thus, Jambvan prompted Hanuman to leap across the ocean –
Uttishth harishaardul langhyasva maharnavam/
Paraa hi sarva bhootaanaam gatisatva//
O Noblest of Monkeys! Rise and leap across this ocean, because yours is the fastest speed of all the beings.
Ibid/Canto 66(xxxvi)
Hanuman’s body swelled to gigantic proportions with pride and self-assurance on Jambvan’s words. Flailing his tail zealously, he announced before the assembled monkey-army, “I will jump from the peak of Mount Gandhmadan to leap across the ocean and land in Lanka. If I do not find Sita there, I would, in the same sprint, ascend to the Swarg Lok. And if, in spite of all my labour, I fail to see Sita there, then I will capture the Rakshas-raja Ravan and bring him tied up before you. I shall return only after fulfilling my mission, or I shall overturn the entire Lanka and throw it away along with Ravan as well.” With those words, he climbed the hill. Paying obeisance to the gods Sun, Indra, Brahma and his father, Pavan Dev, he went for a vigorous warm up. Then, as the creatures of the earth and celestial beings in the heavens watched intently, he threw his massive hairy tail up into the sky, placed both his club-like arms firmly on the mountain, constricted his internal organs so tightly that they were enfolded in the circumference of his loins. He gathered up his feet, arms and neck, raised his eyes to the sky, withheld his breath, and jumped upwards in a great rush. So impactful was Hanuman’s leap that –
Jehin giri charan deyee Hanumanta/Chale-u so ga pataal turanta//
Jimi amogh Raghupati kar baaana/Ehi bhanti chale-u Hanumana//
The mountain upon which Hanuman put his foot to set out (that is, from which he took a jump) was instantly sunk into the underworld. Like goes, the Lord of the Raghus’ unerring arrow, like did Hanuman go.
Ramcharitmanas/Sunderkand/quartet(iv)
As he flew high above the ocean, Hanuman’s shadow looked as if sunk in the water. Observed both in the body and shadow, Hanuman seemed like a sailing boat which had its sail blown by the wind and its nether portion joined with water. Since he had embarked on a task connected with Ram, all the universe tried to facilitate his journey. The celestial beings such as Devas, Gandharvas and Chaarans showered flowers on him; the Sun God did not let his heat bother him and the Wind God served him in his own manner.
The Ocean also thought to do his own bit. “It was Ram’s ancestor, Maharaja Sagar, who had made me this grand,” he said to himself, “so I should also make it easy for someone who is out to help Ram.” Ocean then ordered the submerged Mount Mainak to rise and offer Hanuman a midway halt to rest awhile on his way to Lanka. Mount Mainak readily complied with the Ocean’s direction. But Hanuman politely refused to break his journey. Fulfilling the mission in the shortest time possible was more important to him than giving his limbs a respite.
Hanuman had yet to face another block – not helpful but verily frightful. In fact, it was Indra and his devas (those devas again!) who wanted to test Hanuman for his wisdom and strength. They approached Sursa, the matriarch of the Nagas, to take a frightening form and see whether Hanuman could be daunted to leave the task unfinished. Sursa obliged. She appeared before Hanuman obstructing his flight with her gargantuan mouth, seemingly bent on gulping him down. But Hanuman proved himself much smarter that the devas’ gimmick –
Jas jas Sursa badnu barhaava/Taasu doon kapi roop dekhava//
Sat jojan tehin aanan kinha/Ati laghu roop Pavansut linha//
Badan paithi puni baaher aava/Maaga bida taahi siru naava/
Mohi suranh jehi laagi pathaava/Budhi bal marmu tor men paava//
As Sursa went on expanding the span of her mouth stage by stage, Hanuman showed off his body double that. She made her mouth one hundred yojans (four hundred miles) wide. Then Hanuman took a very small form.
He entered her mouth and (instantly) came out, taking her leave. (Sursa said) – I have appraised your wisdom and might, (the task for which) gods had sent me.
-Ibid 1(v-vi)
Hanuman encountered another block in his path. This time it was the rakshasi, Singhika. Raja Sugriv had cautioned him against her. Singhika widened her mouth to swallow him. Hanuman adopted the trick he had applied with Sursa, but with a different purpose. He grew bigger and bigger to lure Singhika and then abruptly turned into a minuscule creature. Entering her mouth, he expanded his body yet again and escaped while tearing her apart.
He had yet greater tests to go through when he reached Lanka.
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