Recalling Ram
Suman K Sharma
Meghnad’s entry into the battlefield took the epic war to the next level. As we saw in the last article in this space, Rishi Balmiki credits Ravan’s eldest son for having wounded both Ram and Lakshman so grievously that the two brothers lay motionless on the ground. He goes on to describe how Ravan ordered Sita’s rakshasa-guards to take her on a Pushpak Viman flight to the battlefield to show her husband and brother-in-law lying presumably dead. Sita was heart-broken at the sight.But the elderly rakshasi, Trijata assured her that both the warriors were very much alive and would be coming to rescue her sooner than later.
Sant Tulsidas in his retelling omits Balmiki’s account of this episode of the Lanka war. Instead, he describes Meghnad on a killing spree – so much so that the Vanar Sena has to make a retreat. Hanuman tries to salvage the situation. Uprooting a rock, as big as a mountain, he throws it at the enemy. Meghnad watches the heavy missile hurling towards him and vanishes into the sky, while his chariot is crushed under the impact and his charioteer and the horses die too. Lacking the courage to face Hanuman again, Meghnad choses to try his might against Ram himself –
Raghupati nikatgayeu Ghan-nada/Nana bhaantikaresidurbada//
Astrsastrayudh sab daare/Kautak-hin Prabhu katinivare//
Dekhi Pratap moorhkhisiyana/Karei lag maya bidhi nana//
Jimi koukarei Garud sein khela/Darpavaigehisvalpspela//
(Then) Meghnad drew near Raghunath (Ram) and uttered all sorts of abusive words against him. (Thereafter) he discharged weapons and used arms against him. The Lord sportingly cut them all.
Perceiving Ram’s strength and competence, that fool was ashamed and began to create illusions of all sorts. (It was) like someone taking a baby snake in his hand to try frightening Garud and messing with him.
Ramcharitmanas/Lanka Kand/50(iii-iv)
Meghnad went up to the sky to shower down burning embers from there. From the earth gushed out springs of water under his spell. All kinds of frightful spirits – both of the male and female kinds – danced around, creaming “Maro – Kato”. From the sky he rained excreta, puss, blood and stones. Then he created such a dust storm that it grew dark on the earth. Poorvanars were terrified and did not know how to fight the crafty rakshas. Ram witnessed their trepidation. Smiling at the antics of Meghnad, he shot just one arrow and ended his ghastly scene.
Then, with Ram’s permission, Lakshman, with Sugriv and other vanars by his side, took the field against Meghnad. A no-holds-barred battle ensued –
Bhoodarnakhbitpayudhdhari/ Dhaayekapi Jay Ram pukari//
Bhiresakaljorihinsanjori/It ut jay icchhanahinthori//
Muthikanlaatanhdaantanhkaat-hin/Kapijayseelmaari-punidaaat-hin//
Maru marudharudharu maru/Sis tori gahinbhujaupaaru//
Armed with mountains, nails and trees-turned-weapons,vanarsran out shouting’ Shri Ramchandra ji ki jay!’ Vanars and rakshasas duelled ferociously to the shouts of ‘Jay ho!’ on either side.
The vanars attack them with fisticuffs, kick them and bite them (that is, the rakshasas). The winning ones then shout at them as well: ‘Kill- kill!Grab! Grab and kill! Break his head! Hold his arms and pluck them off!’
Ibid/52(iii-iv)
As a consequence, the ditches on the ground were filled with congealed blood. The layer of dust over them appeared like ash covering piles of embers. Despite the high morale of the Vanar Sena, it seemed a no-win battle for them because of the illusions created by Meghnad. Angered, Lakshman smashed his chariot, killing the charioteer as well. He wounded Meghnad to an inch of his life. In revenge, Meghnad shot Lakshman with a deadly spear, Virghaatini (literally, the slayer of the brave) –
Birghaatinichhadisisangi/TejpunjLachhimanurlagi//
Muruchhabhaeesaktikelagen/Tab chaligayeunikatbheytyage//
Then he (Meghnad) threw (at Lakshman) the Virghaatinispear. That mass of energy struck Lakshman in his chest. He fell down unconscious. (It was then that) Meghnad, discarding his fear, approached (Lakshman).
Ibid/53(iv)
Meghnad tried to take charge of the fallen Lakshman. But neither he, nor anyone else in his army of rakshasas, could lift him. The sun had set and both the armies retreated to their camps. It was then that Hanuman brought the severely wounded Lakshman in the presence of Ram.
Ram was distraught. But Jambvanassured himthat there was a competent vaidin Lanka by the name of Sushen who could bring Lakshman back to health (In Balmiki Ramayan, ‘Sushen’ is also the name of Queen Tara’s father (Bali/Sugriv’s father-in-law) who is detailed by Raja Sugriv to head a contingent of the Vanar Sena going westwards in search of Sita – see Kishkindha Kand, Canto 42). The problem was who among them could intrude into the enemy territory at the height of war and escort a renowned doctor across the city’s defences to treat Lakshman. Hanuman spontaneously volunteered for the task. Taking a miniaturised form, he went straight to Sushen’s house and literally fetched the vaid, seated in his own house, to his camp.
Sushen examined Lakshman and prescribed a herb which grew only on a distant mountain in India. Hanuman volunteered again to bring the medicine. But by that time Ravan had got the wind of the goings on through his spies. He commanded Kalnemi, a trusted rakshas, to obstruct Hanuman’s passage by whatever means he had at his disposal. But Hanuman proved himself superior in wits, magical power and physical strength both to Kalnemiand his cohort, a divine dancer-turned-female crocodile who was poised to eat him alive (see Ramcharitmanas/Lankakand/56-57).
Eliminating his impediments, Hanuman landed at the mountain that was lush with all sorts of vegetation. There, another problem faced him. In the thick greenery the herb prescribed by Sushen was not identifiable. A quick thinker that he was, Hanuman decided to fly the entire mountain to Lanka. Let the attending physician himself pick from it what he thought was best suited for Lakshman’s speedy treatment!
There was yet another – and much bigger – problem that Hanuman had not perhaps thought of. He was flying a whole mountain and the route to Lanka crossed Ayodhya’s air space. As flew over the city, Regent Bharat mistook him for a rakshas intending to crash on his realm and destroy it. He shot an arrow at him. What followed shocked both of them –
Pareumuruchhi mahi laagatsayak/Sumirat Ram-Ram Raghunayak//
Suni priybachan Bharat tab dhaaye/Kapi smeepatiaatur aye//
Instantly on being hit by the arrow, Hanuman uttered ‘Ram, Ram, Ragunayak’ and fell down upon earth, losing his senses. Hearing the endearing speech (‘Ram-Ram’), Bharat ran and with great alacrity approached Hanuman.
Ibid/58(i)
Regretting the dire consequences of the delay that he had caused unknowingly, Bharat offered to Hanuman that he could manage to convey him, along with his mountain, forth with to Lanka if the latter agreed to mount his arrow. Hanuman responded politely that with the Lord’s blessings he would manage by himself to reach his destination without undue delay.
The incident had a happy ending. Hanuman reached in time and Lakshman recovered fully when the herb was administered to him.
Thus, in Ramcharitmanas, Hanuman emerges as Ram’s all-round and effective aide. Even Maharishi Balmiki himself praises Hanuman’s superb qualities of mind and body –
TvyyevHanumannastibalambudhihprakramah/
Deshkalaanuvrittishchnayashchneypandit//
Hanuman! You are a scholar of ethics and political science. In you only can be seen at the same time the behaviour that is in accord with the time and place as well as the conduct that is ethical.
Balmiki Ramayan/Kishkindha Kand/Canto 44/(vii)
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