Śrīmad Vālmīki Rāmāyana (English Translation)

Hearing the report of Hanumān, Śrī Rāma fixes a propitious hour for the departure of his forces for Lankā, and perceives good omens.

Enquired about Lankā by Śrī Rāma on his hearing the appeal of Sugrīva, Hanumān gives a detailed description of Lankā a he saw it.

Sugrīva heartens Śrī Rāma, who is tormented with grief, by asking him to take courage.

Hearing the report of Hanumān, and highly rejoiced at his having done something worthy of a noble servant, which could not be accomplished by anyone else, Śrī Rāma applauds him and clasps him to his bosom.

Hanumān tells Śrī Rāma, how Sītā expressed her doubt in the first instance about a monkey being able to leap across a vast sea and how her doubt was resolved by him. END OF SUNDARAKĀNDA Once again thank you for joining us for Book 5. We hope you can continue to join and listen to Book 6 (Season 6) The Yuddhakānda!! Rāma, Rāma.

Hanumān reproduces at length the incident connected with a crow that took place during the sojourn of Sītā with Śrī Rāma at Citrakūta, related by her by way of a token, and further describes her piteous lament and the way in which she was comforted by Hanumān.

Pressing to his bosom the jewel for the head sent by Sītā and piteously wailing in many ways, Śrī Rāma urges Hanumān to repeat the message of Sītā.

Asked by Śrī Rāma to tell him the news about Sītā, Hanumān apprises Śrī Rāma of her presence at the foot of a Śimśapā tree in the midst of ogresses and delivers her message after narrating the incidents related by her as a token.

Returning to Madhuvana as commanded by Sugrīva, and craving the forgiveness of Angada, Dadhimukha submits to the latter that he is urgently summoned by Sugrīva. Set out in the company of Hanumån and others, and approaching Sugrīva, Prince Angada apprises Śrī Rāma, after saluting him, of the discovery of Sītā and other events.

Having heard from the mouth of Dadhimukha the story of Madhuvana having been laid waste by the monkeys, Sugrīva concludes from the jubilation of the monkeys that Sītā has been traced out. Comforting Dadhimukha, he asks him to send Angada and others without delay.

Having entered Madhuvana and partaken of honey, as permitted by Hanumān, and singing and dancing like drunken people, the monkeys were forbidden by those guarding the grove and they belaboured the latter. Repulsed by them, the guards reported the matter to their leader, Dadhimukha, who appeared on the scene with his entourage and on remonstrating with the monkeys was thrashed by A∆gada, who dashed...

Set out from the Mahendra mountain in the direction of Kiskindhā, the monkeys halt at Madhuvana, a grove guarded by the monkey Dadhimukha, and most beloved of Sugrīva, which falls on their way. When the monkeys began to enjoy the fruits of the grove with the permission of Prince Angada, Dadhimukha, comes in their way and is lacerated with their claws and teeth.

Feeling encouraged by the tributes paid to his valour by his fellow monkeys, Prince Angada undertakes to exterminate the entire ogre race including Rāvana and bring back Sītā from Lankā. Jāmbavān, however, who is more sagacious and practical-minded, discourages him by recourse to potent counter-arguments.

Picturing to his fellow monkeys the said plight of Sītā, and feeling that it behoved them all to see Śrī Rāma only after recovering Sītā from Lankā, nay, recounting the past heroic exploits of Jāmbavān and others, Hanumān incites them all to have recourse to the arbitrament of war.

Enquired by Jāmbavān, seated alongwith the monkey hordes, Hanumān narrates in extenso how he saw Mount Maināka in the course of his journey to Lankā, reached Lankā, beheld Janaka’s daughter and returned to Mount Mahendra.

Having leapt from the coast of Lankā and touching the Maināka mountain, which he came across in the way, nay, advancing further, Hanumān roars at the top of his voice at the sight of the Mahendra mountain in order to bring joy to the monkeys awaiting his return there. Jāmbavān tells the monkeys, who got up impetuously on hearing the roar, that Hanumān has returned successful from his expedition as...

Hanumān sees Sītā once more and bidding adieu to her, takes a leap across the sea.

Seeing the whole of Lankā reduced to ashes and presuming Sītā too to have shared its lot, Hanumān begins to reproach himself and gets overwhelmed with grief. In the meantime, he hears of her safety from the lips of Siddhas, Cāranas (celestial bards) and others and feels comforted.

Making up his mind to set fire to the city of Lankā, which was the only work left for him to do, and coming out into the open, Hanumān burns the entire city barring the abode of Vibhīsana. Astonished to see the city burning, the gods and Gandharvas (celestial musicians) are filled with supreme joy.

Wrapping up the tail of Hanumān in rags and soaking it in oil, and then lighting it up, the ogres, as urged by Rāvana, take Hanumān round the city to the accompaniment of beat of drums. Hearing this news from the lips of the ogresses, Sītā prays to the god of fire on oath to see that Hanumān remains unscathed. Climbing up the gate and shedding the fire by attenuating his body, and then resuming va...

Provoked by the harsh words of Hanumān, Rāvana orders him to be put to death. Vibhīsana, however, exhorts the latter to desist from this dastardly act, pointing out that the killing of an envoy is forbidden by the Śāstras.

Narrating the story of Śrī Rāma from the latterís entry into the forest, to his own sight of Sītā being borne away by Rāvana through the air over the Rsyamūka mountain, and celebrating the glory of Śrī Rāma, Hanumān points out to Rāvana that if he longed to survive he should restore Sītā to Śrī Rāma and that he should be prepared for the worst if, on the other hand, he chooses not to part with her...

Commanded by Rāvana, Prahasta inquires of Hanumån as to who he was as also his motive in devastating the royal pleasance and killing the ogres. In reply Hanumān says that he destroyed the grove in order that he might be taken captive and dragged to the presence of Rāvana, whom he was eager to see, and was compelled in self-defence to kill those who stood in his way. In the end he declares himself...

Wonderstruck to behold the splendour and glory of Rāvana, Hanumān believes that he could even rule over heaven but for his gross unrighteousness, which dragged him down.

Dispatched by Rāvana, Indrajit, Rāvana’s eldest son, marches against Hanumān. On his shafts being rendered ineffective by Hanumān through his extreme agility, Indrajit takes him captive by discharging the unfailing missile presided over by Brahmā (the creator). Even though capable of rendering it ineffective, Hanumān yields to its influence, eager as he was to meet Rāvana, to whose presence he is...