Suman K Sharma
As Hanuman went on a spree to demolish Ravan’s Forest resort, birds and the falling trees raised such a din that Lanka residents were perturbed. Even the fierce rakshas is guarding Sita woke up from their slumber. Hanuman was then in his native form of a humongous being. The frightened female guards asked Sita who he was. But Sita was a future queen in enemy’s custody. Why would she tell the minions of her vile captor who Hanuman was and why he was there! She played the innocent –
Yuymevasyajaaneetyoayam yad vakrishyati/
Ahirevhayhehpaadaanvijaanaatinasanshaya//
Ahampyatibheetastinaivjaanaami ko hayayam/
Vedyimraakshmevainamkaamroopinmaagtam//
Only you should know who he is and what he is going to do (here). It takes a snake to identify another snake’s trail. There is no doubt of that.
I too am in dread of seeing him. I do not know who he is. I take him as (another) rakshas who changes his shapes at will.
– Balmiki Ramayan/Sunder Kand/Canto 42(ix-x)
The rakshasi guards rushed to Raja Ravan to report that a giant monkey had destroyed his leisure spot;yet, to their surprise, left untouched the area where Sita was held captive. Ravan despatched a thousand of his heavily armed Kinkar warriors to catch or kill the creature. Hanuman proudly revealed to them his identity and the purpose for which he had come there. The rakshasas attacked him with all sorts of weapons they carried. But Hanuman, roaring frighteningly, killed them all,striking them with his mighty tail and smashing them with a weighty club in his hands. Then he saw a sanctuary and destroyed that too, along with the rakshasas who were guarding it.
A few rakshasas who escaped Hanuman’s wrath went crying to Ravan for succour. He despatched Jambumali, son of Rakshas Prahast, to combat Hanuman. Attired and garlanded in red, the gigantic Jambumali came out on a donkey-chariot with a deadly bow in his hands, intent on killing his adversary. His arrows injured Hanuman in both his arms. Even so, Hanuman threw a massive rock at him. Jambumali too managed to hurt Hanuman more grievously. But in the end, he proved no match for the valiant Hanuman and fell dead under the massive blows of the latter’s club.
Likewise, Hanuman killed the seven sons of Ravan’s minister, as well as five of his generals along with their battalions. When the grave news was delivered to Ravan’s court, his son, Prince Akshay Kumar happened to be with him. The brave warrior volunteered to go for the enemy. Riding his ornate chariot, with pennants flying and sharp-edged swords adding to its deadly potential, he advanced towards Hanuman at the head of a large army. The prince recognised Hanuman’s determination and valour at the very first sight. He shot innumerable arrows at him. Severely injured in his chest and arms, Hanuman pounced on the rakshas prince with all his might. Akshay Kumar’s horses were killed and his chariot too was destroyed. Using his psychic powers, he tried to fly away, but Hanuman caught him midair and threw him down to his death. Akshay Kumar’s men also got a short shrift from Hanuman:
Kachhumaresikachhumardesikachhu mil-aisi Dhari dhoori/
Kachhupunijaaeepukare prabhu markatbalbhoori//
He killed some (fighters) of the force and crushed (with his hands) some others and catching yet some others, he ground them to the soil. A few (survivors) then went (to Ravan) and cried out, “O Lord! (that) Monkey is too powerful.
Ramcharitmanas/Sunderkand/Doha 18
Ravan could hardly overcome his anguish on hearing the death of his brave son. He implored his mighty son, Meghnad Indrajit – the conqueror of Lord Indra – thus:
“My son! You possess knowledge of numerous weapons. You are the one who can send to mourning the best among armament experts, wielders of weapons, as also the devas and demons.Even Indra has seen your valour; there is no one in the three worlds except you who never gets exhausted in a battle…. go and see that monkey who has killed my warriors like the Kinkars, Jambumali, your own brother, the brave Akshay Kumar, and ruthlessly decimated my army.
“Don’t take the army with you, for either my soldiers will run away on seeing him or he would kill them. Don’t carry very sharp or hard thunderbolts either, because he has proved to be so swift and agile that such weapons have been ineffective against him. Use your wisdom and valour to effectively counter your adversary. I know it is not proper on my part as your loving father to send you to face such a dire threat, but my command to you is in accordance with the code of warriors!”
Hanuman was waiting when Indrajit approached him in his chariot. The two mighty rivals began to fight fiercely. Indrajit rained deadly arrows at Hanuman, which latter evaded with the swiftness of wind. Hanuman did not afford Indrajit any chance to wound him, neither did Indrajit let Hanuman grab him. As the battle between them dragged on, Indrajit realised that his attempts to kill Hanuman would be futile. Deciding to capture him alive, Indrajit used the ultimate weapon, Brahmastra,against Hanuman.
Hanuman thought to himself, “I am under the protection of the three deities, Brahma, Indra and the Vayu-devta, so this weapon is not going to harm me. And it will be of advantage to me if I am captured. I will have an opportunity to talk to Raja Ravan.” Passively receiving the impact of the Brahmastra, he lay down motionless on the ground, putting on a show when rakshasas came to bind him down. He screamed and bit his captors as if he were in great pain. With great effort they bound him down with strong ropes made of twine and tree bark.
Indrajit, who stood watching the incident, realised to his alarm that binding Hanuman with ropes had rendered hisBrahmastra ineffective. He would not be able to use it ever again. Even so, he carried his captive to the presence of his father, Raja Ravan.
Meghnad, the great warrior, wouldn’t have realised that he was going to make a big spectacle, not only of Hanuman, but the whole of Lanka.
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