Canto 12
At Wits End
In his search for Seetha thus
Sauntered Ravan’s place Hanuman.
Failed as he to find her still
Felt she could have died of grief.
Finding her no yielding type
Ravan could have got her hanged.
Or else Seetha should’ve gone
Underground in Ravan’s land.
Were he to go with blank page
Would Lord Sugreev approve that?
Would not all the pains it took
For him to reach Ravan’s land
Come to naught were she not found?
When he would go back in time
Won’t his peers and Lords as well
Get round him for Seetha’s news?
Were he to show empty hand
Won’t that break the hearts of all?
What would elder Jambavan say?
How Prince Angad would take it!
So as not to fail them all
Not by finding Seetha now,
Better I pull up socks my well
So to pass through pathless woods.
If one gives up not on hopes
Tends that towards goal his own.
Resolved he thus not to sulk
But to press then even more.
Having felt thus he went back
To all those places he had been.
After making one more round
Of the harem of Ravan
Stepped he out of Pushpak then.
Entered he then those dwellings
Annexed to Ravan’s Royal Court.
Searched he then the town proper
That was Lanka’s headquarters.
As though to leave none to chance
Sauntered Hanuman suburbs there all.
Left he none of private parks
Nor he spared a public place.
But for woman of hideous looks
Found he not there Rama’s spouse.
Saw he though there stunners too
Found he Seetha nowhere there.
Saw he many an angel there
In them in vain he searched her.
Drew he blank in captive cells
Lodged where women by Ravan brought.
Having failed to find her there
Agonized Hanuman even more.
What a waste of time it was
To come to Lanka in her search!
Sank he on his knees Hanuman
Despaired of that mission failure.
Canto 13
Errand in the Bend
On the rebound then Hanuman
Like a lightning reached Pushpak.
Staring at the place he searched
Thought he errand of his failed.
How come Seetha was not found
Left I though no room to search?
In all entire land of this
Had I left a stone unturned?
If I go by Jataayu’s words
And fetch Rama here forthwith,
Failing to see her he would
Take his wrath on all of us.
Would have Seetha in despair
Succumbed to Ravan in secret!
Sped as Ravan her in arms
Out of range of Ram’s arrow,
Preferring death to his amour
Did she into ocean drop?
Flew as Ravan her in skies
Having seen never ending seas
Lost she might have been her nerve
And thus died in mid-air then.
Chaste as Seetha to her man
The thought of rape by Ravan then
Would have led her heart to seize.
Committed that she to her Lord
Tried as she to wriggle herself
Would have slipped from Ravan’s grip.
With none around to rescue her
Drowned she might have Ram in mind.
For that matter Ravan’s wives
Would have killed her by envy.
Or else forlorn Seetha might
Have died in her great despair.
For Lakshman to help her out
Seetha would have surely cried.
Maybe in some secret vault
Ravan could have confined her.
Seems it absurd even then
Seetha would to Ravan turn.
With no news of Seetha now
Makes it no sense to go back.
Reported dead or found missing,
What a breaking news it makes?
What an end to such beginning
Should that ever end in deadlock?
Were I to go now without a clue
What’s the worth of my errand?
Not for Sugreev sent me here
Have I count of Ravan’s wives.
What would Rama have to say
Were I to face him blank faced?
Were I to state that found her not
Wouldn’t he die of broken heart?
Hears if he of mission failure
What for he would like to live?
Seeing Rama slip in coma
Lakshman too would come to grief.
Back home Bharat ’n Satrughna
Break down hearing breaking news.
Won’t on hearsay go to grave
Mothers three of brothers those four?
Having failed to keep his word
Won’t our Sugreev die of shame?
Unable to bear her man’s death
Wouldn’t then Ruma forego life?
Mourns as Tara, Vali’s death
Won’t her new Lord’s death kill her?
Wont’ then follow suit Angad
Tara’s son to Vali born.
If ever enemies eye our land
What would come of our empire?
Made all prosper Sugreev’s reign
Won’t they feel all orphaned now?
In the wake of Sugreev’s death
Sport ’n pastime suffer no end?
Won’t feel vanars fatherless
And get scattered world over?
In that depressed state of theirs
Many might as well end their lives.
Were I to go without her sight
It’s like taking death sentence.
Serves no purpose going there
Without the news of her welfare.
Were I to stay put here itself
Might they as well live in hope.
Better I remain in her search
Feed I would on fruits ’n roots.
As and when I reach dead end
Can’t I immolate without a trace?
Or unto death I would fast
Upon my frame let beasts all feast.
Why not I let myself drown
In the selfsame sea I crossed?
It was such a good beginning
Why should it ever end different?
Fail in case to find Seetha
What if I turn ascetic here?
Live if I in Lanka thus
Won’t I let live my folk there?
Downs as curtain death on life
Takes none further part on stage.
At not finding Rama’s spouse
That’s how Hanuman’s mind wavered.
Brave that he was rose in time
And thought of seeing Ravan’s end.
Or else I could lift Ravan
And fly across the sea I crossed.
Confined somewhere in these parts
How that would serve Seetha’s cause?
As he thought the better of it
And thought none of Ravan more
Came to sing the same old tune.
Were I to go by Jataayu’s words
And fetch Rama here forthwith,
Finding her not he would sulk
And his wrath would harm us all.
Stay if I back in Lanka
Harm I none in Kishkindha.
Oh, isn’t yonder garden there?
Well, how I failed to notice that!
Seems like gods are guiding me
In my search of Rama’s spouse.
What if that grove yields that fruit
Brings which joy to Rama’s heart?
Buoyed by that thought he set
Sights his all then on that grove.
So to bring him good tidings
Prayed he Ram ’n Seetha then
As well Lakshman and Rudra,
Besides Indra and Vayu
Yama ’n Surya not to speak
Angels all there in the skies
Prayed them all he in reverence.
Hoping to find her in grove
Sought he as well Sugreev’s grace.
Striding there in long strides
Worked out moves his in advance.
Find I would there guards for sure
With swords drawn to stop trespass.
For the comfort of someone
Breezes past that he that grove
Seems that Vayu is concerned.
Assume I might tiny form
And turn needle in haystack.
Hope gods all of heavens there are
Help me in my mission on earth.
If I were to go blindfold
Moonlight hope would lead me to
Rama’s spouse in Ravan’s land.
Sure to bless is Lord Vishnu
That I would see Seetha now.
How I wish to see Seetha
With such beauty that is rare.
Pining for so long for Ram
May not she look at her best.
