Canto 15
Withered Flower
Failed as Seetha to turn up
Came in open then Hanuman.
Deep breathed as he so he felt
Scent there that of sandalwood.
Ventured as he further down
Tought he was in Indra’s grove.
Wildlife he found there so rare
Thought he visited other planet.
Buildings there were five-storied
By boulevards wide hundred feet.
Fruits they bore all golden hues
Seemed they street lamps in their scores.
Perched as they in their thousands
Seemed as trees had birds for leaves.
Birds as flew with flowers in beaks
Looked they all like well-decked brides.
For their flowery burden then
Developed branches some hunchbacks.
Garden plants in some courtyards
Peeped over their compound walls.
Find them would a passerby
In their varied shades of green.
Wondered Hanuman how he failed
First to search that wondrous place.
In the gardens of all earth
Won’t it score a perfect ten?
What other place can Ravan find
Helps which Seetha change her mind?
Saw he then that hall supreme
Built by Ravan to rival
God’s own pavilion in grandeur.
Raised on thousand gold pillars
Glowed that like one thousand suns.
When he could his sight adjust
Saw he towers its kiss the clouds.
As if it were by sixth sense
To Sinsupa turned back Hanuman
Only to find there seated
Woman so young with dress so old.
Heard her sighs he on and off
Circled her as demonic guards.
Seemed she like a flame so bright
Shrouded then by smoke that thick.
Clad she was in soiled silk
Wore no necklace on her self.
Grief her wore down to core
Sat she bowing head in shame.
Cried she with her tear-filled eyes
Looked she distraught ’n famished.
Like a hare that lost its way
Into hounds on hunt she looked.
Dark hair hers in plait that thick
Touched the ground on which she sat.
In spite of her soiled dress
Demeanor hers was lady like.
Well she could be Rama’s wife
Kidnapped by the Lankan king.
No doubt it was Rama’s spouse
For she matches thumbnail sketch
That Lord Rama drew for him.
Charm her golden frame oozes
Brings forth brightness to darkness.
Waist her narrow lends her frame
The flowing look that aids her gait.
Eyes her wide like lotus leaves
Were shaped to acquire amorous looks.
But, in her grief they lost lustre
As would stars by clouds shrouded.
As would spendthrift his holding
Agony of hers shrivelled her frame.
With signs none of her rescue
Seemed she lost her will to live.
Wanted she her man to know
Ravan by force brought her there
Though she would not yield to him.
Swollen were her tearful eyes
Sunken were her crimson cheeks.
Ever since Ravan brought her there
Looked she had no bath since then
Made which seem her cloudy moon.
Found in dilemma Hanuman then
If she could be Rama’s spouse.
But then aura he espied
None but Seetha could have that.
Looked he then on for jewels
As though they were missing links.
Those to him Ram made privy
Found them lying on low branch.
To help Seetha please Rama
Well crafted were all of them.
Dust as they all thus gathered
Turned those into dirty brown.
Missing indeed from that lot
What she let go from mid-air
So to give clue to her man.
It was vanars who found her
Shawl with jewels hers tied in
That she dropped on Rushyamook.
How well these all now I see
Match with those that dropped by her.
That she wears the same saree
Wore she when was abducted
Won’t that shawl well go with this.
Who else would have this aura
Than dear Rama’s spouse Seetha!
Bound am I to rescue her
From the clutches of these guards.
Won’t that gladden Rama’s heart
Saddened for so long for her?
Paired as well as Seetha-Ram
Were there ever a couple on earth!
Ravan though had parted them
Minds in their they stay as one.
Robbed as he of his Seetha
Rama still has will to fight.
What a wonder Rama lived
Sans his spouse for so long now.
Felt glad Hanuman that he could
Find the beloved of his Lord.
