Canto 28
On the Verge
Stunned as guards all kept silent
Had then Seetha yet second thought.
Recalled as she Ravan’s threat
Thought she fit to end her life.
Wonder didn’t I drop dead now
Ravan though scared me to death!
If it were not made of stone
Why wouldn’t sorrow break my heart?
Better on my own end my life
Fiends all here sure skin me live.
Fails to turn up if my Lord
Bound to cruel Ravan then
Like a surgeon at his work
Turn his scalpel on my frame.
Since the outer limit he gave
Me to lean my mind on him
Would be at hand in two months
Feel I like one on death row
To be led for her hanging
One fine morning to gallows.
How can ever I tell my folk
Fate mine is like boat that caught
In the storm of high seas now.
It’s by craving golden deer
Brought I ruin on all of us.
Looks like ill-fate was at work
To make me lose my common sense.
Thou all-knowing O my Lord
How thou fail to come to know
Me that Ravan vowed to kill?
My heart though is set on thee
It’s as though thou forsook me.
O my Lord, how come thou
Thought it fit to ignore me!
When thou regain crown thine soon
Won’t thou regale with new queens?
But thy Seetha likes to end
Life hers as thy faithful one.
Loyal here all to Ravan
Who would poison me procure?
Wavered as her hapless mind
So she wandered for low branch.
In her bid to hang herself
Coiled she her hair that long.
Thought she dearly of her man
And her beloved brother-in-law.
As she was to take the plunge
Paused she finding omens some good.
Canto 29
Good Tidings
Courtiers as would flock to kings
Omens good came in thick and fast.
Twitched her left eye unceasing
Turned as bright her dark eyes then.
Shoulder splendid of hers left
Wont to shoulder Rama’s head
Seized by spasm to usher good.
As if her man was on hand
Shivered the left one in welcome
Wondrous thigh of hers so round.
As if Rama sought them both
Slid down pallu from her breasts.
Having read the signals right
Seed she seemed at onset sown
Of that monsoon which was full.
In the phase of post eclipse
Moon like looked then Rama’s wife.
Felt at all ease Seetha then
Hoping better days would come soon.
Canto 30
Hanuman’s Dilemma
Picture perfect of Seetha
From his hiding got Hanuman.
Divined having Seetha thus
Gloated Hanuman his fortune.
Hoping to see Rama’s wife
Roam as my peers world over
Blessed am I that gods all willed
It’s me but who finds her now.
Having come to Ravan’s land
Won’t my spying aid Rama?
Privy if to ins and outs
Of the fortress of Lanka
Won’t that come all so handy
For Lord Ram to win this war?
Isn’t lament pulling her
How to infuse hope in her!
Worry she had none of yore
Neck deep now she in sorrow
Won’t I owe it to my Lord
Console should I his beloved.
Were I to fail to infuse hope
In the hapless Rama’s spouse
Of what avail this trip mine?
Fail if I to inform her
Rama’s intent to reach her
In her state of helplessness
Won’t I leave her high and dry?
Truly it’s my chance of life
Make I could Ram feel at ease
With the news of her welfare.
How to make it to Seetha
Encircled by Ravan’s guards?
Fail if I to sound her now
In her hapless state of mind
Might end her life as it dawns.
Fail if I to speak to her
What am I to tell her man?
Were I to go back to Rama
Without a word from his beloved
Won’t that make him frustrated?
Fail if I were to lift her
Before we close in on Ravan
Won’t she bring her life to close?
Why rush back to Kishkindha
Why not find I ways ’n means
To appraise her of Rama’s plans.
Speak I might as well to her
To make her know there all to know.
Were I to converse in Sanskrit
Might she take me for Ravan
In the guise of Rama’s friend.
Let me talk in native slang
That she takes me for vanar.
In her state of shock Seetha
See might in me weird creature.
Fearing Ravan came in disguise
What if Seetha starts shouting?
With the knives all drawn out now
Won’t guards all those gherao me?
Might they as well try to kill
Me to serve as mid-day meal.
Well, would they find me sitting duck
Won’t I jump from branch to branch.
As I go on gaining size
Won’t they shiver all down their spines?
Forces to fetch to rein me
Won’t they all to Ravan run?
Won’t then Ravan send his force
Chance that gives me to take them.
But in that sea of his army
How to find an escape route?
If I were to get captured
Fail I would to contact her,
So she fails to get the wind
Of the state of Rama’s mind?
Seetha as would stay perturbed
Won’t that make my trip wasted?
Keeps that Rama in darkness
Place where Ravan confined her.
Were I to get killed or captured
Leaves that Rama in square one.
Can one Rama find to cross
Sea this vast to reach Seetha?
Take I can all Ravan’s men
But that drags on for so long
Thus I can’t go back in time.
How can one ever zero on
One who wins the war on hand
Gauge I till width of the gulf
Wise it not to go for jump.
If I were to turn my tail
How would Seetha get my trial,
Were I to try to talk to her
Won’t I have a war on hand?
Won’t the success of errands
Come to depend on the one
Vested who is with the same?
Won’t the best of well-laid plans
Go awry in hands of those
That lack tact to tackle them?
Better I fail not Rama’s cause
With some thoughtless act of mine.
How to make her take it cool
That me her man sent for her!
In the hearing of her now
Mutter if I would Rama’s tale
Might it as well dawn on her
It was her Lord that sent me.
Won’t my words in praise of Ram
Bring back memories of their time?
So to sing then Rama’s tale
In the hearing of his spouse
Perched then Hanuman on low branch.
