Canto 65
News in Brief
Followed Angad suit Hanuman
Paid he respects to Lord Ram.
Such was vanars’ state of mind
Spoke they out of turn they all.
Blabbered they all one by one
In bits ’n pieces what they heard.
Amused by their hearsay Ram
Heard them all for quite sometime.
Enquired in time Ram of them
What doth Seetha think of him.
At that they all passed baton
To Hanuman who was in the know.
Set to recap then Hanuman
Thought of Seetha in reverence
And turned southward to face her.
Taking seat at Rama’s feet
Handed him then that diadem
Given by Seetha for recall
And thus spoke with folded hands.
Pressed as I was by my peers
Crossed I ocean lay there south
In search of Seetha there yonder.
Reached I Lanka in no time
Land that ruled by vile Ravan.
Found I Seetha in distress
Jailed as Ravan to digress
From her love to thee her Lord.
In the hope of her rescue
Lingers she on in thy thought.
Never having had bad dream
Wonder how her life turned sour.
In tight rein is Seetha held
Day ’n night of vigil to boot
Of the devilish guards in scores.
Floor she uses for her bed
Curses Ravan for her plight.
It’s that Seetha in lament
Found I at length in torment.
In time I could impress her
That am but thine own agent.
How glad was she as I told
Hath Lord Sugreev turned thy friend.
Steadfast as she in thy thought
Prayed thee for long in reverence.
Told me she then that story
Of the eager crow and thee.
Beseeched Seetha then with me
To tell her tale of owes to thee.
Give this diadem to my Lord
When thy Lord is there with him.
Tell my Ram that I relive
Touch his as he adorned me
With this diadem my dad gave
To me on our wedding day.
It’s this one that makes me feel
As if thee are ever with me.
Gave though Ravan two more months
To change my mind or face then death
Prefer I would to end my life
At the end of one more month.
In her state of distress Lord
That’s how Seetha spoke to me.
Now that I made thee privy
To the plight of thy Seetha
Think of ways ’n means to take
Our force there to bring her back.
Felt though Ram then so sad
Spouse his was in such distress,
Yet he felt glad that Hanuman
Could show him the way to her.
Canto 66
Tears in Torrents
Moved by Seetha’s plight he heard
Wept Ram holding her diadem.
Welling his eyes to then brim
Brought it memories in torrents.
Told he then the import of
Diadem that to Lord Sugreev.
It was gift of her father
At the time of our wedding.
Given it was by nonetheless
Than Lord Indra to her dad.
As I see this diadem now
Recall I well our wedding
Graced by parents of us both.
Ever I recall that aura
Gives this diadem to Seetha.
For the solace of my soul
Make it encore O Hanuman
How my Seetha misses me.
My dear sibling O Lakshman
How this diadem in my hands
Wrenches my heart to the core.
Though gave Seetha thirty days
Outer limit for me to act
How can ever I wait that long.
To my Seetha whom I love
Take me forthwith O Hanuman.
Delicate being her nature
What an ordeal it could be
To be confined thus for long?
Won’t her moon like face look like
Full moon shrouded by thick clouds?
Tell me what all Seetha said
Want I hear to her last word.
Keen am I to get picture
Of the pining of my spouse.
