Sundara Kãnda - Hanuman’s Odyssey - Page 66/126

Canto 37 - Aborted Move

In time Seetha gave Hanuman

The key to state of mind of hers.

That my man is so constant

Lifts my spirits all well to skies

But the news of his despair

Pulls me down back to square one.

Vices if were to drag down

Man on road of his misery

In the plenty of riches

Forever loses man his course

Can one really overcome

What is ordained by his fate?

Won’t my story underscore

Aspect this of life on earth.

In the high seas of sorrows

Boat of my life as capsized

Can my man ever carry me

To the joyous shores of life?

When Rama would bring nadir

Closer to the Lankan shores?

Tell Rama to beat deadline

Set by Ravan for my death.

For Ravan to snuff my life

Left are just but two more months.

Plead did my case Vibhishan

But paid deaf ear his sibling.

Won’t make my man Ravan pay

The price for treating me badly?

Told me Anala in person

Daughter dear of Vibhishan.

Aid de Ravan Avindhya

Advised his Lord in public

‘Better give Seetha to her man’.

Averred Ravan’s ablest aide

Lands when Rama in Lanka

That would be the end of it.

Sixth sense of mine seems to tell

That my man would come for sure.

It’s not in Ram to leave his wife

High and dry in enemies’ hands.

Know I know that he did kill

Demons in thousands at one go.

Know I my man can tackle

Ticklish things as one trivia

Strike his arrows his enemies

As would lightning its targets.

Felt glad Hanuman he induced

Hope in Rama’s distressed spouse.

To cheer Seetha all the more

Assured he then Ram would come.

Or else why not escape now

Carry thee would on my back

And land thee in thy man’s lap.

Permit if thou I would pluck

Lanka from its roots in earth

And place it at the feet of Ram.

Either way it helps thee meet

Man thine who is in thy wait.

Be that as it may thy man

Is all set to rescue thee.

Choose if thou to come with me

Cuts that short thy separation.

Make up thy mind Rama’s wife

Leave thus thou this Ravan’s den.

Rest as thou on my strong back

Fly I would at Mach two speed.

Thee as I fly back to Ram

None of Ravan’s could catch up.

Came as I here in flicker

Won’t we slip back in whisker?

Amused at what Hanuman said

Spoke then Seetha to him thus:

With due respect to thyself

To take me over sea this wide

More it takes than simian jumps.

Tell me how with tiny frame

Thou me carry on thy back?

Words those Seetha’s naïve uttered