Sundara Kãnda - Hanuman’s Odyssey - Page 77/126

Thundered Hanuman at them thus:

Hanuman I’m Vayu’s son

Privileged to serve mighty Ram

Lord of Koshal land there yore,

None him in this world equals

Sent by him am errand boy

Smash I would now all thy heads.

Ravans in their scores even

Match me not in battle skills,

Slabs ’n trees are all I need

For razing Lanka to the ground.

Watch as thou in wonderment

Find I Seetha unhindered

Leave then Lanka blessed by her. *

* these verses are revered the most by the devout.

In the face of Hanuman then

Saw there Ravan’s men nadir.

Being loyal to their Lord

Battle yet they gave Hanuman.

Unarmed as he flew in there

For use as his makeshift club

Pulled he latch of Lanka’s gates.

With that latch so thick and strong

Amuck he ran then amidst his foes.

In times yore as Indra did

Slew then Hanuman them in scores.

Scanned he then the battleground

To take on them who stood the ground.

Managed who then to escape

Ran to Ravan with that news.

Slighting that as storm in teacup

So to throw the book at Hanuman

Sent then Ravan Prahastha’s son.