|| Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 2 – Sundara Kandam

Hanuman removes the curse on Lankini/ Hanuman's conversation with Vibheeshana

The beauty of the city of Lanka was beyond description, it has huge walls surrounded to the numerous fortresses and buildings, this beautiful city was located in the middle of the ocean, the four walls of the fortress was decorated with various precious gem and gold, it has supreme brilliance in the darkness of the night, the fortresses were decorated with various gems and gold, there was beautiful houses, streets, market places, narrow roads, etc. There was a huge number of elephants, horses, donkeys, the army of demons, chariots, etc.  are impossible to describe. There were several pleasure gardens, ponds, streams, wells of different sizes. There were stunningly gorgeous women of Manushya, Naga, Deva, and Gandharva, their loveliness is capable to lure the hearts of Rishis and Sages. There were haughty and huge sized wrestlers has the size of the mountain were engaged in various activities, fighting and arguing each other. There were dreadful demons taking great pleasure in the meat of donkeys, beef, humans, cows, and goats, etc. Sri Tulsidas Maharaj did not mention elaborately on those dreadful demons, because they were all prepared to meet their deaths in the arrows like sacred Theertha of Raghuveera, leaving their mortal coil to attain Paramagathi.

There was a group of demons as guards to protect the city, Kapivara decided “I shall assume a tiny form and enter into the city of Lanka during the night hours.” Thus Hanuman assumed the size of a mosquito and contemplated upon Narahari and entered into the city. There was a female demon Lankini at the doors of the city of Lanka. She screamed at Hanuman “Oh! Fool, where are you going? What are you doing here? You do not know about me? Whoever visits this city without my permission will become my meal.” Mahakapi gave a hard punch on her face with his fist; she fell down with a loud thud, oozing blood out of her mouth. Lankini regained consciousness; with folded hands, she spoke “Oh! Kapiveera, Lord Bhrama gave boons as desired by Ravana, at that moment he gave me boon as well. He instructed me that when I get a punch from Vanaraveera, I would get rid of the curse and regains my original form that would be the beginning of the destruction of the demon clan and the city of Lanka. Oh! Thatha, I have seen the emissary of Lord Rama, I am fortunate I must have performed piousness to meet you. Oh! Puthra, if you weigh gold and Apavarga/Saroopya, Sameepya, Sayujya, on a scale, the association with the noble souls even for a second and the happiness derived out of it would excel both. Oh! Kapiveera, contemplate upon Raghupathi, and enter inside the city of Lanka and perform all those tasks as you have desired.”

Sage Kakabhushundi speaks “Oh! Garuda, whoever attains the grace of Lord Rama, would experience toxic poison as nectar, enemies as companions, the ocean would appear waterlogged in the footprints of cows, fire as cold, and Mount Meru as sand. Hanuman assumed a tiny form and entered inside the city, he witnessed the marvelous fortresses and several warriors. He entered into the palace of Ravana, the splendor of the chambers was beyond description. He saw Rakshasaraja sleeping in a magnificent cot, but did not see Devi Vaidhehi anywhere inside the palace. He noticed another beautiful fortress close to the palace, resembled the shrine of Rama, the fortress wall was decorated with the exquisite paintings of bow and arrow of Rama, the beauty of that fortress was beyond description. He saw a cluster of Tulsi shrubs around the fortress, he immensely pleased and thought “Lanka is the city of demons, how did the righteous lives here?” He was closely watching the fortress; Vibheesha woke up in Bhramamuhurtha, and conducted recitation of the glorious names of Rama. Hanuman transformed into a state of bliss, and thought “I should make an acquaintance with him; a noble person cannot hinder my tasks.” Hanuman assumed the form of a twice-born and called for Vibheeshana who immediately rose from the seat and came towards Hanuman and gently spoke “Oh! Vipra, how are you?  Kindly tell me the purpose of your visit, Are you sincere attendant of Lord Hari? Your visit provided me extreme bliss, or are you that compassionate Lord Rama assumed the form of Vipra?”

Hanuman narrated all that about Lord Rama to Vibheeshana and introduced him as an emissary of that Lord. Vibheeshana could not control his emotions, transported to a state of ecstasy, they began to praise the endless virtues of Rama and immersed in great joy. Vibheeshana spoke “Oh! Vayuputhra, listen to me; I am living a life of a tongue between the sharp teeth, Oh! Priya Sakha, I have no one to protect, kindly tell Ravikulanatha to shower his compassionate grace upon me. I have born in the clan of Rakshasa, so I am not qualified to perform any austerities or penances, or that maybe the reason I could not contemplate upon the lotus feet of Prabhu. Oh! Hanuman, it is impossible to meet a noble soul without the grace of that Lord, I am confident now, that supreme Lord Rama would shower his grace on me as well. It is the compassionate grace of Raghuveera, brought you here and I am blessed to have your Dharshan.”

Hanuman speaks “Oh! Vibheeshana, listen to me, Prabhu is compassionate to his devotees always, it is the nature of my Prabhu. I have born in the lowly clan of Vanara, and have flickering nature, if anyone pronounces our names in the morning hours would remain in hunger without any meal on the whole day. Oh! Sakha, even though I have born as Vanara, that supreme Lord is extremely compassionate to me as well.” while speaking about the endless virtues of Raghurama Hanuman’s eyes overflow with tears. “People whoever takes immense pleasure and interest in worldly matters and bondage, forgetting that supreme Lord would undergo constant miseries and grief of the worldly existence.” Hanuman expressed his desire to meet Devi Sita, Vibheeshana narrated the pathetic state of Devi Sita and detailed the place where Devi Sita resides under the inspection of demons. Thus, Hanuman bade farewell to Vibheeshana, assumed a tiny form, and arrived in the Ashokavatika.

Hanuman saw Devi Sita, he prostrated before Devi Sita without her knowledge, she was sitting under the Ashoka tree and spending the whole night underneath it without sleep, her body was shrunken in deep grief, she has kept her hair in a single braid, and she was constantly reciting the names of Lord Rama. She was seated fixing her gaze at the feet and contemplated upon the lotus feet of Rama.  Hanuman could not control his grief watching the terrible state of Devi Janaki.