|| Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

 

Chapter – 4 – Sundara Kandam

Hanuman pacifies Devi Sita/The destruction of Ashokavatika/Death of Akshakumara/Hanuman got fastened with the Bhramasthra

 

Hanuman describes the message of Raghupathi to Devi Sita “Oh! Sita, Everything has gone wrong the moment I have separated from you, the sight of freshly blossomed flowers and fresh leaves torture me like the fire, the night has turned to Kalarathri, the Chandra resembles scorching sunlight, the sight of a cluster of fully bloomed lotus flowers appear as spear ready to poke my heart, the rain clouds resembles hot oil ready to pour on me, all those have given pleasure to my heart seems to be painful in your absence.  The cool breeze seems the hissing of the serpent, I am not able to share my pain of separation to anyone, they may think I am weak, and no one to understand my grief. Oh! Priye, my heart knows the depth of the relationship between us, my heart is not mine, and it is already with you, this is all I have to describe my situation to you.” Devi Janaki forgot herself listening to the lovely message of Rama, sunk in deep sorrow thinking about the pathetic state of Rama. Hanuman pacified “Oh! Mother, kindly keep yourself calm at this point of time and contemplate that supreme Lord Rama who is the source of happiness. Keep meditating upon that supreme Lord who has great prowess, and leave all your worries. The demons are like fireflies, the powerful arrows of Raghupathi are fire to it. Oh! Mother, kindly do not leave your courage, these demons are the prey to the mass fire of arrows of Raghupathi. The supreme Lord Raghurama did not receive any sign of you that was the reason for the delay to reach you. Oh! Janaki, listen to me Rama’s powerful arrows are like the sunrays, it would disperse the clouds like a mass of demons at the shot of Ramabana. If you want, I can take you to the Mount Prashravana, honestly, I did not receive that instruction from Rama. Oh! Mother, be patient and wait for another few days until the arrival of Rama with the huge army of Vanaras, he will destroy the entire clan of demons and protect you, and the Sages, Rishis, and Deities would sing in praise of Lord Ramachandra in the three worlds.”

 

Devi Sita anxiously replied “Oh! Son, all those Vanaras must be the same as the size of you, too small like the thumb finger and all those demons are the sizes of mountains, and dreadful, I am still having qualms in me.” Listen to this, Kapivara assumed his original form that was a massive form; it has the size of a huge mountain, fierce as in the battlefield, with great prowess and courage. It removed all the anxieties of the Devi Sita instantly, soon Vayuputhra assumed the tiny size. Kapivara speaks “Oh! Mother, normally, the Vanaras have not much physical stamina or mental power, but it was the grace of Prabhu, even the serpent could swallow Garuda.” Hanuman eulogized the prowess, courage, and splendor, of Raghuram. Devi Sita was immensely pleased to watch the sincere devotion of Hanuman to Prabhu. Devi Sita spoke “Oh! Vathsa, you are the storehouse of prowess and virtues, let Raghunayaka shower an abundance of grace on you.” Hanuman repeatedly prostrated before Devi Sita, and spoke “Oh! Mother, I am extremely happy and grateful, I have got your blessings, Oh! Mother, listen to me, I feel so hungry after seeing the trees loaded with succulent fruits, Oh! Mother, all I need your permission to remove my hunger.” Devi Sita affectionately spoke “Oh! Son, this wood is protected by the dreadful demons, protect yourself from them, contemplate upon the lotus feet of Sri Rama, and take pleasure in the luscious fruits.” He prostrated before Devi Sita and entered into the pleasure garden of Ravana.

 

 

Hanuman took great pleasure in that wood and the fruits, soon began to destroy the woods, pleasure gardens, ponds, etc. the guards who were intervened were crushed under his feet, and some of them ran off from the sight and informed Ravana “Oh! Prabho, a huge Vanara appeared from nowhere and destroying the Ashokavatika, he is consuming fruits from the trees and uprooting them.” Ravana called out for his army personnel’s, and send a huge army to get hold of the Vanara. Hanuman produced a boisterous voice watching that huge army, some of them died on the spot at the deafening noise, and some of them crushed under his feet, and some of them flee from the battlefield. Ravana sends Akshakumara to fight against the Vanara, he proceeded against Hanuman with a huge army of demons, Hanuman plucked out a huge tree and battered all those demons, and Akshakumara was brutally killed in the hands of Hanuman. In this battle he killed some of the demons, some of them were crushed under his feet, and some of them flee from his sight and returned to Ravana and wept bitterly “Oh! Prabho, that Vanara is extremely powerful.” Ravana could not control his rage after receiving the news of the death of his younger son Akshakumara, he ordered Meghanatha “Oh! Son, do not kill that Vanara, bring him alive, I want to know who send that Vanara and why did he come here?” Indrajith/Meghanatha could not control his grief and anger, set out to fight against Hanuman in a grand chariot followed by a huge army.  Hanuman crushed his teeth and fists, produced a deafening voice watching the powerful Indrajith who is all prepared to fight against him. Hanuman plucked a massive tree and crushed the chariot with it, Indrajith jumped out of the chariot and saved himself, and Hanuman pounced on the warriors, and with the unbearable weight of his body, they crushed to death. Hanuman approached Indrajith and had a fierce battle, was like the two untamed elephants fighting each other. He gave a hard punch on Indrajith and took a giant leap; Indrajith lost consciousness for a second, soon regained consciousness and showered arrows upon Hanuman, but miserably failed. Finally, he shot Bhramasthra against Hanuman who thought “If I did not obey the Bhramasthra, the Astra will lose its splendor.”, Bhramasthra worked on Hanuman, lost consciousness for a second, his massive body fell on the ground with a huge thud, many demons were crushed under his body. The demons were extremely happy watching Hanuman unconscious on the ground; they fastened him with the  Nagapasha and produced before Ravana.