Rama's Ring for Hanuman

Shloka 1 (kishkindha.44.1)

विशेषेण तु सुग्रीवो हनूमत्यर्थमुक्तवान् । स हि तस्मिन् हरिश्रेष्ठे निश्चितार्थोऽर्थसाधने ॥ 44.1 ॥

viśeṣeṇa tu sugrīvo hanūmatyarthamuktavān | sa hi tasmin hariśreṣṭhe niścitārtho'rthasādhane || 44.1 ||

Sugreeva spoke especially and directly to Hanuman about the task, for he was fully assured that this foremost of vanaras alone would accomplish it.

Shloka 2 (kishkindha.44.2)

अब्रवीच्च हनूमन्तं विक्रान्तमनिलात्मजम् । सुग्रीवः परमप्रीतः प्रभुः सर्ववनौकसाम् ॥ 44.2 ॥

abravīcca hanūmantaṃ vikrāntamanilātmajam | sugrīvaḥ paramaprītaḥ prabhuḥ sarvavanaukasām || 44.2 ||

Sugreeva, lord of all forest-dwellers, greatly pleased, spoke to the valiant Hanuman, son of the Wind-god —

Shloka 3 (kishkindha.44.3)

न भूमौ नान्तरिक्षे वा नाम्बरे नामरालये । नाप्सु वा गतिसङ्गं ते पश्यामि हरिपुंगव ॥ 44.3 ॥

na bhūmau nāntarikṣe vā nāmbare nāmarālaye | nāpsu vā gatisaṅgaṃ te paśyāmi haripuṃgava || 44.3 ||

"O bull among vanaras, neither on earth, nor in the mid-region of the sky, nor in the heavens, nor in the abode of the immortals, nor in the waters do I foresee any hindrance to your passage.

Shloka 4 (kishkindha.44.4)

सासुराः सहगन्धर्वाः सनागनरदेवताः । विदिताः सर्वलोकास्ते ससागरधराधराः ॥ 44.4 ॥

sāsurāḥ sahagandharvāḥ sanāganaradevatāḥ | viditāḥ sarvalokāste sasāgaradharādharāḥ || 44.4 ||

All the worlds, with their asuras, gandharvas, nagas, men and gods, together with their oceans and their mountains, are known to you.

Shloka 5 (kishkindha.44.5)

गतिर्वेगश्च तेजश्च लाघवं च महाकपे । पितुस्ते सदृशं वीर मारुतस्य महौजसः ॥ 44.5 ॥

gatirvegaśca tejaśca lāghavaṃ ca mahākape | pituste sadṛśaṃ vīra mārutasya mahaujasaḥ || 44.5 ||

Your motion, your speed, your splendour and your lightness, great vanara hero, equal those of your father, the mighty Wind-god.

Shloka 6 (kishkindha.44.6)

तेजसा वापि ते भूतं न समं भुवि विद्यते । तद् यथा लभ्यते सीता तत्त्वमेवानुचिन्तय ॥ 44.6 ॥

tejasā vāpi te bhūtaṃ na samaṃ bhuvi vidyate | tad yathā labhyate sītā tattvamevānucintaya || 44.6 ||

No being on earth equals you even in splendour; think, then, precisely on how Sita may be found.

Shloka 7 (kishkindha.44.7)

त्वय्येव हनुमन्नस्ति बलं बुद्धिः पराक्रमः । देशकालानुवृत्तिश्च नयश्च नयपण्डित ॥ 44.7 ॥

tvayyeva hanumannasti balaṃ buddhiḥ parākramaḥ | deśakālānuvṛttiśca nayaśca nayapaṇḍita || 44.7 ||

In you alone, Hanuman, are found strength, wisdom, and prowess, together with the ability to act as time and place require, and sound judgment, O master of policy."

Shloka 8 (kishkindha.44.8)

ततः कार्यसमासङ्गमवगम्य हनूमति । विदित्वा हनुमन्तं च चिन्तयामास राघवः ॥ 44.8 ॥

tataḥ kāryasamāsaṅgamavagamya hanūmati | viditvā hanumantaṃ ca cintayāmāsa rāghavaḥ || 44.8 ||

Then, perceiving that the task had come to rest upon Hanuman, and knowing Hanuman's nature, Raghava reflected within himself —

Shloka 9 (kishkindha.44.9)

सर्वथा निश्चितार्थोऽयं हनूमति हरीश्वरः । निश्चितार्थतरश्चापि हनूमान् कार्यसाधने ॥ 44.9 ॥

sarvathā niścitārtho'yaṃ hanūmati harīśvaraḥ | niścitārthataraścāpi hanūmān kāryasādhane || 44.9 ||

"This lord of vanaras is in every way fully assured of Hanuman, and Hanuman himself is even more resolutely certain of accomplishing the task.

Shloka 10 (kishkindha.44.10)

तदेवं प्रस्थितस्यास्य परिज्ञातस्य कर्मभिः । भर्त्रा परिगृहीतस्य ध्रुवः कार्यफलोदयः ॥ 44.10 ॥

tadevaṃ prasthitasyāsya parijñātasya karmabhiḥ | bhartrā parigṛhītasya dhruvaḥ kāryaphalodayaḥ || 44.10 ||

Thus, when one already proven by his deeds, and chosen by his own lord, sets out in this manner, the fruition of the task is certain."

Shloka 11 (kishkindha.44.11)

तं समीक्ष्य महातेजा व्यवसायोत्तरं हरिम् । कृतार्थ इव संहृष्टः प्रहृष्टेन्द्रियमानसः ॥ 44.11 ॥

taṃ samīkṣya mahātejā vyavasāyottaraṃ harim | kṛtārtha iva saṃhṛṣṭaḥ prahṛṣṭendriyamānasaḥ || 44.11 ||

Beholding that vanara so resolute in his enterprise, the mighty and radiant Rama was overjoyed as though the task were already accomplished, his senses and heart alike gladdened.

Shloka 12 (kishkindha.44.12)

ददौ तस्य ततः प्रीतः स्वनामाङ्कोपशोभितम् । अङ्गुलीयमभिज्ञानं राजपुत्र्याः परंतपः ॥ 44.12 ॥

dadau tasya tataḥ prītaḥ svanāmāṅkopaśobhitam | aṅgulīyamabhijñānaṃ rājaputryāḥ paraṃtapaḥ || 44.12 ||

Then that scourge of foes, well pleased, gave him his own ring, engraved with his name, as a token of recognition for the princess.

Shloka 13 (kishkindha.44.13)

अनेन त्वां हरिश्रेष्ठ चिह्नेन जनकात्मजा । मत्सकाशादनुप्राप्तमनुद्विग्नानुपश्यति ॥ 44.13 ॥

anena tvāṃ hariśreṣṭha cihnena janakātmajā | matsakāśādanuprāptamanudvignānupaśyati || 44.13 ||

"By this token, best of vanaras, Janaka's daughter shall recognise, without fear or doubt, that you have come from me.

Shloka 14 (kishkindha.44.14)

व्यवसायश्च ते वीर सत्त्वयुक्तश्च विक्रमः । सुग्रीवस्य च संदेशः सिद्धिं कथयतीव मे ॥ 44.14 ॥

vyavasāyaśca te vīra sattvayuktaśca vikramaḥ | sugrīvasya ca saṃdeśaḥ siddhiṃ kathayatīva me || 44.14 ||

Your resolve, hero, your prowess joined with steadfastness, and Sugreeva's message besides — all these seem to me to speak already of success."

Shloka 15 (kishkindha.44.15)

स तद् गृह्य हरिश्रेष्ठः कृत्वा मूर्ध्नि कृताञ्जलिः । वन्दित्वा चरणौ चैव प्रस्थितः प्लवगर्षभः ॥ 44.15 ॥

sa tad gṛhya hariśreṣṭhaḥ kṛtvā mūrdhni kṛtāñjaliḥ | vanditvā caraṇau caiva prasthitaḥ plavagarṣabhaḥ || 44.15 ||

Taking the ring, that foremost of vanaras placed it upon his head, and with joined palms bowed at Rama's feet; then that bull among vanaras set forth.

Shloka 16 (kishkindha.44.16)

स तत् प्रकर्षन् हरिणां महद् बलं बभूव वीरः पवनात्मजः कपिः । गताम्बुदे व्योम्नि विशुद्धमण्डलः शशीव नक्षत्रगणोपशोभितः ॥ 44.16 ॥

sa tat prakarṣan hariṇāṃ mahad balaṃ babhūva vīraḥ pavanātmajaḥ kapiḥ | gatāmbude vyomni viśuddhamaṇḍalaḥ śaśīva nakṣatragaṇopaśobhitaḥ || 44.16 ||

That heroic son of the Wind, drawing after him that great host of vanaras, rose into the sky, and shone there like the moon in a cloudless, spotless sky, encircled by clusters of stars.

Shloka 17 (kishkindha.44.17)

अतिबल बलमाश्रितस्तवाहं हरिवर विक्रम विक्रमैरनल्पैः । पवनसुत यथाधिगम्यते सा जनकसुता हनुमंस्तथा कुरुष्व ॥ 44.17 ॥

atibala balamāśritastavāhaṃ harivara vikrama vikramairanalpaiḥ | pavanasuta yathādhigamyate sā janakasutā hanumaṃstathā kuruṣva || 44.17 ||

"O mighty one, I rely upon your strength, best of vanaras, of boundless prowess; son of the Wind, Hanuman, do whatever is needed so that Janaka's daughter may be found."