Hanuman's Deliberation

Shloka 1 (sundara.30.1)

हनुमानपि विक्रान्तः सर्वं शुश्राव तत्त्वतः । सीतायास्त्रिजटायाश्च राक्षसीनां च तर्जितम् ॥ 30.1 ॥

hanumānapi vikrāntaḥ sarvaṃ śuśrāva tattvataḥ | sītāyāstrijaṭāyāśca rākṣasīnāṃ ca tarjitam || 30.1 ||

The valiant Hanuman, for his part, heard everything exactly as it happened - the words of Sita, of Trijata, and the threats of the ogresses.

Shloka 2 (sundara.30.2)

अवेक्षमाणस्तां देवीं देवतामिव नन्दने । ततो बहुविधां चिन्तां चिन्तयामास वानरः ॥ 30.2 ॥

avekṣamāṇastāṃ devīṃ devatāmiva nandane | tato bahuvidhāṃ cintāṃ cintayāmāsa vānaraḥ || 30.2 ||

Gazing upon that noble lady as though she were a goddess in the garden of Nandana, the monkey then fell into thought of many kinds.

Shloka 3 (sundara.30.3)

यां कपीनां सहस्राणि सुबहून्ययुतानि च । दिक्षु सर्वासु मार्गन्ते सेयमासादिता मया ॥ 30.3 ॥

yāṃ kapīnāṃ sahasrāṇi subahūnyayutāni ca | dikṣu sarvāsu mārgante seyamāsāditā mayā || 30.3 ||

"She whom many thousands and myriads of monkeys are searching for in every direction - that very one has now been found by me."

Shloka 4 (sundara.30.4)

चारेण तु सुयुक्तेन शत्रोः शक्तिमवेक्षता । गूढेन चरता तावदवेक्षितमिदं मया ॥ 30.4 ॥

cāreṇa tu suyuktena śatroḥ śaktimavekṣatā | gūḍhena caratā tāvadavekṣitamidaṃ mayā || 30.4 ||

"As a spy well-employed, moving about in secret to assess the enemy's strength, this much have I now observed."

Shloka 5 (sundara.30.5)

राक्षसानां विशेषश्च पुरी चेयं निरीक्षिता । राक्षसाधिपतेरस्य प्रभावो रावणस्य च ॥ 30.5 ॥

rākṣasānāṃ viśeṣaśca purī ceyaṃ nirīkṣitā | rākṣasādhipaterasya prabhāvo rāvaṇasya ca || 30.5 ||

"The particular nature of these demons, this city, and the might of their lord Ravana - all have I surveyed."

Shloka 6 (sundara.30.6)

यथा तस्याप्रमेयस्य सर्वसत्त्वदयावतः । समाश्वासयितुं भार्यां पतिदर्शनकांक्षिणीम् ॥ 30.6 ॥

yathā tasyāprameyasya sarvasattvadayāvataḥ | samāśvāsayituṃ bhāryāṃ patidarśanakāṃkṣiṇīm || 30.6 ||

"It is fitting now that I console the wife of that immeasurable one, compassionate to every being, she who longs so deeply to see her husband."

Shloka 7 (sundara.30.7)

अहमाश्वासयाम्येनां पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननाम् । अदृष्टदुःखां दुःखस्य न ह्यन्तमधिगच्छतीम् ॥ 30.7 ॥

ahamāśvāsayāmyenāṃ pūrṇacandranibhānanām | adṛṣṭaduḥkhāṃ duḥkhasya na hyantamadhigacchatīm || 30.7 ||

"I shall console this lady of full-moon countenance, who suffers a grief such as she has never known, and who finds no end to her sorrow."

Shloka 8 (sundara.30.8)

यदि ह्यहं सतीमेनां शोकोपहतचेतनाम् । अनाश्वास्य गमिष्यामि दोषवद् गमनं भवेत् ॥ 30.8 ॥

yadi hyahaṃ satīmenāṃ śokopahatacetanām | anāśvāsya gamiṣyāmi doṣavad gamanaṃ bhavet || 30.8 ||

"For if I depart without consoling this virtuous lady, her mind overwhelmed with grief, my going would surely be blameworthy."

Shloka 9 (sundara.30.9)

गते हि मयि तत्रेयं राजपुत्री यशस्विनी । परित्राणमपश्यन्ती जानकी जीवितं त्यजेत् ॥ 30.9 ॥

gate hi mayi tatreyaṃ rājaputrī yaśasvinī | paritrāṇamapaśyantī jānakī jīvitaṃ tyajet || 30.9 ||

"For once I have gone from here, this illustrious princess Janaki, seeing no way of rescue, might well give up her life."

Shloka 10 (sundara.30.10)

यथा च स महाबाहुः पूर्णचन्द्रनिभाननः । समाश्वासयितुं न्याय्यः सीतादर्शनलालसः ॥ 30.10 ॥

yathā ca sa mahābāhuḥ pūrṇacandranibhānanaḥ | samāśvāsayituṃ nyāyyaḥ sītādarśanalālasaḥ || 30.10 ||

"And just as it is right that I should console her, so too it is right that I console that long-armed one of full-moon face, so eager to behold Sita."

Shloka 11 (sundara.30.11)

निशाचरीणां प्रत्यक्षमक्षमं चाभिभाषितम् । कथं नु खलु कर्तव्यमिदं कृच्छ्रगतो ह्यहम् ॥ 30.11 ॥

niśācarīṇāṃ pratyakṣamakṣamaṃ cābhibhāṣitam | kathaṃ nu khalu kartavyamidaṃ kṛcchragato hyaham || 30.11 ||

"Yet it is improper to speak with her openly in the presence of these night-wandering demonesses - how then indeed should this be done? I am truly in a difficult position."

Shloka 12 (sundara.30.12)

अनेन रात्रिशेषेण यदि नाश्वास्यते मया । सर्वथा नास्ति संदेहः परित्यक्ष्यति जीवितम् ॥ 30.12 ॥

anena rātriśeṣeṇa yadi nāśvāsyate mayā | sarvathā nāsti saṃdehaḥ parityakṣyati jīvitam || 30.12 ||

"If she is not consoled by me during what remains of this night, there is no doubt whatsoever - she will give up her life."

Shloka 13 (sundara.30.13)

रामस्तु यदि पृच्छेन्मां किं मां सीताब्रवीद्वचः । किमहं तं प्रतिब्रूयामसम्भाष्य सुमध्यमाम् ॥ 30.13 ॥

rāmastu yadi pṛcchenmāṃ kiṃ māṃ sītābravīdvacaḥ | kimahaṃ taṃ pratibrūyāmasambhāṣya sumadhyamām || 30.13 ||

"And if Rama should ask me what words Sita spoke of me, what could I possibly say to him, without having spoken to this slender-waisted lady at all?"

Shloka 14 (sundara.30.14)

सीतासंदेशरहितं मामितस्त्वरया गतम् । निर्दहेदपि काकुत्स्थः क्रोधतीव्रेण चक्षुषा ॥ 30.14 ॥

sītāsaṃdeśarahitaṃ māmitastvarayā gatam | nirdahedapi kākutsthaḥ krodhatīvreṇa cakṣuṣā || 30.14 ||

"Seeing me return in haste from here without any message from Sita, Kakutstha, in his fierce anger, might well burn me up with his very glance."

Shloka 15 (sundara.30.15)

यदि वोद्योजयिष्यामि भर्तारं रामकारणात् । व्यर्थमागमनं तस्य ससैन्यस्य भविष्यति ॥ 30.15 ॥

yadi vodyojayiṣyāmi bhartāraṃ rāmakāraṇāt | vyarthamāgamanaṃ tasya sasainyasya bhaviṣyati || 30.15 ||

"And if, for Rama's sake, I merely urge my lord Sugriva to march forth, his coming here with his army would prove entirely futile."

Shloka 16 (sundara.30.16)

अन्तरं त्वहमासाद्य राक्षसीनामवस्थितः । शनैराश्वासयाम्यद्य संतापबहुलामिमाम् ॥ 30.16 ॥

antaraṃ tvahamāsādya rākṣasīnāmavasthitaḥ | śanairāśvāsayāmyadya saṃtāpabahulāmimām || 30.16 ||

"Rather, remaining here, watching for a suitable opening among these ogresses, I shall today gently console this lady, so consumed with anguish."

Shloka 17 (sundara.30.17)

अहं ह्यतितनुश्चैव वानरश्च विशेषतः । वाचं चोदाहरिष्यामि मानुषीमिह संस्कृताम् ॥ 30.17 ॥

ahaṃ hyatitanuścaiva vānaraśca viśeṣataḥ | vācaṃ codāhariṣyāmi mānuṣīmiha saṃskṛtām || 30.17 ||

"For I am extremely small in form, and a monkey besides - and yet here I must speak in the human tongue, in cultivated Sanskrit."

Shloka 18 (sundara.30.18)

यदि वाचं प्रदास्यामि द्विजातिरिव संस्कृताम् । रावणं मन्यमाना मां सीता भीता भविष्यति ॥ 30.18 ॥

yadi vācaṃ pradāsyāmi dvijātiriva saṃskṛtām | rāvaṇaṃ manyamānā māṃ sītā bhītā bhaviṣyati || 30.18 ||

"Yet if I speak in refined Sanskrit like a learned brahmin, Sita, taking me for Ravana, will grow afraid."

Shloka 19 (sundara.30.19)

अवश्यमेव वक्तव्यं मानुषं वाक्यमर्थवत् । मया सान्त्वयितुं शक्या नान्यथेयमनिन्दिता ॥ 30.19 ॥

avaśyameva vaktavyaṃ mānuṣaṃ vākyamarthavat | mayā sāntvayituṃ śakyā nānyatheyamaninditā || 30.19 ||

"Yet meaningful words, in the manner of a human being, must certainly be spoken - for this blameless lady cannot otherwise be consoled by me at all."

Shloka 20 (sundara.30.20)

सेयमालोक्य मे रूपं जानकी भाषितं तथा । रक्षोभिस्त्रासिता पूर्वं भूयस्त्रासमुपैष्यति ॥ 30.20 ॥

seyamālokya me rūpaṃ jānakī bhāṣitaṃ tathā | rakṣobhistrāsitā pūrvaṃ bhūyastrāsamupaiṣyati || 30.20 ||

"Seeing my form, and hearing my speech, this Janaki, already terrified before by the demons, will fall into fear once more."

Shloka 21 (sundara.30.21)

ततो जातपरित्रासा शब्दं कुर्यान्मनस्विनी । जानाना मां विशालाक्षी रावणं कामरूपिणम् ॥ 30.21 ॥

tato jātaparitrāsā śabdaṃ kuryānmanasvinī | jānānā māṃ viśālākṣī rāvaṇaṃ kāmarūpiṇam || 30.21 ||

"Then, seized by terror, this wide-eyed, high-spirited lady may cry out aloud, taking me to be Ravana, the shape-shifter."

Shloka 22 (sundara.30.22)

सीतया च कृते शब्दे सहसा राक्षसीगणः । नानाप्रहरणो घोरः समेयादन्तकोपमः ॥ 30.22 ॥

sītayā ca kṛte śabde sahasā rākṣasīgaṇaḥ | nānāpraharaṇo ghoraḥ sameyādantakopamaḥ || 30.22 ||

"And the moment Sita cries out, a whole host of ogresses, dreadful as Death himself, armed with weapons of every kind, will come rushing in."

Shloka 23 (sundara.30.23)

ततो मां सम्परिक्षिप्य सर्वतो विकृताननाः । वधे च ग्रहणे चैव कुर्युर्यत्नं महाबलाः ॥ 30.23 ॥

tato māṃ samparikṣipya sarvato vikṛtānanāḥ | vadhe ca grahaṇe caiva kuryuryatnaṃ mahābalāḥ || 30.23 ||

"Then, surrounding me on every side, those mighty and hideous-faced demonesses will strive with all their strength either to slay me or to capture me."

Shloka 24 (sundara.30.24)

तं मां शाखाः प्रशाखाश्च स्कन्धांश्चोत्तमशाखिनाम् । दृष्ट्वा च परिधावन्तं भवेयुः परिशङ्किताः ॥ 30.24 ॥

taṃ māṃ śākhāḥ praśākhāśca skandhāṃścottamaśākhinām | dṛṣṭvā ca paridhāvantaṃ bhaveyuḥ pariśaṅkitāḥ || 30.24 ||

"And seeing me running about, seizing the branches, twigs and trunks of these fine trees, they will grow ever more alarmed."

Shloka 25 (sundara.30.25)

मम रूपं च सम्प्रेक्ष्य वने विचरतो महत् । राक्षस्यो भयवित्रस्ता भवेयुर्विकृतस्वराः ॥ 30.25 ॥

mama rūpaṃ ca samprekṣya vane vicarato mahat | rākṣasyo bhayavitrastā bhaveyurvikṛtasvarāḥ || 30.25 ||

"Seeing my huge form roaming about that grove, the demonesses, terrified, will cry out in shrill and dreadful voices."

Shloka 26 (sundara.30.26)

ततः कुर्युः समाह्वानं राक्षस्यो रक्षसामपि । राक्षसेन्द्रनियुक्तानां राक्षसेन्द्रनिवेशने ॥ 30.26 ॥

tataḥ kuryuḥ samāhvānaṃ rākṣasyo rakṣasāmapi | rākṣasendraniyuktānāṃ rākṣasendraniveśane || 30.26 ||

"Then those ogresses will summon the other demons as well, those stationed by the demon-king within his own dwelling."

Shloka 27 (sundara.30.27)

ते शूलशरनिस्त्रिंशविविधायुधपाणयः । आपतेयुर्विमर्देऽस्मिन् वेगेनोद्वेगकारणात् ॥ 30.27 ॥

te śūlaśaranistriṃśavividhāyudhapāṇayaḥ | āpateyurvimarde'smin vegenodvegakāraṇāt || 30.27 ||

"They, with tridents, arrows, swords and every kind of weapon in hand, will rush swiftly into this fray, driven by their alarm."

Shloka 28 (sundara.30.28)

संरुद्धस्तैस्तु परितो विधमे राक्षसं बलम् । शक्नुयां न तु सम्प्राप्तुं परं पारं महोदधेः ॥ 30.28 ॥

saṃruddhastaistu parito vidhame rākṣasaṃ balam | śaknuyāṃ na tu samprāptuṃ paraṃ pāraṃ mahodadheḥ || 30.28 ||

"Hemmed in on every side by them, though I may destroy that demon host, I might well not be able to reach the far shore of the great ocean."

Shloka 29 (sundara.30.29)

मां वा गृह्णीयुरावृत्य बहवः शीघ्रकारिणः । स्यादियं चागृहीतार्था मम च ग्रहणं भवेत् ॥ 30.29 ॥

māṃ vā gṛhṇīyurāvṛtya bahavaḥ śīghrakāriṇaḥ | syādiyaṃ cāgṛhītārthā mama ca grahaṇaṃ bhavet || 30.29 ||

"Or many of them, acting swiftly, might surround and seize me; then this lady's purpose would remain unfulfilled, and I too would be taken captive."

Shloka 30 (sundara.30.30)

हिंसाभिरुचयो हिंस्युरिमां वा जनकात्मजाम् । विपन्नं स्यात् ततः कार्यं रामसुग्रीवयोरिदम् ॥ 30.30 ॥

hiṃsābhirucayo hiṃsyurimāṃ vā janakātmajām | vipannaṃ syāt tataḥ kāryaṃ rāmasugrīvayoridam || 30.30 ||

"Or these violence-loving demons might even harm this daughter of Janaka herself - and then this whole enterprise of Rama and Sugriva would come to ruin."

Shloka 31 (sundara.30.31)

उद्देशे नष्टमार्गेऽस्मिन् राक्षसैः परिवारिते । सागरेण परिक्षिप्ते गुप्ते वसति जानकी ॥ 30.31 ॥

uddeśe naṣṭamārge'smin rākṣasaiḥ parivārite | sāgareṇa parikṣipte gupte vasati jānakī || 30.31 ||

"Janaki dwells in this place of hidden approach, encircled by demons, and surrounded by the ocean, a place well concealed."

Shloka 32 (sundara.30.32)

विशस्ते वा गृहीते वा रक्षोभिर्मयि संयुगे । नान्यं पश्यामि रामस्य सहायं कार्यसाधने ॥ 30.32 ॥

viśaste vā gṛhīte vā rakṣobhirmayi saṃyuge | nānyaṃ paśyāmi rāmasya sahāyaṃ kāryasādhane || 30.32 ||

"Should I be slain or captured by the demons in this encounter, I see no other who could accomplish Rama's task as his helper."

Shloka 33 (sundara.30.33)

विमृशंश्च न पश्यामि यो हते मयि वानरः । शतयोजनविस्तीर्णं लङ्घयेत महोदधिम् ॥ 30.33 ॥

vimṛśaṃśca na paśyāmi yo hate mayi vānaraḥ | śatayojanavistīrṇaṃ laṅghayeta mahodadhim || 30.33 ||

"And reflecting well, I see no other monkey who, should I be slain, could leap across this great ocean, a hundred yojanas wide."

Shloka 34 (sundara.30.34)

कामं हन्तुं समर्थोऽस्मि सहस्राण्यपि रक्षसाम् । न तु शक्ष्याम्यहं प्राप्तुं परं पारं महोदधेः ॥ 30.34 ॥

kāmaṃ hantuṃ samartho'smi sahasrāṇyapi rakṣasām | na tu śakṣyāmyahaṃ prāptuṃ paraṃ pāraṃ mahodadheḥ || 30.34 ||

"I am indeed capable of slaying even thousands of demons - yet after that I may well not be able to reach the far shore of this great ocean."

Shloka 35 (sundara.30.35)

असत्यानि च युद्धानि संशयो मे न रोचते । कः च निःसंशयं कार्यं कुर्यात् प्राज्ञः ससंशयम् ॥ 30.35 ॥

asatyāni ca yuddhāni saṃśayo me na rocate | kaḥ ca niḥsaṃśayaṃ kāryaṃ kuryāt prājñaḥ sasaṃśayam || 30.35 ||

"The outcome of battles is never certain, and uncertainty itself does not appeal to me - for what wise man would turn a task free of doubt into one fraught with risk?"

Shloka 36 (sundara.30.36)

एष दोषो महान् हि स्यान्मम सीताभिभाषणे । प्राणत्यागश्च वैदेह्या भवेदनभिभाषणे ॥ 30.36 ॥

eṣa doṣo mahān hi syānmama sītābhibhāṣaṇe | prāṇatyāgaśca vaidehyā bhavedanabhibhāṣaṇe || 30.36 ||

"So then, great indeed would be the fault should I speak with Sita - yet if I do not speak with her, Vaidehi may well give up her very life."

Shloka 37 (sundara.30.37)

भूताश्चार्था विरुध्यन्त देशकालविरोधिताः । विक्लवं दूतमासाद्य तमः सूर्योदये यथा ॥ 30.37 ॥

bhūtāścārthā virudhyanta deśakālavirodhitāḥ | viklavaṃ dūtamāsādya tamaḥ sūryodaye yathā || 30.37 ||

"Even accomplished undertakings come to ruin when they clash with the right place and time, once entrusted to a bewildered messenger - just as darkness vanishes at sunrise."

Shloka 38 (sundara.30.38)

अर्थानर्थान्तरे बुद्धिर्निश्चितापि न शोभते । घातयन्ति हि कार्याणि दूताः पण्डितमानिनः ॥ 30.38 ॥

arthānarthāntare buddhirniścitāpi na śobhate | ghātayanti hi kāryāṇi dūtāḥ paṇḍitamāninaḥ || 30.38 ||

"Even a decision firmly made between what is beneficial and what is harmful may fail to prove sound - for messengers who merely think themselves wise often ruin the very tasks entrusted to them."

Shloka 39 (sundara.30.39)

न विनश्येत् कथं कार्यं वैक्लव्यं न कथं मम । लङ्घनं च समुद्रस्य कथं नु न वृथा भवेत् ॥ 30.39 ॥

na vinaśyet kathaṃ kāryaṃ vaiklavyaṃ na kathaṃ mama | laṅghanaṃ ca samudrasya kathaṃ nu na vṛthā bhavet || 30.39 ||

"How then should this task not fail? How should I avoid faltering? And how should my leap across the ocean not prove to have been in vain?"

Shloka 40 (sundara.30.40)

कथं नु खलु वाक्यं मे शृणुयान्नोद्विजेत च । इति संचिन्त्य हनुमांश्चकार मतिमान् मतिम् ॥ 30.40 ॥

kathaṃ nu khalu vākyaṃ me śṛṇuyānnodvijeta ca | iti saṃcintya hanumāṃścakāra matimān matim || 30.40 ||

"How indeed might she hear my words without becoming alarmed?" Reflecting thus, the wise Hanuman resolved his mind as follows.

Shloka 41 (sundara.30.41)

राममक्लिष्टकर्माणं सुबन्धुमनुकीर्तयन् । नैनामुद्वेजयिष्यामि तद्बन्धुगतचेतनाम् ॥ 30.41 ॥

rāmamakliṣṭakarmāṇaṃ subandhumanukīrtayan | naināmudvejayiṣyāmi tadbandhugatacetanām || 30.41 ||

"By speaking of Rama, untiring in his deeds and her own dear kinsman, I shall not alarm her, whose mind is fixed wholly upon that beloved kinsman."

Shloka 42 (sundara.30.42)

इक्ष्वाकूणां वरिष्ठस्य रामस्य विदितात्मनः । शुभानि धर्मयुक्तानि वचनानि समर्पयन् ॥ 30.42 ॥

ikṣvākūṇāṃ variṣṭhasya rāmasya viditātmanaḥ | śubhāni dharmayuktāni vacanāni samarpayan || 30.42 ||

"Offering to her auspicious words, full of righteousness, concerning Rama, foremost of the Ikshvakus, whose true nature is well known,

Shloka 43 (sundara.30.43)

श्रावयिष्यामि सर्वाणि मधुरां प्रब्रुवन् गिरम् । श्रद्धास्यति यथा सीता तथा सर्वं समादधे ॥ 30.43 ॥

śrāvayiṣyāmi sarvāṇi madhurāṃ prabruvan giram | śraddhāsyati yathā sītā tathā sarvaṃ samādadhe || 30.43 ||

speaking in a sweet voice, I shall make her hear everything - I shall arrange all my words in just such a way that Sita may come to trust them."

Shloka 44 (sundara.30.44)

इति स बहुविधं महाप्रभावो जगतिपतेः प्रमदामवेक्षमाणः । मधुरमवितथं जगाद वाक्यं द्रुमविटपान्तरमास्थितो हनूमान् ॥ 30.44 ॥

iti sa bahuvidhaṃ mahāprabhāvo jagatipateḥ pramadāmavekṣamāṇaḥ | madhuramavitathaṃ jagāda vākyaṃ drumaviṭapāntaramāsthito hanūmān || 30.44 ||

Thus resolved, that Hanuman of mighty power, gazing upon the wife of the lord of the earth, spoke in this manner - sweet and truthful words, many kinds of them, from his place amid the branches of the tree.