When Hanuman reached Lanka

 When Hanuman reached Lanka

When Hanuman crossed the ocean and reached Lanka, some versions of the Ramayana tell of his encounter with the city’s guardian deity. After defeating her, she revealed an ancient prophecy—Brahma had foretold that a vanara would conquer her, signaling doom for the rakshasas. In Krittibas Ojha’s Bengali retelling, the guardian is Chamunda, who had been waiting for Hanuman, as Shiva had told her she could only return home once she met him.

Hanuman, undeterred by his journey, shrank to a tiny form to avoid detection. Lanka’s splendor awed him—golden ramparts, towering palaces, and fierce rakshasa guards. Vishvakarma, the divine architect, had built this fortress, and Hanuman wondered: Even if Rama arrives, how will he breach these walls? But his mission was clear—find Sita.

A City of Illusions

Under the cover of night, Hanuman slipped into Ravana’s palace, where a thousand queens lay in deep slumber. None bore the grief of captivity—none could be Sita. He saw Ravana himself, resplendent on a crystal throne, and Mandodari, his queen, but Sita was nowhere. A flicker of doubt arose: Had Ravana killed her? Had she perished in despair?

For a moment, guilt gnawed at him—Is it wrong to gaze upon these women?—but he reassured himself: My mind is pure; my duty is just. Yet, the fear remained—what if Sita was already lost? The consequences of failure loomed: Rama’s heartbreak, the fall of the Ikshvakus, the ruin of the vanaras. I cannot return empty-handed, he resolved. I will search until I find her—or perish trying.

Divine Guidance

As despair threatened to overtake him, Hanuman entered the Ashoka grove, praying to the gods for success. In Valmiki’s version, he merely glimpsed Vibhishana’s palace, but Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas adds a deeper layer—Hanuman noticed signs of Rama’s worship outside Vibhishana’s home. When Vibhishana awoke, murmuring Rama’s name, Hanuman approached. The righteous rakshasa reassured him, guiding him to Sita’s hidden prison.

This moment—where faith meets fate—shows Hanuman’s perseverance and the unseen hand of divine will. His journey through Lanka was not just a search but a test of devotion, wisdom, and unyielding resolve.