Vanaras Search For Sita
Futile
Efforts
The
Vanara armies left Kishkindha, but Hanuman carried a special message for Sita.
Soon, the armies returned from the east, north, and west, and brought
disheartening news. Sita was nowhere to be found. Would Hanuman succeed where
everyone else failed?
Sugriva
turned to Hanuman, in whom he possessed immense confidence. He knew that if
there was anyone who would be successful in the search, it would be Hanuman
Sugriva told him, "I see nobody who is comparable to you in any of the
realms, in the heavens or sky, let alone on the earth, in intellect or
strength. You are like your father, the wind god himself.
Rama's messenger
Seeing
the king's conviction in Hanuman's capability. Rama decided to trust him,
believing that his success was certain. His heart grew light at the thought and
he gave Hanuman a ring marked with his name. "By this, Sita will know that
you are my messenger," he said. Hanuman took the ring, placed it upon his
head with reverence, and worshipped Rama's feet before leaving. When the armies
had left. Rama asked Sugriva, with some curiosity, "How is it that you
have such knowledge of all quarters of the land?"
Sugriva
replied, "When my brother Vali chased me 1 traversed the limits of all the
directions until Hanuman suggested that we live in the region that Vali could
not enter because of the sage's curse."
The
armies began returning on the 30th day from their departure. They told Sugriva
that they had searched the cities, rivers, seas, and mountains, but failed to
find Sita. The contingent from the south, however, had not returned.
The search continues
Tara,
Hanuman, and Angada looked for Sita in the south, going from region to region,
also passing through places where there were no edible fruits, roots, or
animals. They even encountered a mighty Rakshasa whom they swiftly killed, but
there was no sign of Sita.
Despondent,
they sat under a tree and Angada said slowly, "We have looked everywhere -
the forests, rivers, and mountains. But we haven't been able to see either Sita
or the Rakshasa who abducted her. A great deal of time has passed, and Sugriva
is a fierce ruler."
A strange place
The
Vanaras rested and walked on, hungry and thirsty, until they saw a cave with
many birds. Thinking that there could be a waterbody nearby, they entered the
dark, tunnel-like cave. They walked for a while, holding one another, until
they saw light. They realized it came from an illuminated forest within the
cave, which had golden flora and fauna.
In
the distance, they saw a woman in ascetic garb, who seemed to blaze with inner
radiance. Hanuman folded his hands and asked her, "Who are you and to whom
does this place belong? We were exhausted, hungry, and thirsty when we entered
this cave. How are the trees and animals golden?"
The
woman told them that she was Svayamprabha and that the place belonged to her
friend Hema, a celestial maiden. Maya, a Danava (race descending from the
goddess Danu), had built the place with his powers and lived here, until Indra,
the king of gods, killed him for falling in love with Hema. "Why are you
here? If your exhaustion and hunger has dissipated, tell me," she said.
Hanuman then told her about Rama and Sugriva, and of their search for Sita.
Then he said, "Observer of dharma, we seek you as refuge. The time that
our king had assigned for the task has lapsed. Please help us find a way out of
here. We are terrified of Sugriva, for we have neither completed the task, nor
returned in time."
Svayamprabha
asked them to shut their eyes and transported them to a shore by an ocean. She
then disappeared before they could even open their eyes.
LOCATION
THE
SILENT FOREST
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