Reading Notes: Ramayana Part C

 

Hanuman: pixabay

Rama and Lakshmana journey southwards following Sita's trail by hearsay and hints. They reach the kingdom of Kiskinda, which was ruled by a monkey race that were extraordinarily intelligent and had godly parentage. 

Hanuman, the companion and helper of Sugreeva who is the son of the sun god and chief of Kiskinda, sees Rama and studies him. Is he a warrior or an ascetic? Too curious to turn away, Hanuman confronts Rama and Lakshmana. They tell Hanuman who they are and why they were there. Hanuman believes them and turns from his scholarly form into his true monkey form. Hanuman then tells them of Sugreeva and his story.

Sugreeva is the brother of Vali, who has immeasurable strength due to churning Mount Meru to create nectar for the gods. Everyone and all of nature was afraid of Vali due to this strength. One day, a demon named Mayavi challenged Vali and then retreated into the underworld. Vali followed him into the underworld and did not return immediately. Twenty-eight months passed and Vali had still not returned. Sugreeva wanted to go rescue Vali, but his advisors told him not to and crowned Sugreeva as ruler. They blocked the entrance to the underworld scared that Mayavi would be victorious. Eventually, Vali emerged from the underworld victorious. He was furious that the underworld was blocked and believed Sugreeva purposely entombed him. He went to Sugreeva and began to beat him. Sugreeva somehow escaped and rushed to Mount Matanga where Vali could not enter due to a curse that would immediately kill him. Vali swore to kill him if he ever left and then returned home where he resumed to being ruler and stole Sugreeva's wife.

Rama was heartened by this story and swore to help Sugreeva. Sugreeva took Hanuman aside to see what he thought of Rama and to determine if he was trustworthy. Being so intelligent, Hanuman had figured out that Rama was truly Vishnu and that only he could defeat Vali. Sugreeva also told Rama that they had seen Sita long ago being carried away and that he swore to help find her.

The group set out first to defeat Vali, as they would need his army to save Sita. They went to Kiskinda mountain where Sugreeva called out for Vali as bait. Vali appeared and they began to fight. Sugreeva began to become tired and paralyzed by his brother's beatings and begged Rama to help. Rama told him to wear flowers around his neck so that he could tell which brother was which. Rama then successfully shot Vali in the heart.

Vali called out asking Rama as to why he shot him, as he has done no evil. Rama emerges and tells Vali of Sugreeva's innocence in taking charge while Vali was in the underworld. He also discusses how Vali did act maliciously by taking Sugreeva's wife and having hatred for Sugreeva even when he discovered the truth. Rama and Vali talked for a while and Vali realized his mistakes and became grateful for Rama's truths. Vali then died and his soul went to the heavens. Sugreeva was then crowned.

Rama tells Sugreeva to have Hanuman meet him with his army after four months, which would be the end of the rain season. After the time had passed, no one came to meet him. Rama sent an angry Lakshmana to meet with Sugreeva to see why he had broken his promise. However, when Lakshmana got there, he was no longer angry as Sugreeva explained that he had sent out messengers for the army. They went to Rama and explained the predicament and Rama was happy that Sugreeva had not broken his promise.

One by one, Sugreeva's armies arrived. He sent the armies in multiple directions to search for Sita. Hanuman and his army was failing, as they could find no sign of Sita. However, they met Sampathi who was Jatayu's brother. Sampathi was a giant bird and told Hanuman and his army where he had seen Ravana hide Sita: Lanka. However, they would have to cross a huge sea. Hanuman was the only one who could cross the sea, as he could grow to any size. Thus, he grew to an enormous size and stepped across the sea into Lanka.

Bibliography: Narayan, R K, and Kampar. The Ramayana. New York, Penguin Books, 1972.