Canto 37
Aborted Move
In time Seetha gave Hanuman
The key to state of mind of hers.
That my man is so constant
Lifts my spirits all well to skies
But the news of his despair
Pulls me down back to square one.
Vices if were to drag down
Man on road of his misery
In the plenty of riches
Forever loses man his course,
Can one really overcome
What is ordained by his fate?
Won’t my story underscore
Aspect this of life on earth.
In the high seas of sorrows
Boat of my life as capsized
Can my man ever carry me
To the joyous shores of life?
When Rama would bring nadir
Closer to the Lankan shores?
Tell Rama to beat deadline
Set by Ravan for my death.
For Ravan to snuff my life
Left are just but two more months.
Plead did my case Vibhishan
But paid deaf ear his sibling.
Won’t make my man Ravan pay
The price for treating me badly?
Told me Anala in person
Daughter dear of Vibhishan.
Aid de Ravan Avindhya
Advised his Lord in public
‘Better give Seetha to her man’.
Averred Ravan’s ablest aide
Lands when Rama in Lanka
That would be the end of it.
Sixth sense of mine seems to tell
That my man would come for sure.
It’s not in Ram to leave his wife
High and dry in enemies’ hands.
Know I know that he did kill
Demons in thousands at one go.
Know I my man can tackle
Ticklish things as one trivia
Strike his arrows his enemies
As would lightning its targets.
Felt glad Hanuman he induced
Hope in Rama’s distressed spouse.
To cheer Seetha all the more
Assured he then Ram would come.
Or else why not escape now
Carry thee would on my back
And land thee in thy man’s lap.
Permit if thou I would pluck
Lanka from its roots in earth
And place it at the feet of Ram.
Either way it helps thee meet
Man thine who is in thy wait.
Be that as it may thy man
Is all set to rescue thee.
Choose if thou to come with me
Cuts that short thy separation.
Make up thy mind Rama’s wife
Leave thus thou this Ravan’s den.
Rest as thou on my strong back
Fly I would at Mach two speed.
Thee as I fly back to Ram
None of Ravan’s could catch up.
Came as I here in flicker
Won’t we slip back in whisker?
Amused at what Hanuman said
Spoke then Seetha to him thus:
With due respect to thyself
To take me over sea this wide
More it takes than simian jumps.
Tell me how with tiny frame
Thou me carry on thy back?
Words those Seetha’s naïve uttered
Made great Hanuman feel slighted.
Why to fault good Rama’s wife
For she knows not my true worth.
So thought it fit then Vayu’s son
To show her all his innate strength.
For that he then chose a spot
Which wouldn’t restrict his full growth.
Tried as she to keep up pace
Glimpse to have of his face then
Seetha at length found herself
Staring at the stars themselves.
Having shown her his prowess
Assumed normal form Hanuman.
Told he then her that he could
Fetch her forthwith to her man.
Won’t that let her cut short all
Suffering of her beloved Ram?
Splendorous Seetha then in awe
Spoke to wondrous Hanuman thus.
Seen O Hanuman with my eyes
What a mighty frame thou have!
If not for thy skill Hanuman
Know I it’s no joke to reach
Lanka across sea this vast.
Sure I feel thou fly me back
For me to reach Rama’s feet.
But on second thought I wonder
Whether I lose my self in flight.
Once in mid-air nerve I might
Lose and fall down from that height.
Then the hungry whales in seas
Won’t they make a meal of me?
Slow down if thou for my sake
Won’t that make us sitting ducks?
Gives that Ravan’s loyal men
Time to spare in catching us.
Gherao as they us mid-air
Contrive how thou to escape?
Won’t that put thy life at risk
And mine as well in mid-flight?
Fight as thee all Ravan’s men
Won’t in fright I lose balance?
Dares not one to ever engage
Thee in dogfight in high skies,
But then Ravan’s men in hoards
Prevail might by hook or crook.
Engage as thou all of them
Won’t that leave me unguarded?
For vile Ravan’s men to kill
Won’t that make me easy prey?
Comes it if to such a pass
Won’t thy toil go in vain?
In spite of the odds so great
Should thou take me to my man
Won’t that leave him feel slighted?
In case Ravan gets me back
Holds me tight in no man’s land
How on earth my man gets there?
Whichever way might one may look
Seems it sound that thou might fetch
Man mine here than other way round.
Turns it if our mission failure
Won’t that put the life of Ram
As well the rest all at risk?
Hear if they soon none of me
Ram ’n Lakshman both of them
For sure embrace death in time.
Credo it’s but of my soul
Touch I never another man
Than my Rama whom I love.
Held me Ravan in kidnap
Disgust it caused all the way.
Know I well my man doth hit
Bull’s-eye every time he aims.
Enters he once battle zone
Know his arrows like sun-rays
Cease they never from his bow.
To join battle with Ravan
It’s my request O Hanuman
Fetch thou my man with Lakshman.
