Canto 40
Repeats the Dose
Spurred as Seetha by pep talk
Spoke she then with fortitude.
Words thy no less drops of rain
Land on that so parched for long.
In the despaired heart of mine
Seed like words as sowed by thee
Seem they turned all sprouts of hope.
Ever I cherish the time I spent
With my beloved spouse Rama,
Keep in mind to remind my Lord
The tale of crow that lost its eye.
In that night-long lovemaking
Smudged as dot my vermillion
Remind my Ram that he fashioned
Dot on my cheek not forehead.
How a valorous man like Ram
Fails to wreck his vengeance on
Man who came to snare his wife?
Let him know that this diadem
Which I got at our wedding
Helps me think of him fondly.
Now that I have parted with
Let him know that have I none
Helps that to soothe my torment.
It’s the hope of meeting him
With which I bear slights all these.
Live I thirty days in hope
Fails if my Lord me by then
Left I with but no option
Than to take my life on own.
Ram if fails to come in time
With no reason to live more,
Ogles at me as Ravan
Bear I won’t his lustful look.
Sank as Seetha in sorrow
Spoke thus vanar to cheer her.
Swear I do now by thy man
Fond he is no less of thee.
Now that I traced thee at last
For the end of thy sorrows
Note the count down hath started.
As and when I let him know
Though art confined by Ravan
To land in Lanka with vanars
Wastes not Ram a second even.
Battle Royal that follows
Ensures Ram would slay Ravan.
To spur on Rama even more
Why not give me something more?
Show if thou him my diadem
To spur him on to fight for me
Need there none for something else.
Enthused by her words Hanuman
Stirred his frame to fly back home.
Grew as he in size Hanuman
In awe Seetha gazed at him.
At the prospect of his loss
Spoke to him in tears Seetha.
Tell my man ’n his sibling
Suffering am in anxiety.
How to rescue me in time
Counsel Rama O Hanuman.
Fare thee well O dear vanar
Know I wish thee bon voyage.
To journey back to Kishkindha
All set Hanuman to leave her.
Canto 41
Rampage in the Park
Bid as adieu Hanuman soon
Exuded warmth Seetha then.
As he left her felt Hanuman -
Were I to fail to probe Lanka
Won’t my trip be incomplete?
How to test the guys all these
Than ride roughshod over them?
Were I to slay a few Generals
Won’t that weaken Ravan’s force?
Found as I now Rama’s wife
What if I dent Ravan’s pride?
Why not eyes ’n ears I keep
Wide open for task on hand?
Why fail assess relative strength
Of Ravan’s men and us vanars?
Better I invite Ravan’s wrath
That he lets loose kinkar force.
Battle as I palace guards
Chance it gives to test their strength.
Oh, this garden of gardens
Could be dear to evil Ravan.
Were I to arson this garden
Spits fire enraged Ravan then.
Won’t he send his elite force
Alive or dead to take me soon?
Won’t I take on all of them
On my own in their own land?
All those high and mighty trees
Hurricane like then Hanuman mowed.
Bulldozed as he his way through
Birds there perched all lost their nests.
Set he as the place on fire
Seemed that like huge funeral pyre.
Birds there flew to save their lives
Sounds they made then reached the skies.
Fire as raged there thick and fast
Cried wildlife there then thus trapped.
Soon the scene turned inferno
Came dwellings all crumbling down.
Turned in no time burning coal
Garden meant for queens to cool.
Hanuman in all eagerness
Waited to take Ravan’s men
Expected to confront him.
