SECTION XXXIX.
Having made over the gem, Sitā said onto Hanumān,— "This sign is very well known to Rāma. Seeing this gem, that hero, Rāma, shall recollect three persons,—his mother, myself, and king Daçaratha, Thou, O foremost of monkeys, wilt again be commissioned on this business. Do thou bethink thee as to what thou wilt do afterwards, when thou hast been entrusted with this task. O foremost of monkeys, thou art capable of compassing this work. Therefore, think as to what course of his (Rāma's) shall remove (my) misery. O Hanumān, undergoing toils, be thou instrumental in removing my misery." Saying, "So be it," the Wind-god's offspring of terrible prowess, bowing down the head, prepared to depart. Seeing that (Hanumān) was about to set out, that exalted one, Mithilā's daughter, addressed that monkey, son unto the Wind-god, in words choked by the vapour of grief,—"O Hanumān, do thou communicate good news to both Rāma and Lakshmana, to Sugriva with his counsellors, and to all the aged monkeys. And, O best of monkeys, in consonance with righteousness, communicate good tidings (unto Rāma). And it behoveth thee to strive so that the mighty-armed Rāghava may rescue me from this sea of sorrow. And, O Hanumān, do thou speak so that the illustrious Rāma may deliver me while I am still alive; and thereby do thou reap righteousness. Ever breathing high spirits, Dācarathi,[363] hearing my words, shall attain an access of manliness for my deliverance. Soon as Rāghava shall hear words couching tidings of me, that hero shall duly resolve on displaying his prowess." Hearing this speech of Sitā, Hanumān, son unto the Wind-god, with his joined hands raised to his head, said,—"Soon shall Kākutstha come, surrounded by the foremost monkeys and bears; and, vanquishing the foe in fight, shall remove thy grief. Find I none either among men, or Asuras, or celestials, that dares remain before him as he discharges his shafts. For thee, in especial, he can stand in conflict even the Sun, Indra, nay—Yama himself, that offspring of the Sun. For thee, he prepareth himself to conquer the Earth bounded by the main; and victory, thou daughter of Janaka, shall be Rāma's." Hearing his words excellently spoken and thoroughly true, Jānaki honored them highly, and spoke (as follows). And gazing at him once and again as he prepared to go away, Sitā from affection honored the speech which had been uttered (by Hanuroan) out of attachment unto his master,— "If thou wish it, O hero, do thou, O subduer of enemies, stay here for one day. Having rested in some hidden nook, thou wilt depart to-morrow. O monkey, (if thou dost remain), thy vicinity shall for a moment remove the huge grief of me of slender luck. But even if thou go (passing to-day here), I have, O tiger-like monkey, doubts as to thy return; and, accordingly, doubt, certainly, as to my life. And the grief incident to my not seeing thee shall burn me greatly, even, O monkey, as grief burneth one that is already consumed by sorrow over and over again. And, O hero, O lord of monkeys, this doubt is also before me. How, alas! shall the mighty lord of monkeys, albeit backed by the monkeys and bears, cross over the mighty main hard to cross,—and (how shall) those forces consisting of bears and monkeys or those sons of the best of men (cross over the same)? In all the three worlds, Vinatā's offspring, thyself, and the Wind-god, have alone the power of crossing over the deep.—Then, for the accomplishment of this work, difficult to compass, what, O hero, O thou best of those conversant with business, what way dost thou see as to its success? Or thou alone, O destroyer of hostile heroes, art quite enough for the fulfilment of this purpose; and thou shalt reap, in the shape of fame, the fruit of thy achievement. But if (Rāma) himself together with all his forces, conquering Rāvana and (recovering me) in battle, returned victorious to his own city,—this would be worthy of himself. If blocking up Lankā with his army, that afflictor of hostile hosts, Kākutstha took me (hence), that would be worthy of him. Do thou, therefore, adopt such means that the high-souled heroic warrior may have an opportunity of putting forth prowess. Hearing those words fraught with sense and reason and informed with affection, Hanumān, by way of reply said mildly,—"O revered lady, that foremost of monkeys—the lord of bears and monkeys—Sugriva, possessed of truth, hath made up his mind on thy behalf. That destroyer of Rākshasas, O daughter of Videha, environed by thousands of millions of monkeys, will come hither without delay. And exceedingly powerful and mighty monkeys possessed of prowess, and speeding far with the rapidity of thought, are in his command. Nothing can impede their courses, either upward, or downward, or tending in both directions; and those ones of measureless energy never experience depression in the most arduous undertakings. Braced by their exalted spirits, these, resorting to the aerial way, have many a time and oft circumambulated the Earth containing mountains and meads. There are (in that army) rangers of woods, some equal and some superior to me. And near Sugriva there are none who are inferior to me. And since even I have reached this place, what shall I say of those ones endowed with immense might? Nor are superior (monkeys) sent on errands; it is only the inferior ones that are sent. Then, O exalted one, thou needst not grieve: let thy sorrow depart. Those leaders of monkey-herds will come to Lankā by one bound; and, like unto the risen Sun and Moon, those leonine men, having large numbers to back them, will come to thy side, riding my back. Those heroes and foremost of men, Rāma and Lakshmana both, coming to the city of Lankā, shall destroy her by means of their shafts. And slaying Rāvana together with his adherents, Raghu's son, taking thee, O paragon among women, shall return to his own city. Therefore, do thou take heart, good betide thee! Do thou remain, eagerly wishing for the time. It will not be long before thou shalt behold Rāma resembling flaming fire. On the lord of Rākshasas being slain along with his counsellors and friends, thou shalt meet with Rāma, even as Rohini meeteth with the Moon. O worshipful one, speedily shalt thou behold the other shore of thy misery, O Maithili; and thou shalt see Rāvana slain by Rāma by might of arm." Having thus solaced Videha's daughter, Hanumān, son unto the Wind-god, again spoke unto Vaidehi, saying,—"Soon shalt thou behold that destroyer of foes, Rāghava of subdued soul, and the bow-bearing Lakshmana also, come to the gate of Lankā. And soon shalt thou behold the assembled heroic monkeys, endowed with the prowess of lions and tigers, and the splendour of the monarch of monkeys, and having nails and teeth for their arms. And thou shalt, O noble one, behold innumerable companies of choice monkeys, resembling hills and clouds,—roaring on the plateaus of Malaya in Lankā.
Like an elephant tormented by a lion, Rāma afflicted in the vitals by the dreadful shafts of Manmatha, doth not attain ease. Do not weep, exalted one, in sorrow. Let not fear take possession of thy heart! Even as Sachi meeteth with Sakra, shalt thou, O auspicious one, meet with thy lord. Who is greater than Rāma? And who is equal to Sanmitri?[364] And these brothers resembling Fire and the Wind, are thy help. O revered one, thou wilt not have to dwell long in this extremely dreadful place inhabited by the Rākshasas. The arrival of thy beloved one is not distant. Just remain expecting (as best thou may), during the time that elapses between this and my meeting with Rāma."