SECTION LXXIV.
And they²⁷⁰ were rendered inert in the field; and the army of the monkey-leaders was stupified, with Sugriva and Nila and Angada and Jāmbavān,—and they did not show any signs of activity. Thereupon, seeing them dispirited, that foremost of intelligent persons—Bibhishana—cheering them up with his peerless speech, said,—"Ye heroes of the king of monkeys, do not give way to fear. This is not the time to indulge in grief at this place; for the sons of the noble one,²⁷¹—inactive and depressed, and seeming to be wounded with the showers of Indrajit’s shafts,—are in reality in this plight, for showing reverence unto the words²⁷² of the Self-sprung one.—On him the Self-sprung hath conferred the mighty Brahmā, weapon of unfailing power; and the king’s sons are doing honour to it by lying down on the field of battle. Why then do ye grieve now?" Hearing the words of Bibhishana and honoring the Brahmā weapon, Hanumān spoke as follows:—"The host of the quick-paced monkeys hath been slain by this weapon. Let us go and console them who are still living". And those two great heroes—Hanumān and that foremost of the Rākshasas, with fire-brands in their hands, began to range to and fro in the battle field. And they beheld there the earth strewn on all sides with monkeys lying down like so many hills and various shining weapons. And some of these monkeys were deprived of their tails, some of their hands, some of their thighs, some of their legs, some of their fingers, and some of their heads. And blood was gushing out from the persons of some, and others were urinating out of fear. And Bibhishana and Hanumān beheld there Sugriva, Angada, Nila, Gandhamldana, Jāmbavān, Sushena, Vegadarshin, Mainda, Nala, Jyotimukha, and the monkey, Dwivida,—almost slain. And Bibhishana and Hanumān saw in the field seven and sixty kotis of fleet-footing monkeys slain (in battle) at the fifth part of the day by the darling of the Self-sprung. And surveying that host worsted, dreadful like the surges of the sea, Hanumān and Bibhishana began to search for Jāmbavān. And finding that heroic son of Prajāpati, afflicted with natural decrepitude, aged, and resembling smouldering fire,—wounded with hundreds of shafts, Pulastya’s son said,—"O noble one, hath not thy life been destroyed with those sharp shafts?" Hearing Bibhishana’s words, Jāmbavān—best of bears—evoking utterance with extreme effort, said,—"O foremost of Nairitas, endowed with exceeding prowess, I know thee by thy voice. Having my person pierced with sharp shafts, I cannot see thee with my eyes. Doth he through whom Anjanā as well as Mātariçwa²⁷³ are blessed with fair offspring,—doth that prince of monkeys—Hanumān—live?" Hearing Jāmbavān’s speech, Bibhishaua said,—"Why, passing by the son of the high and mighty,²⁷⁴ dost thou enquire after the Wind-god’s offspring? O noble one, thou dost not show that overflowing affection either for king Sugriva or Rāghava that thou showest for the son of the Wind-god". Hearing Bibhishana’s words, Jāmbavān said,—"Hear, O foremost of Rākshasas, why I enquire after the Wind-god’s son. While this hero is alive, this force, albeit destroyed, liveth; but if Hanumān is reft of life, although living, we are destroyed. O child, if the Wind-god’s offspring, resembling his sire himself or (the deity of) Fire in prowess, is alive, there is hope for our lives". Then approaching that aged one, Hanumān—son unto the Wind god—saluted him humbly, holding Jāmbavān’s feet. Hearing Hanumān’s voice, that foremost of monkeys, with his senses sorely smarting, deemed himself as having regained his life. Then that exceedingly energetic one addressed Hanumān, saying,—"Come, O powerful monkey. It behoveth thee to rescue the monkeys. There is none else. Endowed with profuse prowess, thou art the greatest friend of these. This is the hour when thou shouldst display thy might. Any other see I not. Do thou cheer up this host consisting of bears and monkeys; and do thou also heal the wounds of these two tormented by them. Bounding sheer over the main, thou, O Hanumān, shouldst repair to the Himavān—foremost of mountains. There thou wilt see that best of mountains—the golden Rishabha of terrific aspect, and, smiter of foes, the peak also of Kailāça. Lying in the Up of these two, thou, O hero, O powerful monkey, wilt see the mountain of medicines, fraught with healing herbs of all kinds. On its summit thou wilt find four medicinal herbs flaming and illumining the ten cardinal quarters—viz., Mritasanjivani,²⁷⁵ Viçalyakarani,²⁷⁶ Suvarnakarani,²⁷⁷ and the mighty medicine, Sandhāni. O Hanumān, providing thyself with these, thou shouldst come hither without delay. Do thou, O offspring of the Wind-god²⁷⁸ bringing back lives unto these monkeys, cheer them up". Thereat Hanumān filled himself with energy, even as the Ocean heaveth with the force of the winds (blowing on its breast). And ascending the summit of that mountain,²⁷⁹ and hurting it with his tread, that hero—Hanumān—appeared like a second mountain, And crushed under the tread of that monkey, the mountain was dispirited; and sore distressed, it could hardly contain itself. And the trees on it began to topple to the earth; and on account of the vehemence of the monkey, they flamed up. And smitten by Hanumān, its peaks were scattered around. And monkeys could no longer dwell on that foremost of mountains, which, being hard pressed (by Hanumān), was trembling all over, with its slopes covered with broken trees and rocks. And with her giant gateways shaking, and the doors of her edifices broken, that night Lankā, overwhelmed with fright, seemed to be dancing. And the offspring of the Wind-god, resembling a mountain itself, bringing that mountain to sore straits, agitated the entire earth with her Oceans. And hurting the mountain with his tread, he, opening wide his mouth resembling that of a mare, sent up loud shouts, terrifying the night-rangers. And hearing those tremendous roars as he kept emitting cries, the powerful Rākshasas were quite stupified. And bowing down unto the Ocean, that subduer of enemies, the Wind-god’s son, endowed with dreadful prowess, began to ponder over the mighty mission with which he had been entrusted in the interests of Rāghava.—And, then upraising his tail resembling a serpent, bending his back, contracting his ears, and opening his mouth looking like that of a mare, that one possessed of terrific impetuosity, bounded into the sky. And with the vehemence of his rush,—he carried away in his wake whole tracts of trees, and rocks, and crags, and inferior monkeys;²⁸⁰ and after having been carried away some distance by the vehemence of his arms and thighs, they, at length losing their velocity, fell into the waters (of the Ocean.) And stretching his arms resembling serpents, the son of the Wind-god endowed with the prowess of Gāruda²⁸¹ coursed on towards the monarch of mountains, as if making all the quarters tremble. And seeing the sea with its hosts of billows rolling furiously, and with the confederacies of aquatic animals bewildered by the angry waters, he coursed on rapidly, like the discus discharged by the hand of Vishnu. And surveying hills and birds and pools and rivers and tanks and splendid cities and flourishing provinces, that one equal to his sire himself in celerity, held his way. And that hero—Hanumān—like unto his father in prowess, and incapable of being fatigued, vigorously proceeded along the orbit of the Sun. And that powerful monkey possessed of the speed of the Wind itself, and having mighty impetuosity, careered, making all sides resound with his roars. And remembering Jāmbavān’s words, that redoubtable monkey, son unto the Wind-god, possessed of terrific prowess, and resembling a mountain, suddenly saw (before him) the Himavān: furnished with countless cascades and numerous caves and rivulets; with splendid summits appearing like massess of pale clouds; and graced with various trees. And arriving at that lord of mighty mountains, furnished with excellent towering golden summits, he saw the great sacred asylums (of the ascetics), inhabited by the flower of celestial saints. And he saw Brahmakoça²⁸² and Rajatālaya²⁸³ and Sakrālaya²⁸⁴ and Rudraçarapramoksha²⁸⁵ and Hayānana²⁸⁶ and the flaming Brahmaçiras,²⁸⁷ and the servants of Vaivaçwata.²⁸⁸ And he saw the abode of the Fire-god, and the abode of Vaiçravana and the effulgent Suryyanivandhana.²⁸⁹ and the abode of Brahmā,²⁹⁰ and the bow of Sankara, and the navel of the Earth.²⁹¹ And he saw Kailaça of terrific aspect, and the stone²⁹² of Himavān, and that bull,²⁹³ and the golden mountain, and that foremost of mountains furnished with all medicinal herbs, flaming, and illuminated with every kind of medicinal plants. And beholding that flaming mass of fire, the offspring of Vāsava’s²⁹⁴ emissary wondered. And bounding up to the lord of medicinal mountains, he fell to searching for the drugs. And that mighty monkey—the Wind-god’s son—leaving behind a thousand yojanas, began to range the mountain containing the divine remedies in its entrails. And those potent medicines, in that foremost of mountains, knowing (before-hand) that one was coming seeking for them, rendered themselves invisible. And not seeing them, the high-souled Hanumān was angered; and from wrath he set up roars. And not brooking that, (Hanumān) with eyes resembling glowing fire, addressed that foremost of mountains, saying,—"What is this that thou hast decided on, that thou showest no compassion for Rāghava? But, O lord of mountains, to-day witness thyself, overpowered by my arms and torn in pieces!" And (anon) on a sudden, he violently rooted up its summit with trees and elephants and gold, and furnished with a thousand varieties of ore,—having its tops torn and its slopes aflame. And uprooting it, he sprang into (the bosom of the air), terrifying the worlds containing celestials and the lords thereof. And hymned by countless rangers of the air, that one endowed with the terrific impetuosity of Gāruda himself, taking that summit furnished with the splendour of the Sun, went along the orbit of the Sun. And near the Sun, that Sun-like one seemed to be another Sun. And with that mountain, the offspring of the bearer of perfumes appeared surpassingly grand, like very Vishnu equipped with the flaming discus having a thousand edges. And seeing him, the monkeys shouted,—and he also, seeing then, shouted in delight. And hearing their tremendous cheers, those residing in Lankā shouted still more dreadfully. And then the high-souled one dropped on that best of mountains in the midst of the monkey-forces; and, bowing down unto the principal monkeys there, he embraced Bibhishana. And then those sons of that king of men, smelling the perfume of that mighty medicine, were then and there healed of their wounds; and the heroic monkeys also sat up. And all the heroic monkeys were instantly healed and cured; and those also that were slain (in battle), through the smell of that best of drugs, sat up, like persons risen after sleep at break of day. Ever since the monkeys and Rākshasas had begun to fight, for maintaining honor, all those Rākshasas that were slain there by the mighty monkeys, were thrown into the sea. Then that monkey, the offspring of the bearer of fragrance, endowed with terrific speed, took that medicinal mountain (back) unto Himavān and again presented himself before Rāma.
²⁷⁰ i.e. Rāma and Lakshmana.
²⁷¹ Daçaratha.
²⁷² Mantra.
²⁷³ The Wind-god.
²⁷⁴ Vide Hamlet.
²⁷⁵ Lit. reviving the dead.
²⁷⁶ Lit. healing wounds inflicted by darts.
²⁷⁷ Lit. transmuting any thing to gold.
²⁷⁸ Gandhabahātanaya—lit., son unto the bearer of smell—a designation of the Wind in Sanskrit.—T.
²⁷⁹ Trikuta.
²⁸⁰ Residing in the Trikuta mountain.
²⁸¹ The text has, the Foe of serpents—an appellation of Gāruda
²⁸² The place of Hiranyagarbha.
²⁸³ The place of Rajatanābha—silver-naveled—another form of Hiranyagarbha.
²⁸⁴ The abode of Sakra.
²⁸⁵ The place wherefrom Rudra discharged his arrow on the occasion of the destruction of Tripurā.
²⁸⁶ The place of the Horse-necked.
²⁸⁷ The place of the deity presiding over the Brahma weapon.
²⁸⁸ An appellation of Yama.
²⁸⁹ The spot where the suns meet.
²⁹⁰ The place of the four-faced Brahmā.
²⁹¹ The spot of Prajāpati.
²⁹² On which Rudra sat when engaged in asceticism.
²⁹³ Which had been mentioned by Jāmbavān.
²⁹⁴ The emissary of Vāsava in his cloud-form is the Wind driving the cloud; and the passage refers to Hanumān.—T.