Hanuman's Departure for Lanka and the Trials on the Way
Hanuman sets out across the ocean toward Lanka. On the way, he overcomes Surasa's test with wisdom and slays the demoness who seizes travelers by their shadow.
Sundar Kand · Episode 2 / 20
Episode Text
जामवंत के बचन सुहाए। सुनि हनुमंत हृदय अति भाए॥ तब लगि मोहि परिखेहु तुम्ह भाई। सहि दुख कंद मूल फल खाई॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jāmavaṃta ke bacana suhāe। suni hanumanta hṛdaya ati bhāe॥ taba lagi mohi parikhehu tumha bhāī। sahi dukha kaṃda mūla phala khāī॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
The sweet words of Jambavan delighted Hanuman's heart greatly. He said, 'Brothers, endure hardship, live on roots, tubers, and fruits, and wait for me until then.'
जब लगि आवौं सीतहि देखी। होइहि काजु मोहि हरष बिसेषी॥ यह कहि नाइ सबन्हि कहुँ माथा। चलेउ हरषि हियँ धरि रघुनाथा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jaba lagi āvaṃ̄ sītahi dekhī। hoihi kāju mohi haraṣa biseṣī॥ yaha kahi nāi sabanhi kahuṃ māthā। caleu haraṣi hiyaṁ dhari raghunāthā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Until I return after seeing Sita, the task will certainly be accomplished, for I am filled with great joy. Having said this, bowing to everyone, and keeping Lord Raghunatha in his heart, Hanuman departed rejoicing.
सिंधु तीर एक भूधर सुंदर। कौतुक कूदि चढ़ेउ ता ऊपर॥ बार बार रघुबीर सँभारी। तरकेउ पवनतनय बल भारी॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sindhu tīra eka bhūdhar suṃdara। kautuka kūdi caṛheu tā ūpara॥ bāra bāra raghubīra saṃbhārī। tarakeu pavanatana ya bala bhārī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
On the seashore stood a beautiful mountain. Hanuman leapt up onto it playfully, and, remembering Lord Raghubir again and again, the mighty son of the Wind sprang onward with great force.
जेहिं गिरि चरन देइ हनुमंता। चलेउ सो गा पाताल तुरंता॥ जिमि अमोघ रघुपति कर बाना। एही भाँति चलेउ हनुमाना॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jehiṃ giri carana dei hanumaṃtā। caleu so gā pātāla turaṃtā॥ jimi amogha raghupati kara bānā। ehī bhāṃti caleu hanumānā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
The mountain on which Hanuman set his foot and from which he sprang sank immediately into the nether regions. Just as Lord Raghu's arrow never misses, so did Hanuman move.
हनूमान तेहि परसा कर पुनि कीन्ह प्रनाम। राम काजु कीन्हें बिनु मोहि कहाँ बिश्राम॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
hanūmāna tehi parasā kara puni kīhna pranāma। rāma kāju kīhne bina mohi kahāṃ biśrāma॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Hanuman touched it with his hand and then bowed. He said, 'Brother, how can I rest without accomplishing Lord Rama's work?'
जात पवनसुत देवन्ह देखा। जानैं कहुँ बल बुद्धि बिसेषा॥ सुरसा नाम अहिन्ह कै माता। पठइन्हि आइ कही तेहिं बाता॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jāta pavanasuta devanha dekhā। jānaiṃ kahuṃ bala buddhi viseṣā॥ surasā nāma ahinha kai mātā। paṭhaīnhi āi kahī tehiṃ bātā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
The gods saw the son of the Wind as he went along, and in order to test his extraordinary strength and intelligence they sent Surasa, the mother of serpents, who came and said this to Hanuman.
आजु सुरन्ह मोहि दीन्ह अहारा। सुनत बचन कह पवनकुमारा॥ राम काजु करि फिरि मैं आवौं। सीता कइ सुधि प्रभुहि सुनावौं॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
āju suranha mohi dīhna ahārā। sunata bacana kaha pavanakumārā॥ rāma kāju kari phiri maiṃ āvaũ। sītā kai sudhi prabhuhi sunāvaũ॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
The gods have given me food today,' she said. Hearing these words, Hanuman, son of the Wind, replied, 'After doing Lord Rama's work, I shall return and tell the Lord the news of Sita.'
तब तव बदन पैठिहउँ आई। सत्य कहउँ मोहि जान दे माई॥ कवनेहुँ जतन देइ नहिं जाना। ग्रससि न मोहि कहेउ हनुमाना॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
taba tava badana paiṭhihaũ āī। satya kahauṃ mohi jāna de māī॥ kavaneṃhu jatana dei nahiṃ jānā। grasasi na mohi kaheu hanumānā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Then I shall come in and enter your mouth, so you may eat me. O Mother, I speak the truth: let me go now. When she did not allow him to pass by any means, Hanuman said, 'Then eat me if you must.'
जोजन भरि तेहिं बदनु पसारा। कपि तनु कीन्ह दुगुन बिस्तारा॥ सोरह जोजन मुख तेहिं ठयऊ। तुरत पवनसुत बत्तिस भयऊ॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jojana bhari tehiṃ badanu pasārā। kapi tanu kīhna duguna bistārā॥ soraha jojana mukha tehiṃ ṭhayaū। turata pavanasuta battisa bhaoū॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
She opened her mouth a full yojana wide. Then Hanuman enlarged his body to twice that size. She made her mouth sixteen yojanas wide, and Hanuman instantly became thirty-two yojanas.
जस जस सुरसा बदनु बढ़ावा। तासु दून कपि रूप देखावा॥ सत जोजन तेहिं आनन कीन्हा। अति लघु रूप पवनसुत लीन्हा॥ ५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jasa jasa surasā badanu baṛhāvā। tāsu dūna kapi rūpa dekhāvā॥ sata jojana tehiṃ ānana kīnhā। ati laghu rūpa pavanasuta līnhā॥ 5 ॥
Meaning:
As Surasa kept widening her mouth, Hanuman showed a form twice as large. She made her mouth one hundred yojanas wide, and then the son of the Wind assumed a very tiny form.
बदन पइठि पुनि बाहेर आवा। मागा बिदा ताहि सिरु नावा॥ मोहि सुरन्ह जेहि लागि पठावा। बुधि बल मरमु तोर मैं पावा॥ ६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
badana paiṭhi puni bāhera āvā। māgā bidā tāhi siru nāvā॥ mohi suranha jehi lāgi paṭhāvā। budhi bala maramu tora maiṃ pāvā॥ 6 ॥
Meaning:
He entered her mouth and came out again at once, and then bowed his head and asked for leave. She said, 'I have understood the secret of your intelligence and strength, for which the gods sent me.'
राम काजु सबु करिहहु तुम्ह बल बुद्धि निधान। आसिष देइ गई सो हरषि चलेउ हनुमान॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāma kāju sabu karihahu tumha bala buddhi nidhāna। āsiṣa dei gaī so haraṣi caleu hanumāna॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
You will accomplish all of Lord Rama's work, for you are a treasure-house of strength and wisdom.' Giving this blessing, she departed, and Hanuman went on rejoicing.
निसिचरि एक सिंधु महुँ रहई। करि माया नभु के खग गहई॥ जीव जंतु जे गगन उड़ाहीं। जल बिलोकि तिन्ह कै परिछाहीं॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nisicari eka siṃdhu mahuṃ rahai। kari māyā nabhu ke khaga gahai॥ jīva jaṃtu je gagana uṛāhīṃ। jala biloki tinha kai parichāhīṃ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
In the ocean there lived a demoness. By means of illusion, she would catch the birds flying in the sky. And the creatures that flew in the sky, seeing their reflection in the water, she would seize them.
गहइ छाहँ सक सो न उड़ाई। एहि बिधि सदा गगनचर खाई॥ सोइ छल हनूमान कहँ कीन्हा। तासु कपटु कपि तुरतहिं चीन्हा॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
gahai chāhaṃ saka so na uṛāī। ehi bidhi sadā gaganacara khāī॥ soi chala hanūmāna kahaṃ kīnhā। tāsu kapaṭu kapi turatahiṃ cīnhā॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
She would seize that shadow, so that they could not fly [and would fall into the water]. In this way she always devoured the creatures that flew in the sky. She tried the same trick on Hanuman as well. Hanuman instantly recognized her deceit.
ताहि मारि मारुतसुत बीरा। बारिधि पार गयउ मतिधीरा॥ तहाँ जाइ देखी बन सोभा। गुंजत चंचरीक मधु लोभा॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tāhi māri mārutasuta bīrā। bāridhi pāra gayau matidhīrā॥ tahāṃ jāi dekhī bana sobhā। guṃjata cañcarīka madhu lobhā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
The son of the Wind, the courageous and wise Hanuman, killed her and crossed over the ocean. There he beheld the beauty of the forest. The bees were humming, greedy for the nectar of the flowers.