Hanuman Meets Sita – Applied Indology

Sita was sitting in the Ashok Vatika, sad and disheartened, surrounded by Trijata and other rakshasis (female demons). Ravana had arrived there with Mandodari and his other queens. Ravana boasted of his fame and fortune, then said to Sita, “If you marry me, I will make you my Patrani (chief queen)”. Sita held a twig in her hand, angrily declared “How dare you compare yourself with Rama, the pride of the Raghu clan. You took me away on the sly, like a thief, you cruel tormentor. You will not have me even in your dreams!”

Ravana was insulted by her outburst, and threatened her, saying “I am giving you one month to make up your mind. If you do not marry me in that time, I will use my Chandrahasa sword to slay you.” He instructed the guards to once again threaten and bully Sita into submission so that she would agree to his proposal. Then he went away.

Her sorrow moved the guards, and Trijata and the other rakshasis consoled her instead of threatening her, as they had been told to do. They said, “Your grief will soon be over.”, leaving Sita alone.

Rama gave Hanuman his ring, to present the ring to Sita. In order to reach Lanka and find Sita, Hanuman leapt over the ocean, escaping and devouring Rakshasis Surasa, Simhika and Kakhini that he met on the way.

Once he reached Lanka, Hanuman shrunk to the size of a mouse. Hanuman ran through Lanka, looking for Sita. After a long search he found her held captive in an Ashoka grove / Vatika near Ravana’s palace. She was guarded by Rakshasis under a tree. Sita was crying. Hanuman climbed the tree, and watched her from sitting on a branch of a tree in the Ashok Vatika.

When the place was quiet, at sunset, he began to sing the story of Rama and then dropped Rama’s ring besides Sita. She was astonished to see the ring appear there, out of thin air. No one could create or duplicate that ring so she knew it belonged to Rama. She said aloud, “Tell me who you are, you who speak such soothing words that calm my soul. Why don’t you come stand before me?”

Hanuman then leapt down and stood before her. He introduced himself as the messenger of Rama, and told her the story of Rama’s friendship with Sugriva, and how he himself had arrived at Lanka. He gave her Rama’s message, and He then offered to carry her back to Rama, but she refuses saying it would be an insult to Rama as his honor is at stake. Sita says, ” Ravana Abducted me, I don’t want to be abducted. I want to Rama to punish Ravana and rescue me from Lanka”.

Hanuman assured her that soon Sri Rama would arrive with the Vanara Sena to kill Ravana and his rakshasas. He assumed his gigantic form, to display his strength. When Sita was finally assured, he said “Mother, now give me permission to pluck some fruit from this garden as I am very hungry.” Sita happily gave him the go-ahead. Using the excuse of eating fruit, Hanuman started to destroy the Ashoka Vatika (garden of Ashoka trees). When the gardener Jambumali came to intervene, with his assistants, Hanuman pulled up a tree and killed the gardener. The rest rushed off to report to Ravana.

Ravana sent his younger son Akshaya Kumar to check the story and find out whom the brave Vanara was, who was creating havoc. “Kill him or catch him!” said Ravana. Akshaya Kumar arrived with his men and fought Hanuman, but Hanuman killed Akshaya Kumar and all his men, slamming them with trees, using it as weapons.

Distressed Ravana sent his son Meghnad next, and told him not to kill the monkey, but capture him alive and bring him to the court so that he could see him and find out who had sent him. Meghnad took a chariot and soldiers to confront Hanuman, who was busy destroying the garden. Meghnad challenged Hanuman and a fierce battle ensued. In spite of using all his strength, he could not overpower Hanuman. So he used the amogha Brahmapasha / Bramha’s Noose, the noose that cannot miss its aim, and Hanuman was caught in it.

As the noose belonged to Brahma who gave it Ravana as a Varah / boon, Hanuman respected it and did not attempt to break out of it. Meghnad dragged the captive Hanuman through the streets of Lanka as he led him to Ravana. People thronged to view the vanara (monkey) who had destroyed Ashoka Vatika (garden of Ashoka trees), while Hanuman took note of his surroundings.

In the court of Ravana, Hanuman introduced himself as a messenger of Rama. Enraged, Ravana ordered his soldiers to Kill him at once. But, Vibheeshana, as a minister of the court, intervened, and insisted that messengers couldn’t be killed, but if necessary, they could certainly break a limb or two, and send him back that way. Then Ravana said “In that case, since monkeys are very fond of their tails, we will tie oil-soaked rags around his tail and set it on fire”

As they began wrapping cloth around his tail, Hanuman made his tail grow longer and longer till the demons ran out of cotton and oil. They set light to his tail anyway. Before he manged to escape shrinking himself to the size of a mouse, Hanuman, whipping his flaming tail about, he set the city on fire, causing enormous chaos all over Lanka. In the process he even managed to arson the Royal throne of Ravana.

Then he returned to Sita in the Ashoka Vatika (garden of Ashoka trees). He asked Sita to give him a token that would indicate he had met her. Sita took off her Choodamani (armlet) and gave it to him, and said if Rama did not come and rescue her in a month, she would kill herself. Once having accomplished his mission, Hanuman lept over the seas back to Rama. He narrated them the incident of him burning Lanka (Lanka dahana) with his tail. Hanuman then bowed down before Rama and gave him Sita’s message and the choodamani (armlet). Sri Rama embraced him and said, “I will be indebted to you forever.” They were all happy and celebrated with a feast of fruits from Sugriva’s orchard.

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About Author:
Subhasini BA, is a Screenplay writer, Director, creative director, costume designer and producer, whose work has featured in some of the most prestigious film festivals in the country and internationally. She has collaborated on several film projects juggling different roles. 

In beginning of her career, she worked as Associate director and Costume Designer with the acclaimed director Girish Kasaravalli. She’s written and directed a documentary film on the famed Krishna Temple in Udupi, and also written plays, screenplays for films and short form content for some of the leading technology companies in India, including Microsoft, Akamai Technologies, LAM Research, and SAP. 

With Knowledge in Sanskrit, Subhasini is a seeker of the Eternal Truth / Santana Dharma, writes on dharma. She is passionate about History, Mythology, Philosophy and Spirituality. She believes Dharma is the manifestation of the natural strength of every living soul.
She lives in Cincinnati.

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