Sundara kaanda....Hanumantha leaps into the air

Hanumantha is ready to go in search of Seetha in aerial path where Chaaranulu pass through.Vaalmiki has described this feat in the first sarga of Sundara kaanda.It is the longest sarga in the entire epic.Just to let us know that it is not very easy and it is a tremendous task,Valmiki might have described in Lengthy terms.Whatever hurdles came his way,Hanumantha bravely faced them and succeeded in reaching his target finally. Just before launching into the air,Hanumantha saluted Indra,Vaayudeva,Brahmadeva and all the eternal elements.Turning toweds East,he again saluted his father,Vaayudeva.Then he started increasing his body.While he was galloping and running to pick up the momentum,flowers from trees drizzled and fell on him and he looked like a mountain full of flowers.To his speed in moving,mountain broke nad split up.From underneath golden rocks,silver scraps of rock and blue stones came spluttering.Demons living in the caves came out and cried grotesquely.Snakes came out in anger and bit at the rocks.Medicinal plants on the mountain could not dilute the venom these snakes spat.Vidyaadharas,who came to enjoy there ran and flew into the sky leaving their belongings behind on the mountain.They stood in the sky and were watching as to what was happening.Then ,they heard the words of sages that Hanumantha was trying to cross the sea as Raama kaaryaardhi,servant of the Lord Raama! Hanumantha finally started to leap into the air.He made huge sound,ie simhagarjana,whied up his tail,fisted his fingers,sat on his toes shortening his legs.He concentrated by shrinking his ears,staring into the sky and withheld his breath.He put his feet firmly on the ground and started telling his friends these words. Hey everyone!just like an arrow form the bow of Sree Raama,without stopping in the middle,I am going to raech Lanka with speed of the air.If I can not find Seetha there,with the same speed I would reach Swarga,heaven and serach for her there.If I can not find her there also,I would bind Raavana and bring him here.By whatever means ,I am sure to bring Seetha back.Otherwise,I am sure to bring Raavana along with the Lanka itself. Saying these words Hanumantha leaped into the air.He felt he was Garuthmantha himself.To his speed,some of the trees also got disentangled from the earth and started moving with him in the sky.It looked as though relatives and well wishers were coming to bide farewell to him.Flowers which flew along with Hanumantha fell into the sky and sea appeared to be star studded sky at that time. Hanumantha was going in aerial way.His arms ending in five fingers looked like five headed snakes.His eyes were red and burning bright like splinters.His face and nostrils were reddened. His tail was like flag post of Indra.Hanumantha was going towards Lanka from west to east.It appeared like falling star as if foreboding bad to Lanka.Fish,turtles and crocodiles started falling out of sea,due to high speed of Hanumatha.It looked as if parts of the body appear while we are disclosing our clothes.Every one thought he was Garuthmantha.He appeared to be winged mountain.He was moving through the clouds. Deities rained flowers on him.Sun and Vaayudeva complimented his efforts and sided with his task.Sages and deities praised Hanumantha for taking up that magnanimous task.

Hanumantha prepares to cross the sea

Hanumantha got encouraged by Jambavanthas inspiring words.He realised his own power and started increasing his body.all vaanaraas were awe struck by seeing Hanumantha increase his body many folds.They were all happy that their mission was going to be a success.They praised him profusely.Hanumantha saluted his elders and told them like this. I am the son of Air,Vaayudeva.My speed is more than that of Garuthmantha.I can start from udayagiri at the start of Sun in the morning and reach the asthagiri begore midafternoon and again round it off before evening.Sea would dry up with my speed.Earth will crack up not withstanding my speed.I would go with such speed that flowers would follow me.In the sky I would follow the star Swathi.I would resemble Vishnumoorthy at the time of thrivikramaavathaaram.Only Garuthmantha and Vaayudeva can equal me in strength. Hey vaanaraas! All of you,be happy.I can sense that everything is going to be fine.I am sure to see Seethadevi and return back successfully.I can win over either Indra or Brahma and bring Amruthafrom their hands.If need be,I can even lift Lanka and bring it here. Jaambavantha blessed Hanumantha and told him to go fast and return victoriously.With warm blessings of great sages,elderly vaanaraas,teachers and scholars,he would easily cross the sea.Hanuma!our lives are in your hands.Till your return we would stand on single leg and wait for you. Hanumantha increased his stature thousand fold and said that Earth can not withstand his speed and would break up. So,he would. Select Mahendra giri rocky tops to leap into the air.He climbed the hills and started jumping from one rock to anotherto getmomentum.Hill tops got crushed under his feet and water from underneath ran in rivulets.Animals on the mountaingot scared and ran hither and thither.Vidhyaadharulu and naagagandharva couples ,who had come there to enjoy were afraid of the turbulence and started running away.Even sages started going afar from that place. Hanumantha picked up the correct momentum to leap into the air and mentally reached Lanka even before physically entering it.For anything to succeed,determination is very much needed and essential.Mental concentration of the target is equally important.Then only we can succeed in our mission.Hanumantha just did that.

Vaanaraas plan ways to cross the sea

Vaanaraas started on abhijanmuhoortham and reached the sea.Sea looked fearful.sea was about hundred yojanas .Vaanaraas panicked and were sorrowful.They were worried as who could cross it succesfully among them.Angada tried to infuse positiveness among vaanaraas.He chided them not to be sorrowful.Nothing can be achieved by fearing or by sorrow.One should be strong and positive in mind.Nest day again Angada started infusing optimism among his men.He asked them who could cross the sea and if so,they all could go back to their families happily.He said that all of them were great warriors and they should not back out from the target.He directed every one to come forward tell how long he could jump. Hearing this,Gajudu came forward that he could jump ten yojanaas.Gavaakshudu told he could jump twenty,Gavayudu thirty,Sarabhdu forty,Gandamaadanudu fifty,Maindudu sixty,Dvividudu seventy,Sushenudu eighty yojanaas..they could cross in a single jump.Jaamabavantha said he was very strong while he was in his youth.During Vaamanaavathaara,when Vishnu captured the earth in three feet,he did pradakshinam to Vishnu.But,now he was old.He could only cross ninty yojanaas.There is no use because sea is hundred yojans long.Angada said that he could cross hundred yojanaas but he was doubtful as to whether he could come back again succeefully.To this,Jaambavantha replied. Son! You are capable of crossing even thousand yojanas. But you are our king.It is our durty to protect you. You should not take this risk.you let some one among us to cross the sea.Angada questioned Jambavantha like this. you are telling that I should not go.There is no one in pur group who could cross this sea effectively. Then what should I do?Jaamabavantha told him that he would show the person who could do it successfully.all along,Hanumantha did not participate in this discussion. He was sitting aside alone.Jaambavantha reached him and started encouraging him.Hey son Hanuma!why are you sitting all alone?You are the best among vaanaraas.You are knowledgeable person.You are a great warrior like Garuthmantha.No one in this universe has the wisdom,strength,mental aptitude,daringness and ferocity.Why do you not realise yourself? Vaayudeva fell inlove with your mother,Anjanaadevi,seeing her beauty.He hugged her and she was afraid and saw he and there as to who hugged her. then Vaayudeva appeared before her and told her not to be afraid.She would have a son who would be a warrior,intelligent,dare,attractive,strong and ferocious.He would be equal to me in jumping long strides.hearing this,your mother was very happy.She gave birth to you in mountain caves.As soon as you were born,you saw the Sun. You thought it was a fruit and flew into the sky to reach it. You could easily cross many yojanas without any strain. Seeing this Indra sent his Vajraayidham on you which cut your jaw and cheek.That is why you got your name Hanumanthudu.Vaayudevudu got angry with the act of Indra. So,he made sure that there was no air in all the three lokas.All the dieties came and requested your father to become normal.Vaayudeva agreed and accepted their request. Brahmadeva was happy and gave boon to you that you can not be killed by any weapon in the war.You can have death as per your request and wish.You have equal halo as your father. In flying you equal him.You are Apara Garuthmantha in verocity.You please jump inti action and save us. At the time of Thrivikramaavathaaram,I circumscribed this Earth twenty one times.During the time of Amrutha madhanam,as per the directions of the deities,I roamed so many places and brought many medicinal plants which helped in forming Amrutham.But I am old now.I do not have that much strength in my body.Hanuma! Please get up!We all want to see your capacity in full swing.Jump into the air and cross the sea.You proceed like Sree Mahaa Vishnu in Thrivikramaavathaaram and make us happy

Sampaathi answers Jaamabavanthas query regarding Seetha

Sampaathi is telling vaanaraas to think ways of crossing the sea.He has to do rites like jalatharpan to his deceased brother.as he could not move,he requested vaanaraas to take him to the sea.after fulfilling last rites to his brother,Sampaathi was taken back to themountain.Vaanaraas wereall happy because they now knew where Seetha was.Jaamabavantha requested Sampaathi to tell what all he knows about Seetha. Sampaathi started telling him.you know pretyy well by now that I cant move from this place.Some one has to feed me.I am in such a desperate state.My son Supaarsvudu would roam here and there and get food for me.One day,I was hungry. But my son did not turn up with food. I was angry with him.Then he replied that as usual he went in search of food that day too.I was on the Mahendra parvatham(hill)waiting for food.in the mean time,a dark skinned man was going along the air with a beautiful woman.I stoppd them thinking that I could bring them as your food.But he folded his hands and requested me to leave way for him.so,I let them go away.Then ,demons in the sky cried that RAvana was hurrying to take Seetha to his abode.That was the reason why he left you unharmed.That is the reason why I was late and why I did not bring food to you. Sampaathi repented that even after knowing the fact that RAma suffered due to Ravanas act,he could not do anything.I can only help by my suggestions.hey vaanaraas!you are all strong and efficient.be calm and hear my words.by now,you all know that my wings got burnt by suns rays and as a result I fell here.for many days I was unconscious. Even after coming to senses I could not identify the place. Slowly I could recognise that I was lying on Vindhya mountains.At that time,ie eight thousand years back,Nisaakara maharshi,a sage used to live here.He was a great scholar.myself and my brother used to visit him frequently.So,I wanted to see him.So,I dragged myself till I reached his abode.Nisaakara maharshi was going into his abode.All the wild animals followed him to his abode and then quietly returned back.He saw me but went away without recognising me.after some time ,he returned back and enquired about me.He recognised I was Sampathi.He showed concern for my state.He asked what happened and I told him the entire story.I told him that I was desperate and I wanted to die by falling from the mountain. That sage closed his eyes for some time and started telling me.Sampaathee!I can bring back your strength and wings in no time. but you have a great task to accomplish in future.You can not end your life abruptly now.in future,after many years,Rama would be born to the king Dasaradha.He would come to the forest along with his wife and brother.He would come to fulfill his fathers wish.Ravana would capture his wife,Seetha.Seethadevi is a pious woman.She would not eat the food given by Ravana.Indra would know about this and send her sacred food,paramaannam.Seetha would know that Indra had sent her that food.she would keep aside greater part of it for Sree Raama.whether Rama is alive along with his younger brother,Lakshmana or left his physical body and reached heaven,this food belongs to him.remaining food she would eat. This proves that Seetha devi is mahaasaadhvi.She would not eat without feeding Rama.If she eats the food given by Ravana,it would not be justifiable to get him killed by Rama.So,she would prefer to fast than to eat Ravans food. Sampaathee!Rama would come here searching his wife.Vaanaraas would come searching her.so,you stay here and guide them properly.so,Sampaathee!stay here.as soon as this feat is completed you would get back your wongs.if the sage had given him wings,he might not be available when vaanaraas come here searching Seetha.Then the very purpose would be defeated.so,we have to understand that for every action,there would be deeper and more important reason,which would to light in later times. sampaathee!you will not be the only person to do Raamakaaryam.all living beings would be involved.dieties,sages,Indra are also not excluded.I too want to see Rama.But my body will not permit me.saying so,the sage went into his abode.Sampaathi returned to the mountain.As soon as Sampathi parted this information to vaanaraas,he got back his wings.Sampathi was very happy seeing his newly grown wings. He wished them well and flew into the air.

Sampaathi Tells about Seetha

Sampaathi was shocked to hear about his brothers tragic death.He is telling the vaanaraas like this.I am unable to do anything even after hearing that Ravana killed my brother.I am aged.I do not have my wings.let me tell my story to you.this is about the time when Vruthraasura was killed.Jataayuvu,my younger brother and myself were very strong.We wanted to test our efficiency.so,one day we flew to reach the sun.on the way my brother fainted due to excess heat of the Sun.He started falling down.To protect him from sun rays,I covered him with my wings.As a result my wings got burnt.I fell on this mountain.From that day I do not know about my brothers whereabouts. Angada then asked Sampathi if he knew about Ravanas where abouts. To this Sampathi replied that in his old state,he can only help by giving information or advice only.He saw Raavana take a beautiful woman some time back.She was lamenting and shouting Raamaa!Lakshmana!She was throwing down her ornaments and trying desperately to free herself from Raavana.Most probably she might be Seetha. Let me tell you about Raavana.He is the son of Visravasudu.He is the younger brother of Kubera.He is the king of Lanka.It is an island and is about hundred yojanas into the sea.Now,Seetha is in that island,surrounded by demons.If you can reach Lanka ,you can find her.I am able to see her with my divyajnaana. Areal way is step wise.birds which feed on grains like sparrows roam in the first strata.birds which live by eating fruits on the trees,like crows fly in the second way.Krounchapakshulu,parrots move about in the third strata.vultures fly in the fourth channel.Eagles fly in the fifth zone.Swans fly in the sixth zone.Arundu,Garuthmanthudu fly in the seventh zone.I was also born in that family of vainatheyas.Arunudu is my father.We have strength,divyadrushti like Garuthmanthudu.so,I am able to Seetha from here itself.