Ramayana Told Through Pictures: Part 13

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Part 12

Watching Ravana coercing Sita into submission, Hanuman is furious. The Rakshasis drive Sita crazy with their acerbic taunts and she sheds copious tears. For a minute, she contemplates suicide, but realizes that would bring ignominy to Rama, as people would hold him incapable of protecting his wife.

Finding Sita alone, Hanuman comes down once again. He consoles her once again, reassuring her by showing her the ring that Rama gave Hanuman. Sita is overjoyed, recalling the happy moments the ring brings her.

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Hanuman also narrates incidents at Chitrakuta private to Rama and Sita. He talks about an asura called Kakasura, who comes in the form of a crow and pecks at Sita while Rama is sleeping with his head on Sita’s lap. Rama had then picked up a blade of grass, utters mantras and throws it at the crow. The arrow-like grass turns into a Brahmastra that chases the crow who, not finding any shield against it for miles across, runs back to seek Rama’s shelter who, taking mercy on the pleading offender, commands that the missile affects only one of the asura’s eyes.

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Sita is cheered by his soothing words and Hanuman takes leave of her. Sita hands over to him her ‘choodamani’, an ornament she wears in her hair, as a gift from her that wold also be a proof of Hanuman’s meeting her.

Tired after the long flight and the subsequent all-night vigil, Hanuman decides to treat himself with the luscious fruits available in the garden. He gorges merrily, uprooting and trampling all the trees in the Ashoka garden.

He knows this would attract the guards who might take him to Ravana. Hanuman also wishes to assess the might of Ravana’s army, and also drive fear into his heart showing him a slice of the mighty bravery he would have to contend with in the future.

Some of the demonesses who have seen the monkey talking to Sita and later causing the pandemonium, run to report to Ravana. Ravana sends several of his troops to quell the “monkey”, but later realizes it is more serious than a monkey business after Hanuman kills eighty thousand of Ravana’s soldiers, five commanders of Ravana’s armies, the great demon Jambumali, several sons of Ravana’s ministers, and finally Ravana’s own son Akshaya-kumar.

Ravana finally sends another valiant son called Indrajit to capture Hanuman. Indrajit, after fighting for a long time, uses Brahmastra and makes Hanuman unconscious. Indrajit then binds him with huge ropes. Though Hanuman revives in a few minutes, he offers no resistance to being taken captive.

Finally, Hanuman stands face-to-face before Ravana.

Continue reading chapters: Ramayana Told Through Pictures:  Part 14   Part 15   Part 16   Part 17    Part 18  Part 19   Part 20  Part 21  Part 22  Part 23  Part 24