Canto 68 - Times of Hope
Said then Hanuman to Rama
Came as thy spouse to trust me
Spoke she further thus with me.
Stress the need to do needful
Speak as thou to my Lord Ram.
How I wish thou gone by now
Yet I feel thou need some rest
Stay so back for one more day.
It’s thy coming O Hanuman
Set the mind of mine at rest.
Leave as thee the Lankan shore
High ’n dry me that would leave.
In contrast to strength thee gave
Won’t thy absence make it worse.
Be that as it may Hanuman
Reach to Lanka as thee did
Can all vanars cross this sea?
To slay Ravan for my sake
How my Lord ’n his sibling
Can cross over sea this vast?
But for Vayu, Garud ’n thou
Who else could cross Lankan seas?
How to bring all to these shores
Thus O Hanuman give a thought.
Surely on thy own Hanuman
Make can Ravan bite the dust
Yet that leaves no role for Ram
In the rescue of his spouse.
If my Lord doth declare war
And downs Ravan in combat
That would enhance his prestige
And earns me honour in reclaim.
Ravan as did snare me then
Spirit if thou me from Lanka
Won’t it go down well with Ram.
Proper thus it’s for my Lord
Comes he here ’n takes me back.
Keeping all this in thy mind
For my rescue by my man
Need there is for thee to come
Up with foolproof plan some now.
Seeing how she lays in store
Honour of her beloved man
Spoke I to her in reverence.
Goddess like O Rama’s spouse
Know Sugreev is committed to
Help thy man to set thee free.
Know we vanars in millions
Stake our lives to keep the word
Lord our thus gave to thy lord.
Choose if vanars to breach earth
Is there someone to stop them?
Blessed are all of us with skills
Roam we may all worlds are there.
Falls none ever as short of me
Vanars in scores better me true.
As I could do what I did
What to speak of rest of them?
Now it’s time thee feel easy
Soon we vanars land in droves
With thy Lord to set thee free.
Discount if thou vanar strength
Don’t thee know that I could fly
Ram ’n Lakshman on my back
Shores to these to fight Ravan?
Thou well know that thy man with
Sibling his would come out trumps.
Nevertheless we all vanars
To fight the forces of Ravan
Would be there on hand to Ram.
Land as we on Lankan shores
To hear the roars of vanar force
Won’t it take thee now so long.
Slays when Ram the evil Ravan
Won’t thee hand in hand in time