Episode 8 - The shedding of despair and the resumption of search by Anjaneya

Even amidst hopelessness and despair, Hanuman gradually shifted from despair to hope and pondered: “Death is fraught with grave consequences (There is a cycle of births and deaths according to Hindu philosophy and suicide is prohibited, being regarded as a sin). He who lives shall see good things and those who live have a chance to meet together. I will kill Ravana and avenge Sita’s abduction or carry him into the presence of Rama like an animal for sacrifice in a Yajna (Vedic ritual).

Even as Anjaneya was weighing all alternatives, he spotted a garden called Asoka which he had not visited. Therefore, he decided to search the garden and before doing so, he humbly prayed to all the important gods like Rudra, Brahma, Agni and the Wind God, his father, to the Rishis, to Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Sugriva, and to the Supreme Lord of all the creation and to other unseen gods who might be available on the way to make his mission a success.

Hanuman began to fly in all directions and in the process was covered by flowers blown about by him in the garden. All the beings there thought that he was Vasanta (spring season personified) himself. The earth, with flowers of all kinds scattered all over, looked like a decorated lady. Hanuman moved so fast in the garden that he blew away leaves, fruits and flowers from the trees so that they looked blank and barren like gamblers who had lost everything including clothes in gambling.

The Asoka Garden was reverberating with the melodious sounds of various animals and birds like peacocks and nightingales and the humming of bees. Anjaneya found several deep wells in the garden studded with priceless gems. There was also a mountain artificially created. From the mountain a canal was built. There were trees whose branches extended into the canal. The canal would go down and return towards the mountain top. Valmiki, the poet, compares the conduct of the canal to that of a lady who, being offended by her husband, leaves him to join her parents, but at the pleadings of her relatives accompanying her (like the branches of the trees bending and urging the canal to return to the mountain), returns to her husband.

Searching here and there, Anjaneya found a Simsupa tree, full of leaves, and creepers surrounding it. There were golden seats around the tree. He also found a beautiful pond filled with lotuses and inhabited by birds. Anjaneya thought that this beautiful garden and the pond would certainly attract Sita, who was interested in forest life and usually inclined to observe the beauty of nature and to tend to tender animals and birds. Besides, she would come here for pure water to perform Sandhya Vandana (daily prayer to Goddess Sandhya Devi and the Sun).

Note: In this episode, the poet, once again, emphasizes through the character of Anjaneya (i) the need for prayer to God to supplement human endeavour (ii) the fate of gamblers who end up as losers and (iii) the practice of some women performing ‘Sandhya Vandanam’.