Read Sundara Kãnda: Hanuman's Odyssey Page 5

Canto 63 - Sugreev’s Reading

  Fell as Dadhimukh at his feet

  Spoketh vanar Lord perplexed.

   

  What’s thy fault that makes thee fall

  At the feet of thy nephew?

   

  Fright thine makes me worried man

  Harmed might’ve been my Madhuvan.

   

  Ardour thus by Sugreev showed

  Moved then Dadhimukh to speak thus:

   

  Though all knew it out of bounds

  Trespassed vanars some Madhuvan.

   

  Ignored they all my warnings

  Ate they every fruit and root.

   

  Swarmed as by all bees out there

  Yet they squeezed out honey in tons.

   

  Having got drunk to the hilt

  Mocked they my guards who cautioned.

   

  Guards as there did try to stop

  Beat them to pulp those vanars.

   

  Makes me sad that Prince Angad  

  Aided as well abetted them.

   

  Lay as wounded men of mine

  Flung some vanars them sky high.

   

  In thy reign O Lord Sugreev

  That’s how folk thine slew our guards.

   

  Having sensed then some import

  Enquired Lakshman then Sugreev

  What could have gone awry them.

   

  What’s the matter vanar Lord

  Why thy folk all look depressed? 

   

  Having by then smelt the rat

  Appraised Sugreev Lakshman thus:

   

  Complains Dadhimukh my uncle

  That Prince Angad and his flock

  Ravaged Madhuvan to its roots

  As well slew its guards in scores. 

  If not for the happy end

  To the errand on their hand

  Would have Angad ever condoned

  Deeds those vandal of vanars?

   

  Strong as Dadhimukh ’n his folks

  Failed to stop them all in tracks

  Would mean spirits of Angad’s flock

  Could have soared to skies all high.

   

  Feel I Angad and party

  Having by then found Seetha 

  Would have indulged in orgies. 

   

  It’s but Hanuman who could have

  Found out Seetha in spite of

  Hurdles all there to reach her. 

   

  Fails he never to deliver 

  Backed by Jambavan ’n Angad

  Leads when Hanuman from the front.

   

  Turned as joyous by the news

  Brought by Hanuman from Seetha

  Lost they could have their bearing.

   

  Had not Hanuman sighted her 

  Dare how they would ever enter

  Madhuvan after mine own heart? 

   

  It’s but their joy that gave cause

  For their pranks all with those guards.

   

  It’s this grasp of their action

  Made that Dadhimukh rush to us. 

   

  Feel I certain from all this

  Found was Rama’s spouse Seetha.

   

  If not Angad would not have

  Let his flock thus play havoc

  With the Madhuvan of our clan. 

   

  With the way Lord Sugreev spoke

  Pleased no end was Lakshman then.

   

  Happy was Ram at the turn

  Of the tide in Seetha’s search.

   

  Turned then Sugreev to Dadhimukh 

  Thanked him for the news he brought.

   

  Dispatched Sugreev his uncle

  So he sends back Angad’s flock. 

   

  No less eager all of us 

  To hear where Hanuman found Seetha.

   

  Made the joyous look of Ram

  Joyous Lakshman and Sugreev. 

  Canto 64 - Return of the Platoon