Sugriv’s Army Sets Out For Lanka

Landing back home, Hanuman broke the happy news to his cohorts that he had discovered the spot where Ravan was holding Sita in captivity. He had also brought vital information about the enemy territory, with its strengths and weaknesses. A major morale booster for Sugriv’s army was that Hanuman had wrecked Ravan’s major defences and set Lanka ablaze. Hanuman emphasised that the conquest of Lanka had assumed urgency. Ravan had given Sita only a month to choose either to die at his hands or to give in to his lust.
Prince Angad, who commanded Sugriv’s army, got so excited at Hanuman’s briefing that he proposed to mount an attack on Lanka that very day. He desired to slay Ravan and his rakshasas and bring back Sita to reunite her with Ram. Confident of his own strength and the valour of his chief fighters like Ashvini Kumar’s sons, Maind and Dvivid, who were with him in the advance party, he was certain ofhis victory. Old Jambvan, however, counselled that such a move would not go well with Ram. The Lord had vowed that he would personally conquer Lanka and bring back Sita. Their brief, he stressed, was to conduct a recce in the south to trace Sita and facilitate Ram’s expedition to Lanka. No one among them was expected to go beyond that.
Prince Sugriv heeded Jambvan’s advice and withdrew to Kishkindha with his companions. There, Raja Sugriv greeted them heartily. No longer the king of monkeyshad to fear the brothers Ram and Lakshman for his tardiness. His minister, Hanuman, had done the job superbly well. He asked Hanuman to himself break the good news to Ram. A more joyous duty Hanuman never had to perform.
Prostrating before Ram, Hanuman reported:”NiytamakshtamdevimRaghvayenyvedyat” – the Lord’s consort, adhering to the strict code of husband-devotion, is bodily well. He then deferentially handed Sita’s churamani to Ram to emphasize that he had personally met her, and though anguished, she was fit enough to convey through him a token of her mental and physical health. Hanuman had also brought for Ram an oral message from Sita:
“O Sinless Master of My Breath, I had secured this divine head-ornament with great care, and on seeing it in my dire straits I felt as if I had seen you (in person). I felt happy in that manner.
“This lustrous jewel, that has originated from sea-water, I am returning to you today. Woe-begone, I will not be able to live for a long time.
….
“My Prince, Slayer of Enemies, in your wait shall I somehow keep my life for a month. After that, I will not be able to live.”
Balmiki Ramayan/Sunderkand/Canto 40 (vii-viii and x)
Ram was overcome with emotion. Hugging Hanuman warmly, he expressed his lasting gratitude to him –
Sunu kapi tohi samaanupkari/nahinkou sur narmunitanudhari//
Prati upkarkaraun ka tora/Sanmukh hoi nasakat man mora//

[The Lord said] – O Hanuman! Listen, there is no god, man or seer or any other embodied (creature) as beneficent as you are. What recompense may I make toyou; my mind cannot stand before you.
Ramcharitmanas/Sunderkand/31(iii)
At Ram’s behest, Raja Sugriv gave his army the command to march. Sant Tulsidas brings the tumultuous scene alive:
Elephants supporting the directions began to trumpet, the earth rocked, mountains shook, and oceans got agitated. Gandharvas, Devas, Munis, Nags, Kinners, all of them became happy in their minds in that their sufferings had passed over. Many crores of fearsome monkey-fighters are chattering their teeth and crores of others are running about. Yelling ‘Victory to the Valorous King of Kausala, Shri Ramchandra!’, they sing paeans to him. (ibid, 34(Chhand i).
The army arrived at the sea coast. Monkeys and bears fed themselves on whatever fruit was available on the land.
That tumult must have reached across the Indian Ocean to Lanka. The people there had already seen to their dismay what a single monkey like Hanuman could do to their lives. Now, myriads of such monkeys were baying for their blood. The Rakshasas were terrified. As important a personage as Ravan’s queen, Mandodiri, herself prayed to her lord that if he wished well for himself and his subjects, he must send for his minister and send away (Ram’s) woman with him. Ravan laughed off his wife’s advice. “Let those monkeys come here, my dearest,” he joked, “the rakshasas here will have a plentiful feast on them.”
Ravan’s brother, Vibhishan, also tried to put sense in him. Recounting to him Ram’s might, he urged Ravan to send back Janak’s daughter to Ram and end all feelings of animosity against the mighty warrior. Malyavan, a minister in Ravan’s cabinet, also endorsed Vibhishan’s advice. At that, Ravan blared angrily, “Koi hai! These two idiots here are singing praises of my enemy. Take them away from my sight.” While Malyavan departed nimbly from the court, Vibhishan persisted in his attempt to persuade his brother to make amends with Ram. But his well-meaning intention only went on to irritate Ravan, who literally kicked him out of his presence. Vibhishan left Ravan to fly across the ocean and joined Ram.
The entry of a rakshas, and that too of Ravan’s own brother, bothered Raja Sugriv. He shared with Ram his suspicion that the intruder seeking refuge might be on a spying mission. The open-hearted Ram, however, thought differently. “My friend,” he told Sugriv, “I would never scorn even the vilest of men who seeks my shelter. Bring Vibhishan before me.” As good as his word, Ram anointed Vibhishan as Lanka’s prospective ruler the moment he was brought to his presence.
The assembled army faced a yet bigger challenge of crossing the ocean. Ram asked his allies, Sugriv and Vibhishan “Kehi bidhi tari-a jaldhigambhira” – how are we going to swim across the deep ocean? Both of them suggested that since the Sagar (that is, the Indian Ocean; Raja Sagar) was Ram’s ancestor, he should pray his watery manifestation to give way. Ram said it was a good suggestion. But Lakshman did not likethe idea of begging the ocean to allow them a passage. “Shoot an arrow and dry it up, My Lord!” he protested.
In the meanwhile, the sentries brought before LakshmanaRavan’s spy,by the name of Shuk, whom they had caught inside the camp premises. Sparing his life, Lakshman sent him back with a letter addressed to his master to peacefully return Sita and avoid war. Ravan despised Lakshman’s missive as also the threat of Ram’s invasion on his domain.
When Shuk told Ravan that an attack on Lanka was imminent since Ram, following Vibhishan’s advice, sat on the coast praying before the ocean to grant him passage, Ravan laughed aloud in scorn –
Sahaj bhirukarbachandridaee/Sagar santhanimachlai//
Moorhmrisha ka karsibaraee/Ripu bal buddhi thah men pai//
It is natural that he (Ram), depending on the strength of a coward’s (Vibhishan’s) advice, has (childishly) decided to be fractious with the Ocean. Idiot! You are praising (Ram) falsely. Enough of it! I have delved into the strength and wisdom of my enemy.
Ibid/55(iii)
The Ocean had eventually to give way to Ram to invade Lanka.

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