Dedicated to -
Childhood friends, Nittala Rama Rao, who envisaged that I transcreate in English this momentous episode of the adi kavya and Erramilli Rohini Kumar, who, besides encouraging me to undertake the challenge, came up with the book jacket besides Katlin Darnall of the World Public Library for the enriching editing.
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Enshrined by man as Hanuman
Enthused himself to shoulder
Search of Seetha, Rama’s spouse
Snared whom Ravan to Lanka
Sea across that hundred leagues.
With his head then held so high
Gained he size for task on hand.
On that Mahendra mountain then
Colossus like he sauntered there.
Uprooted were trees all those
Brushed as with his chest that strong.
Varied hues of elements there
Made that mountain resplendent.
Grace angels those hill ranges
For their honeymoon so near moon.
At length he reached that hilltop
Lay where elephants in their scores.
Besides Brahma ’n Surya
Prayed he Indra and Vayu.
Facing east he sought blessings
Of Vayu then his Wind God dad
And grew more by turning south.
Grew as Hanuman more and more
To cross that sea vast as it roared
With full tides of full-moon night
Came he face to face with clouds.
As though to test that mountain
Whether it’s right for his take-off
Tapped it Hanuman with his feet.
Shook that mountain his impinge
Shed trees flowers of hues varied.
Flowers all fell then covered it full
Spread they fragrance far and wide.
Welled out water in thick springs
Such was pressure of Hanuman’s feel.
From the cracks it developed thus
Creaked out molten metals varied.
While huge boulders slid in scores
Out came smoke in thick columns.
With that squeeze it came under
Cried all creatures in their caves.
Frightened was no less wildlife
Heard were their howls world over.
In their state of confusion
Serpents with all fiery fangs
Marks of swastik on their hoods
Spewed then venom in profusion.
Venom they spit was fireball like
Turned to tiny stones there rocks.
Herbs of anti-venom were there
Turned though antidote none of them.
Felt all yogis spirit at play
Took to their heels demigods then.
Not to speak of vessels of gold
In their fright gods left all goods.
In panic they left mid-meal
Thought they none of gold armour.
In their sodden demeanours then
Reached they all their heavenly homes.
Amorous angels in their scores
Built their love-nests in those skies.
Ascetics of earth ascended
For bird’s eye view of Hanuman’s feat.
Heard all averments of siddhas
As well seers all stationed there.
Hill like Hanuman is all set
Agile as ether to cross seas.
It was vanar Lord Sugreev
That sent him on Ram’s errand.
Angels there who heard those words
Looked at Hanuman then wide-eyed.
Raring to go then Hanuman
Slapped his thighs and roared like clouds.
Stretched he full then his long tail
Jerked it like would eagle its prey.
Circled Hanuman his tail then
Looked that eagle-clawed serpent.
Set to take off on that flight
Stance he took for task that tough.
In that as he shrugged himself
Seemed he eager and vigorous.
Stared he long at his flight route
Deep breathed he for take-off then.
All set to go Hanuman then
Thought it fit to them address
Folks his who were so anxious.
Spoke he thus to assure them:
Won’t I dart like Ram’s arrow
To Ravan’s land there lay yonder?
No sooner than I set foot
Find I Rama’s spouse Seetha.
Were I to happen to fail there
Won’t I rush to heaven itself?
Were I to land in blind alley
Won’t I go back to Lanka?
Prevail I over Ravan then
And fetch Seetha unfettered
With him in tow but in chains.
As he took-off he declared
Comes it ever if to the brink
Uproot he would all Lanka
And bring it as gift to Lord Ram.
By the thrust of his take-off
Sucked in were trees into flight.
As he flew at jet speed then
Tailed him trees with birds on them
And buds that flowered in between.
In truck with him all of them
Seemed they relatives at send off.
Sal trees then too followed suit
Seemed he spearhead of large force.
With the flowers and birds in tow
Made then Hanuman wondrous sight.
In time weakened as the pull
Dropped all trees in those waters.
Covered as he by flowers and all
Hanuman flew then glowworm like.
As he shrugged off in mid-air
Fell some flowers on salt waters.
Turned as flower-bed sea that vast
Seemed it then like star filled sky.
Flowers of varied hues on him
Rainbow on move made him seem.
Sonic boom of Hanuman’s flight
Scattered flowers on those waters
Seemed then that sea sky at dawn.
Arms his outstretched in his flight
Looked like serpents with five hoods.
Filled his shadow shore to shore
Though he picked up Mach two speed.
Sparkled his eyes as in flight
Seemed some lava there in flow.
Wide open were his bright eyes
Seemed they sun ’n moon in skies.
With his rosy nose-tip then
Looked he like the setting sun.
In flight his tail that was long
Banner then of Indra seemed.
With the sparkling teeth of his
And the tail thus well coiled
Sun like aura Hanuman had.
Blood red as those Hanuman’s hinds
Seemed they red hills well sundered.
Wind as passed through his armpits
Roared it then like lightning clouds.
Mistook him then sky watchers
For some meteor that was rare.
In flight he looked like elephant
With its tail spread round its waist.
Shadow that he cast on seas
Seemed to all a speeding boat.
Concord like he moved in skies
Caused he whirlpools in the seas.
With his broad chest Hanuman did
Ward off sea tides that reached him.
As he speeded in his flight
Formed a cyclone in the skies
Caused that storm then in the seas.
Mean sea level as rose to skies
Made he light of all those tides.
As he sped he seemed to count
Mountain tides that so neared him.
Splash from tides as foamed the skies
Gave that silver coat to space.
Torn as thus the water sheet
Felt all fish as turned naked.
Water snakes as sighted skies
Feared they eagle was on prowl.
Thick and wide was his shadow
Seemed so symmetric to one’s eyes.
Sped as he past in high skies
Seemed his shadow like a cloud.
Looked then Hanuman in motion
Like a mountain with huge wings.
Split as that sea in columns
Cruisers they seemed in his chase.
Coursed as he thus Garuda like
In those skies that filled with birds
Wind like then he scattered clouds.
Clouds as all then went askance
Shone they well in colours varied.
In and out of clouds Hanuman
Seemed he like the moon on course.
In awe celestial beings then
Myriad flowers they showered on him.
Filtered Surya his heat then
While made easy breeze Vayu.
Sang his praises seers all there
Awestruck angels his prowess.
Wondered at his endurance
Angels all who watched him then.
Felt thus Sagar, Lord of Seas
For whom Rama’s cause came first.
Were I to fail to help Hanuman
Make I myself blameworthy.
Won’t I owe my reign and all
To Ram’s forebear, my namesake?
For he exerts for Ram’s cause
Bound am I to help Hanuman.
Spoke then Sagar to Mainak
Prince of hills with golden peaks
Made who ocean bed his home.
Confined were thou by Indra
On my bed for ever so long
Barrier though as to netherworld.
Demons all for that lay therein
Block thou approach to this world.
Prowess such is unique thine
Expand thou the way thy wish.
Behold Hanuman as he flies
Head over mine for Ram’s sake.
Owe that I his ancestor
Seek I now thy helping hand
To let our Hanuma serve Rama.
Fail if we to help him out
Enrage we might angels all.
Shoot up forthwith in his path
To let him rest on peak thy high.
Hanuman is so long in flight
Feel I time he rests a while.
Lighten if thou his burden
Brings it end to Rama’s plight
Agony as well of his spouse.
Shoot up now O golden hill
Graced by varied vegetation.
Came out then as Mainaka
Depths of sea from that so deep
Scene it made like mid-day sun
Came out as it from thick clouds.
In the midst of sea that vast
Shone then Mainak like Surya.
Lovers all there as lay languid
Skimmed its peaks the rim of skies.
With his golden peak Mainak
Shone he then like rising sun.
In time as he showed up full
Dazzled he like suns in scores.
Mistook Hanuman for hurdle
Mainak who rose to the skies.
Not the one to get daunted
Hanuman toppled Mainaka
With his bare chest that was strong.
Turned as he all turtle then
Mainaka was so dumbfounded.
So as a way to woo Hanuman
Assumed Mainak human form.
It’s my request O Hanuman
That thee rest on my shoulder.
It was Rama’s ancestor
Helped who seas all to expand
That’s why grateful Lord of Seas
Sent me to help thee take rest.
Well it’s adage that so old
Help we must all those us help
Sees thus Sagar as favour
Rest if thou on my shoulder.
Wants me Sagar make thou feel
At home on my peak utmost.
Pray thee break now on my back
Non-stop flight leagues eight hundred.
Might as well thou savour now
Smell-well fruits of rarest taste.
Have as we such ties us bind
Consent thou to strengthen them.
Cross as thou sea Concord like
Proud are all of us of thee.
Make as thee our V.I.P
Guests all we give due respect.
Amongst demigods rank thee high
Speed thine no less than thy dad.
Let if am I to serve thee
Feel I served thy dad as well
Hold I whom in special esteem.
Had all mountains wings in yore
Hovered thus they all three worlds.
Scared all angels and sages
Mischance could well cause us crash.
It’s thus Indra clipped our wings
With the diamond sword of his.
Came in time as my own turn
Unsheathed Indra diamond sword,
Spiriting me off with gale wind
It’s thy dad that saved my wings.
Owing to thy parent’s grace
Wings mine escaped Indra’s wrath.
See in this I golden chance
Debt to repay benefactor.
Pray thee give a chance to us
Redeem that we age old debt.
Now thou consent O great soul
Rest have thee as our dear guest.
Hanuman at that told Mainak:
Words though thine me move no end
Precedence takes now Rama’s cause.
Stop if I now in mid-flight
How am I to meet deadline?
Token then as of his love
Caressed Hanuman Mainak’s head.
Moved were Sagar ’n Mainak
At the way thus Hanuman placed
Lord’s his interest above all else.
Bidding adieu to them both
Picked up Hanuman height in flight.
While on course in skies Hanuman
Looked at them both in reverence.
Well in awe at what they saw
Praised all angels Hanuman then.
Standing ovation gave Indra
With other gods to Mainaka.
Heartened then by his gesture
Addressed Indra Mainak thus:
Pleased as gods all Mainaka
Feel at ease as I leave thee free.
In spite of the threat I posed
Came out thou to aid Hanuman.
In thy bid to help Hanuman
Tried thee to aid Rama’s cause.
Indra as thus assured him
Breathed then easy that mountain.
Cherished as Mainak his freedom
Sped past Hanuman by him then.
