FOURTH BOOK or KISHKINDHYA-KANDA.-When the monkey-king Sugríva saw the two brothers approaching Rishyamúka, he took them for spies sent by his brother Báli, and in great alarm leaped from the summit of the hill and fled to the mountain Malaya, where he was joined by his whole army of monkeys (i. 16). Hanumat, son of the Wind, one of his followers, undertook to go back, and, assuming the form of a religious mendicant, gain the confidence of the two strangers. This he did, and proposed to take them before Sugríva. The brothers mounted on his back, and he carried them like the wind to Malaya (iii. 29), where they were introduced to Sugríva, who informed them that he had witnessed the flight of a Rákshasa carrying off Sítá through the air, and picked up her upper vestment and jewels when they were dropped by her (v. 10). He could not, however, tell the name of the Rákshasa, nor the place of his abode (vi. 2). At the sight of the memorials of his wife, Ráma was agitated with deep emotion, and promised, in return for this service, to conquer Báli and re-establish Sugríva on the throne. When Sugriva doubted of Ráma's ability to cope with the terrible Báli, who had killed the great giant Dundubhi (himself more than a match for the Ocean and the mighty Himálaya, ix. 40. 52), Ráma gave two proofs of his strength. First he kicked the huge skeleton of Dundubhi (which Sugriva had preserved), with one stroke of his foot, to the distance of a hundred yojanas (ix. 92), and then shot an arrow with such force that it pierced seven palmtrees, divided a mountain, and penetrated to the infernal regions, thence returning of its own accord, in the form of a shining swan, to his quiver (xi. 5, 6).

Sugríva, convinced of Ráma's power, provoked Báli to join battle. The latter was killed by one of Ráma's arrows, and in dying acknowledged his fault and asked his brother's forgiveness, and commending his son Angada and his wife Tárá to his care (xxi). The lamentations of Tárá over her husband's body are beautifully described (xxii). Sugríva is now reinstated in the throne at Kishkindhya, his capital city (supposed to have been situated north of Mysore *), and invites Ráma and Lakshmaṇa to live with him there (xxv. 7). Ráma, however, replies that he has promised not to enter any town for fourteen years (xxv. 9), and retires with his brother to the mountain Prasravana (xxvi. 1), where he continues during the rainy season, having received a promise from Sugríva that in the autumn he will assist him with his armies in conquering the Rákshasas and recovering Sítá.

The rainy season ended, Sugríva summons his armies; and, in ordering them to search every corner of the earth, describes minutely the geography of India †. He

* Somewhere in that strip of British territory which separates the kingdom of Mysore from the Nizám's territory. (Calcutta Review.)

+ This is an interesting part of the poem. Much of the geography may be verified, but a great deal is probably fanciful. Countries and people are mentioned about whom nothing is accurately known.

FOURTH BOOK OR KISHKINDHYA-KANDA.-FIFTH BOOK &c. 77

marshals his troops in four great divisions. The first he sends north, under Vinata (xl. 14). The second, south, under various generals, especially Hanumat, Jámbavat (son of Brahmá, chief of the bears), Níla, Nala, Tára, and Angada, son of Báli, heir to the monkey-throne (xli. 2-5; liii. 6). The third, west, under Susheņa (xliii. 2). The fourth, north, under Satabali (xlv. 5). But his most particular directions are given to Hanumat and the party proceeding southwards (xli. 6); and such confidence has Ráma in the courage and skill of Hanumat, that he gives him his ring to show to Sítá, in case of his being successful in discovering her (xlii. 15).

After a time three divisions of the army return`re infectá (xlvii). That under Hanumat and Angada alone accomplish any thing, and meet with various adventures. Exploring the Vindhya mountains, they light on a huge magic cave, inhabited by an anchorite named Swayam-prabhá (li. 17), in which every single thing, including flowers, fruits, and trees, was made of gold. In order to escape from this enchanted grotto alive, they had to follow the directions of the anchorite, and cover up their faces (hasta-ruddha-mukháh, liii. 1). On emerging from the cavern and beholding the ocean before them they fall into despondency, fearing the anger of Sugríva, should they return without finding Sítá. Angada, who as heir to the throne is the nominal leader of the party, breaks out into abuse of Sugríva (lv. 10), and counsels re-entering the cavern and starving themselves to death. Hanumat opposes all his eloquence to the evil counsels of Angada (liv), but without effect (lv). Happily, however, in the midst of their difficulties they encounter the king of the vultures, Sampáti, the elder brother of Jațáyus (lvi), with his son Supárśwa (lxii). He tells them his own wonderful history (lviii-lxii), and informs them that Sítá is at Lanká, in the palace of Rávaṇa, and that his own sight is so piercing that he is able to see her there at the distance of a hundred yojanas off (lviii. 33). Overjoyed at this intelligence, Angada leads his army southwards to the margin of the sea, which separates India from Ceylon (lxiii. 27).

FIFTH BOOK or SUNDARA-KANDA*.-On arriving at the sea-shore opposite to Ceylon, the army of monkeys holds a consultation. How were they to cross the straits, represented as a hundred yojanas in width? (i). Various monkeys offer to leap across, but only Hanumat is found capable of clearing the entire distance.

*This is one of the longest and most tediously 'spun out' in the whole poem. Its prolixity, however, is to the Hindú mind a great recommendation. Otherwise there is nothing to distinguish this book as 'par excellence,' 'the beautiful' book of the poem. The veneration in which it is held by so many millions of our Indian fellow-subjects to this very day must be my apology for following out the chain of absurdities to the end.

He undertakes the feat without hesitation, and promises to search for Sítá in Rávana's capital (iii). In flying through the air he meets with two or three adventures, the description of which, for wild exaggeration and absurd fiction, can hardly be matched in any child's fairy-tale extant. His progress is first opposed by the mother of the Nágas, a Rákshasí called Surasá, who attempts to swallow him bodily, and, in order to take in the enormously increasing bulk of the monkey-general, distends her mouth to a hundred leagues *. Upon this Hanumat suddenly contracts himself to the size of a thumb, and without more ado darts through her huge carcase (vi. 25), and comes out at her right ear (lvi. 27). The mountain Maináka (called also Hiranyanábha) next raises itself in the middle of the sea, to form a resting-place for his feet (vii). Lastly, another monstrous Rákshasí, named Sinhiká, hoping to appease her appetite by a suitable meal (viii. 2), proceeds deliberately to swallow Hanumat, who plunges into her body, tears out her entrails, and slips out again with the rapidity of thought (viii. 10, 11).

66

At length Hanumat reaches the opposite coast (ix), and at night reduces his before colossal form to the size of a cat (Vṛishadansa-pramáņa, ix. 47), that he may creep into the marvellous city of Lanká, built by Viswakarman †, and containing within itself all the treasures and rarities of the world. He contemplates the magnificence of the capital of the Rákshasas, and visits various palaces (xii. 6—16), examining their inmates. Some of the Rákshasas fill him with disgust, but others were beautiful to look upon; some were noble in their aspect and behaviour, others the reverse (xi. 15). Some had long arms and frightful shapes; some were prodigiously fat, others excessively thin; some dwarfish, others enormously tall and humpbacked; some had only one eye, others only one ear; some enormous paunches, and flaccid, pendent breasts; others long projecting teeth, and crooked thighs; some could assume many forms at will; others were beautiful and of great splendour" (x. 18, 19. See also xvii. 24, &c.; where they are further described as biped, triped, quadruped, with heads of serpents, donkeys, horses, elephants, and every other imaginable deformity). After inspecting the palaces of Kumbha-karņa and Vibhíshana (xii. 8), Hanumat arrives at that of Rávana. The residence of the demon-king was itself a city, and in the midst of it the self-moving car Pushpaka (half a yojana in length, and the same in width), which contained within itself the actual palace of Rávaṇa, and all the

A kind of 'swelling-match' takes place between Hanumat and Surasá. The latter commences by opening her mouth to the moderate dimensions of ten leagues (yojanas). Upon which Hanumat distends himself to the extent of twenty. Surasa then enlarges the aperture of her jaws to thirty leagues, but still finds it impossible to swallow the monkey-chief, who increases his bulk to forty leagues, and so on.

+ The Hindú Vulcan.

women's apartments (xiii. 2. 6, &c.; xv), described with the most extravagant hyperbole. There he beholds Rávaṇa himself asleep on a crystal throne (xiv); but nowhere can he detect the hiding-place of Sítá. At last he discovers her in a grove of Aśokas, guarded by female Rákshasas of hideous and disgusting shapes (xvii). There she sat like a penitent on the ground in profound reverie, dressed in the garb of widowhood, without ornaments, her hair collected in a single braid* (xviii. 10, 11). Hidden in the trees, he becomes a spectator of an interview between the demon-king and Sítá. Rávana presses her to yield to his wishes † (xxii). She sternly rebukes him, and exhorts him to save himself from Ráma's vengeance (xxiii). He is lashed to fury by her contempt, gives her two months to consider, and swears that if she then refuses him, “he will have her cut into pieces for his breakfast" (xxiv. 8). Meanwhile he delivers her over to the female furies, her guardians, who first attempt to coax, and then menace her. "Her only reply is, 'I cannot renounce my husband, who to me is a divinity'" (xxv. 12; see last note, p. 56). The rage of the female demons is then frightful; some threaten to devour her, some to strangle her: but she only bursts forth into long and rapturous praises of her husband, and expressions of devotion to him (xxvi. xxviii). One good Rakshasí ||, however (named Trijațá), advises them to desist, relates a dream, and prophesies the destruction of Rávaṇa (xxvii).

After this the Rákshasís go to sleep; and Hanumat, seated in the branches of a neighbouring tree, discovers himself (xxx. 13). At first Sítá suspects some new snare; but Hanumat shows her Ráma's ring, gains her confidence, consoles and animates her, satisfies all her inquiries, and obtains a token from her to take back to her husband, viz. a single jewel which she had preserved in her braided hair (xxxvi. 72, 73). He offers to carry her on his back, and transport her at once into the presence of Ráma (xxxv. 23); but she modestly replies that she cannot voluntarily submit to touch the person of any one but her husband (xxxv. 45). Hanumat then takes his leave; but, before rejoining his companions, gives the Rákshasas a proof of what they were to expect from the prowess of a hero who had such a messenger at his command. He devastates the Aśoka grove, tears up the trees, destroys the houses, grinds the hills to powder (xxxvii. 41), and then challenges the Rákshasas to fight. Rávaņa dispatches an army of 80,000 Rákshasas against him, which Hanumat de

* "She appeared like Rohiní oppressed by the planet Mars, or like memory clouded, or prosperity ruined, or hope departed, or knowledge obstructed” (xviii. 6, &c.).

+ When one remembers that Rávana had ten heads, one is tempted to ask with which of his mouths he made love?

‡ Dwábhyám úrdhwam tu másábhyám bhartáram mám anichchhatím, Mama twám prátaráśáya súdáś chhetsyanti khanḍaśah.

|| In the Mahá-bhárata (Vana-parva, 16146) she is called Dharma-jná.

feats (xxxviii). He then sends against him the mighty Rákshasa Jambu-málí, and after him the sons of his own ministers, and five other generals in succession; all of whom are killed by Hanumat (xxxix. xl. xli). Next Aksha, the heir-apparent, marches against the heroic monkey, wounds him, but meets in the end with the same fate as the others (xlii). Lastly, Rávaṇa despatches the bravest of his sons, Indrajit, to the battle; and Hanumat at length falls into the hands of the Rákshasas, struck to the ground by the enchanted arrow of Brahmá (xliv; see note *, p. 27). He is then taken before Rávana (xlv), and announcing himself as the ambassador of Sugríva, warns the ravisher of Sítá that nothing can save him from the vengeance of Ráma (xlvii). Rávana, infuriated, orders him to be put to death; but Vibhíshaṇa reminds his brother that the life of ambassadors is sacred (xlviii). Upon this, it is decided to punish Hanumat by setting fire to his tail, as monkeys hold that appendage in great esteem (xlix. 3). This is done (xlix. 5); but Sítá adjures the fire to be good to her protector (xlix. 21—24). Hanumat is then marched in procession through the city; suddenly he contracts himself, slips out of the hands of his guards, mounts on the roofs of the palaces, and with his burning tail sets the whole city on fire (1). He then satisfies himself that Sítá has not perished in the conflagration, reassures her, bids her adieu, and, springing from the mountain Arishta (which, staggering under the shock, and crushed by his weight, sinks into the earth), darts through the sky, rejoins his companions on the opposite coast, and recounts to them the narrative of his adventures (liv. lv. lvi). The monkeys, rejoined by Hanumat, set out for Kishkindhya, and on their way receive permission from Angada to signalize the success of their expedition by running riot in 'the grove of honey' (Madhu-vana), guarded by the monkey Dadhi-mukha; where, feasting to their hearts' content, they speedily intoxicate themselves (lx). After this escapade they return to Sugríva, and then for the first time Ráma learns the hiding-place of Sítá (lxvi). Hanumat describes his interview with her, and, to attest the truth of his story, gives Sítá's token to Ráma, who praises him (lxx), inquires about the fortifications of Lanká (lxxii), and soon marches southward, attended by Sugríva and his army of monkeys, to deliver Sítá; Níla being sent on with a detachment in advance (lxxiii).

Crossing the Vindhya and Malaya mountains, they soon arrive at Mahendra, on the borders of the sea, where their progress is for the present stayed (lxxiv. lxxv). Meanwhile Rávaṇa consults with his ministers; and Nikashá, his mother, advises Vibhíshana to recommend the restoration of Sítá (lxxvi). But Prahasta, Indrajit, Virúpáksha, and others, counsel war, and promise to kill Ráma and Lakshmaṇa, and exterminate the apes (lxxix. lxxx). After a long altercation, Rávaņa is so enraged with his brother Vibhíshana, who again and again urges conciliation, that he rises in a fury and kicks him from his seat (lxxxvii. 2). Smarting under this outrage, Vibhí