|| om tat sat||

Sundarakanda
Sarga 50

Tattvadipika
दूतोहमिति विज्ञेयो'

"दूतोहमिति" means "I am a messenger",
"विज्ञेयो" means "Know that", I am a messenger
Whose messenger?
"राघवस्य अमित तेजशः".
" the illustrious Rama"
That is Hanuma's statement.

Having decided that he should confront Ravana,
Hanuma obeys the Brahmastra and reaches the assembly of the king.
Here he announces himself as the messenger of Rama.
That is what we hear in this Sarga.

Mighty armed Ravana who torments the whole world,
looking at the tawny eyed Hanuma surrounded with brilliance,
overpowered with great anger,
thought over with doubts cropping up in his mind.

What are those doubts?
'Could he be that lord Nandi, who cursed me when Kailasa was shaken by me?
Could he be the great Asura, Bana, in Vanara form?'

These are doubts in his mind.
Though he might say that there is none who can defeat him,
he is always concerned about the unknown.
But as a king, he does not want others to know his thoughts.
Keeping his thoughts to himself, he addresses Prahastha,
with brief, profound and timely words

'Ask this wicked one from where did he come here?
For what reason the grove was destroyed and Rakshasis threatened?
What is the meaning of this?
What is the use of his coming here to my city which is difficult to access?
Why did he wage war?'

Hearing those words of Ravana Prahastha spoke to Hanuma.
'Oh, Monkey feel safe.
Be relaxed.
You need not be afraid.
Oh, Vanara if you were sent by Indra to this place of Ravana then you tell us.

'Do not be afraid.
You will be released.
You entered our city in this spy's form.
Were you sent by Vaisravana or Yama or Varuna?
Or Vishnu desirous of victory sent you as messenger?'

'You are Vanara by form only.
By brilliance you are not a Vanara.
Today tell the truth.
Then you will be released.
If you tell untruth it will be difficult to live.
For what reason did you enter the palace of Ravana?'

Thus questioned, the best of Vanaras spoke to Ravana.
'I am not from Sakra or Yama or Varuna.
I am not friend of Kubera.
I was not sent by Vishnu.
I am a Vanara, who came here."

So why did he come to Lanka?
"दर्शने राक्षसेन्द्रस्य" - To see the king of Rakshasas.

Hanuma continues

'To get to the presence of the king of Rakshasas is difficult.
I have destroyed the grove to see the king.
Then the powerful Rakshasas desirous of war came'.

So why did he kill the Rakshasas?
'रक्षनार्थंतु देहस्य'
'To protect my body, I fought back'.
He cannot be captured by anybody or any weapon.
अस्त्रपाशैः न शक्योऽहं बद्धुं देवासुरैरपि।
'Cannot be captured using any weapons by Devas or Asuras'.

Why he cannot be captured?
पितामहादेव वरो मम।
"I have a boon from the Brahma".
But he allowed himself to be captured in order to meet the King.

So why did he come here?
"केचिद् राज्यकारेण"
Came here for the specific purposes of the King.
So, what is that king's mission?
Hanuman has the answer.

Hanuman says.
दूतोऽहमिति विज्ञेयो राघवस्य अमित तेजसः।
श्रूयतां चापि वचनं मम पथ्यमिदं प्रभो॥
" Know this that I am the messenger of the highly powerful Raghava.
Oh, King Please hear these good words from me".

The important word is "श्रूयतां", "please hear".
Hanuman is imploring Ravana to listen.
Listen to the appropriate words that are going to be delivered.
We too can be ready for a meaningful message from Hanuma

Hanuman is a wonderful speaker.
All his words are carefully chosen.
His words answer possible queries as we saw.
There is not a single unnecessary word.
That was also the observation of Rama about Hanuma,
when he met him for the first time.

Thus, ends the Sarga fifty of Sundarakanda in Ramayana.

|| om tat sat||
|| This is what we understood from Tattva Dipika of Shri Bhashyam, Appalacharyulu garu"||
|| om tat sat||