|| om tat sat||

Sundarakanda
Sarga 66

Tattvadipika
"हनुमन् कथयस्व मे"

"हनुमन् कथयस्व मे"
means, "Hanuman please tell me".

What does he want?
He wanted to know what his sweet tongued wife told him.
Why?
Rama says that those words will be like,
the life sustaining medicine for a sick man.

This is a Sarga in which we hear Rama, and only Rama.

While we feel the presence of Rama all through,
we have his real presence for the first time in Sarga sixty-three,
when Dadhimukha narrates the incident of Madhuvan.

We see his concerns converted to happiness in Sarga sixty four,
when Hanuma informs that chaste Sita is safe.

We hear his queries directly for the first time in Sarga sixty-five,
when the Vanaras narrate that Sita has been located.

In this Sarga we hear Rama's conversations.
His happiness of knowing that Sita is found safe,
turns to inconsolable sorrow on seeing the jewel sent by Sita.
That is what we hear in this Sarga.

Having heard the sorrows that enveloped Sita,
having received Chudamani from Hanuma
Rama becomes more disconsolate as he speaks.

Rama talks about the cow's intense love for its calf.
Just as a cow's heart melts on seeing its calf,
Rama's heart is too is melting on seeing the Chudamani.
This is about the enormous affection or tenderness.

Appalacharyulu garu says,
Rama's words are indicative of the kind of affection,
Paramatma has for the Jivatma.
From these words of Rama,
we also know the enormous amount of love he has for Sita.

Now we go through the Sarga and hear Rama's words.
Sarga Starts as under.

एवमुक्तो हनुमता रामो दशरथात्मजः।
तं मणिं हृदये कृत्वा प्ररुरोद सलक्ष्मणः॥66.01॥

Seeing that Chudamani and overcome with sorrow
Raghava with his eyes filled with tears spoke to Sugriva.

' Like the cow that let its milk overflow out of love for its calf,
seeing this Chudamani my heart is also melting.
This gem of an ornament was given by my father-in-law to Sita.
It is more charming then when it was worn at the time of marriage.

This jewel was found in water,
This was worshipped by great people.
It was given in a sacrifice out of great joy by wise Indra.

Today seeing this best of gems
I have the darshan of my father as also the king of Videha.
This gem indeed shone on the head of my beloved.
Today seeing this I am feeling as though I am seeing her'.

'O Hanuman! tell me those words of Vaidehi.
They are my solace, like water for a thirsty man
What did Sita say?
Tell me again and again '.

'Oh Saumitri! What can be more sorrowful?'
I am seeing this jewel that she has worn,
without her being here.

'Oh, Hanuman If Vaidehi can live for a month,
she will live long.
Without the black eyed one,
I cannot even live even for a moment.

Take me to that place where my beloved is seen.
Knowing where she is, we cannot sit even a moment.
That very timid lady with fair hips,
how can she stay in the middle of the fearsome and dreadful Rakshasis?

'Being surrounded by the Rakshasis.
her face is surely bereft of happiness,
like the moon covered by rain clouds.

'Hanuman!
Today tell me what is said by Sita truly.
I am eager to hear those words,
which are like a medicine,
that will keep a dead one alive.

My beloved, the lovely one who speaks sweetly
who has fair hips, separated from me, what did she say?
Please tell me.'

Thus, we a fully disconsolate Rama grieving for Sita.

Thus, the Sarga 66 comes to an end.

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