|| om tat sat||

Sundarakanda
Sarga 68

Tattvadipika
"जगाम शांतिं मम मैथिलात्मजा"

"जगाम शांतिं" means " felt at peace".
That is based on the confidence given by Hanuma.
Alone in the captivity and not knowing the efforts of Rama,
Sita was in deep distress.

Reasons are many.
The threats of Ravana is one,
The continuous haranguing of Rakshasis on behalf of Ravana is another.
Not knowing the efforts of Rama to rescue her is one more
Unable to see how the sorrows may end is the final fear.

The presence of Hanuma changed all that.
The explanations and assurances of Hanuma brought peace to her.
That was summarized by Hanuma's statement
"जगाम शांतिं मम मैथिलात्मजा"|

Starting with "ततो रावण नीतायाः"
the search for Sita was launched in Sarga 1.
Hanuma jumped across the ocean and reached Lanka in search of Sita.

Having found Sita and taken a remembrance from her,
delivering the same to Rama is enough to complete the assigned task.

He was not sent to Lanka as an 'Acharya'.
He does not see himself as an 'Acharya'.
But he acts like the compassionate Acharya looking out for his disciple.

Effectively presenting himself as a teacher managing a disciple,
Hanuma understands the mental state of Sita,
He proceeds to give her confidence.

The confidence gained by Sita was such that,
she asks Hanuma to lead Rama to a path,
wherein Rama would come to Lanka defeat Ravana.

Effectively a person wallowing in sorrows,
has been given a fresh lease of life.
Sita is now at peace.
That is not a peace with resignation anticipating fate.
Sita is at peace with anticipation.

Hanuma conveys that to Rama.
That was the last line of the Sundarakanda.

Sarga 68 starts with Hanuma's words
"अथाह मुत्तरं देव्या पुनरुक्तं ससंभ्रमम्।"

In Sarga 66 Rama wanted to hear again and again,
the words of charming Sita whose words are equally sweet.
"मथुरा मथुरालापा
किमाहा मम भामिनि"
Hanuma relates all her conversations
in Sarga 67.
He concludes talking about Sita in Sarga 68.

Now we hear that narration.
Hanuma continues the narration.

' Oh Rama! Tiger among men!
Because of the love and affection for you,
the Devi addressed me again with confidence.

She said " Oh Hanuman
You may appeal to Rama in many ways
so that he will quickly kill Ravana and take me back".

"Oh, Crusher of enemies! If you think it is possible,
take rest at a lonely place for the night and then go.
Because of your presence here,
this less fortunate one will be freed from the sorrow for a while".

"Oh, Valiant one! When you go my life will also be in doubt,
till the time you come back.
There is no doubt about that.
Afflicted by sorrow,
the sorrow of not being able to see you will again make me lament".

"Oh, Heroic one! Best among the Vanaras!
I have a great doubt about your associates among Vanaras.
How will those Vanara armies cross this ocean which cannot be crossed".

"Among all living beings,
only three can cross this ocean,
namely Vainateya, the Maruta, and you".

"Oh hero, foremost among those accomplishing tasks!
What solution you see for this difficult task?
Oh, slayer of enemy heroes!
only you can resolve this task.
All the fame will be yours, if you are succeeding in this ".

"If Rama being victorious takes me back to his city
defeating Ravana along with all his army,
that will be proper for him".

"I have been abducted by the Rakshasa using devious means.
Rama shall not take me back secretly.
If Kakutstha, the slayer of the enemy armies,
takes me back stirring Lanka with his arrows,
that will be appropriate for him".

"You plan in accordance with his might, in such a way that
it allows the great soul who is an exalted hero to exhibit his valor".

'Hearing those meaningful courteous words
supported with reasons I said these words in reply'.

"Oh, Divine lady, the lord of the armies of Vanaras,
richly endowed with strength is resolved to save you".

"The mighty, powerful, tough warriors,
committed in their mind are under his command".

"They can go up without any obstruction.
They can go down too".
They can go in any other direction.
These brilliant ones can undertake any task without difficulty".

"These great Vanaras are proud of their might.
They can go around the earth travelling in the aerial path.
The court of Sugriva has warriors
who are better than me or equal to me?
There is none who is less powerful than me".

"O Devi, I was able to come here,
then what to speak of the highly powerful ones?
For tasks like this carrying messages,
Superior ones are indeed not sent.
Only the other people are sent."

"Oh, Divine lady!
Enough of such lamentation.
Let your sorrow end.
The Vanara army will reach Lanka in one jump".

In explaining thus to Sita,
To give her confidence about the big picture,
Hanuma makes himself look like a small person in Sugriva's court.
This is in line with Hanuma's portrayal as a humble servant of Rama

Hanuma narrates the same to Rama
Rama would have recognized the fallacy and the truth of Hanuma.
Rama too was lost in the sorrow for Sita,
so, we do not see his immediate response.

But recognizing Hanuma was the one only person,
who could have accomplished that difficult task
Rama rewards Hanuma in the very next Sarga,
the first Sarga of Yuddhakanda.
Rama terms Hanuma as "पुरुषोत्तम",
the best among all people.
He then offers his price-less embrace as the reward.

Hanuma continues his narration,
detailing his conversation with Sita.
He was addressing Sita's concerns.

"Oh, Noble one!
Both Rama and Lakshmana, the lions among men,
sitting on my back shining like Sun and moon will reach here soon"

"You will soon see the lion like slayers of enemies,
the Raghava and Lakshmana with bow in their hands at the gates of Lanka"
.
You will soon see Vanaras
who use their nails and teeth as the weapons,
who have the strength of Lions and tigers".

"You will soon see leaders of the Vanara army
hovering over Lanka's mountains
like the rain clouds on the Malaya mountain.

You will soon see the slayer of enemies,
Rama crowned in Ayodhya along with you,
after completing the exile in the forest".

'Then the princess of Mithila,
Sita who was in grief of separation from you,
pleased with soothing and auspicious words spoken by me,
became peaceful'.

Hanuma says
"ततो मयावाग्बिरदीनभाषिणा
शिवाभिरिष्टाभिरभिप्रसादिता।
जगाम शांतिं मममैथिलात्मजा
तवापि शोकेन तदाsभिपीडिता"||29||

which means that,

'Oh Rama, the daughter of Mithila,
who was in deep sorrow of separation form Rama,
felt at ease hearing the auspicious and confidence giving words.

Thus, the Sarga ends with the sloka,
stating that Sita felt at ease and at peace.
That is also the end of Sundarakanda.

A little before Sundarakanda,
the Ramayana story was full of discordant notes.
The discordant notes enveloped the fates of all.

We heard about Vanara's wondering
how to cross the ocean in the search of Sita.

We heard the woes of Rama
who lost his kingdom,
who lost his friend Jatayu and
who lost his wife too.

The readers of Ramayana too
will also be carrying those fears of Kishkindha Kanda.

At that moment Hanuma steps forward.
As he gets set and soars into the skies in search of Sita,
everybody's hopes too soar along with Hanuma.

As Hanuma flies through the clouds,
the clouds surrounding the story too are lifted.
The weight on everybody's mind too lightens.

When Hanuma comes back saying"दृष्ठा देवी"
the cloud on Vanaras minds lifted.
They got their peace.

Help for bringing Sita was the commitment of Sugriva.
Hanuma's "नियतां अक्षतां देवीं",
made Sugriva realize that the goal is at hand
He too attains that resultant peace.

Hanuma's "नियतां अक्षतां देवीं",
meant something special for the two princes.
It is an anxiously awaited news for Rama and Lakshmana.
Rama and Lakshmana, who saw Sita in the jewel sent by her,
are now at peace realizing that Sita is safe,
and is waiting for being rescued.

Thus, everyone other than the Rakshasas in Ramayana are at peace,
realizing that the final step is at a stone throw.

On the same token
all those absorbed in the story of Sundarakanda,
and absorbed in the Sundarakanda Parayana too
will have mental burdens reduced and achieve peace.
That is the belief coming from ages

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