Sundarakanda Sarga 50: Prahasta Questions Hanumān (Full Text & Meaning) 

Summary of Sarga 50

| Detail | Total Shlokas: 19 | Primary Characters: Hanumān, Rāvaṇa & Prahasta | Key Events: Rāvaṇa-Śaṅkā (Ravana's doubt), Prahasta-Praśnaḥ (Prahasta's questioning), Hanūmad-Prativākyam (Hanuman's reply) | Location: Ravana's Royal Court, Lanka | 

Section 1: Rāvaṇa's Suspicion and Command (Shlokas 1–6)

tamudvīkṣya mahābāhuḥ piṅgākṣaṅ purata sthitam | kōpēna mahatā.viṣṭō rāvaṇō lōkarāvaṇaḥ || 1

The great-armed Rāvaṇa, the terror of the world, was filled with mighty rage as he looked upon the vanarottama standing before him. (1)

śaṅkāhṛtātmā dadhyau sa kapīndraṅ tējasāvṛtam | kimēṣa bhagavānnandī bhavēt sākṣādihāgataḥ || 2 

yēna śaptō.smi kailāsē mayā sañcālitē purā | sō.yaṅ vānaramūrtissyāt kiṅsvidbāṇō mahā.suraḥ || 3

His soul seized by doubt, Rāvaṇa contemplated the Vānara hero, who was enveloped in splendor, thinking: "Could this be the divine Nandi himself who has come here in person, the one by whom I was cursed long ago when I shook Mount Kailāsa, now appearing here in the form of a Vānara? Or could it perhaps be the great Asura Bāṇa?" (2 - 3)

sa rājā rōṣatāmrākṣaḥ prahastaṅ mantrisattamam | kālayuktamuvācēdaṅ vacō.vipulamarthavat || 4

The King (Rāvaṇa), his eyes copper-red with rage, then spoke these well-timed and deeply meaningful words to Prahasta, the foremost of his ministers. (4)

durātmā pṛcchyatāmēṣa kutaḥ kiṅ vātra kāraṇam | vanabhaṅgē ca kō.syārthō rākṣasīnāṅ ca tarjanē || 5 

matpurīmapradhṛṣyāṅ vā.gamanē kiṅ prayōjanam | āyōdhanē vā kiṅ kāryaṅ pṛcchayatāmēṣa durmatiḥ || 6

"Let this villain be questioned: 'Where has he come from? What is his purpose here? What was his intention in destroying the grove and in threatening the Rākṣasīs? Or what was his purpose in entering my unassailable city, and what was his aim in engaging in battle? Let this evil-minded one be questioned.'" (5 - 6)

Section 3: Hanumān's Fearless Declaration (Shlokas 13–19)

abravīnnāsmi śakrasya yamasya varuṇasya vā | dhanadēna na mē sakhyaṅ viṣṇunā nāsmi cōditaḥ || 13

Thus addressed, the foremost Vānara hero then spoke to the Lord of the Rākṣasa hosts, Rāvaṇa: "I am not a servant of Śakra (Indra), nor of Yama, nor of Varuṇa. I have no friendship with Dhanada (Kubera), nor have I been sent by Viṣṇu." (13)

jātirēva mama tvēṣā vānarō.hamihāgataḥ | darśanē rākṣasēndrasya durlabhē tadidaṅ mayā || 14

"I belong to the Vānara species, and I have come here as a Vānara. Since a personal audience with the Lord of the Rākṣasas (Rāvaṇa) is an immense and rare privilege, I undertook all these great actions." (14)

vanaṅ rākṣasarājasya darśanārthē vināśitam | tatastē rākṣasāḥ prāptā balinō yuddhakāṅkṣiṇaḥ || 15 

rakṣaṇārthaṅ tu dēhasya pratiyuddhā mayā raṇē | astrapāśairna śakyō.haṅ baddhuṅ dēvāsurairap || 16

"I destroyed the Rākṣasa king's grove solely to gain an audience with you. After that, those powerful Rākṣasas, eager for battle, arrived, and I fought them in self-defense. I am incapable of being bound by the bonds of divine weapons, not even by the gods or Asuras." (15 - 16)

pitāmahādēṣa varō māmāpyēṣō.bhyupāgataḥ | rājānaṅ draṣṭukāmēna mayāstramanuvartitam || 17 

vimuktō hyahamastrēṇa rākṣasaistvabhipīḍitaḥ | kēnacidrājakāryēṇa samprāptō.smi tavāntikam || 18

"This boon was granted to me by the Grandfather (Brahmā). Nevertheless, with the sincere desire to see the King, I willingly submitted to the power of the divine weapon. I was indeed freed from the divine weapon, yet I was being tormented by the Rākṣasas. Know that I have come to your presence for a certain royal mission." (17 - 18)

dūtō.hamiti vijñēyō rāghavasyāmitaujasaḥ | śrūyatāṅ cāpi vacanaṅ mama pathyamidaṅ prabhō || 19

"Furthermore, I am to be known as a messenger of the immensely powerful Rāghava (Rāma). Therefore, O King, listen now to this beneficial message of mine." (19)

ityārśe śrīmadramāyaṇe vālmīkīye ādikāvye suṃdarakaṃde paṃcāśassargaḥ