Rāmāyana |Kiṣkindha Kaṇḍa| Chapter 67

67. Hanuman Prepares for Jump to Lanka

[Hanuman assumes a huge figure and climbs on Mahendra mountain, prepares to jump to Lanka.]

Seeing him expanding in size with a wish to leap the hundred yojanas at once and seeing him filled with valour those monkeys left off their sorrow and became happy and cheered him with loud voice and praised him. 67.1-67.2

They all collected together and with great happiness stared at him wonderstruck as if Hanuman was going to cross like Nārāyaṇa the world in three steps. 67.3

Seeing the very strong Hanuman growing in his size, they went round him with happiness shaking their tails. 67.4

When he was being praised by all the monkey chiefs, his form was getting up with more and more lustre and he looked matchless. 67.5

Just like a lion in a mountain cave stretches himself, the legal son of the wind god stretched himself at that time. 67.6

When he expanded to a great size his face was shining a frying pan and like a smokeless burning fire. 67.7

From the middle of the monkeys Hanuman rose with furs bristling all over his body and then after saluting the aged monkeys he told. 67.8

"The wind God who is the friend of fire which receives oblations is very strong and matchless and wanders in the sky breaking mountain tops." 67.9

"I being the lawful son of the wind god, who is the great one who travels with great speed, I can also leap as much as him." 67.10

"I wish to go round the Mount Meru which appears to touch the sky, one thousand times without resting it." 67.11

"I am eager to submerge this world which has mountains, rivers and lakes with the sea by using the speed of my arms." 67.12

"By the speed of my thighs and shanks, the sea which is the house of Varuṇa would rise up and stun the mighty crocodiles living there." 67.13

"I am capable to go round thousand times the killer of snakes Garuda who is being served by other birds." 67.14

"O bulls among monkeys! When the Sun rises from the horizon of Udayagiri mountain it is possible for me to start with him and go to the western horizon and return before the blazing Sun garlanded with beams of light sets. It is also possible for me to come to earth with the same speed, without touching the earth and return to face the Sun." 67.15-67.16

"I want to fly along with all the creatures flying on the sky and overtake them; I can stir up the sea and tear up the earth." 67.17

"Oh monkeys, While jumping I can powder mountains and when I jump I can pull the huge ocean by the speed of my thighs." 67.18

"When I jump through the sky, different class of climbers, various trees with different type of flowers would follow me." 67.19

"Oh monkeys when I fly in the sky, it will be a smooth like the path of star Swathi and When I travel up the terrible sky or descend from there all the creatures would see me." 67.20

"Oh Monkeys, when I fly in the sky looking like the Meru mountain, it will look like I am swallowing the sky with speed as I would covering the sky with my strides." 67.21

"I would be scattering the clouds, shaking up the mountains and would be drying up the sea while I am jumping with a composed mind." 67.22

"The Garuda as well as the wind god have the power to follow me and I do not see any other creature except Garuda and the speedy God of wind have the speed to fly like me." 67.23-67.24

"Just like the lightning generated from the sky flies on the sky without any support, I too can land on the earth in a moment." 67.25

"When I am leaping over the ocean my form would be like that of Lord Vishnu advancing with three steps to cover the world." 67.26

"Oh monkeys I feel that by my brain as also by my mind, I would be able to see Vaidehī and become happy." 67.27

"In speed I am equal to wind God and Garuda and I feel that I would be able to cover a distance of ten thousand Yojanas." 67.28

"I can bring the nectar even if it is held by the self-created Brahma or Indra holding Vajra. I can even uproot the island of Lanka and bring it here." 67.29

All those chief of monkeys were happily staring at the sky to see him with exceedingly great lustre who was roaring with great sense of surprise. 67.30

Hearing his words which were able to remove the sorrow from his friends and relatives, the great monkey Jambhavan who was exceedingly happy told. 67.31

"Oh valorous one, oh son of Keśarī, oh son of the swift Wind God, oh Lad, you have removed the sorrow from the mind of your friends and relatives." 67.32

"Those monkeys who desire for your welfare would join together and would devotedly pray for auspicious ending of the job that you are going to undertake." 67.33

"By the grace of great sages and the wish of the monkey elders and by the grace of your teachers, let you cross the great ocean." 67.34

"Waiting for your arrival back all the monkeys would stand on one leg because the life of all those forest dwellers depend on you." 67.35

Then the tiger among monkeys Hanuman told those forest dwellers, "This earth would not be able to bear the speed with which I jump." 67.36

"Perhaps the Mahendra mountain paved with huge stones and boulders and which is firm, may withstand my speed of jumping." 67.37

"I will gather my speed from the peaks of Mahendra mountain which has got different types of trees as well as ores." 67.38

"Oh great monkeys, when I use the crushing force with my feet to jump hundred yojanas, perhaps these mountain peaks can withstand it." 67.39

Then that son of Wind God, who was eminent as wind god and the crusher of enemies ascended the great mountain Mahendra which was inhabited by deer and on grassy lands full of trees, fragrant vines bearing flowers thickly grown ever in bloom with flowers and fruits where lions and tigers wander, proud elephants frequent, intoxicated birds make sounds of different kinds and full of waterfalls. 67.40-67.42

That very strong monkey chief who was equal in prowess to great Indra started climbing that great peaks of that Mahendra mountain. 67.43

When that great one crushed the great Mahendra Mountain by his feet, that mountain trumpeted like a great elephant struck by the feet of a lion. 67.44

That widely scattered rocks of the mountain released water, animals and elephants got greatly scared. and the great trees started shaking due to that feet crushing. 67.45

The vast slopes of that great mountain were being deserted by pairs of Gandharvas intoxicated with drinks and behaving crudely; and by birds and groups of Vidyādharas flying away at that time. The serpents were seen hiding; pebbles of stone were seen falling from the shaken mountain. 67.46- 67.47

Snakes popping up halfway through their snake-pits with their hoods swaying and tongues hissing that earth-borne mountain Mahendra appeared to be a gleaming mountain with flying flags. 67.48

Alarmed and agitated sages abandoned that mountain and forest appeared like a lonely traveller separated from its friends. 67.49

That noble and heroic monkey who possessed great speed who was the destroyer of enemy warriors, fixing his composed mind on generating great speed, mentally reached Sri Lanka, 67.50

This is the end of Sixty Seventh Sarga of Kiṣkindha Kanda which occurs in Holy Rāmāyaṇa composed by Vālmīki as the First Epic.

End of Kiṣkindha Kāṇda.