Ramayana. Hanuman burns Lanka.
But Hanuman was not satisfied with finding Sita; he dashed about the Asoka grove and broke the trees and spoiled the pavilions, like the Wind himself. The rakshasis sent messages to Ravana for help, and he, hearing that a mighty monkey was destroying his servants, sent the powerful Jambumali, bow in hand, to slay Hanuman forthwith; and, indeed, he wounded him with a sharp arrow as he sat upon a temple roof, but Hanuman hurled a bolt at him and crushed him utterly. Then a host of heroic rakshasas, led by Prince Aksha, proceeded against Hanuman and met their death; next Indrajit was sent against him, and an awful battle was joined, whereat the very gods were amazed. He sent a million shafts against the monkey, but he, ranging the sky, escaped them all; then Indrajit paused, and with concentrated mind pondered over the true character of Hanuman, and with spiritual insight perceived that he was not to be slain by weapons. Therefore he devised a way to bind him, and he loosed a Brahma shaft at him. Therewith Hanuman was bound, and knew the bond unbreakable, and he fell to earth; but he reflected that it would be well for him to converse with Ravana, and therefore he struggled not, but let the rakshasas bear him off. But they, seeing him still, bound him yet closer, pitifuly moaning the while, with cords and bark. But that binding was the means of his release, for the binding power of a Brahma weapon is broken at once if another bond is added to it. But the wily monkey gave no sign that the bonds were loosed; and the fierce rakshasas, crying to each other, "Who is he? what does he want?" and "Kill him! burn him! eat him!" dragged him before Ravana.
Questioned by Ravana's minister, Hanuman answered that he was indeed a monkey, come to Lanka as Rama's envoy to accomplish his commands and to behold Ravana; and he told the story of Rama up till then, and gave Ravana sound advice, to save his life by surrendering Sita. Ravana was furious and would have Hanuman slain; but the counsellors reminded him that the punishment of death could not justly be inflicted upon one who named himself an envoy. Then Ravana cast about for a fitting penalty, and bethought him to set Hanuman's tail afire. Then the rakshasas bound the monkey's tail with cotton soaked in oil and set it all ablaze. But the heroic monkey cherished a secret plan; he suffered the rakshasas to lead him about Lanka that he might the better learn its ways and strength. Then word was taken to Sita that that monkey with whom she had conversed was led about the streets of Lanka and proclaimed a spy, and that his tail was burning. Thereat she grieved, and praying to the Fire, she said: "As I have been faithful to my lord, do thou be cool to Hanuman." The Fire flamed up in answer to her prayer, and at that very moment Hanuman's sire blew cool between the flame and Hanuman.
Perceiving that the fire still burnt, but that his tail was icy-cold, Hanuman thought that it was for Rama's sake and Sita's and his sire's that the heat was chilled; and he snapped his bonds and sprang into the sky, huge as a mountain, and rushed to and fro in Lanka, burning the palaces and all their treasures. And when he had burnt half Lanka to the ground and slaughtered many a rakshasa, Hanuman quenched his tail in the sea.
But Hanuman was not satisfied with finding Sita; he dashed about the Asoka grove and broke the trees and spoiled the pavilions, like the Wind himself. The rakshasis sent messages to Ravana for help, and he, hearing that a mighty monkey was destroying his servants, sent the powerful Jambumali, bow in hand, to slay Hanuman forthwith; and, indeed, he wounded him with a sharp arrow as he sat upon a temple roof, but Hanuman hurled a bolt at him and crushed him utterly. Then a host of heroic rakshasas, led by Prince Aksha, proceeded against Hanuman and met their death; next Indrajit was sent against him, and an awful battle was joined, whereat the very gods were amazed. He sent a million shafts against the monkey, but he, ranging the sky, escaped them all; then Indrajit paused, and with concentrated mind pondered over the true character of Hanuman, and with spiritual insight perceived that he was not to be slain by weapons. Therefore he devised a way to bind him, and he loosed a Brahma shaft at him. Therewith Hanuman was bound, and knew the bond unbreakable, and he fell to earth; but he reflected that it would be well for him to converse with Ravana, and therefore he struggled not, but let the rakshasas bear him off. But they, seeing him still, bound him yet closer, pitifuly moaning the while, with cords and bark. But that binding was the means of his release, for the binding power of a Brahma weapon is broken at once if another bond is added to it. But the wily monkey gave no sign that the bonds were loosed; and the fierce rakshasas, crying to each other, "Who is he? what does he want?" and "Kill him! burn him! eat him!" dragged him before Ravana.
Questioned by Ravana's minister, Hanuman answered that he was indeed a monkey, come to Lanka as Rama's envoy to accomplish his commands and to behold Ravana; and he told the story of Rama up till then, and gave Ravana sound advice, to save his life by surrendering Sita. Ravana was furious and would have Hanuman slain; but the counsellors reminded him that the punishment of death could not justly be inflicted upon one who named himself an envoy. Then Ravana cast about for a fitting penalty, and bethought him to set Hanuman's tail afire. Then the rakshasas bound the monkey's tail with cotton soaked in oil and set it all ablaze. But the heroic monkey cherished a secret plan; he suffered the rakshasas to lead him about Lanka that he might the better learn its ways and strength. Then word was taken to Sita that that monkey with whom she had conversed was led about the streets of Lanka and proclaimed a spy, and that his tail was burning. Thereat she grieved, and praying to the Fire, she said: "As I have been faithful to my lord, do thou be cool to Hanuman." The Fire flamed up in answer to her prayer, and at that very moment Hanuman's sire blew cool between the flame and Hanuman.
Perceiving that the fire still burnt, but that his tail was icy-cold, Hanuman thought that it was for Rama's sake and Sita's and his sire's that the heat was chilled; and he snapped his bonds and sprang into the sky, huge as a mountain, and rushed to and fro in Lanka, burning the palaces and all their treasures. And when he had burnt half Lanka to the ground and slaughtered many a rakshasa, Hanuman quenched his tail in the sea.
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But Hanuman was not satisfied with finding Sita; he dashed about the Asoka grove and broke the trees and spoiled the pavilions, like the Wind himself. The rakshasis sent messages to Ravana for help, and he, hearing that a mighty monkey was destroying his servants, sent the powerful Jambumali, bow in hand, to slay Hanuman forthwith; and, indeed, he wounded him with a sharp arrow as he sat upon a temple roof, but Hanuman hurled a bolt at him and crushed him utterly. Then a host of heroic rakshasas, led by Prince Aksha, proceeded against Hanuman and met their death; next Indrajit was sent against him, and an awful battle was joined, whereat the very gods were amazed. He sent a million shafts against the monkey, but he, ranging the sky, escaped them all; then Indrajit paused, and with concentrated mind pondered over the true character of Hanuman, and with spiritual insight perceived that he was not to be slain by weapons. Therefore he devised a way to bind him, and he loosed a Brahma shaft at him. Therewith Hanuman was bound, and knew the bond unbreakable, and he fell to earth; but he reflected that it would be well for him to converse with Ravana, and therefore he struggled not, but let the rakshasas bear him off. But they, seeing him still, bound him yet closer, pitifuly moaning the while, with cords and bark. But that binding was the means of his release, for the binding power of a Brahma weapon is broken at once if another bond is added to it. But the wily monkey gave no sign that the bonds were loosed; and the fierce rakshasas, crying to each other, "Who is he? what does he want?" and "Kill him! burn him! eat him!" dragged him before Ravana.
Questioned by Ravana's minister, Hanuman answered that he was indeed a monkey, come to Lanka as Rama's envoy to accomplish his commands and to behold Ravana; and he told the story of Rama up till then, and gave Ravana sound advice, to save his life by surrendering Sita. Ravana was furious and would have Hanuman slain; but the counsellors reminded him that the punishment of death could not justly be inflicted upon one who named himself an envoy. Then Ravana cast about for a fitting penalty, and bethought him to set Hanuman's tail afire. Then the rakshasas bound the monkey's tail with cotton soaked in oil and set it all ablaze. But the heroic monkey cherished a secret plan; he suffered the rakshasas to lead him about Lanka that he might the better learn its ways and strength. Then word was taken to Sita that that monkey with whom she had conversed was led about the streets of Lanka and proclaimed a spy, and that his tail was burning. Thereat she grieved, and praying to the Fire, she said: "As I have been faithful to my lord, do thou be cool to Hanuman." The Fire flamed up in answer to her prayer, and at that very moment Hanuman's sire blew cool between the flame and Hanuman.
Perceiving that the fire still burnt, but that his tail was icy-cold, Hanuman thought that it was for Rama's sake and Sita's and his sire's that the heat was chilled; and he snapped his bonds and sprang into the sky, huge as a mountain, and rushed to and fro in Lanka, burning the palaces and all their treasures. And when he had burnt half Lanka to the ground and slaughtered many a rakshasa, Hanuman quenched his tail in the sea.
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