Ramayana. Hanuman returns to Rama.
Then all at once he repented of his rash deed, for he thought that Sita must have died in the fire. "It is a small matter to have burnt Lanka," he reflected, "but if Sita has lost her life I have failed altogether in my work, and will rather die that return in vain to Rama." But again he thought: "It may be that that fair one has been saved by her own virtue; the fire that scorched me not has surely never hurt that noble lady." Therewith he hastened back to the Asoka tree and found her seated there, and he greeted her, and she him, and once more they spoke of Rama, and Hanuman foretold that he would speedily rescue Sita and slay the rakshasas. Then Hanuman sprang up like a winged mountain and fared across the sea, now clearly seen, now hidden by the clouds, till he came to Mahendra, flourishing his tail and roaring like the wind in a mighty cavern. And all the monkey host rejoiced exceedingly to see and hear him, knowing that he must have found Sita; they danced, and ran from peak to peak, and waved the branches of trees and their clean white cloths, and brought fruits and roots for Hanuman to eat. Then Hanuman reported all that he had done to Angada and Jambasvan, while the moneky host sat round about the three there on Mahendra's summit.
When all had been told, Angada turned to the monkey host and said: "O noble monkeys, our work is done, and the time has come for us to return to Sugriva without delay"; and they answered him: "Let us go." The Angada leapt up into the air, followed by all the monkeys, darkening the sky as if with clouds and roaring like the wind; and coming speedily to Sugriva, Angada spoke first to the heavy-hearted Rama, and gave him tidings of Sita and praised the work of Hanuman. Then Rama talked with Hanuman, and asked him many a question as to the welfare of the slender-waisted Sita; and Hanuman told him all, and gave her message regarding the matter of the crow and of the painted brow-spot, and showed to Rama the jewel from Sita's hair entrusted to him as a token. Rama wept at the sight of that goodly gem: it was grief to him to behold it and not Sita herself; but he rejoiced to know that Sita lived and that Hanuman had found her.
Then Rama praised Hanuman as the best of servants, who had done more even than was required of him; for a servant, merely good, does what is commanded and no more, and a bad servant is one who does not even that which his master orders. "Hanuman," he said, "has done his work and more, and sorry am I that I cannot do him any service in return. But affection tells of all," and therewith Rama embraced the self-controlled and great-hearted Hanuman like a brother.
Next, Sugriva spoke and issued orders for a march of all the host toward the far south to lay a siege to Lanka, while Hanuman reported to Rama all that he had learnt of the strength and fortifications of the city, saying: "Do thou regard the city as already taken, for I alone have laid it waste, and it will be an easy matter for such a host as this to utterly destroy it."
Now the monkey army went on its way, led by Sugriva and Rama, and the monkeys skipped for joy and bounded gleefully and sported one with another. With them went many friendly bears, ruled by Jambavan, guarding the rear. Passing over many mountains and delightful forests, the army came at length to Mahendra, and beheld the sea before them; thence they marched to the very shore, beside the wave-washed rocks, and made their camp. They covered all the shore, like a second sea beside the tossing waves. Then Rama summoned a council to devise a means for crossing over the ocean, and a guard was set, and orders issued that none should wander, for he feared the magic of the rakshasas.
Then all at once he repented of his rash deed, for he thought that Sita must have died in the fire. "It is a small matter to have burnt Lanka," he reflected, "but if Sita has lost her life I have failed altogether in my work, and will rather die that return in vain to Rama." But again he thought: "It may be that that fair one has been saved by her own virtue; the fire that scorched me not has surely never hurt that noble lady." Therewith he hastened back to the Asoka tree and found her seated there, and he greeted her, and she him, and once more they spoke of Rama, and Hanuman foretold that he would speedily rescue Sita and slay the rakshasas. Then Hanuman sprang up like a winged mountain and fared across the sea, now clearly seen, now hidden by the clouds, till he came to Mahendra, flourishing his tail and roaring like the wind in a mighty cavern. And all the monkey host rejoiced exceedingly to see and hear him, knowing that he must have found Sita; they danced, and ran from peak to peak, and waved the branches of trees and their clean white cloths, and brought fruits and roots for Hanuman to eat. Then Hanuman reported all that he had done to Angada and Jambasvan, while the moneky host sat round about the three there on Mahendra's summit.
When all had been told, Angada turned to the monkey host and said: "O noble monkeys, our work is done, and the time has come for us to return to Sugriva without delay"; and they answered him: "Let us go." The Angada leapt up into the air, followed by all the monkeys, darkening the sky as if with clouds and roaring like the wind; and coming speedily to Sugriva, Angada spoke first to the heavy-hearted Rama, and gave him tidings of Sita and praised the work of Hanuman. Then Rama talked with Hanuman, and asked him many a question as to the welfare of the slender-waisted Sita; and Hanuman told him all, and gave her message regarding the matter of the crow and of the painted brow-spot, and showed to Rama the jewel from Sita's hair entrusted to him as a token. Rama wept at the sight of that goodly gem: it was grief to him to behold it and not Sita herself; but he rejoiced to know that Sita lived and that Hanuman had found her.
Then Rama praised Hanuman as the best of servants, who had done more even than was required of him; for a servant, merely good, does what is commanded and no more, and a bad servant is one who does not even that which his master orders. "Hanuman," he said, "has done his work and more, and sorry am I that I cannot do him any service in return. But affection tells of all," and therewith Rama embraced the self-controlled and great-hearted Hanuman like a brother.
Next, Sugriva spoke and issued orders for a march of all the host toward the far south to lay a siege to Lanka, while Hanuman reported to Rama all that he had learnt of the strength and fortifications of the city, saying: "Do thou regard the city as already taken, for I alone have laid it waste, and it will be an easy matter for such a host as this to utterly destroy it."
Now the monkey army went on its way, led by Sugriva and Rama, and the monkeys skipped for joy and bounded gleefully and sported one with another. With them went many friendly bears, ruled by Jambavan, guarding the rear. Passing over many mountains and delightful forests, the army came at length to Mahendra, and beheld the sea before them; thence they marched to the very shore, beside the wave-washed rocks, and made their camp. They covered all the shore, like a second sea beside the tossing waves. Then Rama summoned a council to devise a means for crossing over the ocean, and a guard was set, and orders issued that none should wander, for he feared the magic of the rakshasas.
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Then all at once he repented of his rash deed, for he thought that Sita must have died in the fire. "It is a small matter to have burnt Lanka," he reflected, "but if Sita has lost her life I have failed altogether in my work, and will rather die that return in vain to Rama." But again he thought: "It may be that that fair one has been saved by her own virtue; the fire that scorched me not has surely never hurt that noble lady." Therewith he hastened back to the Asoka tree and found her seated there, and he greeted her, and she him, and once more they spoke of Rama, and Hanuman foretold that he would speedily rescue Sita and slay the rakshasas. Then Hanuman sprang up like a winged mountain and fared across the sea, now clearly seen, now hidden by the clouds, till he came to Mahendra, flourishing his tail and roaring like the wind in a mighty cavern. And all the monkey host rejoiced exceedingly to see and hear him, knowing that he must have found Sita; they danced, and ran from peak to peak, and waved the branches of trees and their clean white cloths, and brought fruits and roots for Hanuman to eat. Then Hanuman reported all that he had done to Angada and Jambasvan, while the moneky host sat round about the three there on Mahendra's summit.
When all had been told, Angada turned to the monkey host and said: "O noble monkeys, our work is done, and the time has come for us to return to Sugriva without delay"; and they answered him: "Let us go." The Angada leapt up into the air, followed by all the monkeys, darkening the sky as if with clouds and roaring like the wind; and coming speedily to Sugriva, Angada spoke first to the heavy-hearted Rama, and gave him tidings of Sita and praised the work of Hanuman. Then Rama talked with Hanuman, and asked him many a question as to the welfare of the slender-waisted Sita; and Hanuman told him all, and gave her message regarding the matter of the crow and of the painted brow-spot, and showed to Rama the jewel from Sita's hair entrusted to him as a token. Rama wept at the sight of that goodly gem: it was grief to him to behold it and not Sita herself; but he rejoiced to know that Sita lived and that Hanuman had found her.
Then Rama praised Hanuman as the best of servants, who had done more even than was required of him; for a servant, merely good, does what is commanded and no more, and a bad servant is one who does not even that which his master orders. "Hanuman," he said, "has done his work and more, and sorry am I that I cannot do him any service in return. But affection tells of all," and therewith Rama embraced the self-controlled and great-hearted Hanuman like a brother.
Next, Sugriva spoke and issued orders for a march of all the host toward the far south to lay a siege to Lanka, while Hanuman reported to Rama all that he had learnt of the strength and fortifications of the city, saying: "Do thou regard the city as already taken, for I alone have laid it waste, and it will be an easy matter for such a host as this to utterly destroy it."
Now the monkey army went on its way, led by Sugriva and Rama, and the monkeys skipped for joy and bounded gleefully and sported one with another. With them went many friendly bears, ruled by Jambavan, guarding the rear. Passing over many mountains and delightful forests, the army came at length to Mahendra, and beheld the sea before them; thence they marched to the very shore, beside the wave-washed rocks, and made their camp. They covered all the shore, like a second sea beside the tossing waves. Then Rama summoned a council to devise a means for crossing over the ocean, and a guard was set, and orders issued that none should wander, for he feared the magic of the rakshasas.
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