Canto 13 - Errand in the Bend
On the rebound then Hanuman
Like a lightning reached Pushpak.
Staring at the place he searched
Thought he errand of his failed.
How come Seetha was not found
Left I though no room to search?
In all entire land of this
Had I left a stone unturned?
If I go by Jataayu’s words
And fetch Rama here forthwith,
Failing to see her he would
Take his wrath on all of us.
Would have Seetha in despair
Succumbed to Ravan in secret!
Sped as Ravan her in arms
Out of range of Ram’s arrow,
Preferring death to his amour
Did she into ocean drop?
Flew as Ravan her in skies
Having seen never ending seas
Lost she might have been her nerve
And thus died in mid-air then.
Chaste as Seetha to her man
The thought of rape by Ravan then
Would have led her heart to seize.
Committed that she to her Lord
Tried as she to wriggle herself
Would have slipped from Ravan’s grip.
With none around to rescue her
Drowned she might have Ram in mind.
For that matter Ravan’s wives
Would have killed her by envy.
Or else forlorn Seetha might
Have died in her great despair.
For Lakshman to help her out
Seetha would have surely cried.
Maybe in some secret vault
Ravan could have confined her.
Seems it absurd even then
Seetha would to Ravan turn.
With no news of Seetha now
Makes it no sense to go back.
Reported dead or found missing,
What a breaking news it makes?
What an end to such beginning
Should that ever end in deadlock?
Were I to go now without a clue
What’s the worth of my errand?
Not for Sugreev sent me here
Have I count of Ravan’s wives.
What would Rama have to say
Were I to face him blank faced?
Were I to state that found her not
Wouldn’t he die of broken heart?
Hears if he of mission failure
What for he would like to live?
Seeing Rama slip in coma
Lakshman too would come to grief.
Back home Bharat ’n Satrughna
Break down hearing breaking news.
Won’t on hearsay go to grave
Mothers three of brothers those four?
Having failed to keep his word
Won’t our Sugreev die of shame?
Unable to bear her man’s death
Wouldn’t then Ruma forego life?
Mourns as Tara, Vali’s death
Won’t her new Lord’s death kill her?
Wont’ then follow suit Angad
Tara’s son to Vali born.
If ever enemies eye our land
What would come of our empire?
Made all prosper Sugreev’s reign
Won’t they feel all orphaned now?
In the wake of Sugreev’s death