________________
COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE RAMA-STORY
85
F. Capturing of Hanumat by Indrajit and the former's wordy duel with Ravana:
According to the PCV, as soon as Hanumat starts from there he finds himself surrounded by the servants of Ravana. They had been commissioned by Ravana to beat and chase off Hanumat, on receiving the information of his arrival from the ladies who had gone to the garden. During his fight with them Hanumat ruins the whole garden (53. 75-80). Following that a band of soldiers arrive there. Hanumat inflicts a crushing defeat by killing them. Further he destroys various buildings of Laňka and approaches the palace of Ravana (53. 90). Ravana gets ready to capture Hanumat but Indrajit intervenes. The latter himself along with Meghavahana and his soldiers, gruesome fight, binds Hanumat with serpent nooses (baddho ciya nagapāsehim) and produces him before Ravana (53. 120). Ravana deprecates his alliance with Rāma. Hanumat retorts Rāvana rebuking him for his malicious conduct. Ravana gets annoyed and orders his men to insult Hanumat by beating him in the centre of the city (53. 141). Hanumat losing no moment tears asunder the fetters and flees away towards Kişkindhipura after ruining the city of Lankā. Mandodarī informs Sītā of (53. 147) Hanumat's escape.
after a
He
According to the VR, Hanumat intentionally deserts the garden to ascertain the mind and the strength of the army of Ravaņa (5. 41. 7. 11). Rākṣasīs report it to Ravana on the next day (5. 42). Ravana then sends a contingent of 8000 servants to subdue Hanumat but they all are killed. Hanumat destroys the 'caityaprāsāda11 and kills the guards who try to oppose him (5. 43). Then follows the slaying of Jambumalin (5. 44. 20), seven sons of the ministers (5. 45. 17), five generals (5. 46) and Akşayakumara (5. 47. 38) who were all commissioned by Ravana to capture Hanumat. At last Indrajit is sent. overpowers Hanumat and seizes him by his Brahmastra (paitāmaham astram 5. 48. 36). Hanumat voluntarily gets captured with a view to have some discussion with Rāvaņa (5. 48. 47). He is then produced before Ravana who being annoyed with the abuses and scorns from Hanumat orders his men to assassinate Hanumat (5. 51. 45). Here Vibhīşana intervenes and saves Hanumat (5. 52. 25). Rāvana then orders to ignite the tail of Hanumat. It is done accordingly. Hanumat gets himself released from the fetters and burns the whole city of Lanka (5. 53-54) except the house of Vibhīşaņa. He again goes to Sītǎ and
1. There is no mention of destroying of any 'caitya' in the N. W. and Gaudiya versions (Bulcke, p. 366).