Jain Ramayan

Author(s): Gunratnasuri
Publisher: Jingun Aradhak Trust

Page 78

Hanumana said, "Mother, your word is a command for me, but pray, allow me to display my strength to these foolish people. Ravana considers himself to be the supreme warrior. He does not even acknowledge the strength and valour of others. I must show him a few samples, of what Rama's slave is capable of."
Devastation of Devaramaņa garden
65 Some of the gatekeepers, who somehow managed to save their lives, came rushing to Rāvana and narrated him the whole incident. Rāvana immediately ordered his eldest son, Akşayakumāra, to attack Hanumana and kill him. A fierce battle was fought between the two. Finally, Hanumāna killed Akşayakumāra. Rāvana then ordered his younger son Indrajit to arrest the miscreant. Indrajit tried all the weapons that he possessed on Hanumana, but none of them could hurt his strongest body. Finally, he threw Nagapāśa on him. Hanumana could have easily freed himself from the Nāgapāśa, yet he wanted to meet Ravana face to face therefore, he did not free himself. The soldiers then dragged him to Ravana.
Hanumana began to devastate the garden like a wild elephant. He uprooted the heavy aśoka, bakula, mandara, mango and banana trees and tossed them in the sky. There was a great commotion in the Devaramaņa garden. Hearing it, the gatekeepers came rushing. They carried heavy clubs in their mighty hands and attacked Hanumāna with their clubs fiercely. He retaliated by hitting them with the trees that he had uprooted. A valiant man might be alone, he might be without weapons and he might be surrounded with troubles, yet he never loses his spirit."
When Ravana saw him, he shouted, "Have lost your senses, you absurd? Rama and Laksmana are mendicants. They eat fruits, dress up in shabby clothes and live in hut. What will they offer you, even if they are highly pleased ? Hey imbecile, you risked your life for the sake of those fools. You have been in my service in the past and now you're an envoy of the foe, therefore, the rules of Dharma prevent me from killing you?" Hanumana said, "Since when am I your servant and since when are you my master? You used to ask us for help when you needed it and we helped you. My worthy father, Pavananjaya, rescued you and your brother-in-law Khara from the clutches of Varuna. When the son of Varuņa attacked you, I protected you, but now, I shall never protect you, for you have abducted a woman, who is already married to someone else! I think exchanging conversation with you is grievous sin. Who can protect you from the wrath of Rama and Laksmana? You are a coward and so is your entire clan!". When Rāvana heard the words of Hanumāna, he began to tremble with rage and said, "You have left me and joined my enemy, therefore you too have become my enemy. I must slay you, for you are a foe, but the trouble is that you are an envoy, and therefore I must not kill you, but I can punish you for your lack in polish and obscene behaviour. I shall therefore, straddle you to a donkey and parade on the streets of Lanka. The people will laugh at you. They will jeer and mock you.” When Hanumana heard this, he was enraged. He freed himself from the Nāgapāśa and
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