Monday 18 August 2014

190. A dialogue about Seetha's abduction.

          After safely placing Saampaati at his cave, all the vanaras were looking at the bird with love, admiration and adoration. The sweet information about Seetha conveyed by him were relished like ambrosia by them. They asked the bird "Please tell us vividly as to where Seetha is at this moment. Please, also let us know any other relevant information about Seetha."
      Saampaati told them "Well, to start with, I will now narrate as to how I heard about the abduction of Vaidehi, by whom it is said to me, and then let you know where that wide-eyed Seetha is now.
      "I already told you that some years ago I became unconscious and fell down on this mountain. I was very hurt and incapacitated by that fall. I absolutely became incapable to fend for myself.
        "Fortunately for me, my son, named  Supaarshva started taking care of me.
      "Daily my son was getting me food well before I was getting too hungry. My son knew very well that I cannot bear acute hunger and as such he was very particular to come with adequate food well before hunger starts to torture me. On a certain day when hunger was aching me and I was craving for food, my son Supaarshva did not come until the sun of the day went down. When he did come he was empty clawed and empty beaked. As I was intolerably hungry, I reproved him very harshly for that.
         "He, pulling a long face explained 'Oh, papa, when I was hovering over the area overspreading the Mt. Mahendra for some good fleshy grub, I happened to see something very odd. There I saw someone who looked like a shoved heap of mascara carrying away a lady whose beauty was beyond compare. On seeing the two of them I resolved to use them up for our lunch. But he surprised me by benignly, basely and beggarly besought me to leave them alone for their traversal. How can I harm, leave alone killing, anyone who begs like that? That apart, being your son, I, like you, let him off magnanimously.
      " 'That knave hastily went away as though enshrouding the skies with his vigour. And then I noticed some movements. It was caused by the beings from the firmament. They came straight to me and applauded me. They told me "Fortunately Seetha is alive. Seetha in fact is to be protected by one and all like you. Anyhow by your magnanimity you are blest without a doubt."
      " 'Then those celestials, informed me that the lady who was yelling both the names of Rama and Lakshmana, was the dear wife of Dasharatha's son Rama, the daughter of Janaka. They also informed me that the rakshash who was abducting her was Ravana, the king of rakshashas. This is the reason I came so late, that too without any grub.'
      "On hearing my son, I very much wanted to encounter that rakshash Ravana, and thrash him to within an inch of his life. Unfortunately I could not do so. How a wingless bird can even think of such an action?"
         Saampaati then paused to collect his thoughts. He then resumed "I, however decided to do what is possible for me to. I can advise you like a votary as to how you should go about." 
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