A story · Ramayana · The Allies

Rama's Ring for Hanuman

Valmiki Ramayana 4.37 · read aloud in the app

The story · English

When the talk was done, King Sugriva turned to Hanuman, the wise one standing beside him. "Call in the vanara legions," he said. "Call those who live around the snowy mountains, in the Vindhya groves, on Kailasa and Mahendra and white-topped Mandara. Call those by the western sea, and on the hills where the sun rises and where it sets. Call the golden-coated ones from the caves of Mahasaila, those who drink sweet juices on Maharun, and those who live quietly among the hermits. Use force, use words, use gifts, but bring every one of them. Envoys have gone out already. Send more to hurry them, and push on anyone who lingers over his pleasures. Whoever is still missing when ten days have passed, and so defies his king, will die for it."

Hanuman, son of the Wind, bowed to his king and sent swift messengers north, south, east and west. They went along the paths of birds and stars, and over sea and hill, wood and lake, they called the vanaras to arms for Rama's sake. No one dared refuse. Three million came, strong as Anjan himself. Ten million more, with coats like burning gold, came from the mountain where the sun goes down. From Kailasa in the north came a thousand million, the colour of lions' manes. On their way the messengers passed a wondrous tree on the summit of Himalaya, where long ago Maheshvara's great sacrifice had been held. Its fruit tasted like amrit, and one fruit kept away hunger for a whole month. They picked the ripe fruit to lay at Sugriva's feet.

The messengers came home at the head of countless armies to the walls of Kishkindha, laid the heavenly fruit before the king and said, "We went through every land. All your hosts, from east to west, are coming at your word." Sugriva thanked each of them warmly and sent them off, and in his heart Rama's work was as good as done. Lakshmana said gently, "If you are willing, chieftain, let us leave Kishkindha." "At once," said Sugriva. "Your word is mine to obey." He said goodbye to Tara and the other women, and his foremost vanaras brought up the royal litter. "Climb in, my friend," he said, and Lakshmana did, and the king sat beside him. Under a pale canopy, fanned with white whisks, with conch and drum sounding, they were carried to the mountain where Rama lived alone.

There Sugriva stepped lightly down with Lakshmana, joined his palms and bowed at Rama's feet, and the whole host stood hushed behind him like still water lifting lotus buds. Rama raised him, held him close and sat him at his side. "A prince who knows the right time for duty, for pleasure and for gain deserves to rule," he said. "One who gives himself only to pleasure falls like a man who wakes on a branch as it breaks. The hour has come to help me. Call your nobles and take counsel." "I had lost everything," Sugriva answered, "my strength, my hope, my throne. Through you and Lakshmana it all came back. My chiefs have called our legions, bears and monkeys and apes of every kind. Tens of millions are coming like rain clouds. They will kill the rakshasas and bring your wife home."

"Is it a wonder when Indra sends rain," Rama said, "or when the moon floods the sky with light? Then it is no wonder that a friend like you does his friends honour. I know your heart, Sugriva. When the rakshasas stole my queen, he stole his own death with her." As he spoke, dust rose into every quarter of the sky and the sun went pale. The earth shook to its roots. The ground disappeared under warriors, some bright as morning, some white as the moon, some green as lotus fibre. Satabali came, and Tara's father like a mountain of gold, and Ruma's father, and Kesari, Hanuman's father, with a face like the rising sun. Gavaksha came, Dhumra with his bears, Panas, dark Nila, Gavaya, Gaja, and Jambavan, king of the bears. They covered the plain, and bowed their heads to Sugriva.

Sugriva looked over the multitude with a practised eye. "They are all here, Rama," he said. "Chiefs as strong as Indra, and tireless. Tell them what you want." Rama held him close. "Search for Sita. Find out whether she is alive, and track Ravana to his home. When we know where they are, we will plan the rest together. Neither Lakshmana nor I can guide this. You must be our hope now." Sugriva called up Vinata, a huge chief, loud as a thundercloud. "Take ten thousand and search the east," he said. "Go along every river, the Sarayu, the Kaushiki, Bhagiratha's daughter, the Yamuna, the Sarasvati, the Sindhu, the Sona. Go to the land of silver mines, across Yavadwipa, past Mount Sisir. Look in every cave and thicket for the thief and his captive."

"Go on to the dark ocean that beats on an iron shore, and to the red sea where Garuda's home stands, where the giant Mandehas hang from the cliffs and plunge into the water at each sunrise. Beyond is the Milky Sea, bright with pearls, and white Mount Rishabha, and the lake Sudarshana where swans play. Past that is a wild sea where the wrath-born horse's head burns under the water, and the sea creatures cry out at the sight. Then comes golden Mount Jatarupa, where Ananta, the serpent who holds up the earth, rests with his thousand heads. Then the eastern mountain where the sun rises, the gate of earth and heaven. Search there, and stop. Beyond it lies endless night. Come back within a month. Whoever stays longer pays with his life."

Then he chose a band for the south: Nila, son of Fire, tall Jambavan, and Hanuman, the best of them all, with Angada as their leader. "Search the thousand peaks of Vindhya, the Narmada and the Godavari, the Dandaka woods, the sandal forests and the Kaveri. On Malaya's top the sage Agastya sits in stillness. When he gives you leave, cross the Tamraparni, pass the Pandyas' gates of pearl and gold, and come to the shore where Mount Mahendra stands in the sea. A hundred leagues off lies an island that Ravana rules. Search it with the greatest care. A monster guards that strait who can seize even shadows. Beyond lie Bhogavati, where Vasuki rules the serpents, and Yama's dark city. Stop there. Whoever finds Sita will be my equal in power, and dear to me as my own life."

To Sushena, his wife's father, Sugriva spoke with deep respect. "Take two hundred thousand of our best to the west. Search Surashtra and Vahlika, the deserts and the palm groves, Somagiri where the Sindhu meets the sea, and Pariyatra, where Gandharvas guard fruit you must not pick. Search the diamond hill Vajra, and the sixty thousand hills of gold with Meru in their midst. Ask the hermit Savarni on Meru's crest about the lady. Go as far as Mount Asta, where the sun sets, and no farther." To Shatabali he said, "Take a hundred thousand north, to the Hills of Snow, across a hundred leagues of lifeless waste to Kailasa where Kubera lives, through Krauncha's fearful pass, to the land of the North Kurus, and on to Somagiri by the northern sea. Then turn back."

But to Hanuman he spoke apart. "Nothing can stop you on land or sea or in the air. You know every realm, and you are as strong and swift as your father the Wind. Bring her back." Hearing this, Rama's hope rose. He gave Hanuman the ring that bore his name. "My wife will see this," he said, "and she will not be afraid of a messenger I have sent. Your courage, your skill and Sugriva's order fill me with hope." Then the vanaras swarmed away like locusts: Shatabali north, Hanuman and Angada south, Vinata east, Sushena west. From every legion rose the shouting: "We will bring her back and crush the thief. I alone will kill Ravana in single combat. I will tear up mountains, leap a hundred leagues, and walk through hell itself to set her free."

कथा · हिन्दी

In this book

• Before: The Rains and Lakshmana's Anger · Valmiki Ramayana 4.27
• Next: Svayamprabha's Cave · Valmiki Ramayana 4.48
• All of Ramayana · Ask Krishna about it

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