Inspired by Jambavan and the cheering monkey army Hanuman primed himself for the leap across the sea in search of Sita. Stretching his neck like a powerful bull he paced the emerald green slopes of the Mahendra Mountain, resplendent with the colours of its ores. Ready and raring to go he joined his palms in salutation to his father Vayu, to Sugriva, Brahma, Indra and to all the creatures. He grew his body to astounding proportions, as Rama's mission needed utmost strength and power for its successful execution. Roused by the thunder of his tread, alarmed bird and beast set up a cacophony of noises and the pressure of his feet poised for the leap made the mountain famed as immovable, move! Boulders rolled down, gem stones, nuggets of gold and silver went flying out and beings big and small cried out their agony. Enraged serpents slithered out hissing to strike venomously at boulders which shattered into a thousand fragments. Mountain streams lost their way, hidden springs came spouting from their dark depths and undulating slopes were flooded with cascading waterfalls. Even the sages and Vidyadharas startled at the commotion left their homes. Taking final leave of Jambavan and his comrades Hanuman swore to uproot the very kingdom of the rakshasas with its ruler and bring it to Kishkinda if he failed to find Sita. As he rose into the vast blue expanse of the sky caught in his limbs along with him trailed uprooted trees, large bushes and ropes of flowering vine. Covered with those falling flowers and foliage Hanuman the hope of vanaras and bane of rakshasas resembled a winged mountain. Racing down south like a blazing comet the tempestuous winds that he whipped up turned the sea below into a heaving cauldron. That flying personification of magnificence cast a shadow ten yojanas wide and thirty yojanas long on the blue waters below. The glory of it delighted the, devas, suras, asuras, men, animals and birds. The Sun subdued its fiery brilliance and the wind god tendered loving care. The sea god who prospered because of Sagara an Ikshvaku ancestor beheld Hanuman hurtling past. Wishing to provide that messenger of Rama with some respite he asked the mountain Mainaka to surface from the ocean bed where it sat submerged.But even as the mountain rose, mistaking it for an obstacle the speeding Vanara pushed it aside with his chest. Mainaka then appeared in human form to reverently invite Hanuman to be his guest, "The scriptures decree that a guest even if he be ignoramus should be worshipped and honoured. How much more should I revere you, who are an ocean of knowledge and so profoundly righteous? Worshipping you is like worshipping your father Vayu to whom I owe eternal allegiance and I will tell you why. In Kritayuga all the mountains had wings and they flew the skies with speeds that defied the very winds and Garuda himself. Their furious flying around made the devatas and other creatures fearful, who worried about them accidentally crashing down to earth. When Indra noticed their fear he severed the wings of every mountain I alone escaped his wrath as Vayu pushed me out of harm's way, into the sea". But Hanuman respectfully turned down the offer, refusing to neither rest nor relax until Rama's mission was accomplished. As Hanuman coursed on relentlessly the gandharvas asked Surasa mother of the serpents and daughter of Daksha to test the vanara messenger. To oblige them she transformed herself into an ugly monster and then grew and continued to grow until she stood blocking Hanuman's path. " The gods send you to be my food. Enter my mouth". She boomed." Devour me if you can catch me" countered Hanuman. Surasa opened her mouth, as wide as she could but Hanuman grew bigger and Surasa's mouth grew wider! This went on and when the demon had her mouth open like an endless cavern Hanuman shrunk himself to the size of a thumb and darted in and out of Surasa's mouth in a flash. Before the rakshasa woman could even bring her lips together Hanuman was on his way to Lanka. He had passed the test and his tormentor reverting back to her beautiful self, blessed him with success. The next hurdle that Hanuman had to face appeared in the form of Simhika a rakshasa woman whose ravenous hunger craved the vanara's ample body as her meal. He made short work of that irritation by diving in and out of her greedy mouth severing her innards thereby destroying her. Finally having braved mighty serpents, evil demons and intimidating seas, Hanuman neared the domain of his enemy. Girdled by blue seas and edged by golden shores, Lanka the strong hold of the Rakshasas hove into sight. Nestling high up in the Trikoota Mountains its slopes were covered with swaying coconut palms and its crest shimmered with the green canopies of mammoth trees. He also the saw the shadow of his enormous form on the ground below and the amount of sky it occupied above! Not wanting to attract the unwelcome attention of the citizens of Lanka Hanuman grew thoughtful. Realising the uproar his huge body would cause he decided to revert back to the size of the vanara from Kishkinda. He landed on Trikoota startling unwary denizens and feasting his eyes on the city whose breath taking beauty matched Amaravathi the city of the gods.
Summary
Inspired by Jambavan and the cheering monkey army Hanuman primed himself for the leap across the sea in search of Sita. Stretching his neck like a powerful bull he paced the emerald green slopes of the Mahendra Mountain, resplendent with the colours of its ores. Ready and raring to go he joined his palms in salutation to his father Vayu, to Sugriva, Brahma, Indra and to all the creatures. He grew his body to astounding proportions, as Rama's mission needed utmost strength and power for its successful execution. Roused by the thunder of his tread, alarmed bird and beast set up a cacophony of noises and the pressure of his feet poised for the leap made the mountain famed as immovable, move! Boulders rolled down, gem stones, nuggets of gold and silver went flying out and beings big and small cried out their agony. Enraged serpents slithered out hissing to strike venomously at boulders which shattered into a thousand fragments. Mountain streams lost their way, hidden springs came spouting from their dark depths and undulating slopes were flooded with cascading waterfalls. Even the sages and Vidyadharas startled at the commotion left their homes. Taking final leave of Jambavan and his comrades Hanuman swore to uproot the very kingdom of the rakshasas with its ruler and bring it to Kishkinda if he failed to find Sita. As he rose into the vast blue expanse of the sky caught in his limbs along with him trailed uprooted trees, large bushes and ropes of flowering vine. Covered with those falling flowers and foliage Hanuman the hope of vanaras and bane of rakshasas resembled a winged mountain. Racing down south like a blazing comet the tempestuous winds that he whipped up turned the sea below into a heaving cauldron. That flying personification of magnificence cast a shadow ten yojanas wide and thirty yojanas long on the blue waters below. The glory of it delighted the, devas, suras, asuras, men, animals and birds. The Sun subdued its fiery brilliance and the wind god tendered loving care. The sea god who prospered because of Sagara an Ikshvaku ancestor beheld Hanuman hurtling past. Wishing to provide that messenger of Rama with some respite he asked the mountain Mainaka to surface from the ocean bed where it sat submerged.But even as the mountain rose, mistaking it for an obstacle the speeding Vanara pushed it aside with his chest. Mainaka then appeared in human form to reverently invite Hanuman to be his guest, "The scriptures decree that a guest even if he be ignoramus should be worshipped and honoured. How much more should I revere you, who are an ocean of knowledge and so profoundly righteous? Worshipping you is like worshipping your father Vayu to whom I owe eternal allegiance and I will tell you why. In Kritayuga all the mountains had wings and they flew the skies with speeds that defied the very winds and Garuda himself. Their furious flying around made the devatas and other creatures fearful, who worried about them accidentally crashing down to earth. When Indra noticed their fear he severed the wings of every mountain I alone escaped his wrath as Vayu pushed me out of harm's way, into the sea". But Hanuman respectfully turned down the offer, refusing to neither rest nor relax until Rama's mission was accomplished. As Hanuman coursed on relentlessly the gandharvas asked Surasa mother of the serpents and daughter of Daksha to test the vanara messenger. To oblige them she transformed herself into an ugly monster and then grew and continued to grow until she stood blocking Hanuman's path. " The gods send you to be my food. Enter my mouth". She boomed." Devour me if you can catch me" countered Hanuman. Surasa opened her mouth, as wide as she could but Hanuman grew bigger and Surasa's mouth grew wider! This went on and when the demon had her mouth open like an endless cavern Hanuman shrunk himself to the size of a thumb and darted in and out of Surasa's mouth in a flash. Before the rakshasa woman could even bring her lips together Hanuman was on his way to Lanka. He had passed the test and his tormentor reverting back to her beautiful self, blessed him with success. The next hurdle that Hanuman had to face appeared in the form of Simhika a rakshasa woman whose ravenous hunger craved the vanara's ample body as her meal. He made short work of that irritation by diving in and out of her greedy mouth severing her innards thereby destroying her. Finally having braved mighty serpents, evil demons and intimidating seas, Hanuman neared the domain of his enemy. Girdled by blue seas and edged by golden shores, Lanka the strong hold of the Rakshasas hove into sight. Nestling high up in the Trikoota Mountains its slopes were covered with swaying coconut palms and its crest shimmered with the green canopies of mammoth trees. He also the saw the shadow of his enormous form on the ground below and the amount of sky it occupied above! Not wanting to attract the unwelcome attention of the citizens of Lanka Hanuman grew thoughtful. Realising the uproar his huge body would cause he decided to revert back to the size of the vanara from Kishkinda. He landed on Trikoota startling unwary denizens and feasting his eyes on the city whose breath taking beauty matched Amaravathi the city of the gods.