Hanuman continued to agonise over Sita's disappearance. He wondered why he had not seen her though he had scoured every inch of the earth. 'Could she have dropped into the ocean as Ravana raced through the skies fearing Rama's arrows?' he asked himself, 'Or have the wives of Ravana devoured her? Neither gloomy gorges, green groves, impenetrable forests nor impossible mountains tell anything of Sita. Perhaps the gentle creature is held prisoner or perhaps she does not even exist any more! The daughter of Janaka, not born of human womb but of the earth who was the most beautiful of them all and consort of Rama would have never yielded to the animal instincts of a rakshasa!' Torn between the uncertainty of returning to Kishkinda without news of Sita and uncertain, whether he should reveal or conceal it from Rama, great was Hanuman's turmoil and greater his dilemma. He was also afraid that such news would not only cause much misery in Kishkinda, but also leave many dead in its wake. Hanuman knew that Rama unable to bear the harsh heartrending tidings would be the first to go 'Will Rama live even for a moment after hearing of Sita who is his very life?' worried Hanuman. 'Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna will follow suit and the queen mothers would never survive such a tragedy.' Hanuman's imagination did not stop there, he said 'Sugriva will cease to live the moment Rama is gone and will Tara and Ruma live without him? Will Angada survive his parents? Grieving for their king the Vanaras will no longer cavort and frolic but will end their lives by either falling off cliffs, falling into fires or falling on their unsheathed weapons. I should perhaps live here and die here so that Rama, Lakshmana and the monkeys will continue to live in hope!' Even as Hanuman's mind impaled by his morbid thoughts vacillated between hope and hopelessness, a sudden defiance overpowered him and he swore. 'Only he who is alive can achieve auspiciousness so, I shall live and so, shall I unite Sita with Rama. As for Ravana, should I kill him or should I lead him like a sacrificed cow to Rama?' Slipping quietly into the Asoka grove, though eager to see Sita he shuddered at the thought of beholding that exquisite embodiment of beauty, humiliated and held captive by the rakshasa king; 'In what state will I find her?' he mused.
Summary
Hanuman continued to agonise over Sita's disappearance. He wondered why he had not seen her though he had scoured every inch of the earth. 'Could she have dropped into the ocean as Ravana raced through the skies fearing Rama's arrows?' he asked himself, 'Or have the wives of Ravana devoured her? Neither gloomy gorges, green groves, impenetrable forests nor impossible mountains tell anything of Sita. Perhaps the gentle creature is held prisoner or perhaps she does not even exist any more! The daughter of Janaka, not born of human womb but of the earth who was the most beautiful of them all and consort of Rama would have never yielded to the animal instincts of a rakshasa!' Torn between the uncertainty of returning to Kishkinda without news of Sita and uncertain, whether he should reveal or conceal it from Rama, great was Hanuman's turmoil and greater his dilemma. He was also afraid that such news would not only cause much misery in Kishkinda, but also leave many dead in its wake. Hanuman knew that Rama unable to bear the harsh heartrending tidings would be the first to go 'Will Rama live even for a moment after hearing of Sita who is his very life?' worried Hanuman. 'Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna will follow suit and the queen mothers would never survive such a tragedy.' Hanuman's imagination did not stop there, he said 'Sugriva will cease to live the moment Rama is gone and will Tara and Ruma live without him? Will Angada survive his parents? Grieving for their king the Vanaras will no longer cavort and frolic but will end their lives by either falling off cliffs, falling into fires or falling on their unsheathed weapons. I should perhaps live here and die here so that Rama, Lakshmana and the monkeys will continue to live in hope!' Even as Hanuman's mind impaled by his morbid thoughts vacillated between hope and hopelessness, a sudden defiance overpowered him and he swore. 'Only he who is alive can achieve auspiciousness so, I shall live and so, shall I unite Sita with Rama. As for Ravana, should I kill him or should I lead him like a sacrificed cow to Rama?' Slipping quietly into the Asoka grove, though eager to see Sita he shuddered at the thought of beholding that exquisite embodiment of beauty, humiliated and held captive by the rakshasa king; 'In what state will I find her?' he mused.