While Hanuman ravaged Ravana's cherished garden, the shrieking of frightened birds, startled animals and crashing trees echoed and re-echoed through Lanka filling the island with sudden fear. It woke the demon guard who quailed at the devastation they saw and at the appearance of omens that boded ill to the rakshasas, heralding their ruin. Beyond all that, chaos they saw the terrifying form of Hanuman, the cause of it all who, witnessing their awe of him grew his body to unprecedented dimensions, sending out waves of terror. The rakshasas ran to Sita pestering her with questions of who Hanuman was, where he had come from, why he had come and who had sent him. "Why was he talking to you?" They wanted to know. "Do not be afraid beautiful one, tell us", and Sita said, "How will I ever know of these fiends and their magical ways of changing forms at will. You should know better, for just as a snake alone can discern the tracks of another snake, you alone should be aware of the deceptions of your fellow beings. Perhaps he is one among you?" Hearing her, the frightened savages fled in frenzy to Ravana. Reaching the palace the rakshasas told Ravana of the disaster. They told him of Hanuman who may have come as an envoy of Indra, Kubera or from Rama himself, as his messenger to seek Sita. They said that there was no place in the Ashoka garden, which had escaped the havoc wrecked upon it by Hanuman's crushing arms and trampling feet. There was destruction everywhere except where Sita was and the only tree standing was that under which she sat. "Perhaps the vanara did not want to harm her or perhaps he was too wearied", they said, "but you must punish him who has transgressed not once but twice. Once by talking to Sita and then again when he consigned the grove to ruin. None who wished to live would have spoken to Sita, whom you desire. For that alone he deserves death!" As Ravana listened to the tales of disaster and devastation, a great rage possessed him. His dilated eyes flashed the fire of his fury and from them fell hot tears, like drops of flaming oil from burning lamps. He ordered eight thousand of his most fierce warriors with massive bellies and sharp fangs, to capture Hanuman. The hideous hordes armed with clubs, maces and dazzling arrows swarmed towards their enemy, like moths swarming towards a blazing fire. Even as they milled around him Hanuman thumped his powerful tail on the ground, the sound of which shook the city and brought birds from the sky crashing down to earth. Amidst and above the crescendo of noises that were rocking Lanka rose the voice of Hanuman, booming, confident and proclaiming, "I am the slave of Rama, king of Kosala of whose wondrous deeds the minstrels sing! I can use trees and boulders as weapons to fight a thousand Ravanas, even as you watch I will destroy Lanka and pay my obeisance to Sita." Listening to his bellows and beholding his awesome form, glowing red in the light of the setting sun, the advancing rakshasas faced Hanuman fearfully. Impelled by their master, they stoically marched towards their opponent whose form was stupendous and whose effulgence, blinding. Picking up a huge iron bar that lay on the ground, Hanuman with one mighty sweep mowed down a hundred kinkaras. Holding that bar like Garuda holding a serpent Hanuman flew into the skies from where he rained death and terror on the hapless demons. Those who escaped the carnage fled once again to tell Ravana of it and the enraged lord of Lanka ordered the mightiest of them all, the invincible and unconquerable son of Prahastha to subdue Hanuman.
Summary
While Hanuman ravaged Ravana's cherished garden, the shrieking of frightened birds, startled animals and crashing trees echoed and re-echoed through Lanka filling the island with sudden fear. It woke the demon guard who quailed at the devastation they saw and at the appearance of omens that boded ill to the rakshasas, heralding their ruin. Beyond all that, chaos they saw the terrifying form of Hanuman, the cause of it all who, witnessing their awe of him grew his body to unprecedented dimensions, sending out waves of terror. The rakshasas ran to Sita pestering her with questions of who Hanuman was, where he had come from, why he had come and who had sent him. "Why was he talking to you?" They wanted to know. "Do not be afraid beautiful one, tell us", and Sita said, "How will I ever know of these fiends and their magical ways of changing forms at will. You should know better, for just as a snake alone can discern the tracks of another snake, you alone should be aware of the deceptions of your fellow beings. Perhaps he is one among you?" Hearing her, the frightened savages fled in frenzy to Ravana. Reaching the palace the rakshasas told Ravana of the disaster. They told him of Hanuman who may have come as an envoy of Indra, Kubera or from Rama himself, as his messenger to seek Sita. They said that there was no place in the Ashoka garden, which had escaped the havoc wrecked upon it by Hanuman's crushing arms and trampling feet. There was destruction everywhere except where Sita was and the only tree standing was that under which she sat. "Perhaps the vanara did not want to harm her or perhaps he was too wearied", they said, "but you must punish him who has transgressed not once but twice. Once by talking to Sita and then again when he consigned the grove to ruin. None who wished to live would have spoken to Sita, whom you desire. For that alone he deserves death!" As Ravana listened to the tales of disaster and devastation, a great rage possessed him. His dilated eyes flashed the fire of his fury and from them fell hot tears, like drops of flaming oil from burning lamps. He ordered eight thousand of his most fierce warriors with massive bellies and sharp fangs, to capture Hanuman. The hideous hordes armed with clubs, maces and dazzling arrows swarmed towards their enemy, like moths swarming towards a blazing fire. Even as they milled around him Hanuman thumped his powerful tail on the ground, the sound of which shook the city and brought birds from the sky crashing down to earth. Amidst and above the crescendo of noises that were rocking Lanka rose the voice of Hanuman, booming, confident and proclaiming, "I am the slave of Rama, king of Kosala of whose wondrous deeds the minstrels sing! I can use trees and boulders as weapons to fight a thousand Ravanas, even as you watch I will destroy Lanka and pay my obeisance to Sita." Listening to his bellows and beholding his awesome form, glowing red in the light of the setting sun, the advancing rakshasas faced Hanuman fearfully. Impelled by their master, they stoically marched towards their opponent whose form was stupendous and whose effulgence, blinding. Picking up a huge iron bar that lay on the ground, Hanuman with one mighty sweep mowed down a hundred kinkaras. Holding that bar like Garuda holding a serpent Hanuman flew into the skies from where he rained death and terror on the hapless demons. Those who escaped the carnage fled once again to tell Ravana of it and the enraged lord of Lanka ordered the mightiest of them all, the invincible and unconquerable son of Prahastha to subdue Hanuman.