Hanuman Seeing Mandodari - Chapter 06

In the previous chapter, we saw Hanuman perceives Pushpakavimana. , Now we'll see Hanuman Seeing Mandodari.

Hanuman looked around and noticed a cot made of gold and richly decorated and with a white silk umbrella. There were ladies who were holding the ‘Chamarams’ (a kind of fan which was generally used for the kings and queens). The bedspreads were made of skin and wool of high quality. Hanuman saw Ravana sleeping who was tired after sporting with women and having drunk’ Madhu’ (alcoholic drink). He was mighty like a mountain with well-structured body with strong muscular shoulders. All around him many women were sleeping. Some women were sleeping hugging onto their musical instruments (Madduka, Patha, Veena, Vipanchi, Drim, Dindima and Adambara) that they had been playing. Among them Hanuman saw one lady well dressed. It was Mandodari Ravana’s wife. For a while Hanuman mistook her for Sita Devi and was happy and jumped around. Instantly he regretted, for he realised that he had made a mistake and said to himself that it could not be Sita who in pining for her beloved Rama would neither be eating well, nor wearing ornaments nor even sleeping.

Then Hanuman came to another part (Panabhoomi) where a lot of varieties of food and drinks were kept. There was meat of cow, pigs, chicken, peacock, and fish and so on. There were silver and gold vessels filled with fruit juices, alcohol etc. There were jugs, crystal wares and so on.

The description of the dinnerware is indeed very interesting. Valmiki shows his power of observation and description and gives so many minute details that we feel as if we were there. Also this gives us an idea of how the kings lived in those times.

In spite of searching all the places Hanuman saw no trace of Sita, which led him to plunge into sadness. Suddenly he started feeling guilty for having gone to the private quarters of so many women who were sleeping unaware of their nudity. He was a brahmachari and in principle it was forbidden for him to see such sights. But then he consoled himself by saying that if he had to search for Sita he had but to search her only in the ladies quarters. Besides he was just a spectator and did not have any ill feelings. He continued to examine other areas.

In the next chapter, We'll see Hanuman’s disappointment and despair.