Dedicated to -

Childhood friends, Nittala Rama Rao, who envisaged that I transcreate in English this momentous episode of the adi kavya and Erramilli Rohini Kumar, who, besides encouraging me to undertake the challenge, came up with the book jacket besides Katlin Darnall of the World Public Library for the enriching editing.

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Enshrined by man as Hanuman

Enthused himself to shoulder

Search of Seetha, Rama’s spouse

Snared whom Ravan to Lanka

Sea across that hundred leagues.

With his head then held so high

Gained he size for task on hand.

On that Mahendra mountain then

Colossus like he sauntered there.

Uprooted were trees all those

Brushed as with his chest that strong.

Varied hues of elements there

Made that mountain resplendent.

Grace angels those hill ranges

For their honeymoon so near moon.

At length he reached that hilltop

Lay where elephants in their scores.

Besides Brahma ’n Surya

Prayed he Indra and Vayu.

Facing east he sought blessings

Of Vayu then his Wind God dad

And grew more by turning south.

Grew as Hanuman more and more

To cross that sea vast as it roared

With full tides of full-moon night

Came he face to face with clouds.

As though to test that mountain

Whether it’s right for his take-off

Tapped it Hanuman with his feet.

Shook that mountain his impinge

Shed trees flowers of hues varied.

Flowers all fell then covered it full

Spread they fragrance far and wide.

Welled out water in thick springs

Such was pressure of Hanuman’s feel.

From the cracks it developed thus

Creaked out molten metals varied.

While huge boulders slid in scores

Out came smoke in thick columns.

With that squeeze it came under

Cried all creatures in their caves.

Frightened was no less wildlife

Heard were their howls world over.

In their state of confusion

Serpents with all fiery fangs

Marks of swastik on their hoods

Spewed then venom in profusion.

Venom they spit was fireball like

Turned to tiny stones there rocks.

Herbs of anti-venom were there

Turned though antidote none of them.

Felt all yogis spirit at play

Took to their heels demigods then.

Not to speak of vessels of gold

In their fright gods left all goods.

In panic they left mid-meal

Thought they none of gold armour.

In their sodden demeanours then

Reached they all their heavenly homes.

Amorous angels in their scores

Built their love-nests in those skies.

Ascetics of earth ascended

For bird’s eye view of Hanuman’s feat.

Heard all averments of siddhas

As well seers all stationed there.

Hill like Hanuman is all set

Agile as ether to cross seas.

It was vanar Lord Sugreev

That sent him on Ram’s errand.

Angels there who heard those words

Looked at Hanuman then wide-eyed.

Raring to go then Hanuman

Slapped his thighs and roared like clouds.

Stretched he full then his long tail

Jerked it like would eagle its prey.

Circled Hanuman his tail then

Looked that eagle-clawed serpent.

Set to take off on that flight

Stance he took for task that tough.

In that as he shrugged himself

Seemed he eager and vigorous.

Stared he long at his flight route

Deep breathed he for take-off then.

All set to go Hanuman then

Thought it fit to them address

Folks his who were so anxious.

Spoke he thus to assure them:

Won’t I dart like Ram’s arrow

To Ravan’s land there lay yonder?

No sooner than I set foot

Find I Rama’s spouse Seetha.

Were I to happen to fail there

Won’t I rush to heaven itself?

Were I to land in blind alley

Won’t I go back to Lanka?

Prevail I over Ravan then

And fetch Seetha unfettered

With him in tow but in chains.

As he took-off he declared

Comes it ever if to the brink

Uproot he would all Lanka

And bring it as gift to Lord Ram.

By the thrust of his take-off

Sucked in were trees into flight.

As he flew at jet speed then

Tailed him trees with birds on them

And buds that flowered in between.

In truck with him all of them

Seemed they relatives at send off.

Sal trees then too followed suit

Seemed he spearhead of large force.

With the flowers and birds in tow

Made then Hanuman wondrous sight.

In time weakened as the pull

Dropped all trees in those waters.

Covered as he by flowers and all

Hanuman flew then glowworm like.

As he shrugged off in mid-air

Fell some flowers on salt waters.

Turned as flower-bed sea that vast

Seemed it then like star filled sky.

Flowers of varied hues on him

Rainbow on move made him seem.

Sonic boom of Hanuman’s flight

Scattered flowers on those waters

Seemed then that sea sky at dawn.

Arms his outstretched in his flight

Looked like serpents with five hoods.

Filled his shadow shore to shore

Though he picked up Mach two speed.

Sparkled his eyes as in flight

Seemed some lava there in flow.

Wide open were his bright eyes

Seemed they sun ’n moon in skies.

With his rosy nose-tip then

Looked he like the setting sun.

In flight his tail that was long

Banner then of Indra seemed.

With the sparkling teeth of his

And the tail thus well coiled

Sun like aura Hanuman had.

Blood red as those Hanuman’s hinds

Seemed they red hills well sundered.

Wind as passed through his armpits

Roared it then like lightning clouds.

Mistook him then sky watchers

For some meteor that was rare.

In flight he looked like elephant

With its tail spread round its waist.

Shadow that he cast on seas

Seemed to all a speeding boat.

Concord like he moved in skies

Caused he whirlpools in the seas.

With his broad chest Hanuman did

Ward off sea tides that reached him.

As he speeded in his flight

Formed a cyclone in the skies

Caused that storm then in the seas.

Mean sea level as rose to skies

Made he light of all those tides.

As he sped he seemed to count

Mountain tides that so neared him.

Splash from tides as foamed the skies

Gave that silver coat to space.

Torn as thus the water sheet

Felt all fish as turned naked.

Water snakes as sighted skies

Feared they eagle was on prowl.

Thick and wide was his shadow

Seemed so symmetric to one’s eyes.

Sped as he past in high skies

Seemed his shadow like a cloud.

Looked then Hanuman in motion

Like a mountain with huge wings.

Split as that sea in columns

Cruisers they seemed in his chase.

Coursed as he thus Garuda like

In those skies that filled with birds

Wind like then he scattered clouds.

Clouds as all then went askance

Shone they well in colours varied.

In and out of clouds Hanuman

Seemed he like the moon on course.

In awe celestial beings then

Myriad flowers they showered on him.

Filtered Surya his heat then

While made easy breeze Vayu.

Sang his praises seers all there

Awestruck angels his prowess.

Wondered at his endurance

Angels all who watched him then.

Felt thus Sagar, Lord of Seas

For whom Rama’s cause came first.

Were I to fail to help Hanuman

Make I myself blameworthy.

Won’t I owe my reign and all

To Ram’s forebear, my namesake?

For he exerts for Ram’s cause

Bound am I to help Hanuman.

Spoke then Sagar to Mainak

Prince of hills with golden peaks

Made who ocean bed his home.

Confined were thou by Indra

On my bed for ever so long

Barrier though as to netherworld.

Demons all for that lay therein

Block thou approach to this world.

Prowess such is unique thine

Expand thou the way thy wish.

Behold Hanuman as he flies

Head over mine for Ram’s sake.

Owe that I his ancestor

Seek I now thy helping hand

To let our Hanuma serve Rama.

Fail if we to help him out

Enrage we might angels all.

Shoot up forthwith in his path

To let him rest on peak thy high.

Hanuman is so long in flight

Feel I time he rests a while.

Lighten if thou his burden

Brings it end to Rama’s plight

Agony as well of his spouse.

Shoot up now O golden hill

Graced by varied vegetation.

Came out then as Mainaka

Depths of sea from that so deep

Scene it made like mid-day sun

Came out as it from thick clouds.

In the midst of sea that vast

Shone then Mainak like Surya.

Lovers all there as lay languid

Skimmed its peaks the rim of skies.

With his golden peak Mainak

Shone he then like rising sun.

In time as he showed up full

Dazzled he like suns in scores.

Mistook Hanuman for hurdle

Mainak who rose to the skies.

Not the one to get daunted

Hanuman toppled Mainaka

With his bare chest that was strong.

Turned as he all turtle then

Mainaka was so dumbfounded.

So as a way to woo Hanuman

Assumed Mainak human form.

It’s my request O Hanuman

That thee rest on my shoulder.

It was Rama’s ancestor

Helped who seas all to expand

That’s why grateful Lord of Seas

Sent me to help thee take rest.

Well it’s adage that so old

Help we must all those us help

Sees thus Sagar as favour

Rest if thou on my shoulder.

Wants me Sagar make thou feel

At home on my peak utmost.

Pray thee break now on my back

Non-stop flight leagues eight hundred.

Might as well thou savour now

Smell-well fruits of rarest taste.

Have as we such ties us bind

Consent thou to strengthen them.

Cross as thou sea Concord like

Proud are all of us of thee.

Make as thee our V.I.P

Guests all we give due respect.

Amongst demigods rank thee high

Speed thine no less than thy dad.

Let if am I to serve thee

Feel I served thy dad as well

Hold I whom in special esteem.

Had all mountains wings in yore

Hovered thus they all three worlds.

Scared all angels and sages

Mischance could well cause us crash.

It’s thus Indra clipped our wings

With the diamond sword of his.

Came in time as my own turn

Unsheathed Indra diamond sword,

Spiriting me off with gale wind

It’s thy dad that saved my wings.

Owing to thy parent’s grace

Wings mine escaped Indra’s wrath.

See in this I golden chance

Debt to repay benefactor.

Pray thee give a chance to us

Redeem that we age old debt.

Now thou consent O great soul

Rest have thee as our dear guest.

Hanuman at that told Mainak:

Words though thine me move no end

Precedence takes now Rama’s cause.

Stop if I now in mid-flight

How am I to meet deadline?

Token then as of his love

Caressed Hanuman Mainak’s head.

Moved were Sagar ’n Mainak

At the way thus Hanuman placed

Lord’s his interest above all else.

Bidding adieu to them both

Picked up Hanuman height in flight.

While on course in skies Hanuman

Looked at them both in reverence.

Well in awe at what they saw

Praised all angels Hanuman then.

Standing ovation gave Indra

With other gods to Mainaka.

Heartened then by his gesture

Addressed Indra Mainak thus:

Pleased as gods all Mainaka

Feel at ease as I leave thee free.

In spite of the threat I posed

Came out thou to aid Hanuman.

In thy bid to help Hanuman

Tried thee to aid Rama’s cause.

Indra as thus assured him

Breathed then easy that mountain.

Cherished as Mainak his freedom

Sped past Hanuman by him then.