Hanuman Uproots the Ashoka Garden and Fells Akshakumara with a Tree
Sundara Kanda, Chaupai 18
Doha 18 · Movement 1 of 2
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Hanuman bows, enters the garden, eats the fruit, and begins breaking the trees. Guards rush upon him. Some fall beneath his blows, while others escape to Ravana with the cry that a huge monkey has destroyed the Ashoka grove, eaten its fruit, uprooted its trees, and crushed its defenders into the earth.
Ravana sends warrior after warrior. Hanuman answers their arrival with a roar and destroys the demon host. A few half-dead survivors stagger back to carry the widening report.
Then Akshakumara advances with an immense company of fighters. Hanuman sees the prince approaching, tears up a tree, and thunders his challenge. The tree descends, Ravana's son falls, and the garden hears another mighty roar. The small form before Sita has become a storm inside the guarded heart of Lanka.
Fruit sweetness becomes uprooted forest, and one tree ends the charge of Ravana's son.
Read the passage from the Manas
चलेउ नाइ सिरु पैठेउ बागा। फल खाएसि तरु तोरैं लागा।। रहे तहाँ बहु भट रखवारे। कछु मारेसि कछु जाइ पुकारे।। नाथ एक आवा कपि भारी। तेहिं असोक बाटिका उजारी।। खाएसि फल अरु बिटप उपारे। रच्छक मर्दि मर्दि महि डारे।। सुनि रावन पठए भट नाना। तिन्हहि देखि गर्जेउ हनुमाना।। सब रजनीचर कपि संघारे। गए पुकारत कछु अधमारे।। पुनि पठयउ तेहिं अच्छकुमारा। चला संग लै सुभट अपारा।। आवत देखि बिटप गहि तर्जा। ताहि निपाति महाधुनि गर्जा।।
Bowing his head, Hanuman entered the garden. He ate the fruits and began breaking the trees. Many warrior guards were stationed there. Some he slew; others fled, crying out in alarm. O Lord, a great monkey has come and laid waste to the Ashoka garden! He devoured the fruits, uprooted the trees, and crushed the guards, flinging them to the ground. Hearing this, Ravana sent many warriors. Seeing them, Hanuman roared. The monkey destroyed all the demons. Some ran away half-dead, crying out. Then Ravana dispatched Prince Akshakumara, who marched forth with a vast force of brave warriors. Seeing him approach, Hanuman seized a tree, challenged him with a thunderous cry, struck him down, and roared mightily.