Week 3 Storytelling: Hanuman’s Plan
There she is. I have finally found
Sita, but she is unkempt, undecorated and obviously in a state of despair. As I
looked on I watched the vile rakshasa women torment her and attempt to weaken
her spirit, but to no avail. Ravana approached Sita hoping she would finally
choose him, but she rejected him. I know now that this woman is worthy of Rama,
and does not deserve the treatment she has received from Ravana and the
rakshasa. They will pay for this. I slipped down to let her know that Rama
continues to fight for her, and I believe I saved her life as she attempted to
take it herself. I cannot believe the mental torment Ravana has brought upon
this precious woman! He must pay!
In my rage
I find myself desiring to destroy the kingdom of Ravana. Perhaps I can devise a
plan to stir up strife within his kingdom. As I grow to a massive stature I am
tearing through the Asoka Vana and destroying parts of Lanka. Ravana has sent
an army of rakshasa against me, but they are nothing for my enormous strength.
I feel as if I could take on Ravana himself! One by one the rakshasa attack,
and one by one they fall before me. As they attempt to take me down I find
myself wishing I could come face to face with Ravana himself, and then it dawned
on me, “I need to allow them to capture me!” I had already destroyed the entire
army, but knowing Ravana he would send more. I continued my destruction of
Lanka, but began decreasing in size and strength to allow for my capture.
Hanuman destroying Lanka |
At last,
more rakshasa have come for me. None other than Indrajit, Ravana’s son, bound
and captured me (only because I allowed him to do so). I cannot wait to come
face to face with Ravana and cause him to fear Rama. “I hope you know that
Ravana will bring your life to a very painful end you foolish monkey,” Indrajit
said as we marched towards Ravana’s palace. “I do not fear what he will do to
me, rather I fear what Rama will do to all of your kind!” I shouted back at him
as we climbed the last steps towards the palace.
Hanuman being held captive |
There he
sat atop the throne. Ravana. The vile demon that had cause so much pain to my
dear friend Rama. It took all my focus not to allow myself to lash out at
Ravana on the spot. Rama deserved to put an end to him, and I would not allow
myself to rob him of that. Visibly angry Ravana looked towards me and attempted
to calmly speak “Who is it that sent you to torment this land? I replied, “the
almighty Rama. The one who has slain hundreds of asura, the husband of Sita
whom you wrongly kidnapped, and the man who will put an end to your life!” As I
saw Ravana twitch I felt a slight sense of guilt. “Perhaps you should change
your ways in order to preserve your life and the lives of all the rakshasa!
Surely Rama will wipe you all out if you do not return Sita and seek forgiveness
for your actions.” Ravana could no longer contain himself. He erupted with a
violent anger, “NO MORTAL CAN DEFEAT ME!” he shouted, and then ordered my
death.
As Indrajit
and the other rakshasa drew their weapons to execute me I decided to remove
myself from their capture and report back to Rama. There was obviously no
reasoning with Ravana, and Sita would only be saved if he were slain. With all
my might I shredded the ropes that bound me and grew once more to a size that
would strike fear in the heart of any who saw me. In my anger towards Ravana I
decided to reduce his capital to rubble as I returned to Rama. No building
shall be left standing in that vile creatures land. He will be the ruler of
nothing before long, and the rakshasa will have nothing to return to. I must
report to Rama all that has happened.
Authors note:
I decided to write this storytelling post from the point of
view of Hanuman since he was the main character in this section of the story.
He alone goes to Ravana’s lands in search of Sita. Only Hanuman and the
rakshasa witnessed all the events that happened in Ravana’s kingdom. I thought
it interesting to delve into the mind of Hanuman. I was able to show his
devotion towards Rama, his thought process as he allowed himself to be
captured, and his anger towards Ravana when he couldn’t be reasoned with!
Bibliography:
Narayan, R.K. (1972) The Ramayana.