Let us remind ourselves that we are walking in the middle of a beautiful tale in the beautiful book of Sundara Kanda laced with the heroic account of singular Vanara with many noble qualities. The most powerful, knowledgeable and a divine form enters the kingdom of opposite equivalent – a wicked, cruel and the dreaded Ravana to set the ground prepared for a battle of ages. Hanuman entered the Lanka and stealthily searches for Sita while looking at the impressive Rakshasa kingdom at its heights of glory under its famed ruler Ravana. He looks in wonder at the riches of the kingdom and the good lives of the men and women living there. The kingdom that is Lanka is a place unlike any other as seen by Hanuman. He just gets mesmerized by the aerial chariot Pushpaka which is created by Viswakarma for Brahma, gifted to Kubera and passes on to Ravana for his might. As he moves from one house to another in search, he finds staggering wealth and riches abounding in that city of Ravana. While he certainly gets hypnotized by what he saw and travels in a sense of awe, he feels a bit timid and disappointed at the same time. The daunting task ahead in this fortress of a city dispirits him while the nagging absence of Sita in his purview makes him disappointed. The incredibly powerful, the giver of strength and hope to the hopeless cannot feel himself down and Hanuman brushes them aside as he enters Ravana’s house, and it can be seen where the search took him in the following chapters.
In chapter 9, the inner buildings of Ravana's house are described. Hanuman passes through a hall filled with Ravana's wives.
Seeking Sita, the lotus eyed lady from Videha, Hanuman climbed up the jeweled stairs of the many storied Pushpaka, whose dazzle was enhanced by its lamps and the radiant presence of Ravana. Glowing like the abode of Lakshmi, it made even the splendor of Indra and Kubera pale in comparison with that of Ravana and the bewitched Vanara wondered, "This must be heaven. Or is it the abode of Brahma? Can this be Indra's Amaravathi?" The air was redolent with divine fragrances and tantalizing aromas of food and drink. Like the very embodiment of Vayu, it seemed to indicate to Hanuman that at the source of those aromas would be found Ravana. In the inner chambers, amidst the scent of exotic flowers, unguents, incense and sandals, slumbered the many wives of Ravana. Countless was their number and diverse their worlds. Hailing from the most respectful of homes, maidens all, they were in Lanka by choice and not by compulsion. Except for Sita, none were there against their will. Infatuated with Ravana and captivated by his stunning good looks they were there only for the love of him. Beautiful, loyal and obedient they were women whom any husband would desire and cherish as his wife. Shining like stars come down to earth, charming as full-blown lotuses, they had perhaps deluded many a bee during the day. Couched by the softest of carpets, lay a thousand women who seemed to have dropped down with sheer exhaustion and intoxication though barely past midnight. In the aftermath of that revelry, like blossoms in a heap lay the revelers. Eyes fringed with dark lush lashes were closed and pearly white teeth hid behind petal soft pink lips. Broken girdles, snapped anklets and scattered pearls bore mute witness to an exuberance without restraint. Those celestially beautiful women lay with such abandon that their clothes and jewels were in disarray, limbs were entwined, and vermilion smudged. Some were half clad and some were barely clad. But all had succumbed to the sleep of the happy and the content. In that world lost to everything else outside its walls, blazed the golden lamps seeming to stare with fixed unblinking eyes upon those beautiful women, because Ravana was asleep, perhaps. With still no sign of Sita, Hanuman was sad and he was rebellious as he fumed "How could Ravana ever commit the evil of robbing Sita, pure and chaste, consort of Rama? It would augur well for him if he gave her back to Rama and so would it for Sugriva to steal all of Ravana's wives. If I can only see Sita as I am seeing the wives of Ravana, my life's mission would be fulfilled".
In chapter 10, Hanuman has first glimpse of Ravana in his house. He also observes various wives of Ravana sleeping in the house. He sees Mandodari and thinks her to be Sita.
Reaching the sleeping chambers of Ravana, Hanuman beheld yet more splendor. Ivory, gold, silver and crystal encrusted with myriad gems, made seats, couches and everything else shine with a relentless dazzle. Standing apart majestically amidst all that grandeur was a crystal bed with its immaculate white canopy. Covered with luxurious sheepskins, festooned with garlands made from the most exotically fragrant flowers, its incomparable beauty was astonishing. On it where the sheen of gold, the glitter of gems and the soft luminance of pearls shed their glow, lay Ravana like a dark cloud that dims the light of day. Wearing burnished gold earrings, robed in gold laced silks, fanned by beautiful bells, Ravana was lost in sleep. Wearied after a long night of wining, dining and dalliance his breath sounded like the hiss of angry serpents; his bejeweled body sported scars from his many wars with the gods and the devas. His long powerful arms, the bane of his enemies, which had made them cry out in pain, now lay supine by his side. Peering at the awesome form, Hanuman stepped away hastily scolding himself for being foolish enough to be so near his enemy. "What will not Ravana do to me if he sees me." he gasped. From a safer distance up some steps, he continued to view the king of Lanka, with utter fascination, total and unwavering. To him Ravana looked like the moon and his wives with their slender waists and lissome limbs like the stars. Skilled dancers and musicians, some of them were not only holding their drums, flutes and veenas in their arms, but also clung to each other. They slept in an intoxicated stupor seeming to have suddenly succumbed to sleep during a lull in their revelries. Hanuman's wandering gaze came to a sudden halt as it rested on the most beautiful of them all, who slept by herself on the best of beds and whose exquisitely bejeweled body radiated a glow that lighted up the entire palace. She was Mandodari beloved of Ravana and queen of his wives, but Hanuman mistaking her for Sita exulted "This is Sita", and his joy knew no bounds.
In chapter 11, Realizing that the woman he saw at Ravana's house was not Sita, Hanuman begins to search again for Sita.
To Hanuman, the joy of thinking that Mandodari for Sita was short lived. It disappeared faster than it had taken hold of him who refused to believe that Sita separated from Rama would neither eat, drink or sleep, let alone be near a man, even if he were Indra. So, while Ravana and his wives were lost to the intoxication of wine and the weariness of song and dance slept, Hanuman continued with his search. Eager eyes roved and noiseless feat carried him through every hallway chamber and corridor. Slipping into the banquet hall, he saw that the palace of the rakshasa lord lacked no luxury. Gold and silver vessels were filled with meats of every kind. Some were fresh and some pickled. There was pork, venison, boar, buffalo, rhino, and roasted birds like the peacock, dove, fowl and others. Fruits of every description filled bowls of gold and their aroma filled the halls, whose opulence glowed in the light of dazzling lamps. Wines and liquors laced with syrups of sugar, honey fruit and flower were held in crystal, gold and silver pitchers. The aroma of spiced foods mingled with the scent of fresh flowers contained in vases of crystal and gold. Gem encrusted seats rested on exotic carpets and on those carpets rolled empty goblets and wine jars seeming to claim responsibility to the drunken disorder that must have prevailed. Bodies of men and women lay sprawled all over with the greatest of abandon, victims of heady bliss induced by the most exotic of wines. As Hanuman went stepping over strewn bodies, jars goblets and broken jewels, uninvited and without warning a twinge of guilt smote him, 'Is this not a transgression of righteousness to stare so wantonly at these women?' he asked himself. Though he had not found what he had come to look for, he felt he had seen much of what he would rather not have seen. Quailing at the thought he quickly soothed his ruffled sense of decorum, telling himself. "Where else would I look for Sita except among other women? I certainly cannot look for her among a herd of deer. And I have looked at them all with purity in my heart and serenity in my mind."
In chapter 12, Hanuman gets discouraging thoughts about Sita. He thinks that Sita might be dead. He thus gets into depression for a moment.
Stepping out of the fabulous interiors of Ravana's palace, Hanuman started his search for Sita in its groves, gardens, arbores and art galleries. He saw countless rakshasa women who were ugly, repulsive and deformed, just as he saw peerless beauties among the Vidyadharas and Nagas. But of Sita, precious consort of Rama there was no sign. Feeling distressed and defeated, Hanuman wondered, "Is Sita even alive? Did the dreadful demons frighten her to death or did Ravana enraged at her defiance slay her?" He then debated about the wisdom of going back to Kishkindha, without news of Sita. It would only anger Sugriva, who would punish Hanuman's failure with death. Thoughts of being ridiculed by the citizens and condemned by the elders intensified Hanuman's sense of disappointment and dejection at the futility of his mission. Suddenly into Hanuman's brooding mind entered a ray of hope chasing away his dark desolation, as he told himself, 'Creatures who at all times and without sorrow fulfil their duties unmindful of the fruit of their actions will emerge victorious and so shall I.'
In chapter 13, Hanuman starts to search for Sita overcoming the depression. He begins to go towards Ashoka garden to continue his search.
Hanuman continued to agonize over Sita's disappearance. He wondered why he had not seen her though he had scoured every inch of the earth. 'Could she have dropped into the ocean as Ravana raced through the skies fearing Rama's arrows?' he asked himself, 'Or have the wives of Ravana devoured her? Neither gloomy gorges, green groves, impenetrable forests nor impossible mountains tell anything of Sita. Perhaps the gentle creature is held prisoner or perhaps she does not even exist any more. The daughter of Janaka, not born of human womb but of the earth who was the most beautiful of them all and consort of Rama would have never yielded to the animal instincts of a rakshasa.' Torn between the uncertainty of returning to Kishkindha without news of Sita and uncertain whether he should reveal or conceal it from Rama, great was Hanuman's turmoil and greater his dilemma. He was also afraid that such news would not only cause much misery in Kishkindha, but also leave many dead in its wake. Hanuman knew that Rama unable to bear the harsh heartrending tidings would be the first to go 'Will Rama live even for a moment after hearing of Sita who is his very life?' worried Hanuman. 'Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughna will follow suit and the queen mothers would never survive such a tragedy.' Hanuman's imagination did not stop there, he said 'Sugriva will cease to live the moment Rama is gone and will Tara and Ruma live without him? Will Angada survive his parents? Grieving for their king the Vanaras will no longer cavort and frolic but will end their lives by either falling off cliffs, falling into fires or falling on their unsheathed weapons. I should perhaps live here and die here so that Rama, Lakshmana and the monkeys will continue to live in hope.' Even as Hanuman's mind impaled by his morbid thoughts vacillated between hope and hopelessness, a sudden defiance overpowered him, and he swore. 'Only he who is alive can achieve auspiciousness so, I shall live and so, shall I unite Sita with Rama. As for Ravana, should I kill him, or should I lead him like a sacrificed cow to Rama?' Slipping quietly into the Ashoka grove, though eager to see Sita he shuddered at the thought of beholding that exquisite embodiment of beauty, humiliated and held captive by the rakshasa king; 'In what state will I find her?' he mused.
In chapter 14, Hanuman enters the Ashoka garden and observes its beauty. He starts looking for Sita in the garden. He thinks that Sita would definitely come to that garden if she were to be alive.
Leaving the palace of Ravana, Hanuman leapt on to the wall encircling the Ashoka grove. What he saw bewitched him and drove his breath away. Incredible panoramas of dramatic water bodies, shimmering green canopies and the brilliance of bright hued blooms was truly enchanting. His sudden advent into that serenity disturbed sleeping birds whose wild fluttering caused the descent of a million of flowers and leaves covered by which he looked like a flowering mountain. The pristine waters of rivers and streams flowed, cool rippling lakes sported lotus and enormous step wells were surrounded by golden seats. Tranquil waters lapped lazily against jewelled crystal steps, where pearls and not sand lay in their depths. Surrounded and bedazzled by Vishvakarma's creation, hoping to see Sita, perhaps wandering like a frightened doe, Hanuman settled into the cool dark shadows of a flowering Simsapa tree. Below that tree flowed a river to which, he was sure Sita would come for her evening worship of Siva, 'If she is alive, she will surely come to this sacred river' thought Hanuman.
This concludes chapters 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 where we had seen Hanuman traversing through the inner chambers of Ravana’s house, looking at the sleeping state of demon king Ravana and his many wives. He eagerly glances at all the beautiful women in Ravana’s mansion including Mandodari whom he mistaken for Sita. He carries himself quietly into every hallway chamber, corridor including banquet hall and gets lost in the riches of royal interiors but finds no trace of Sita. He observes that separated Sita cannot be near another man and finds it futile to search in the vicinity of a slumbering Ravana. Stepping out of the interiors, he searches in groves, gardens, arbores and art galleries but finds no sign of her. Lost in desperation and facing failure at every place, he gets dejected, disappointed and even depressed about her dubious state of being alive and his empty-handed return without any sign of her. Even as his thoughts vacillated from giving hope to hopelessness in his situation of not finding her anywhere in all four directions of world, he decides to live on and somehow fulfill the mission to unite Sita with Rama. Hanuman, who could never locate Sita till now and feel heavily defeated, depressed enters Ashoka grove with a speck of hope. How Hanuman finally finds the object of search in those beautiful gardens can be seen in subsequent chapters.
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