Hanuman Meets Sita: The Ring and the Jewel

Hanuman faced a hard question: how should he speak to Sita? "If I appear suddenly, she will take me for a trick of Ravana's and cry out. The rakshasis will wake. If I speak Sanskrit like a learned man, she will be more afraid. I must say, softly, in the plain speech of ordinary people, the thing that is dearest to her."

Sitting on the branch, he began to sing in a sweet voice, so low that only Sita could hear:

"In the line of Ikshvaku there was a king named Dasharatha, righteous and renowned. His eldest son is Ram, best of those who carry the bow. For his father's promise he went to the forest with his wife and brother. There Ravana stole his wife by deceit. Searching for her, Ram made friends with Sugriva. Sugriva sent vanaras in the four directions. One of them, I, leapt a hundred yojanas of sea and came here. And I think I have found the one I was looking for."

Trust

Sita looked up with a start. Among the leaves sat a small vanara, yellow as lightning, with eyes like molten gold. She was afraid. "Is this a dream? But I never sleep. To see a vanara in a dream is unlucky. Even so, let what he has said be true."

Hanuman came down, bowed his head, folded his hands and stood at a little distance. "Lady, who are you, weeping under this tree? If you are that Sita whom Ravana carried off from Janasthana, tell me."

Sita told him who she was. Hanuman came a little closer. Sita took fright again. "You are Ravana. You have changed your form to deceive me." Then she said, "But why is my heart glad at the sight of you? If you are truly Ram's messenger, tell me about him. What does he look like?"

Hanuman described Ram and Lakshmana in full: eyes like lotuses, broad shoulders, long arms, a voice as deep as a drum. Then the friendship on Rishyamuka, the fallen ornaments, and Ram's tears at the sight of them. As he spoke, tears of joy ran from Sita's eyes.

The ring

"Mother, look at this." Hanuman placed in her hand the ring engraved with Ram's name.

Sita took it as if she had been given Ram himself. Her face shone like the moon released from eclipse. "Vanara, you are brave and wise. You came alone into this city and did this. Now tell me, does my lord remember me? Why does he do nothing for me?"

"Mother, he did not know where you were. Without you he eats neither honey nor meat. When he sees a flower or a fruit he calls to you: 'O my beloved.' He does not sleep at night, and if he sleeps he wakes saying 'Sita'. Now I will carry the news back, and he will come with the army of the vanaras."

Sit on my back

Then a thought came to Hanuman. "Mother, why wait so long? Sit on my back. I will take you to Ram this very day. All Lanka could not catch me."

Sita laughed. "With so small a body, how will you carry me?" That stung him. He began to grow, and grew until he was like a mountain.

Sita said, "I know your strength now. Even so, I will not come. Over the sea, at your speed, I might fall. If the rakshasas pursue, will you guard me or fight? And above all: if you carry me away, Ram's honour is lessened. The right thing is that he should come himself, kill Ravana and take me. That alone is worthy of him." Hanuman bowed his head. "You have spoken as Ram's wife should."

The token

"Mother, give me some sign that only Ram would know."

Sita told him of a day at Chitrakoot. "I was asleep with my head in Ram's lap. A crow wounded me with its beak. Ram picked up a blade of grass, made it into the weapon of Brahma and sent it after the crow. It was the son of Indra. It fled through the three worlds, found no shelter, and came back and fell at Ram's feet. Ram forgave it. Ask him this: for a crow you took up the weapon of Brahma; why do you spare the one who carried me off?"

Then she undid a knot in her garment and took out her hair-jewel, the chudamani, which her father had given her at her wedding. "Give him this. Seeing it he will remember three people: me, my mother, and King Dasharatha. And tell him: I will live one more month. Not beyond that."

Hanuman slipped the jewel on his finger, walked reverently round Sita and bowed. Her eyes filled again. "If you can, stay hidden somewhere for one day. Seeing you has lightened my grief for a little while."

Hanuman said, "Mother, take heart. Very soon you will see Ram at the gate of Lanka."