|| AS Ramayan: ek punya katha SIYARAM ki #14 || - Page 3

Hanuman set out to Lanka in the hopes and mission to search for the kidnapped Seeta. He reached this destination at night, roamed around a little until he located Seeta the next morning. While describing Hanuman's return in Sunder Kanda (S.56 or 57 /1/2), Valmiki states using a simile of sea to the sky:

" The Moon was attractive like a lotus, Sun like a good crane and a span from Pushya to Shravana was seen. Punarvasu appeared like a big fish, Mars like a crocodile, Airavata like an island and Swati like a swan."

Even though a poetic simile, Valmiki provides a plot of the nakshatras from the west to the east. When Hanuman started from Lanka it was early morning, because Seeta tells him to rest for a day in some hiding place (Sunder 56/3,11; 57/18). Since it was morning, the Sun was rising and appeared like a crane and the moon like a lotus. As both the moon and the sun were present simultaneously in the sky, it probably was a Paurnima (Full Moon Day) with the moon on the western horizon and sun on the eastern. The span of nakshatras streched from Pushya to Shravan, that is from 104 deg. to 281 deg. Punarvasu was also seen. Aairavat connotes an elephant, and it is possible that Scorpio was seen like an elephant showing its trunk. The span of nakshatra's from Punarvasu to Sharavan is seen early in the morning of Krishna paksha of Pushya Lunar month. Sun-rise could also be seen. Hence, most probably, Hanuman returned from Lanka of Pushya Paurnima or Pushya Vadya paksha.

Hanuman had set out for Seeta's search after Ashwin masa as he himself says in Kishkindha 53/21,22. So he must have started the campaign in Kartika masa. One month, that of Margashirsha was spent in the cave of Swayamprabha. Some more time was spent in the search upto the South sea, after which Hanuman entered Lanka, possibly on Pushya Shuddha 14th. Thus it highly probably that he returned on Pushya Paurnima or Pushya Krishna 1st.

Ravana had abducted Seeta in the season of Hemant (Aranya 16/1) and had given a period of 1 year, that is upto the next Hemant to consider marrying Ravana (Aranya 56/24, Yudh 12/19). Had Seeta not accepted this offer, Ravana would have killed her in Hemant. Hemant is composed of 2 months. Sunder 58/106 or 108 state that Seeta told Hanuman that only 2 months of her life remain, after which she will die. Seeta therefore must have conveyed this to Hanuman before Hemant began, that is, in the season of Sharad. Thus Pushya lunar month coincided with the season of Sharad.

According to the above description, Mars was near Punarvasu and Pushya. It was noted that during the (Lanka) war, Mars was at 102 deg. in Pushya. Naturally, since Mars many a time becomes stagnant, Mars would have been near Punarvasu and Pushya two months earlier.

The distance from Kishkindha (Vijayanagar to Hospet) to the centre of Lanka is about 600 miles. An army can travel about 20 miles a day, therefore accordingly, Rama's army would have taken a month to reach Lanka. Even assuming a pessimistic speed of 30 miles per day, Hanuman may have covered the distance in 20 days. Also, it is known that the army of Vaanar tribe were searching for Seeta in many directions, and therefore, may have taken 2 months to reach Lanka. This army had started searching for Seeta in mid-Kartika, and would have reached Lanka in mid-Pausha. The assumption that Hanuman returned from Lanka in the month of Pausha therefore appears to be reasonable. The Vanar army hurriedly returned to Kishkindha and could have spent 20 days in the interim and the date falls at Maagha Shuddha 5th. Rama marched to Lanka in one month and reached there on Phalguna Shuddha 5th (22nd Oct. 7292 B.C). Rama observes, "Today is Uttara Phalguni. Tommorrow when the moon will rise on Hasta, we will proceed to Lanka" (Yudh s.4). Probably on Magha Krishna 1st (2nd Oct. 7292 B.C), Rama commenced his journey and reached the shores of Lanka on Phalguna Shuddha 5th. Subsequent three days were spent before Rama could cross the sea. Phalguna Shuddha 8th ended. Thereafter, starting on the 9th, Nala built a temporary bridge (Seetu) within 5 days. On Phalgun Shuddha 14th (31st Oct. 7292 B.C), Rama's army crossed over to Lanka. On Phalgun Shuddha 15th, a full moon day, Rama positioned his army at strategic points and surveilled the territory from Mount Suvela (Yudh 38/18). Ravan also observed the approaching army from a tower, held a meeting with his ministers and deployed his army for defence. On Phalgun Krishna 1st (2nd November 7292 B.C.), Ravana arranged his troops at strategic points.