The Messenger in the Court — an illustrated story for children

Hanuman had found Sita in the garden and given her Rama's ring. He could have gone straight home.

But Hanuman thought, “A good messenger does a little more. I should see the king of Lanka with my own eyes.”

“If I shake up his garden, Ravana will have to notice me!”

So Hanuman grew big, pulled up trees and splashed the ponds, until the whole garden was a mess.

He left just one tree standing: the shimshapa tree where Sita sat.

The garden guards ran to the palace. “A giant monkey is wrecking your garden!”

Ravana sent soldiers, and then more soldiers. Hanuman beat them all back.

At last Ravana sent his son Indrajit, the greatest warrior in Lanka.

Indrajit sent a magic arrow blessed by Brahma, the creator. Its power wrapped round Hanuman, and he fell still.

Hanuman knew a blessing from Brahma meant it could not hold him long. But he lay still on purpose. “Now they will take me to Ravana,” he thought.

The guards tied him with ropes and led him through the streets to the palace.

Ravana sat on a shining throne covered in jewels, with his ten heads and his ministers all around him.

Hanuman looked at the king and wondered. “He is so strong and so splendid. If only he did what was right, he could protect even the world of the gods.”

Ravana's minister Prahasta asked, “Who sent you, monkey? And why did you break the king's garden?”

Hanuman stood up tall. “I am Hanuman, the messenger of Rama. I broke your garden so that I could meet you.”

“Your magic arrow could not really hold me. I let myself be caught, just to see you face to face.”

Then Hanuman gave Rama's message, with no fear at all. “Give Sita back to Rama. It is the right thing, and it is the only way to keep Lanka safe.”

“Rama is kind, and Rama is mighty. Do not choose to fight him.”

Ravana's eyes flashed with anger. No one ever spoke to him like that! He ordered the harshest punishment of all.

Then Ravana's younger brother Vibhishana stood up. “Stop, brother! A messenger only carries words. The wise say a messenger must never be killed.”

“If you must, punish him some other way. But keep the rule that good kings keep.”

Ravana listened to his brother. “You are right,” he said. “The messenger will live.”

Hanuman stood calm, still tied with ropes. He had seen Ravana, and he had given Rama's message.

But Ravana had one more plan for Hanuman, and for Hanuman's long tail. And that is the next story.

For grown-ups

Where this story comes from

This is the court episode of the Sundara Kanda, the fifth book of the Valmiki Ramayana. The story follows sargas 41 to 53. It is a faithful simplification. We shortened and skipped scenes, and we name them below. We did not add events, and we did not change anyone's reasons.

Three things this telling leaves out, and why

The fighting (sargas 42–47). Hanuman fights and kills the grove's guards and several of Ravana's commanders, among them Ravana's young son Aksha (sarga 47). Left out because a battle is too much at bedtime for this age. The story says only that he “beat them all back”.

What Ravana actually ordered (sarga 51). Angered by the message, Ravana orders Hanuman to be put to death. The story says “the harshest punishment of all”; Vibhishana's words on the next page make plain what was at stake, so an older child will understand.

What happens next (sarga 53 onward). Ravana has Hanuman's tail wrapped in cloth and set on fire, and he is led through the streets. When Sita hears, she prays to Agni, the god of fire, to be cool to Hanuman. Left out because it is the next story.

We also compressed two things. Hanuman's speech to Ravana (sarga 51) is long: he brings greetings from the monkey-king Sugriva, speaks about what is right, and describes Rama's strength; we kept its two main lines. And in sarga 48 the guards' ropes actually undo the magic arrow's hold; Hanuman notices, and stays quiet so he can still be taken to the king.

The question children ask here

“Why did Hanuman let himself be caught?” Valmiki gives Hanuman's reasons himself:

he wanted to see Ravana face to face and give Rama's message to the king himself (sargas 41 and 50);

he wanted to learn how strong Ravana and his army were, so he could tell Rama (sarga 41);

and he knew the weapon could not truly hold him, because of a blessing Brahma had given him (sarga 48).

“Because the quickest way to reach the king was to be carried to him, and Hanuman knew the ropes could not really hold him.”

A Sanatani Production

For grown-ups

Where this story comes from

Three things this telling leaves out, and why

The question children ask here

More stories

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