Pramadā Vana Dhvaṃsam

After Hanumān met Sītā Devī and took her cūḍāmaṇi (head-jewel) as a sign for Bhagavān Rāma, he did not leave Laṅkā quietly. He destroyed the Pramadā Vana, Rāvaṇa’s pleasure garden next to the Aśoka Vaṭikā. He spared only the Śiṃśupā tree under which Sītā sat. Rāvaṇa sent one force after another against him: 80,000 kiṅkara rākshasas, Jambumāli, seven sons of ministers, five generals, and Aksha Kumāra. Hanumān killed them all. At last Indrajit bound him with the Brahmāstra.

Hanumān decides to make himself known

Hanumān had found Sītā and received her message. He had entered Laṅkā in secret, spoken with Sītā, and learned much about the city’s defences and its forces. He chose not to go away quietly. He decided to destroy the Pramadā Vana.

(Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kāṇḍa, Chapter 40)

The destruction of the Pramadā Vana

Hanumān made his body very large and tore through the pleasure garden. He pulled up trees by the hundred. He smashed the pavilions and pools and left the garden in ruins. Its animals and birds fled in fear. All the while he took care to keep safe the Śiṃśupā tree under which Sītā sat.

He took his place on the Caitya Prāsāda, the pillared pavilion of the garden, and shouted his war-cry over Laṅkā: “I am a servant of Śrī Rāma. In strength there is none equal to Rāma, Lakshmaṇa and Sugrīva. Laṅkā cannot stand against them.”

(Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kāṇḍa, Chapter 40)

The kiṅkara rākshasas

Rāvaṇa first sent 80,000 kiṅkara rākshasas, his elite household troops, armed with iron tridents and clubs, to destroy this one vānara. Hanumān tore an iron pillar from the gateway and faced them. The fight was short and complete. He destroyed all 80,000. The guards who survived ran back to Rāvaṇa in terror and reported what had happened.

(Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kāṇḍa, Chapter 42)

Jambumāli and the sons of the ministers

Jambumāli, son of Prahastha the chief minister, was sent next. He was an experienced and famous warrior with a great bow and a mace. For a moment he drove Hanumān back with a shower of arrows. Then Hanumān hurled a huge stone at his chariot and crushed him, and Jambumāli was killed.

After Jambumāli, Rāvaṇa sent the seven sons of his ministers. They were seven charioteers of great skill, and they attacked together. Hanumān destroyed them all.

(Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kāṇḍa, Chapters 43 and 44)

The five generals

Next came five of Rāvaṇa’s senior commanders, each leading thousands: Virūpāksha, Yūpāksha, Durdhara, Praghasa and Bhasakarṇa. They came in close order on war-elephants and in chariots. Hanumān killed all five and their armies. The losses were now very heavy, and the court of the rākshasas was shaken.

(Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kāṇḍa, Chapter 45)

Aksha Kumāra

Rāvaṇa then sent his own son Aksha Kumāra, a young prince of great courage and skill, who blazed with energy like a fresh fire. He rode a golden chariot drawn by eight horses and came with a large following. He fought well. He pressed Hanumān hard with his arrows and for a time bound him with a net of missiles. Hanumān saw that he was a truly strong opponent. He did not want this young lion to grow stronger in battle. He seized the chariot’s horses, broke the chariot, and killed Aksha Kumāra.

(Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kāṇḍa, Chapters 46 and 47)

Indrajit and the Brahmāstra

Rāvaṇa was now alarmed enough to send Indrajit, also called Meghanāda, his eldest son. He had defeated Indra himself in battle and won the name Indrajit by that victory. Indrajit came in a chariot drawn by four lions, with weapons and armour of divine quality.

The fight between Hanumān and Indrajit was fierce. Indrajit saw that ordinary weapons could not bind the vānara for long, so he called up the Brahmāstra. He knew that one of Hanumān’s worth would yield to the weapon of Brahmā out of respect for the Grandsire. This was so. Hanumān knew the Brahmāstra and let himself be bound. He thought that, once brought before Rāvaṇa, he would be able to see the king of the rākshasas face to face and give him Rāma’s message.

(Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kāṇḍa, Chapter 48)

Sources

• Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kāṇḍa, Chapters 40 to 48