Vānaras Punarjīvana

The Vānaras Punarjīvana is the bringing back to life of the fallen vānara (forest ape) and bhallūka (bear) warriors after the war in Laṅkā. It is told in Chapter 123 of the Yuddha Kāṇḍa of the Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa.

Rāvaṇa was dead and his last rites were done. Brahmā had declared Śrī Rāma’s divinity, and Daśaratha had blessed everyone present. Then Indra came to Rāma and offered him a boon. Rāma asked for the thing closest to his heart. He asked that every vānara and bhallūka who had given his life for Rāma’s cause should live again. Indra granted the vara (boon). The fallen warriors stood up as if waking from sleep, with their wounds healed and their strength back.

The setting

The devas, gandharvas, siddhas and great ṛshis had come to Laṅkā. They had heard Brahmā’s stotra (hymn of praise), seen Agni deva give Sītā back, and heard the counsel of Parameśvara. Daśaratha Mahārāja had come down from svarga (heaven) and finished his blessings.

Then these chief devas took leave of Śrī Rāma and Lakshmaṇa. Each went back to svarga-loka in a vimāna (flying vehicle) shining like a hundred suns. Śrī Rāma told the whole vānara army to rest that night in their camps (śibira). (Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 122)

After that night of great declarations, when the tiredness of the war had settled, Indra, who is also called Pākaśāsana and Devendra, came to Śrī Rāma. (Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 123)

Indra’s offer

Devendra joined his palms in añjali and spoke to Śrī Rāma with great joy: “O Raghu Rāma, skilled in destroying your enemies! Seeing you in your divine form fills us with joy. Tell us now what we should do for you.”

Śrī Rāma’s request

Śrī Rāma joined his palms before Devendra. Sītā Devī and his brother Lakshmaṇa were with him. He answered:

“O Devendra, master of speech! If you have love for us, and if you will keep your word, then hear what is in my heart. Bring back to life all the vānara warriors who fell fighting bravely for me in this war, who gave up their lives without counting the cost. These vānaras came here for my sake alone. They left their wives, their children and their homes. Their lives were all they owned, and they gave even that. The vānaras who died: if by your grace they live again, they will stand up and go back to their families with joy. O Indra, giver of honour, heal the wounds of the vānara warriors, the best of the long-tailed ones, and the brave bhallūkas, and make them well again. I want to see them as strong and brave as before, joined again with their kin and friends, and happy in their homes. And wherever vānaras live, may sweet roots, fruits and tubers, and clean river water, always be found in plenty.”

Indra’s answer

Mahendra was deeply moved. Rāma had not asked for glory, or for svarga, or for wealth or a kingdom. He had asked for the lives of those who had served him. Indra answered the best of the Raghus with great joy:

“O best of the Raghus! Your asking for the lives of the vānaras shows your love for them, and it shows the greatness of your character. I have always kept my word, so what you ask will surely happen. O Rāma, all the vānara, bhallūka and gopuccha (cow-tailed, that is, langur) warriors, whose heads and arms were cut off in the fight and who were killed by the rākshasas, will live again. Their wounds will heal and they will be well. They will have the same strength and manliness as before. All the vānara warriors will rise as if woken from deep sleep. They will be joined again with their families, wives and children, and will live in joy. O Rāma of the Kodaṇḍa bow, in every season the trees will bloom with flowers of many colours and bear sweet fruit. All the rivers will flow with clear water.”

The miracle

As soon as Indra had granted this, the wounds of the vānaras and bhallūkas who lay on the battlefield (samara-bhūmi) were gone. Their life breath came back. Every one of them stood up as if waking from deep sleep. They looked around at the battlefield and at those standing near, and cried out in wonder, “What is this?” Then they understood what had happened, and they bowed before Śrī Rāma.

The chief devas then went back to svarga, every deva in a vimāna as bright as the sun. They said goodbye to Śrī Rāma and Lakshmaṇa with joy. Śrī Rāma bowed to all the devas. Then he told the whole vānara army, “Go back to your camps and rest.”

That night the vānara army, with every warrior whole, healed and strong, rested under the watchful care of Rāma and Lakshmaṇa. They shone with the glory of their victory, like a bright night in the moonlight. (Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 123)

Sources

• Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 122
• Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Yuddha Kāṇḍa, Chapter 123