Hidden by the branches, Hanumaan sang in a sweet and gentle voice the story of Rama so that it fell on Seeta's ears:

"King Dasaratha ruled his kingdom well. His army was mighty and comprised of chariots, elephants and horses. He was virtuous and a doer of great deeds. He kept his word and was foremost among the famous kings of the world. He was equal to the rishis in virtue and to Indra in statesmanship. He hated no one and harmed no one. All his endeavours were crowned with success. Therefore men called him Satya-paraakrama, truly valiant. The richest of the Ikshavaaku race, a king of kings, the ruler of the world, he enjoyed and communicated happiness. The eldest of his four sons was Ramachandra, whose face was like the full moon. Wise, virtuous and a master of the bow, Rama was beloved of all. And he was full of kindness for all the people in the kingdom, a warrior wedded to dharma. He was the heir to the throne. And yet, to preserve the honour of his father, he left the kingdom with his wife Seeta and his brother Lakshmana and lived in the forest.

"There he vanquished the Raakshasas and protected the rishis. He destroyed Khara and Dooshana and their mighty army. Coming to hear of this, Raavana bent on revenge induced a Raakshasa to assume the form of A deer and beguile the princes in pursuit and, in their absence, carried off Seeta by force.

"Grief-struck Rama went in search of Seeta. He met Sugreeva, the Vaanara, and made friends with him. Rama slew Vaali, the Vaanara king, and secured to his brother Sugreeva the Vaanara kingdom. And Sugreeva sent his Vaanara warriors to all the quarters of the globe to find out where Seeta was.

"These Vaanara warriors, who could assume what shape they would, searched the whole world for the missing Seeta. Following a clue given by Sampaati, I crossed the sea a hundred yojanaas broad, and have come here. And now I see one whose form, complexion and qualities are those described to me by Rama as his royal spouses."

Having said this, Hanumaan paused.

These sweet words, uttered by some one from somewhere, filled Seeta with wonder and delight. She looked around in all directions to discover who conveyed such sweet matter in so sweet a voice and in such exquisite language.

She looked round, and up and down but found no human form to match this perfect speech. She only saw a lovely little monkey seated on the branch above her.

Seeta saw the son of Vaayu, the wise minister of the Vaanara king, in the form of a little monkey, radiant like the rising sun.

The reader should imagine for himself the joy of Rama's messenger, as Seeta's eyes fell on him. The reader who experiences this joy will find God in his heart. Naaraayana, who is waiting eagerly to enter and take possession of our hearts, would leave the great and boundless ocean of milk and come to dwell within us, when we cleanse ourselves of sinful thoughts.

Seeing Hanumaan, Seeta said to herself: "The words I heard, the form I see,-they cannot be real. I am only dreaming. One sees in one's dream what one is constantly brooding over. How often has my mind dwelt on the story of my Lord! Is it any wonder then that I seem to hear the tale as told by some one? It is not real, it is only a dream.

"They say that if one sees a monkey in a dream, it forebodes evil to one's kinsfolk. May God protect Rama from harm! May God keep all barm away from Lakshmana! May God bless all my kinsfolk in Mithila!

"No, no, this is no dream. My eyes are open and I see the same form still seated above me. There it is, clear and solid. No, this is no dream. And I am not asleep. How can one dream without sleeping. This is no dream. All this is real. Oh Gods! Could this indeed be a messenger from my dear Lord? Oh grant that it be so! Oh Vaachaspati! master of speech, I salute you. Oh Agni! I salute you. Oh Swayambhu! I salute you. Oh Gods! protect me. May this be Rama's messenger!"

Hanumaan, radiant with the joy of seeing Seeta, descended to the ground and stood before her, palms joined and head bent in salutation.

And he said in a deep soothing voice: "Mother, tears are failing from your eyes like drops from lotus petals. May I know who you are, who stands there, leaning on the tree trunk, face clouded with sorrow and eyes wet with tears? Are you a goddess or a Naaga maiden? The radiance of your body makes me question whether you could be of merely terrestrial birth! Are you Rohini separated for a while from the Moon-god? Or are you Arundhati parted from sage Vasishtha?

"No, on closer observation, you seem to be a human woman, may be a princess adorable in your distress. Please tell me who indeed you are. May God bless you! Are you the princess Seeta carried off by Raavana from Janasthaana? Is mine the bliss of seeing Seeta, the beloved of Rama?"

Seeta was beside herself with joy. "My child," she said, "indeed I am Seeta, daughter of the king of Videha and Sree Ramachandra's spouse. For twelve years I enjoyed all happiness with him in Ayodhya. In the thirteenth year, King Dasaratha made preparations to crown my husband. Then Kaikeyi, his youngest wife, reminded him of boons he had granted long ago, and demanded that in redemption of his word he should crown her son Bharata king, and exile Rama to the forest. She threatened to kill herself if this was not done. Bound by promise the king had to yield to her insistence. At his bidding Rama relinquished the crown and betook himself to the forest not only without regret but happy that it was given to him to enable his father to keep his plighted word. I refused to be left behind and insisted on going with my lord into the forest. Even before me, Lakshmana had put on bark-garments, determined to accompany his brother to the forest and serve him. The three of us entered the forest and were living in Dandaka. One day the evil-hearted Raavana carried me off by force. And be has kept me a prisoner here in this Asoka garden. Of the time limit of twelve months has set for me, only two more months remain. When they are over I shall end my life."

Thus spoke the helpless princess in her sorrow.

The speeches of Hanumaan and of Jaanaki are sung by Vaalmeeki in two brief chapters. As Hari appeared before the emperor Bali in the form of Vaamana and measured the universe in two steps, so Vaalmeeki has given the tale of Rama in a short recital by Hanumaan and another by Seeta. What greater joy can we have than reading Hanumaan and Seeta telling the divine story themselves? As Vaamana got the better of Bali and saved him from his ahankaara, may this tale of Rama as told by Hanumaan and Seeta rid us of the sense of 'I' and 'my'.

Seeta concluded her story with the statement that two more months remained of the allotted twelve-month term and that her life would then end. To Seeta overwhelmed by grief, Hanumaan spoke words of comfort.

"O princess of Videha! Rama, the noblest of men and the mightiest of warriors, has sent me to you with good news. His beloved brother Lakshmana, ever anxious for your welfare, sends through me his salutations to you.

"Ah! what happiness is mine!" she exclaimed. "I now see the truth of the common saying that so long as life lasts there is hope."

Thus between these two utter strangers a profound confidence and affection sprang up like the sudden blossoming of the paarijaata in Indra's garden. Yet when, in his joyful eagerness to console and encourage Seeta, Hanumaan took a nearer step towards her, Seeta lost the confidence inspired by his words and again grew suspicious. She shut her eyes and moved away further from the tree. Hanumaan, noticing this, withdrew respectfully and stood with hands clasped in obeisance.

"I have been deceived," she cried. "You are no other than Raavana, once you came disguised as an ascetic and imposed on me. Now you have come again in another disguise and speak sweet words'. All this will bring you no good. Why do you torture me, 0 Raavana? I am weary and full of sorrow. You call yourself a warrior. Is it a warrior's part to persecute a helpless woman?"

Then she opened her eyes and thought again, "No, no. This cannot be Raavana. Trust and friendship spring in toy heart at the sight of him. He can be no enemy of mine. It is wrong to suspect him"

She addressed him saying: "O Vaanara Are you indeed a messenger sent by Rama? May God bless you. Tell me more concerning Rama. Let my ears hear and my heart rejoice."

Then once again doubts assailed her. "Am I a victim of delusion, imagining good news? Is this a dream that mocks me with the illusion of joy to make my despair blacker when I am awake? Am I in my right senses? Of course, I am. My thoughts, my words are all normal. I am sane and sensible, but then he says that he crossed the sea a hundred yojannaas broad. No, no. This cannot be true. He is Raavana and none else."

So she concluded in her mind and without lifting her eyes to look at Hanumaan sat apart in silence.

Hanumaan understood her doubts and fears. They were natural in one who had been deceived by the Raakshasa. He thought for a while and realised that the only approach to her confidence was to awaken hope and joy in her sorely tired heart by extolling Rama and harping on the certainty of her rescue and his victory.

And he began: "Rama has sent me, Rama radiant like the Sun, Rama pleasant to look at like the moon, Rama praised by all the rulers of the earth, Rama valiant like Vishnu, Rama wise like Brihaspati, Rama handsome like Manmatha the god of love, Rama whose words are ever sweet and true, Rama whose indignation is ever righteous and well directed, Rama peerless warrior, Rama has sent me.

"While a Raakshasa in the shape of a deer beguiled Rama and drew him away in the forest, you were left alone and Raavana carried you off by force. Soon he will pay dearly for this evil deed. You will see it with your own eyes. Soon the shafts of Rama and Lakshmana will strike Lanka and destroy it along with Raavana and all his race. At Rama's bidding have I come to you to learn about your safety, which is his constant concern. on Lakshmana's behalf I place at your feet his respectful salutations. And so too homage from Sugreeva, the Vaanara king. Rama, Lakshmana and Sugreeva are ever thinking of you. It is my good fortune to have seen you alive. Now there will be no more of loss of time. Soon Rama, Lakshmana and Sugreeva, accompanied by the whole Vaanara army, will descend on Lanka. I am Sugreeva's minister. My name is Hanumaan. I crossed the sea and reached Lanka. You may take it that my foot is already on the head of the evil-minded Raavana. By Rama's grace, even more than by my own prowess have I, his servant, crossed the sea to behold you. Do not suspect me. Have faith in my words, mother." So said Hanumaan with tears in his eyes.

These sweet words of Hanumaan acting on her great love for Rama and confidence in him put an end to Seeta's fears and gave her courage and faith.

"Forgive my suspicion, O Vaanara friend," she said. "Deceived by the Raakshasa and surrounded by his artifices, I am prone to needless fear. O friend and messenger of Ramal How did you first meet Rama? How did the Prince make friends with the Vaanaras? Tell me all".

To confirm her faith, Hanumaan recounted once again the virtues and attractive qualities of Rama and Lakshmana.

He said: "What wonder is there in Rama becoming friends with me and my king and the Vaanaras when the whole world lives and finds bliss by his loving kindness?"

He proceeded to describe fully how the quarrel arose between Vaali and Sugreeva, how the latter first met Rama and Lakshmana, how they became friends, how Rama promised to slay Vaali and secure the Vaanara kingdom for Sugreeva, how the Vaanaras had picked up and preserved the jewels dropped by Seeta, how with mounting sorrow Rama recognised them, how Vaali was slain and Sugreeva crowned, how after the rainy season was over the Vaanara hosts searched the whole world for Seeta, how the party led by Angada and proceeding south having failed to find her, decided to fast to death, how they met Sampaati and received a clue from him, how he, Hanumaan, crossed the sea and searched the inner apartments of Raavana-all this he recounted.

At the end of the narration he placed in her hand Rama's signet ring that he had brought.

Seeta received the ring and pressed it to her eyes with joy. Now all fear of Raavana's deceit and Raakshasa magic was over. She had complete faith in Hanumaan and infinite affection for him.

My child!" she said, "how foolish was my error! How could I suspect one like you?"

The son of Vaayu explained to her who he was and who his father was and what his own might was.

Though 1, who enjoy the grace of my father Vaayu, should not sing my own praises, I do so now to end your sorrow. Soon the Vaanara warriors will be here to destroy the Raakshasas and their kingdom. I must first return and tell them where you are."

And then he described Rama's desolation in being parted from Seeta, and the ascetic life he led, and Seeta's heart melted in loving sorrow.

Seeta forgot her own suffering thinking of Rama's grief