His captors took him to the court of Raavana and placed him in front of the King. Forgetting the pain and insults he had borne, Hanumaan gazed with wrathful curiosity at the giant monarch. As he gazed at him resplendent on his throne a sort of pitying admiration of the doomed Raakshasa entered his thoughts.

Clad in silk of golden hue, with the royal crown on his head, the jewels inlaid in it shining brilliantly, Raavana sat there, a figure of dazzling splendour. The whole court was brilliant with shining gold and gems, pearls and silk. His dark body, lit up by the marks of royalty, looked like a great radiant bill.

"Alas!" thought Hanumaan full of anger, wonder and pity. "If only this great one had not swerved from the path of dharma, not even Indra could equal him. What a form, what radiance, what strength! Trusting to the boon he had secured, he took to wicked ways and has lost his happiness and forfeited his greatness."

As Hanumaan was lost in thought thus, Raavana addressed his ministers: "Find out from his wicked fellow who he is, where he has come from, who has sent him here and why he entered Lanka. Tell him to speak truthfully."

As ordered by the king, Prahasta questioned Hanumaan. "Do not be afraid, monkey! If you speak the truth, you will escape punishment. Did Indra send you here? Or are you Kubera's servant? Whose orders are you carrying out? Speak the truth and save yourself. Why have you come here thus disguised? Take care you hide nothing!"

Hanumaan, facing Raavana directly, said:

"Neither Indra, nor Kubera has sent me here. I am a Vaanara. I came here to have a look at the Raakshasa king. That was why I laid waste the garden. Otherwise I could not get to the king's presence. And because they attacked me and tried to kill me, I killed them in self-defence. I have come here as the messenger of Sugreeva, the Vaanara king. 0 Raakshasa king, my, lord looks on you as a brother and sends you his greetings. Ramachandra, the famous son of king Dasaratha of Ayodhya has become a friend of Sugreeva and staying Vaali has made Sugreeva king. When Ramachandra, heir to the throne of Ayodhya, was living in the Dandaka forest to fulfil his father's word, his consort who had been left alone for a while was lost and at the behest of Rama and Lakshmana, Sugreeva has sent his servant to look for her throughout the world. I came to Lanka on this search and here I saw the good princess. 0 lord of the Raakshasas, I speak to you with the respect due from the messenger of a brother king. I speak to you also as a devoted servant of the Prince of Ayodhya. You know well it was a cowardly act and totally contrary to dharma to carry off the princess Seeta. This is sure to end in the destruction of your race if you persis in your wicked folly. Restore Seeta to the Prince and seek his forgiveness. Know that Death has come to you in the form of not mistake poison for food. It is not wisdom to oppose dharma and run into deadly danger. You know well enough that the sin of desiring another's wife will consume utterly the merit you have earned through tapas and destroy you inevitably. Your only recourse now is to seek refuge at Rama's feet. Do not make Rama your enemy and bring about your own destruction. The boons you have secured will avail you nothing the Raghu race. Consider well and realise against the Prince of in. Pay heed to the words of this humble the danger you are Vaanara king. Turn to the right path and find safety. These words from a brother king are true and meant your welfare."

Hanumaan uttered this bitter warning in a loud and clear voice. When the Raakshasa king heard it, his eyes grew red with anger, and he ordered that Hanumaan should be killed forthwith.

But Vibheeshana pointed out that it would be improper to kill a king's envoy.

"According to the law of kings it is not permitted on any account to kill envoys and messengers. You can have him mutilated, whipped or branded, but not killed," so counselled Vibheeshana.

"What is wrong," asked Raavana, "in killing one who has sinned so greatly?"

Answered Vibheeshana with due politeness: "No matter how grievous his offence, it was done at the bidding of others. To leave his royal masters alone and to slay their instrument, a mere messenger what use or sense is there in it? Let us by all means seek ways of punishing those that sent him here. They must be brought here and given due punishment. If he is slain now, what chance is there of our real enemies being brought here? If, on the other hand, he is sent back alive to them, they will come here and attack us. Then they will receive proper punishment at your hands."

Raavana agreed. "Very well," he said, "a monkey's most cherished possession is his tail. Set fire to his tail, flog him soundly and turn him out."

At these words of the Raakshasa king, his servants took Hanumaan out. They wrapped his tail in rags of all kinds. His tail grew in size and, as it grew, they brought more and more old rags and wrapped them round. They soaked the whole in oil and set it ablaze like a huge flaming torch.

Thus bound by ropes and with tail ablaze, Hanumaan was taken through the streets of Lanka.

"Here goes the thief that entered our city!" cried the women and children. They jeered at him as he was taken round by the exulting Raakshasas to the accompaniment of pipes and drums through all the highways and byways of Lanka.

In the Asoka Vana the raakshasis told Seeta: "The monkey with whom you had secret talk, do you know what has happened to him? They have wrapped his tail in cloth soaked in oil and have set fire to it. His tail is ablaze. They are taking him in procession through the town.

They told Seeta the tale and laughed in scorn.

She kindled a fire and offered a prayer to the god of Fire: "O Agni! If there be any goodness in me, any purity, be cool to Hanumaan; do not hurt him."

Hanumaan endured the blows and the insults heaped upon him, and proceeded from street to street quietly

observing everything. The Raakshasas, to amuse their women and children took him through all the streets and bylanes of the city. And he noted in silence, for future, use, all the secrets of that fortified city.

"But what is this miracle?" he thought. "The rags soaked in oil burn brightly but the fire does not hurt and is coot on my tail. The elements themselves seem kind to one engaged on Rama's purpose. Did not the mountain rise above the sea and offer me hospitality? Even so the god of Fire is gracious to me now and does not harm me. Or may be, Agni being a friend of my father Vaayu is gentle with me. Now, I think I should not, let slip this opportunity which has come to me unsought to put the fear of God into these Raakshasas."

Suddenly he shrank in size and shook off the ropes that bound him and, resuming his huge shape, jumped with his blazing tail to the top of a tail building. He plucked a pillar there and whirled it-round, striking terror in all beholders.

Then he jumped from mansion to mansion, setting fire to them. In a little while a strong breeze began to blow and the whole city was in flames. The Raakshasas and their women and children shouted in terror and ran hither and thither.

"This monkey is no other than Yama," said some. "No, he must be the god Agni," said others. And they all fled from their burning houses.

Recalling the insults he had suffered, Hanumaan was pleased when he saw the flames rise. He sat on the summit of the Trikoota hill and contemplated with satisfaction the red glow of the burning city.

Then he went to the sea and, plunging in, put out the fire in his tail and came ashore.

"Alas! Alas! What have I done?" he said with uncontrollable grief. "I have lost my senses in my rage.

What is the use of strength and skill and all other gifts, if one cannot control one's anger? Seeta too must have perished in this great conflagration I have raised. My angry deed has led to the utter ruin of my whole purpose, Alas, there is no fool, no sinner, like me on earth. My rage against the Raakshasas has ended in the death of Seeta. Here and now I must put an end to my life and to my name!"

Then he heard some voices in the sky. The Chaaranas and Yakshas were rejocing and saying, "What a miracle! Glory be to Hanumaan's prowess! Except the spot where Seeta is, all Lanka is in flames!"

Hearing this ethereal conversation, Hanumaan was relieved. "Seeta has saved herself. She saved me, for it was her purity and power that kept the fire from harming me. How can fire help paying homage to the goddess of Chastity? What can fire do to fire? This fire that I started could not go near Seeta. And is not all this Rama's purpose? Did not the ocean king and Mynaaka Mountain come to my help?"

Thinking thus, Hanumaan went straight to the Asoka park again. There, under the Simsupa tree, he saw Seeta who was greatly relieved to see him alive and cheerful.

Rejoicing, he bowed before her and said, "Oh mother! I have seen you safe and sound. This is your power and my good fortune. Now give me leave to go."

And Seeta said, "You are indeed a hero. For you there is nothing impossible. See that my lord comes here soon and lays low the Raakshasas and redeems me. I depend on you. You alone can achieve this."

"Be assured," said Hanumaan, "Sugreeva will soon be here with Rama and Lakshmana and the myriad's of Vaanaras. Raavana and his wicked hordes will perish. The happy Prince will return with you to Ayodhya. Grieve no more. God bless you."

Thus consoling her, Hanumaan took leave of Seeta. He went to the shore of the sea and, climbing up the beautiful hill called Arishta, rose into the sky.

On the way he saw Mynaaka eagerly awaiting him. He affectionately stroked it with his hand, but did not stop. He flew straight like an arrow shot from a bow. At sight of the Mahendra hill he knew that he was near the other shore and he roared.

The Vaanaras, meanwhile, who saw Hanumaan flying towards them like a great eagle across the sky, shouted, "He is come! he is come!"

Till now their hearts had been full of care and their eyes wet. Now they jumped in their joy.

"it is certain he is returning in triumph," said Jaambavaan. "Else he would not roar in this manner."

They climbed up trees and hills and stood watching with joy the approach of Hanumaan returning from Lanka.

And Hanumaan rejoiced to see the mountains and trees all covered with his friends. Amid their glad uproar, he alighted on the Mahendra hill.