Hanumanji Finds a Vaishnava in Lanka

Hanumanji was roaming about Ravana’s Lanka in search of Seetha Matha.
He had looked at most of the places, including houses of Kumbhakarna and Ravana.
Matha was not seen anywhere.

Hanumanji started weeping silently from inside.
'Have I failed my Lord?
If someone else, like Angada had come in my place, maybe Matha would have been located by now.
Why did I agree to come here?
Have I failed my Lord?'

But he had one hope still inside. It never happens that Lord Rama wouldn’t answer a prayer.
This is impossible.
And he has been all the while praying to him only — that he should be able to locate Seetha Matha as early as possible.

Suddenly, Hanumanji was surprised to find a house in Ravana’s Lanka, which he never expected.
In the courtyard of that house, there was a temple. There was a Sudarshan installed at the peak of the roof of that temple.
It is definitely a Vaishnava temple — that too in Lanka.
Hanumanji could not believe his eyes.

There were Tulasi plants near that temple, and there was a lamp of ghee burning.
All these in Ravana’s Lanka.
Whose house this could be?
How could even Ravana allow this to happen in Lanka?

At that time Hanumanji heard a voice from inside the house —
'Sree Ram Jay Ram Jay Jay Ram, Sree Ram Jay Ram Jay Jay Ram.'

'Who could this be?
But definitely I should meet him.
He must be a good person.
He would be definitely of help in locating Seetha Matha.
My Lord must have only brought me to this place, with a purpose.'

Hanumanji assumed the form of a man, went inside.
There were no Rakshasas to guard that house.
When someone is with Lord Rama, would he need any other protection?

Hanumanji went inside and whispered gently, 'Jay Shri Ram.'

The occupant of the house was also surprised to hear 'Jay Shri Ram' in Ravana’s Lanka.
He turned around and offered namaskara at the feet of Hanumanji.
'I am Vibhishana, son of Vishrava, grandson of Pulastya. I offer pranamas at your feet.'

He looked exactly like Ravana, a little shorter than Kumbhakarna, but was wearing Urdhva Pundra and Tulasi mala around his neck.

Vibhishana asked Hanumanji, 'Who are you?
How did you come here?
This place is 100 yojanas away from mainland. How did you reach here?
And you have so much courage.
You must definitely know how we Rakshasas are — how cruel and merciless we are.
You must definitely know what we would do with an intruder.
Still you came here. What for have you come here? Who are you?'

'But I am so happy to have heard Jay Shri Ram from another person’s mouth.'

Hanumanji realized that he has to be straight and open with Vibhishana.
He can be straight and open with Vibhishana.

He said, 'I am Lord Rama’s messenger. I have come here as per the order of our king Sugreeva.
Ravana has abducted Lord Rama’s wife, Seetha Matha, and brought her here to Lanka.
I have come looking for her. Can you help me?'

Vibhishana told, 'Yes, I know. I know where she is.
There is a garden adjacent to my brother’s palace. It is called Ashoka Vana.
There is a lake at the middle of Ashoka Vana.
On the banks of that lake there is a temple.
It is a temple of Bhutanatha.
Near that temple, there is a Shimshupa tree. Devi is there.

But don’t go near. She is surrounded and guarded by Rakshasis who are heavily armed.
Even I am not allowed inside. No male can go there except Ravana.
My wife goes there whenever possible and tries to console Seetha Devi.

The entrance to the garden is from inside Ravan’s palace.
But there is also another place from where you can sneak in.
Ravana has a curse on him — if he unites with any woman without her consent, he will die.
And Seetha Devi refused to live in any house of Lanka.
That’s why he has kept her in the open, in the garden near his palace.'

Hanumanji asked Vibhishana, 'But how does Ravana tolerate your Vishnu bhakti?
A bhakta like you — how can you even live here?'

Vibhishana said, 'Bhakta — me? I cannot even claim that bhakti has even started budding in me.
I know — much more of the Lord’s blessing is needed for bhakti to come in me.
And my being here — it is just an arrangement of convenience.
Ravana keeps on travelling out to plunder and terrorize other places.
His son Meghanada also goes with him.
Our other brother Kumbhakarna is asleep most of the time.

So whenever he goes out, he hands over the administrative responsibility of Lanka to me.
Because of this, nobody dares to question me — of what I am doing, including Ravana.
He ignores what I am doing.

And me — what else can I do, rather than tolerate all this?
There is no other way.
I don’t have the power to challenge my brother Ravana.
Some day, I am hoping that my Lord will take me out of this predicament.
But will he even allow me near him?'

Hanumanji said, 'Yes, he would. He is an ocean of kindness.
If he can accept a monkey like me into his fold, then don’t have any doubt.
He will be there for you as well.'

Saying this, Hanumanji changed into his original form.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi