The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa | Page 4

monkeys set out towards the south in quest of Sita, O
mighty-armed one. Then a mighty vulture Sampati by name,

communicated the tidings that Sita was in the abode of Ravana.
Thereupon with the object of securing success unto Rama, I all of a
sudden bounded over the main, extending for a hundred yojanas. And,
O chief of the Bharatas, having by my own prowess crossed the ocean,
that abode of sharks and crocodiles, I saw in Ravana's residence, the
daughter of king Janaka, Sita, like unto the daughter of a celestial. And
having interviewed that lady, Vaidehi, Rama's beloved, and burnt the
whole of Lanka with its towers and ramparts and gates, and proclaimed
my name there, I returned. Hearing everything from me the lotus-eyed
Rama at once ascertained his course of action, and having for the
passage of his army constructed a bridge across the deep, crossed it
followed by myriads of monkeys. Then by prowess Rama slew those
Rakshasas in battle, and also Ravana, the oppressor of the worlds
together with his Rakshasa followers. And having slain the king of the
Rakshasas, with his brother, and sons and kindred, he installed in the
kingdom in Lanka the Rakshasa chief, Vibhishana, pious, and reverent,
and kind to devoted dependants. Then Rama recovered his wife even
like the lost Vaidic revelation. Then Raghu's son, Rama, with his
devoted wife, returned to his own city, Ayodhya, inaccessible to
enemies; and that lord of men began to dwell there. Then that foremost
of kings, Rama was established in the kingdom. Thereafter, I asked a
boon of the lotus-eyed Rama, saying, "O slayer of foes, Rama, may I
live as long as the history of thy deeds remaineth extant on earth!"
Thereupon he said, "So be it." O represser of foes, O Bhima, through
the grace of Sita also, here all excellent objects of entertainment are
supplied to me, whoever abide at this place. Rama reigned for the
thousand and ten hundred years. Then he ascended to his own abode.
Ever since, here Apsaras and Gandharvas delight me, singing for aye
the deeds of that hero, O sinless one. O son of the Kurus, this path is
impassable to mortals. For this, O Bharata, as also with the view that
none might defeat or curse thee, have I obstructed thy passage to this
path trod by the immortals. This is one of the paths to heaven, for the
celestials; mortals cannot pass this way. But the lake in search of which
thou hast come, lieth even in that direction.'"
SECTION CXLVIII

Vaisampayana continued, "Thus addressed, the powerful Bhimasena of
mighty arms, affectionately, and with a cheerful heart, bowed unto his
brother, Hanuman, the monkey-chief, and said in mild words, 'None is
more fortunate than I am; now have I seen my elder brother. It is a
great favour shown unto me; and I have been well pleased with thee.
Now I wish that thou mayst fulfil this desire of mine. I desire to behold,
O hero, that incomparable form of thine, which thou at that time hadst
had, in bounding over the main, that abode of sharks and crocodiles.
Thereby I shall be satisfied, and also believe in thy words.' Thus
addressed, that mighty monkey said with a smile, 'That form of mine
neither thou, not any one else can behold. At that age, the state of
things was different, and doth not exist at present. In the Krita age, the
state of things was one; and in the Treta, another; and in the Dwapara,
still another. Diminution is going on this age; and I have not that form
now. The ground, rivers, plants, and rocks, and siddhas, gods, and
celestial sages conform to Time, in harmony with the state of things in
the different yugas. Therefore, do not desire to see my former shape, O
perpetuator of the Kuru race. I am conforming to the tendency of the
age. Verily, Time is irresistible.' Bhimasena said, 'Tell me of the
duration of the different yugas, and of the different manners and
customs and of virtue, pleasure and profit, and of acts, and energy, and
of life and death in the different yugas.' Thereupon Hanuman said, 'O
child, that yuga is called Krita when the one eternal religion was extant.
And in that best of yugas, every one had religious perfection, and,
therefore, there was no need of religious acts. And then virtue knew no
deterioration; nor did people decrease. It is for this that this age is
called Krita (perfect). But in time the yuga had come to be considered
as an inferior one. And, O child, in the Krita age, there were neither
gods, nor demons, nor Gandharvas, nor Yakshas, nor Rakshasas, nor
Nagas. And there was no buying and selling. And the