The great vanara, having rejected his judgement, started thinking again.

'Lovely Sita, being away from Rama, will not sleep, will not eat or drink or adorn herself. How can she approach any other man even if he is the king of gods for there is none equal to Rama even among gods'. Having thus decided, Hanuman strolled about the banquet hall.

'Lovely Sita, being away from Rama, will not sleep, will not eat or drink or adorn herself. How can she approach any other man even if he is the king of gods for there is none equal to Rama even among gods'. Having thus decided, Hanuman strolled about the banquet hall.

Some women were fatigued after sporting, similarly some were exhausted after singing. Others were tired through dancing and some were worn out by continuous drinking.

Some women reclined on tabors, some on murajas, and some on drums and hassocks while some slept on excellent couches.

The monkey leader saw thousands of beautiful women asleep after long dalliance. Some of them were adorned with ornaments, some were good at arguments and versed in the appreciation of songs, some were aware of the appropriate time and place and some were adept in right expressions.

The monkey leader saw thousands of beautiful women asleep after long dalliance. Some of them were adorned with ornaments, some were good at arguments and versed in the appreciation of songs, some were aware of the appropriate time and place and some were adept in right expressions.

In the midst of these women the longarmed lord of demons shone like a (majestic) bull in a big cowshed.

Surrounded by the women, the demon king shone like a proud elephant attended by many female elephants scattered in a dense forest.

The tiger among vanaras saw at the great Ravana's palace a drinking place where everything one desires was provided.

There at the drinking hall the meat of deer, buffaloes and boars portioned and placed.

The tiger among vanaras also saw there meat of peacocks and chicken placed in large golden vessels, some half eaten.

Hanuman saw the meat of pigs and jungle fowls, deer, peacocks and bones marinated with yoghurt and special kinds of salt.

He saw several kinds of (nonvegetarian) food like cooked meat of fowls, ruddy geese, buffaloes, goats, fishes as well as food for licking. (Food is of four kinds 1) भक्ष्य which can be chewed 2) भोज्य ordinary solid, semisolid food which can be consumed 3) लेह्य food for licking 4) चोष्य liquid food (which can be sipped)).

He saw several kinds of (nonvegetarian) food like cooked meat of fowls, ruddy geese, buffaloes, goats, fishes as well as food for licking. (Food is of four kinds 1) भक्ष्य which can be chewed 2) भोज्य ordinary solid, semisolid food which can be consumed 3) लेह्य food for licking 4) चोष्य liquid food (which can be sipped)).

The banquet hall looked splendid with food seasoned with salt and sour ingredients. There was ragashadavas (syrup made with grapes, pomegranates, different juices like half ripe mangoes and seasoned with ginger cardomom, butter etc). Heavy chains, anklets and shouldersstraps were thrown aside. (The people relaxed while eating and drinking and discarded heavy ornaments). Many glasses were found scattered or drinks spilt on the floor after use.Many fruits and flowers were kept.

The banquet hall looked splendid with food seasoned with salt and sour ingredients. There was ragashadavas (syrup made with grapes, pomegranates, different juices like half ripe mangoes and seasoned with ginger cardomom, butter etc). Heavy chains, anklets and shouldersstraps were thrown aside. (The people relaxed while eating and drinking and discarded heavy ornaments). Many glasses were found scattered or drinks spilt on the floor after use.Many fruits and flowers were kept.

Good couches and different kinds of seats were wellarranged in the banquet hall. The place appeared as if it was glowing witout fire.

In the banquet hall there were many types of meat arranged in a number of ways. They were cooked by experts by seasoning them with choicest ingredients.

There were many types of wonderful and pleasing wine extracted from sugarcane, honey , fruits and flowers. They were good even though fermented and made delicious by seasoning with aromatic spices.

(The banquet hall) appeared beautiful with many kinds of garlands arranged in different locations. Also there were vessels made of pure gold, crystalware and jars spread all over.

(The banquet hall) appeared beautiful with many kinds of garlands arranged in different locations. Also there were vessels made of pure gold, crystalware and jars spread all over.

Hanuman saw the best of wines in large quantities kept in silver and pure gold pots.

The great monkey saw the wine jars made of gold and silver studded with crystals and gems.

He saw wine jars at one place, some fully drained, and at another place not touched at all.

He moved about looking at different types of eatables and drinks arranged separately along with the left over food.

At some places he saw broken pots, at other places rolling pots and elsewhere flower garlands strewn and mixed up with water and fruits.

Hanuman saw many beds some unused and some occupied by lovely women sleeping, embracing one another.

Overcome with sleep some women pulled clothes of other women and covered their bodies with them.

The lovely clothes and garlands on the bodies of women were moving mildly by their exhalations as if shaken by the gentle breeze.

With the many scents of cool sandal, of sweetsmelling wines of diverse kinds, as well as flower garlands of several types and of incense burning in that hall, the cool wind blew spreading several fragrances all over.

The wind wafting through the Pushpaka chariot carried the fragrance of the cool sandalpaste used in bath and the sweet smell of wines and thick smoke of fragrance spread further.

There in the demons abode were women who were fair, some lovely with dark and others with golden complexion.

Withered due to indulgence in sex they were overcome with sleep. The charm of the women was like the lotus creepers with closed lotuses .

Brilliant Hanuman ransacked the harem of Ravana but found no Janaki.

The great monkey was very much worried as he thought he had transgressed the moral code by watching the women.

'Observing the wives of others in this manner in their inner chambers very much amounts to transgression of moral code by me'. ( thought he)

'I did see these wives of another, but not with a sensual mind. I have only seen them but not with foul intention'.

Another bright idea struck the highly sensible Hanuman, who had a clear vision of the task ahead-- 'I was firm and singleminded in my direction regarding the task ahead' (thought he).

'It is true I saw all the loyal wives of Ravana but without any foul desire. Indeed in my mind no passionate feeling was ever aroused'.

'Mind propels the sense organs to do good or bad deeds. (But) my mind is firmly esatablished in righteousness'.

'It is not possible for me to look for Vaidehi elsewhere. During such search operations one always looks for women among women.'

'One has to search a creature among its own species. It is not possible to find a lost woman in the herd of female deer'.

'I searched all over Ravana's harem with a pure mind but I have not seen Janaki'.

Even while valiant Hanuman was looking among the daughters of gods, gandharvas and nagas he could not find Janaki.

Heroic Hanuman, unable to find Sita among the women, moved aside and started thinking.

Illustrious Hanuman left the banquet hall to renew his effort in search of Sita. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीये आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे एकादशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the eleventh sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.