Then Hanuman offered salutations to Janaki, stationed at the foot of the simsupa tree, and said, "Luckily I see you unscathed."

Looking at Hanuman again and again, as he was ready to start on his return journey, thus spoke Sita expressing her love for her husband:

"O destroyer of foes, you are capable of rescuing me singlehanded. Your success will raise your strength and bring glory.

"If Kakutstha Rama, the slayer of enemy forces comes to Lanka, fills it with his arrows and takes me back, it will be worthy of him.

"You should act in such a manner that the exalted Rama, who is chivalrous in the battlefield, exhibits his valour worthy of his stature".

Hearing her meaningful reply which was welldisposed and reasonable, Hanuman replied:

"Rama will come soon with the best of vanaras and bears. He would win the battle and remove your sorrrow.

Hanuman, son of the Windgod having consoled Vaidehi, saluted her respectfully and decided to depart.

Then Hanuman, the crusher of enemies, a tiger among vanaras anxious to see his lord ascended the mount Arishta.

Mount Arishta was full of blue forestranges with choicest tall padmaka trees. With clouds hanging on the slopes of mountain peaks, it appeared as though the mountain was wrapped in an upper garment.

As if the mountain was awakened from sleep by the rays of the blessed Sun. With the colour of glowing minerals exuding, it was as if the mountain was looking out with his eyes open. (The minerals underneath the mud appear when wind blows removing the dust covering them. The glowing minerals are fancied to be eyes of the mountain.)

With the loud sounds of masses of gurgling waters, the mountain appeared as though it was standing and reciting (the Vedas) loudly. With murmuring sounds of different waterfalls, it appeared as though the mountain was singing. (The sage differentiates the steadily trickling watersound from the rhythmic musical sounds of waterfalls.)

With the tall devadaru trees on the mountain, it appeared as if the sages were standing with shoulders lifted up and performing penance. The sounds of waterfalls filled all over with reverberations.

The mountain appeared as if trembling with the dark clouds of autumn. The shrill sounds pasing through the hollow bamboos filled with air appeared as if it was producing sweet musical notes.

The mountain was as though hissing like a dreadful, poisonous snake. With the caves standing majestically covered with mist, the mountain appeared as if it was meditating.

With the ranges of foothills appearing like the feet of clouds traversing, with its peaks like garlands of clouds traversing over the mountain, it made one feel it was yawning.

With many kinds of caves and peaks scattered all over, the mountain looked delightful. It was canopied with numerous trees like Sal, palms, Aswakarnas and bamboos.

It was spread with creepers filled with beautiful flowers and herds of animals. The colourful minerals flowing down decorated the mountain.

There were many streams of water flowing and rocks making it difficult for the streams to flow. The mountain was inhabited by sages, yakshas, gandharvas, kinnaras and nagas, and uragas.

The clusters of creepers, and trees bearing tasty fruits and roots were uprooted. There were caves inhabited by lions. Herds of tigers were scattered all over (by the impetus of Hanuman's pressure on the mountain).

Anxious to see Rama soon, the son of the Windgod ascended the mountain happily.

Crushed under Hanuman's feet the rocks making a loud noise on the beautiful mountain ranges rolled down, reduced to powder.

On ascending the king of mountains, desiring to reach the northern shore of the saltwater ocean from the Southern shore, he enlarged his body (in preparation to leap).

Then the heroic son of the Windgod, who had ascended the mountain saw the dreadful ocean inhabited by fishes and snakes.

Hanuman, the tiger among monkeys leaped into the sky like the Windgod from the south to the north shore.

Pressed under the feet of Hanuman, the great mountain made loud sound sinking into the earth along with all its creatures, with its shaken mountain peaks and uprooted trees dropping down.

Shaken by the violent force of Hanuman's thighs, the blossoming trees fell on the ground like sickmen hit by Indra's thunderbolt.

The dreadful roar of strong lions, lying in mountaincaves was heard cracking the sky when they were crushed in the turmoil.

The Vidyadharis with their clothes slipped and ornaments disarrayed in fear, at once flew from the mountain.

Highly powerful, huge and poisonous snakes with their glowing tongues protruded, pressed on their heads and necks (by Hanuman).

Then the kinnaras, uragas, gandhravas, yakshas and vidyadharas left the tortured mountain and occupied the sky.

Crushed by the powerful Hanuman, that prosperous mountain with its trees standing and tall peaks sank into the underworld.

That mountain of ten yojanas in width and thirty yojanas in height got levelled with the earth.

Eager to leap the terrific ocean lashed by huge waves hitting the shore Hanuman rose up effortlessly and jumped into the sky. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे षट्पञ्चाशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the fiftysixth sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.