Meghnad with Hanuman bound in ropes reached Ravana’s court which was unmatched in splendour and glory. Ravana himself was an invincible warrior. He was bedecked with gorgeous clothes and jewellery. As Hanuman was brought to the court as a captive, no seat was offered to him. Hanuman extended and coiled his tail to form a seat even higher than Ravana’s. “Who is he? Who has sent him? Ask him,” Ravana told his minister. Hanuman said, “I am the minister of king Sugreeva of Kishkindha and the supreme devotee of Lord Rama. I came here as an emissary of Rama. My name is Hanuman. I wreaked havoc in the Ashoka Vatika only to meet you. I did away with your demon warriors to defend me.”
Infuriated thus, Ravana ordered that the monkey be executed. Vibheeshana intervened hastily, “This is a messenger, my lord. As per the stately rules, a messenger should not be killed. He can be meted out another punishment instead.”
Then, Hanuman advised, “You have abducted the wife of Rama, revealing your evil and cowardly nature. But you have invited Death in the form of Seeta. If you want to avoid the destruction of your entire race, seek at once Rama’s forgiveness and find shelter at his feet.”
