In the battle with Indrajit, Ravana's son, who fought unseen, the monkey host and Lord Rama and Lakshmana were struck down by the Brahma weapon, and Indrajit went back into Lanka. The army of the monkey-leaders, with Sugriva, Nila, Angada and Jambavan, lay without stirring.1
Seeing the host cast down, Vibhishana spoke to heal their fear. They should not give way to grief, he said: the king's sons lay still in reverence for the word of Lord Brahma, honouring the weapon by lying on the field. Lord Hanuman, honouring the weapon too, answered that they should go and console those who still lived.2
Then Hanuman and Vibhishana walked the field with torches in their hands. They saw the leaders of the host, Sugriva, Angada, Nila and Jambavan among them, lying nearly lifeless, and a great number of monkeys struck down.3
They searched for Jambavan and found him old and wounded by hundreds of arrows. Vibhishana asked whether he still lived. Jambavan knew Vibhishana by his voice, but could not see him, and asked first whether Hanuman, through whom Anjana and the Wind-god are blessed with a fine son, was alive. Vibhishana wondered why he did not ask first for King Sugriva or for Raghava. Jambavan answered that while Hanuman lived the whole force lived, even though struck down; if Hanuman were gone, all would be lost though still breathing. Then Hanuman came to the aged Jambavan, bowed humbly and held his feet.4
Jambavan, who thought himself restored on hearing Hanuman's voice, told him that this was the hour for him to show his might, and that no one else could do it. He should bound over the ocean to the Himavan, where between the golden Rishabha and the peak of Kailasa he would see the mountain of medicines. On its summit four herbs shone: Mritasanjivani, Vishalyakarani, Suvarnakarani and Sandhani. He should bring them without delay and bring the monkeys back to life.5
Hanuman gathered his energy as the ocean swells with the force of the winds. He climbed a mountain summit and, with the pressure of his tread, rose up like a second mountain; the mountain was crushed under him and Lanka itself seemed to shake. Bowing to the ocean, he thought of the great errand he had been given for Raghava, then raised his tail, bent his back, drew in his ears, opened his mouth and bounded into the sky.6
He flew with his arms stretched out, with the might of Garuda, along the path of the Sun, over hills, rivers, cities and provinces, and, remembering the words of Jambavan, he suddenly saw the Himavan before him.7
Arriving at that lord of mountains, with its golden summits, he saw the sacred hermitages of the celestial sages, and then the mountain furnished with every medicinal herb, flaming like a mass of fire. Hanuman wondered at the sight.8
But the herbs, knowing that he came seeking them, made themselves invisible. Not seeing them, Hanuman grew angry and roared. With eyes like glowing fire he spoke to the mountain: why had it decided to show no compassion to Raghava? Then he uprooted its summit, with its trees, elephants and gold and its thousand kinds of ore.9
Praised by countless wanderers of the sky, Hanuman went back along the path of the Sun with the summit in his hands, and near the Sun he seemed another Sun. The monkeys shouted when they saw him and he shouted in joy; those in Lanka, hearing the cheering, shouted louder still. He came down upon that best of mountains in the midst of the monkey forces, bowed to the principal monkeys and embraced Vibhishana.10
Rama and Lakshmana, smelling the fragrance of that mighty medicine, were healed of their wounds on the spot. All the monkeys were healed in a moment, and those who had been slain sat up, as if risen after sleep at daybreak. The slain Rakshasas had been thrown into the sea from the beginning of the fighting. Then Hanuman carried the mountain back to the Himavan and again presented himself before Rama.11