Sri Hanuman's battle with Raakshasas

After talking with Seeta, taking her jewel for the head as a token of remembrance for Sri Rama, Sri Hanuma bows to Seeta and starts for return journey.

Sri Hanuma, after going to a distance from that place, thought to provoke Ravana by destroying this Ashoka Garden, making Ravana angry and to have a fight with forces of Ravana.

Thereafter, Sri Hanuma damaged trees, destroyed the ponds and crushed the tops of pleasure hills to powder. Thus, that grove became nasty at sight. 

At the screaming sound of birds and at the sound of the crash of falling trees, all the inhabitants of Lanka then became trembled with fear. Then, the female-demons, whose sleep has vanished, found that grove demolished and saw that great heroic Vanara.

Some of the female-demons go to Ravana and report to him that the pleasant grove attached to the gynaecium has been destroyed by a mighty Vanara and that the Vanara went to Seetha and talked to her also earlier to the devastation. 

They also reported that only the place surrounding Simshupa Tree, where Seetha was sitting, was not destroyed by him and that has done it to protect Seetha. They further added that Seetha expressed her ignorance about him.

Then, Ravana gets angry and sends 80,000 demons called Kinkaras to catch hold of Sri Hanuma. Those Kinkaras rush towards Sri Hanuma to catch him.   On seeing the great army Sri Hanuma expanding his body to a very big size, clapped on his arms on his shoulders boldly, filling Lanka with that clapping sound.

By that great sound made by Sri Hanuma through clapping on his arms together with a resound, birds fell down from the sky. Sri Hanuma also then cried aloud, with a clamorous voice, as follows:

जयत्यतिबलो रामो लक्ष्मणश्च महाबलः |
राजा जयति सुग्रीवो राघवेणाभिपालितः ||

दासोऽहम् कोसलेन्द्रस्य रामस्याक्लिष्टकर्मणः |
हनुमान् शत्रुसैन्यानाम् निहन्ता मारुतात्मजः ||

न रावणसहस्रम् मे युद्धे प्रतिबलं भवेत् |
शिलाभिस्तु प्रहरतः पादपैश्च सहस्रशः ||

अर्दयित्वा पुरीम् लङ्कामभिवाद्य च मैथिलीम् |
समृद्धार्थो गमिष्यामि मिषताम् सर्वरक्षसाम् || (Sundara Kanda 42 Sarga 33-36 Slokas)

"Long live the mighty Sri Rama and the powerful Lakshmana! Long live the King Sugreeva, protected by Sri Rama! I am Hanuma, the destroyer of the army of adversaries and the son of wind-god. I am the servant of Sri Rama, the king of Kosala Kingdom, who is unwearied in action.” 

“Even a thousand of Ravanas will not be matching equally with me, who is capable of striking with thousands of rocks and trees in battle. Here, before the eyes of all the demons, I will annihilate the City of Lanka and after offering salutation to Seetha, I will go back after fully completing my task."

Those demons became frightened by the clamorous voice of Sri Hanuma cried aloud and saw him to be as high as a twilight rain-cloud.

-------

Sri Hanuma could have simply roared as a battle cry.  Why did he announce who he is and what he is going to do?

In my view, Sri Hanuma did so with a purpose.

1. He praised boldly Sri Rama and Lakshmana, whose names Nisacharas never thought to be heard in Lanka
2. By praising Sugreeva, who was ruling Kishkinda under the protection of Sri Rama, he indicated that Sri Rama will give protection to whoever prays for that
3. He announced that his name is Hanuma and that he was the son of Wind-God.  By doing so, he sent a message that he is not a coward to hit his enemies unannounced
4. He also announced that he is the servant of Sri Rama, who is unwearied in action.  By announcing so, he conveyed that they are going to face first the servant of Sri Rama and the unwearied Sri Rama is coming to raze Lanka to ashes.
5. That he can face a thousand of Ravanas, will have a definite demoralizing affect on Raakshasas.
6. That he would annihilate the City of Lanka and after offering salutation to Seetha, he would go back after fully completing his task will send a sure message that he is not coward like Ravana, who abducted Seeta in the absence of 2 brothers.  He is going to destroy Lanka before the eyes of its dwellers and offering salutation to Seeta and when everybody is seeing he will go back
7. And, finally they may try to stop him if they can