Chapter 50
Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
सह तारा अंगदाभ्याम् तु संगम्य हनुमान् कपिः
विचिनोति च विन्ध्यस्य गुहाः च गहनानि च
saha tārā aṃgadābhyām tu saṃgamya hanumān kapiḥ
vicinoti ca vindhyasya guhāḥ ca gahanāni ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Associated with Angada, Lt. Tara and others, the monkey Hanuma searched the caves and thick forests of Vindhya Range. [4-50-1]
सिंह शार्दूल जुष्टाः च गुहाः च परितः तथा
विषमेषु नग इन्द्रस्य महा प्रस्रवणेषु च
siṃha śārdūla juṣṭāḥ ca guhāḥ ca paritaḥ tathā
viṣameṣu naga indrasya mahā prasravaṇeṣu ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Hanuma has searched in the caves of that kingly Mt. Vindhya, which are jammed in with lions and tigers, and even at the towering rapids. [4-50-2, 3a]
आसेदुः तस्य शैलस्य कोटिम् दक्षिण पस्चिमाम्
तेषाम् तत्र एव वसताम् स कालो व्यत्यवर्तत
āseduḥ tasya śailasya koṭim dakṣiṇa pascimām
teṣām tatra eva vasatām sa kālo vyatyavartata
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
They reached the southwest peak of that mountain during their search and the time set by Sugreeva swiftly lapsed while they are overstaying thereat that Mt. Vindhya alone.
स हि देशो दुरन्वेष्यो गुहा गहनवान् महान्
तत्र वायु सुतः सर्वम् विचिनोति स्म पर्वतम्
sa hi deśo duranveṣyo guhā gahanavān mahān
tatra vāyu sutaḥ sarvam vicinoti sma parvatam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Though that extensive province is indeed an unsearchable one with its impenetrable caves and forests, yet Hanuma, the son of Air-god, searched everywhere on that mountain. [4-50-3b, 4]
परस्परेण रहिता अन्योन्यस्य अविदूरतः
गजो गवाक्षो गवयः शरभो गन्धमादनः
paraspareṇa rahitā anyonyasya avidūrataḥ
gajo gavākṣo gavayaḥ śarabho gandhamādanaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Without pressing one another closely, yet not distancing from one another largely, Gaja, Gavaaksha, Gavaya, Sharabha, Gandhamaadana, also thus Mainda, Dvivida, and Hanuma, and even Jaambavanta, crown prince Angada, also the forest-mover Lt. Tara have searched that province in southern direction that is encompassed with interlocked mountains, and during their search there they have observed a wide-opened and impassable cavity known as Riksha cavity which is well guarded by a demon called Maya. [4-50-5, 6, 7, 8a]
क्षुत् पिपासा परीताः तु श्रान्ताः तु सलिल अर्थिनः
kṣut pipāsā parītāḥ tu śrāntāḥ tu salila arthinaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Thirst and hunger invading them they are fatigued and craving for water, and such as they are they beheld that capacious cavity which is enwrapped in climbers and trees. [4-50-8, 9a]
तत्र क्रौन्चाः च हंसाः च सारसाः च अपि निष्क्रमन्
tatra krauncāḥ ca haṃsāḥ ca sārasāḥ ca api niṣkraman
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
There they have seen the swans and the waterfowls like Kraunca, Saarasa, and even Cakravaka waterfowls exiting from the cavity with their bodies drenched in water and reddened with the dapples of lotuses' pollen. [4-50-9b, 10a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When those best vanara-s have neared that fragrant and impermeable cavity they are disheartened with amazement. [4-50-10b, 11a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Though a suspicion in general is evoked in them, as they presumed that cavity to be Naraka, The Hell of Yama, or Paataala, the Netherworld of Emperor Bali, those highly resplendent and great mighty fly-jumpers have neared it, rejoicing for the availability of water in there. [4-50-11b, 12a]
नाना सत्त्व समाकीर्णाम् दैत्य इन्द्र निलय उपमम्
nānā sattva samākīrṇām daitya indra nilaya upamam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
That hideous cavity is dispersed with diverse beings, similar to the residence of the emperor of demons, namely Emperor Bali, in Paataala, the Netherworld, and it is unsightly and impermeable from anywhere. [4-50-12b, 13a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
The son of Air-god Hanuma whose glossiness is like that of a mountaintop and who is a mastermind in scrutinising every inscrutable forest, then spoke to all of the formidable Vanara-s. [4-50-13b, 14a]
गिरि जाल आवृतान् देशान् मार्गित्वा दक्षिणाम् दिशम्
giri jāla āvṛtān deśān mārgitvā dakṣiṇām diśam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"We all have searched the southern quarter including those places that are enmeshed with meshes of mountains, and we are overly fatigued, but Maithili is unnoticed. [4-50-14b, 15a]
अस्मात् च अपि बिलात् हंसाः क्रौन्चाः च सह सारसैः
asmāt ca api bilāt haṃsāḥ krauncāḥ ca saha sārasaiḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
"Swans along with waterfowls like Saarasa, Kruanca, and water drenched Cakravaka birds are coming out of this cavity from all over, and even the trees available at its doorway are verdant. Certainly there must be a wellspring, or otherwise a pond with water." Thus Hanuma spoke to all monkeys. [4-50-15b, 16, 17a]
इति उक्ताः तत् बिलम् सर्वे विविशुः तिमिर आवृतम्
iti uktāḥ tat bilam sarve viviśuḥ timira āvṛtam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When Hanuma spoke to them thus as a kind of assurance, all those monkeys entered the cavity and found it as a sunless or moonless cavity, enfolded in hair-raising darkness. [4-50-17b, 18a]
निशम्य तस्मात् सिंहाः च तान् तान् च मृग पक्षिणः
niśamya tasmāt siṃhāḥ ca tān tān ca mṛga pakṣiṇaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Those tigerly monkeys have also seen lions and various other animals and birds exiting therefrom, and entered that cavity which is enshrouded in obscurity. [4-50-18b, 19a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Their eyesight, or their vigour, or their valorousness is rendered ineffectual, and their permeation is just like the directionless air as their eyesight is thwarted in gloominess. Despite of the gloominess of that cavity, unobstructed is their eyesight, or their vigour or their valorousness, and their permeation is like that of the gust of air as their eyesight is actuated even in darkness. [4-50-19, 20a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
But on their going further into that cavity speedily, those elephantine monkeys beheld a best place that is luminous, as well as lovely. [4-50-20b, 21a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
In that awful cave that is compacted with various trees, then they advanced further an interstice of yojana distance, hand in hand lest one may miss the other. [4-50-21b, 22a]
ते नष्ट संज्ञाः तृषिताः संभ्रांताः सलिल अर्थिनः
te naṣṭa saṃjñāḥ tṛṣitāḥ saṃbhrāṃtāḥ salila arthinaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Though they are craving for water, highly perplexed, and lost track of their destination or any waterway, and yet hopeful of their mission they unwearyingly hopped in that cavity for a good while. [4-50-22b, 23a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Those fly-jumpers are presently enervated and overly tired, and sad faced, and when those brave ones are despaired of their life, just then they perceived a luminescence. [4-50-23b, 24a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Those amenable monkeys on arriving at that province then beheld a shadowless woodland with golden trees which in irradiance is like the irradiated Ritual-fire. They beheld Saala, Taala [Palmyra,] Tamaala trees and some flowered trees like Punnaaga, Vanjula, Dhava, Campaka, Naaga, also Karnikaara trees. The bunches of their flowers are golden and amazing, leaflets are reddish, and like that the climbers enwreathing at their tops are like their towering diadems and since those trees have golden fruits, they look as though decorated with golden jewellery. Those golden-bodied tress are shining forth like tender sun and their pedestals are completely studded with lapis gems. The birds encircling those trees are in the hue of lapis lazuli gems. The lotus lakes are encompassed with golden lotuses with broad petals, which in shine are similar to tender sun. [4-50-24b, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29a]
PURPORT
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then they beheld there the lotus-lakes containing serene waters and stocky lotuses and burly fishes that are golden. [4-50-29b, 30a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
There the monkeys beheld choicest mansions everywhere made out of gold and silver, some with golden and some with silver domes, while some with golden and some with silver multi-stories, but all are studded with lapis gems with golden windows covered with laceworks of pearls. [4-50-30b-32a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
They have also seen everywhere flowered and fruited trees that are similar in shine to red corals and rubies, and golden honeybees, as well as honeys. [4-50-32b, 33a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
They beheld everywhere diverse and capacious beds and seats that are amazingly crafted with gemstones and gold, and also stacks of utensils made of gold, silver and bell metal. [4-50-33b, 34]
अगुरूणाम् च दिव्यानाम् चंदनानाम् च संचयम्
शुचीनि अभ्यवहाराणि मूलानि च फलानि च
agurūṇām ca divyānām caṃdanānām ca saṃcayam
śucīni abhyavahārāṇi mūlāni ca phalāni ca
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
They saw the stockpiles of heavenly aloe vera substances and sandalwood sticks and depurated eatables, tubers and fruits. [4-50-35]
महा अर्हाणि च पानानि मधूनि रसवन्ति च
दिव्यानाम् अम्बराणाम् च महा अर्हाणाम् च संचयान्
mahā arhāṇi ca pānāni madhūni rasavanti ca
divyānām ambarāṇām ca mahā arhāṇām ca saṃcayān
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
They have also seen top-grade soft drinks, luscious honeys, heaps of finest quality clothing, exotic blankets and sheaves of deerskins. [4-50-36, 37a]
तत्र तत्र विन्यस्तान् दीप्तान् वैश्वानर प्रभान्
tatra tatra vinyastān dīptān vaiśvānara prabhān
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Vanara-s have also observed mounds of undefiled gold stockpiled here and there glowing with the glow of ritual fire. [4-50-37b, 38a]
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
When searching here and there in that cavity those valiant vanara-s of high resplendence have perceived some lady rather not far from them. [4-50-38b, 39a]
ताम् च ते ददृशुः तत्र चीर कृष्ण अजिन अम्बराम्
tām ca te dadṛśuḥ tatra cīra kṛṣṇa ajina ambarām
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
They saw a sainted lady there who is attired in jute-cloths and who is on a controlled diet and who is like a luminiferous entity by her own luminescence of asceticism. [4-50-38b, 39a]
विस्मिता हरयः तत्र व्यवतिष्टन्त सर्वशः
प्रपच्छ हनुमान् तत्र का असि त्वम् कस्य वा बिलम्
vismitā harayaḥ tatra vyavatiṣṭanta sarvaśaḥ
prapaccha hanumān tatra kā asi tvam kasya vā bilam
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
In wonderment the monkeys stood still all over, and in the matter of her identity Hanuma asked her, "Who are you? Whose cavity is this, either? [4-50-40b, 40c]
इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे पंचाशः सर्गः
iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi kāvye kiṣkindha kāṇḍe paṃcāśaḥ sargaḥ
SYNONYMS
TRANSLATION
Then Hanuma whose shine is similar to that of a mountain making palm-fold and reverencing that aged lady asked, "Who are you? Whose is this cavity, or the mansion or these jewels? Please speak." [4-50-41]
