Chapter 52

Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys

VERSE 1

अथ तान् अब्रवीत् सर्वान् विश्रांतान् हरि यूथपान्
इदम् वचनम् एकाग्रा तापसी धर्म चारिणी

atha tān abravīt sarvān viśrāṃtān hari yūthapān
idam vacanam ekāgrā tāpasī dharma cāriṇī

SYNONYMS

atha: then | dharma cāriṇī: she who in probity, pursuer of | eka agrā: single-mindedly concentrative | tāpasī: sainted lady | viśrāntān: when relaxed | tān sarvān hari yūthapān: to them, all, monkey commanders | idam vacanam abravīt: this, word, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

When those monkey commanders are relaxed after refreshments, then that sainted lady, who concentrates single-mindedly and who is a pursuer of probity, spoke this word to all of them. [4-52-1]

VERSE 2

वानरा यदि वः खेदः प्रनष्टः फल भक्षणात्
यदि च एतत् मया श्राव्यम् श्रोतुम् इच्छामि कथताम्

vānarā yadi vaḥ khedaḥ pranaṣṭaḥ phala bhakṣaṇāt
yadi ca etat mayā śrāvyam śrotum icchāmi kathatām

SYNONYMS

vānarāḥ: oh, Vanara-s | phala bhakṣaṇāt: fruits, by devouring | vaḥ khedaḥ: your, enervation | pranaṣṭaḥ yadi: eased off, if | etat: all that [episode of yours] | mayā śrāvyam yadi: by me, listenable, if | [tām: that] | kathatām: episode | śrotum icchāmi: to listen, I wish. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, vanara-s, if your enervation is eased off by devouring fruits, and if I may listen to that episode of yours, I wish to listen to it." Thus Swayamprabha addressed the monkeys. [4-52-2]

VERSE 3

तस्याः तत् वचनम् श्रुत्वा हनुमान् मारुत आत्मजः
आर्जवेन यथा तत्त्वम् आख्यातुम् उपचक्रमे

tasyāḥ tat vacanam śrutvā hanumān māruta ātmajaḥ
ārjavena yathā tattvam ākhyātum upacakrame

SYNONYMS

māruta ātmajaḥ hanumān: Air-god's, son, Hanuma | tasyāḥ tat vacanam śrutvā: of hers, that, sentence, on hearing | ārjavena: sincerely | yathā tattvam: as per, in its pithiness | ākhyātum upacakrame: to narrate, stated. |

TRANSLATION

Hanuma, the son of Air-god, sincerely started to narrate their episode in its pithiness on hearing her words. [4-52-3]

VERSE 4

राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य महेन्द्र वरुण उपमः
रामो दाशरथिः श्रीमान् प्रविष्टो दण्डका वनम्

rājā sarvasya lokasya mahendra varuṇa upamaḥ
rāmo dāśarathiḥ śrīmān praviṣṭo daṇḍakā vanam

SYNONYMS

, 5| sarvasya lokasya rājā: of all, world, king | mahendra varuṇa upamaḥ: Mahendra, Rain-god, who is similar to | dāśarathiḥ: son of Dasharatha | śrīmān rāmaḥ: illustrious one, Rama | bhrātrā lakṣmaṇena saha: bother, Lakshmana, along with | bhāryayā vaidehyā api ca: along with wife, Vaidehi, even also | daṇḍakā vanam praviṣṭaḥ: Dandaka, forest, entered | tasya bhāryā: his, wife | rāvaṇena: by Ravana | janasthānāt balāt hṛtā: from Janasthaana, coercively, abducted. |

TRANSLATION

"The king of all the world and one similar to Mahendra and Rain-god, such an illustrious Rama of Dasharatha entered Dandaka forest with his bother Lakshmana, even along with his wife Vaidehi, but Ravana coercively abducted his wife from Janasthaana. [4-52-4, 5]

VERSE 6

वीरः तस्य सखा राज्ञः सुग्रीवो नाम वानरः
राजा वानर मुख्यानाम् येन प्रस्थापिता वयम्

vīraḥ tasya sakhā rājñaḥ sugrīvo nāma vānaraḥ
rājā vānara mukhyānām yena prasthāpitā vayam

SYNONYMS

vīraḥ: valiant one | vānara mukhyānām rājā: of Vanara-s, important ones, king | sugrīvaḥ nāma: Sugreeva, one known as | vānaraḥ: a Vanara | tasya rājñaḥ sakhā: that, king's [Rama's,] friend | yena vayam prasthāpitā: by whom, we are, expedited. |

TRANSLATION

"A valiant one and the king of important vanara-s known as Sugreeva is a vanara and the friend of that kingly Rama, and that vanara king expedited us. [4-52-6]

VERSE 7

अगस्त्य चरिताम् आशाम् दक्षिणाम् यम रक्षिताम्
सहैभिर्वानरैमुख्यैरङ्गदप्रमुखैर्वयम् यद्वा
सह
एभिः वानरैः मुख्यैः अंगद प्रमुखैः वयम्

agastya caritām āśām dakṣiṇām yama rakṣitām
sahaibhirvānaraimukhyairaṅgadapramukhairvayam - yadvā -
saha
ebhiḥ vānaraiḥ mukhyaiḥ aṃgada pramukhaiḥ vayam

SYNONYMS

, 8| sarve sahitāḥ: [you] all, collectively | vaidehyā sītayā saha: for one from Videha kingdom, for Seetha, together with | kāma rūpiṇam rākṣasam rāvaṇam: by wish, guise-changer, for demon, for Ravana | mārgadhvam: [you] shall search | iti: saying so | vayam: we | angada pra mukhaiḥ: Angada, et al | ebhiḥ mukhyaiḥ vānaraiḥ saha: these, with important, vanara-s, along with | agastya caritām: by Sage Agastya, trodden [walkabout] | yama rakṣitām: by Yama, the Death-god, watched over | dakṣiṇām āśām coditāḥ: to southern, prospect [direction,] we are mobilised. |

TRANSLATION

"He mobilised us along with these important vanara-s and Angada as helmsman to this southerly prospect, which is the walkabout of Sage Agastya and watched over by Yama, the Death-god, saying, 'you all shall collectively search for Seetha of Videha kingdom together with the demon Ravana, a guise-changer by his wish.' [4-52-7, 8]

VERSE 9

विचित्य तु वयम् सर्वे समग्रम् समुद्रम् दक्षिणाम् दिशम्
वयम् बुभुक्षिताः सर्वे वृक्ष मूलम् उपाश्रिताः

vicitya tu vayam sarve samagram - samudram - dakṣiṇām diśam
vayam bubhukṣitāḥ sarve vṛkṣa mūlam upāśritāḥ

SYNONYMS

vayam sarve: we, all | samagram: in entirety | [or] samudram = at ocean: other than southern ocean | dakṣiṇām diśam: southerly, direction | vicitya: on searching out | bubhukṣitāḥ: we were hungry | vṛkṣa mūlam upa āśritāḥ: tree, at stem, nearby, dependent on [gathered around.] |

TRANSLATION

"On searching out the southerly direction in its entirety we are all hungered and we all gathered around at a tree-stem. [4-52-9]

VERSE 10

विवर्ण वदनाः सर्वे सर्वे ध्यान परायणाः
न अधिगच्छामहे पारम् मग्नाः चिन्ता महाअर्णवे

vivarṇa vadanāḥ sarve sarve dhyāna parāyaṇāḥ
na adhigacchāmahe pāram magnāḥ cintā mahāarṇave

SYNONYMS

sarve: [we] all | vi varṇa vadanāḥ = vithout, colour faced: became whey-faced | sarve dhyāna parāyaṇāḥ: [we] all, in propositions, preoccupied | cintā mahā arṇave: despair, great [depthless,] ocean [the deep of] | magnāḥ: deluged | pāram: other shore [of despair ocean] | na adhi gacchāmahe: not, over, reached by us. |

TRANSLATION

"All of us were whey-faced, all of us were preoccupied with propositions, thus deluged in the depthless deep of our despair we could not overreach the other shore of our oceanic despair. [4-52-10]

VERSE 11

चारयन्तः ततः चक्षुः दृष्टवन्तो महद् बिलम्
लता पादप संछन्नम् तिमिरेण समावृतम्

cārayantaḥ tataḥ cakṣuḥ dṛṣṭavanto mahad bilam
latā pādapa saṃchannam timireṇa samāvṛtam

SYNONYMS

tataḥ: then | cakṣuḥ cārayantaḥ: [our] eyes, while straggling | latā pādapa sanchannam: with creepers, woody trees, wrapped up in | timireṇa samāvṛtam: by darkling, enwrapped | mahat bilam: wide, cavity | dṛṣṭavantaḥ = ve became perceivers of: we perceived. |

TRANSLATION

"Then straggling our eyes we perceived this wide cavity wrapped up with vines and woods and enwrapped in darkling. [4-52-11]

VERSE 12

अस्मात् हंसा जल क्लिन्नाः पक्षैः सलिल रेणुभिः
कुरराः सारसाः चैव निष्पतन्ति पतत्रिणः

asmāt haṃsā jala klinnāḥ pakṣaiḥ salila reṇubhiḥ
kurarāḥ sārasāḥ caiva niṣpatanti patatriṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

asmāt: from it [cavity] | salila reṇubhiḥ pakṣaiḥ: with water, drops, [with such flapping] wings | jala klinnāḥ: water, drenched | hamsāḥ: swans | kurarāḥ sārasāḥ caiva: fish-hawks, saarasa waterfowls , also thus | patatriṇaḥ: birds | niṣ patanti: out, falling [coming out.] |

TRANSLATION

"Swans, water-hawks, saarasa-waterfowls were coming out of this cavity drenched in water and sprinkling drops of water with the flaps of their wings. [4-52-12]

VERSE 13

साधु अत्र प्रविशाम इति मया तु उक्ताः प्लवंगमाः
तेषाम् अपि हि सर्वेषाम् अनुमानम् उपागतम्

sādhu atra praviśāma iti mayā tu uktāḥ plavaṃgamāḥ
teṣām api hi sarveṣām anumānam upāgatam

SYNONYMS

atra sādhu praviśāma iti: therein, good, we enter, thus | mayā tu plavangamāḥ uktāḥ: by me, on my part, fly-jumpers are, said | teṣām sarveṣām api hi: for them, all of them, even, indeed | anumānam: inference of water | upāgatam: came about. |

TRANSLATION

"I said to all of them, 'Good! Let us enter it,' while they too had some inference about the availability of water in here. [4-52-13]

VERSE 14

अस्मिन् निपतिताः सर्वे अपि अथ कार्य त्वरान्विताः
ततो गाढम् निपतिता गृह्य हस्तौ परस्परम्

asmin nipatitāḥ sarve api atha kārya tvarānvitāḥ
tato gāḍham nipatitā gṛhya hastau parasparam

SYNONYMS

atha: then | kārya tvara anvitāḥ: by task's, haste, having [hastened by our task] | sarve api: all [of us,] even | tataḥ ni patitā [nipatana arthāya]: then, down, fell [readied ourselves to fall in cavity] | parasparam: each of each | hastau gāḍham gṛhya: hands, tightly, taking [clasping] | asmin ni patitāḥ = in it, dovn, fell: we fell down in this cavity. |

TRANSLATION

"As our task was hastening us then we all readied ourselves to fall in the cavity by tightly clasping each other's hand, and then we fell in this cavity. [4-52-14]

VERSE 15

इदम् प्रविष्टाः सहसा बिलम् तिमिर संवृतम्
एतत् नः कार्यम् एतेन कृत्येन वयम् आगताः

idam praviṣṭāḥ sahasā bilam timira saṃvṛtam
etat naḥ kāryam etena kṛtyena vayam āgatāḥ

SYNONYMS

, 16a| timira samvṛtam = darkness, śrouded in: Black Cavity | idam bilam sahasā praviṣṭāḥ: this, cavity, readily we entered, | etat naḥ kāryam: this much, our, work [here in cavity] | etena kṛtyena vayam āgatāḥ: by this, escapade [for water,] we all, have come | bubhukṣitāḥ: who are ravenous | paridyūnā: who are retrogressive | sarve: all [of us] | tvām upagatāḥ: at you, came near. |

TRANSLATION

"Thus we readily entered this Black Cavity, and this much is our activity in here as we all have come here by our escapade for water, and we neared you when we were ravenous and retrogressing. [4-52-15, 16a]

VERSE 16

आतिथ्य धर्म दत्तानि मूलानि च फलानि च

ātithya dharma dattāni mūlāni ca phalāni ca

SYNONYMS

b, 17a| bubhukṣā paripīḍitaiḥ: by hunger, overly harassed ones | asmābhiḥ: by us | ātithya dharma dattāni: hospitality, by grace of, offered [by you] | mūlāni ca phalāni ca: tubers, also, fruits, also | upabhuktāni: devoured. |

TRANSLATION

"And we who are overly harassed by hunger have devoured the fruits and tubers you have offered with the grace of your hospitality. [4-52-16]

VERSE 17

यत् त्वया रक्षिताः सर्वे म्रियमाणा बुभुक्षया

yat tvayā rakṣitāḥ sarve mriyamāṇā bubhukṣayā

SYNONYMS

b, 18a| bubhukṣayā mriyamāṇā: with hunger, on the verge of death | sarve: all of us | yat: by which reason | tvayā rakṣitāḥ: by you, rescued | vānarāḥ: vanara-s | te: to you | prati upakāra artham: in turn, favour's, sake [in requital] | kim kurvantu: what, can they do | brūhi: you tell. |

TRANSLATION

"You have rescued all of us who were on the verge of hunger-deaths, and what is to be done by vanara-s for you in requital that you may please tell." Thus Hanuma spoke to that sainted lady. [4-52-17b, 18a]

VERSE 18

एवम् उक्ता तु सर्वज्ञा वानरैः तैः स्वयंप्रभा

evam uktā tu sarvajñā vānaraiḥ taiḥ svayaṃprabhā

SYNONYMS

b, 19a| taiḥ vānaraiḥ: by those, by vanara-s | evam uktā: thus, she is spoken | sarva jñā: omniscient | svayamprabhā: Swayamprabha | tataḥ: then | sarvān vānara yūthapān: to all, monkey, commanders | idam prati uvāca: this, in turn, said [replied.] |

TRANSLATION

When she is spoken thus by those vanara-s then that omniscient Swayamprabha replied this to all of the vanara commanders. [4-52-18b, 19a]

VERSE 19

सर्वेषाम् परितुष्टा अस्मि वानराणाम् तरस्विनाम्

sarveṣām parituṣṭā asmi vānarāṇām tarasvinām

SYNONYMS

b, 20a| tarasvinām sarveṣām vānarāṇām: mighty ones, with all, of vanara-s | pari tuṣṭā asmi: overly [very,] happy, I am | dharmeṇa carantyā: with equity, conducting myself | mama: to me | iha kenacit: now, in the least | kāryam na = vork, no: I do not need anything. |

TRANSLATION

"I am very happy with all of the mighty vanara-s and what I have done to you is a part of my conduct in equity, hence nothing need be done now in my favour, in the least. [4-52-9b, 20a]

PURPORT

The other versions of Ramayana complete this chapter with this verse and place the following subject in a separate chapter.
VERSE 20

एवम् उक्तः शुभम् वाक्यम् तापस्या धर्म संहितम्

evam uktaḥ śubham vākyam tāpasyā dharma saṃhitam

SYNONYMS

b, 21a| tāpasyā: by sainted lady | evam: that way | dharma samhitam: , propriety, agreeable to | śubham vākyam: blessed, word | uktaḥ hanumān: one who is spoken to, Hanuma | a nindita locanām: not, reprovable, eyed [rather, one with such discernment] | tām: to her | vākyam uvāca: sentence, said. |

TRANSLATION

When Hanuma is said that blessed word by that sainted lady in that way, that which is agreeable to propriety, then Hanuma said this sentence to her who is with an unreprovable discernment. [4-52-20b, 21a]

VERSE 21

शरणम् त्वाम् प्रपन्नाः स्मः सर्वे वै धर्मचारिणिम्

śaraṇam tvām prapannāḥ smaḥ sarve vai dharmacāriṇim

SYNONYMS

b, 22| dharma cāriṇim: scrupulosity, comporting yourself | tvām: in you | sarve śaraṇam prapannāḥ smaḥ: [we] all, auspice, we obtained [we are under] | mahātmanā sugrīveṇa: noble-souled one, by Sugreeva | asmākam: for us | yaḥ samayaḥ kṛtaḥ: which, time, made [stipulated] | saḥ kālaḥ: that, time | bile: in cavity | pari vartatām: around, while roving | yatikrānta [vi ati krāntaḥ: verily, over, stepped] we lapsed it. |

TRANSLATION

"We are now under the auspices of your ladyship comporting yourself in scrupulosity. We lapsed the time stipulated for us by the noble-souled Sugreeva by our roving around in this cavity. [4-52-21b, 22]

VERSE 23

सा त्वम् अस्मात् बिलात् अस्मान् उत्तारयितुम् अर्हसि
तस्मात् सुग्रीव वचनात् अतिक्रान्तान् गत आयुषः

sā tvam asmāt bilāt asmān uttārayitum arhasi
tasmāt sugrīva vacanāt atikrāntān gata āyuṣaḥ

SYNONYMS

sā = suc as you are: a righteous lady | tvam: you | tasmāt sugrīva vacanāt atikrāntān: that, Sugreeva's, word [order, of timeframe] overextended | gata āyuṣaḥ: lost [threatened,] with longevity | asmān: us | asmāt bilāt uttārayitum arhasi: from this, cavity, to crossover, apt of you. |

TRANSLATION

"Such as you are, a righteous lady, it will be apt of you to cross us over this cavity, as we have overextended the timeframe fixed by Sugreeva, whereby our longevity itself is threatened. [4-52-23]

VERSE 24

त्रातुम् अर्हसि नः सर्वान् सुग्रीव भय शन्कितान्
महत् च कार्यम् अस्माभिः कर्तव्यम् धर्मचारिणि

trātum arhasi naḥ sarvān sugrīva bhaya śankitān
mahat ca kāryam asmābhiḥ kartavyam dharmacāriṇi

SYNONYMS

, 25a| dharma cāriṇi: oh, prudent lady | sugrīva bhaya śankitān = from ṣugrīva, fear, [ve vho have become] hesitaters: haunted by | naḥ sarvān: us, all | trātum arhasi: to sail through, apt of you | asmābhiḥ: by us | mahat kāryam ca kartavyam: admirable, achievement, also, is achievable | iha vāsibhiḥ = here, living: held up | tat kāryam ca api: that, deed, also, even | na kṛtam: not, done. |

TRANSLATION

"Oh, prudent lady, sail all of us through. We are rendered as hesitaters with the fear from Sugreeva. We still have to achieve an admirable achievement and that deed is also left undone as we are held-up in here." Thus Hanuma spoke to her. [4-52-24, 25a]

VERSE 25

एवम् उक्ता हनुमता तापसी वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्

evam uktā hanumatā tāpasī vākyam abravīt

SYNONYMS

b, 26a| hanumatā evam uktā tāpasī: by Hanuma, thus, she who is said, sainted lady | vākyam abravīt: sentence, said | praviṣṭena = he vho entered: for incomers | jīvatā nivartitum = vhile living, outgoing: from this cavity | duṣkaram manye: impracticable, I believe. |

TRANSLATION

When Hanuma said thus that sainted lady said sentence, "I believe outgoing is impracticable for the incomers in aliveness from this cavity. [4-52-25b, 26a]

VERSE 26

तपसः सुप्रभावेन नियम उपार्जितेन च

tapasaḥ suprabhāvena niyama upārjitena ca

SYNONYMS

b, 27a| niyama upa arjitena: by self-restraints, acquired | tapasaḥ su prabhāvena: by ascesis', sublime, efficacy | sarvān eva vānarān: all of the, thus, vanara-s | asmāt bilāt tārayiṣyāmi = from this, cavity, ī viś to sail them through: make you departure from cavity. |

TRANSLATION

"By the sublime efficacy of ascesis acquired through my practices of numerous self-restraints I wish to sail all of the vanara-s through the incarceration, called this cavity. [4-52-26b, 27a]

VERSE 27

निमीलयत चक्षून्षि सर्वे वानर पुंगवाः

nimīlayata cakṣūnṣi sarve vānara puṃgavāḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 28a| sarve vānara pungavāḥ: all of you, vanara-s, the best | cakṣūnṣi nimīlayata: eyes [eyelids,] close | a nimīlita locanaiḥ: not, shut, with eyes | niṣkramitum: trying to exit | na śakyam hi: not, possible, indeed. |

TRANSLATION

"All of you best vanara-s shall close up your eyelids, for it is indeed impossible to attempt an exit with unclose eyes." Thus that sainted lady said to monkeys. [4-52-27b, 28a]

VERSE 28

ततो निमीलिताः सर्वे सुकुमार अंगुलैः करैः

tato nimīlitāḥ sarve sukumāra aṃgulaiḥ karaiḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 29a| tataḥ: then | gamana kānkṣiṇaḥ: departure, desirers | hṛṣṭā: gladdened | sarve nimīlitāḥ: all, closed [their eyes] | sahasā: immediately | sukumāra angulaiḥ karaiḥ: with delicate, fingered, with hands | dṛṣṭim pidadhuḥ: eyesight, lidded. |

TRANSLATION

Then all of those desirers of departure are gladdened and immediately shut their eyelids, and further they lidded them with their delicately fingered hands. [4-52-28b, 29a]

VERSE 29

वानराः तु महात्मानो हस्त रुद्ध मुखाः तदा

vānarāḥ tu mahātmāno hasta ruddha mukhāḥ tadā

SYNONYMS

b, 30a| tadā: then | hasta ruddha mukhāḥ = vith hands, blocked: covered, with faces | mahātmānaḥ vānarāḥ tu: noble-souled, vanara-s, on their part | [tayā: by her] | tathā: that way | nimeṣa antara mātreṇa: a minute, within, barely | bilāt: from cavity | ut tāritāḥ: up, sailed through. |

TRANSLATION

She then sailed those noble souled vanara-s who covered their faces with their hands through that cavity barely within a minute. [4-52-29b. 30a]

VERSE 30

उवाच सर्वान् तान् तत्र तापसी धर्म चारिणी

uvāca sarvān tān tatra tāpasī dharma cāriṇī

SYNONYMS

b, 31a| dharma cāriṇī = in righteousness, śe vho is conducting herself: a virtuous lady | tāpasī: sainted lady | tatra = there: at the exterior of cavity | tān sarvān uvāca: to them, all, spoke | viṣamāt tasmāt niḥsṛtān: precarious, from that [cavity,] those who came out | samāśvāsya idam abravīt: on comforting, even this, spoke. |

TRANSLATION

That virtuous and sainted lady on comforting all of the monkeys, who are taken out of that precarious cavity, spoke this to them at the exterior of cavity. [4-52-30b, 31a]

VERSE 31

इति वाल्मीकि रामायणे आदि
काव्ये किष्किन्ध काण्डे द्वि पंचाशः सर्गः

iti vālmīki rāmāyaṇe ādi
kāvye kiṣkindha kāṇḍe dvi paṃcāśaḥ sargaḥ

SYNONYMS

b, 32| eṣa: this | śrīmān: magnificent one | nānā druma latā āyutaḥ: with diverse, trees, vines, surrounded by | vindhyaḥ giriḥ: is Vindhya, mountain | eṣa prasavaṇaḥ śailaḥ: this is, Prasravana, [named] mountain | ayam sāgaraḥ mahā udadhiḥ: this one, ocean, vast expanse, of water | vānararṣabhāḥ: oh, Vanara-s, best ones | vaḥ svasti astu: to you, safe, may betide | bhavanam gamiṣyāmi: to [my] mansion, I wish to go [back] | iti uktvā: thus, on saying | svayamprabhā: Swayamprabha | śrīmat tat bilam: ostentatious one, that, cavity | praviveśa: [re] entered. |

TRANSLATION

"This one which is surrounded by diverse trees and vines is the magnificent Vindhya Mountain, this mountain is Prasravana, and this vast expanse of water is the southerly ocean. Now I wish to return to my mansion... oh, best vanara-s, let safety betide you." saying thus Swayamprabha the Sainted Lady, re-entered the ostentatious cavity, called Riksha Bila. [4-52-31b, 32]

PURPORT

The episode of Swayamprabha is usually taken as a matter of fact scene, and almost un-commentated by ancient commentators, but it has some bearing on the import of the famous Vedic saying a-sato maa sat-gamaya, tamaso maa jyotir gamaya, mR^ityor maa a-mR^itam gamaya 'from unreality lead me unto reality, from darkness lead me unto light, from mortality lead me unto immortality...' Here the monkeys on duty have entered a black hole, saw an unreal world, and are on the verge of hunger-deaths, and they want release from the three, viz., darkness, unreality and death. Then a real being Swayamprabha, with her own self-luminosity appeared and gave them the real food, saved them from mortality and led them to luminance from 'their' darkness, rather than from the 'cavity's' darkness. The entry of monkeys into a gloom is the pathless search in their duty, seeing an unreal world is deeming their search as unreal, rather meaningless, and hunger-death is not in their physical aspect, it is the hungering for finding Seetha, as Swayamprabha alone says tarasvinaH vaanaraaH ' mighty monkeys...' as such they are they can sustain for some more days or months without food, but they are mortal and their hope of finding Seetha is now subjected to mortality. In view of these facts they needed a torch, a beacon, a blind-lamp in blinding darkness, called a 'way-out for Seetha's search...' Hanuma is not that diffident a monkey to speak very humble pleasantries as at verses 16 and 17. He addressed the sainted lady, 'as you have led us to light from darkness, also saved us from physical deaths, lead us unto reality, truth, a correct way to reach our destination and let this dying hope in search become immortal in finding Seetha...' Accordingly, Swayamprabha being a godsend transported them to the southerly side of the cavity, avoiding other directions. If they are transported to northern side they have to return to Kishkindha, only to die at the hand of Sugreeva. Why she has transported them to southern side is because, she is sarvaj~na an 'all-knower...' knower of past, present and the future course of Ramayana. On this southern side there is an ocean and whether to cross it or die on that seashore is up to the monkeys. As a torchbearer and illuminator of the gloomy thoughts of monkeys, her role-play is over and she retunes to her cavity. In the next few chapters the monkeys quarrel among themselves, but Hanuma is the only one to learn lesson from Swayamprabha's action in transporting them to this end of ocean, takes lead in future events. Hence, Swayamprabha led Hanuma to the three positives, the truth, luminescence, and liveness of their mission.