As night descended upon Lanka, the wise monkey Hanuman gazed upward and saw the moon, radiant in the sky, spreading its silvery light across the world. It rose and set again and again, wandering like a maddened bull in a vast pasture. The cool rays of the moon washed over the earth, destroying sins and stirring the great ocean, illuminating all beings as it approached. Just as Lakshmi shines on earth atop Mandara, or in the ocean at dusk, or among lotuses floating in water, so too did she shine beautifully with the moon in the sky. The moon shone with a splendor comparable to a swan in a silver cage, a lion in a Mandara cave, or a hero atop a proud elephant—its brilliance was unmatched in the heavens. The blessed moon, spotless and radiant, free from dew, frost, and the shadow of great planets, shone forth with unblemished brilliance. It shone as a lion upon reaching a rocky plateau, as an elephant in a great forest, or as a king upon attaining his kingdom. At its rising, the blessed twilight, radiant as heaven, dispelled the darkness, drove away the growing rakshasas and flesh-eaters, and soothed minds delighted by the thought of Rama. The strains of stringed instruments, pleasing to the ear, resounded throughout the city. Noble women, well-conducted, slept beside their husbands, while night-wanderers of wondrous and fierce nature set out to revel. Hanuman, the wise one, beheld clans intoxicated and disordered, crowded with chariots, horses, and splendid seats, filled with the glory of heroes. They reproached each other excessively, flung their stout arms about, uttered incoherent speech, and, being drunk, insulted one another. The demons tossed their chests and limbs upon their beloveds, displayed their various forms, and brandished their strong bows. Hanuman saw beloved women embracing, others sleeping, some laughing with beautiful faces, and others sighing deeply in anger. The city shone with great elephants trumpeting, with honored and well-seated ones, and with heroes sighing, like pools where serpents breathe out. He observed demons of foremost intelligence, with splendid names, devoted to their duties, leaders of the world, of various kinds and beautiful appellations. Seeing those handsome ones, endowed with many virtues befitting their nature, shining, Hanuman rejoiced; yet he also saw some who were deformed. Then he saw women worthy of the highest honor, pure in disposition, dignified, attached to their beloveds and to drinking, shining like stars in their own nature. He saw some women, radiant, embraced by their lovers at midnight, some embraced by companions, just as birds are embraced by other birds. Again, he saw others seated on upper terraces, comfortably reclining in their beloveds' laps, devoted to their husbands, intent on righteousness, and some seated with desire. Some, uncovered, shone with the hue of golden lotuses; some, of supreme worth, with the color of refined gold; again, some with the luster of moonlight, their beauty diminished by separation from their beloved, yet with lovely limbs. Those who had attained their dear ones, delightful to the mind, filled with great joy and happiness, rejoicing in their homes, supremely charming—the heroic monkey beheld these women. He saw faces radiant as the moon, with curved, beautiful eyelashes and lovely eyes, adorned with garlands of ornaments, charming as garlands of a hundred lotus-lakes. But amidst all this, Hanuman did not see Sita, supremely noble, born in a royal house, slender as a blossoming vine, noble in mind. Yet he saw her established on the ancient path, with eyes like those of a doe, possessed by longing, her husband's glorious mind entered into her, always distinguished above all other women. Afflicted by heat, her throat stained with tears, once adorned with the finest necklaces, with beautiful eyelashes and a deeply colored throat, she seemed like a blue-necked bird dancing in the forest. She appeared like a faint line of the moon, indistinct; like a golden streak covered with dust; like a scarred and healed mark; like a line of cloud bent by the wind. Not seeing Sita, the wife of Rama—the foremost among speakers and men—Hanuman was overcome by sorrow after a long time, like one exhausted after a brief respite. Let the sixth chapter be heard. Assuming whatever form he wished, Hanuman moved freely among the palaces, exploring Lanka with great agility. Radiant with fortune, he approached the residence of the king of the rakshasas, encircled by a shining wall the color of the sun. Guarded by fierce rakshasas, like a great forest by lions, Hanuman gazed at the palace as it shone, adorned with splendid silver-plated gateways decorated with gold, surrounded by varied courtyards and beautiful doors. The palace was attended by mighty elephant-riders and brave, tireless warriors, with invincible horses and charioteers assembled there. It was filled with many precious jewels, adorned with seats of the highest value, and crowded with great charioteers and grand thrones. All around, splendid and noble sights abounded, with countless various animals and birds. Securely guarded by disciplined inner guards and rakshasas, and entirely filled with chief and excellent women, the residence of the king of the rakshasas was radiant with joyful, beautiful women, and resounded like the ocean with the clamor of splendid ornaments. That palace, endowed with royal virtues and fragrant with the finest sandalwood, was crowded with great people, like a vast forest with lions. It resounded with drums and mridangas, echoed with the blast of conches, was always worshipped on festival days, and constantly honored by the rakshasas. Deep as the ocean, with a roar like the sea, was the great mansion of the high-souled one, furnished with vast treasures. The great monkey saw the mansion filled with precious jewels, shining in splendor, crowded with elephants, horses, and chariots.