इत्युक्त्वा हनुमांस्तत्र चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बराम्। अब्रवीत् तां महाभागां तापसीं धर्मचारिणीम्
Having spoken thus, Hanuman addressed that highly fortunate ascetic woman, who wore bark and black antelope skin, and followed the path of righteousness.
इदं प्रविष्टाः सहसा बिलं तिमिरसंवृतम्। क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्ताः परिखिन्नाश्च सर्वशः
'We entered this cave suddenly, shrouded in darkness, exhausted by hunger, thirst, and fatigue.'
महद् धरण्या विवरं प्रविष्टाः स्म पिपासिताः। इमांस्त्वेवंविधान् भावान् विविधानद्भुतोपमान्
'We have entered a great opening in the earth, parched with thirst, and have seen these various wondrous things.'
दृष्ट्वा वयं प्रव्यथिताः सम्भ्रान्ता नष्टचेतसः। कस्यैते काञ्चना वृक्षास्तरुणादित्यसंनिभाः
'Seeing all this, we are disturbed, confused, and our minds are lost. Whose are these golden trees, shining like the rising sun?'
शुचीन्यभ्यवहाराणि मूलानि च फलानि च। काञ्चनानि विमानानि राजतानि गृहाणि च
'These pure foods, roots and fruits, golden palaces, and silver houses—whose are they?'
तपनीयगवाक्षाणि मणिजालावृतानि च। पुष्पिताः फलवन्तश्च पुण्याः सुरभिगन्धयः
'With golden windows and lattices of jewels, these houses are surrounded by blossoming, fruitful, and fragrant trees.'
इमे जाम्बूनदमयाः पादपाः कस्य तेजसा। काञ्चनानि च पद्मानि जातानि विमले जले
'Whose power has produced these trees made of Jāmbūnada gold? And these golden lotuses growing in the clear water?'
कथं मत्स्याश्च सौवर्णा दृश्यन्ते सह कच्छपैः। आत्मनस्त्वनुभावाद् वा कस्य चैतत्तपोबलम्
'How is it that golden fish are seen here together with turtles? Is this the result of your own power, or someone else's ascetic energy?'
अजानतां नः सर्वेषां सर्वमाख्यातुमर्हसि। एवमुक्ता हनुमता तापसी धर्मचारिणी
'Since we do not know, you should tell us everything.' Thus addressed by Hanuman, the ascetic woman who followed righteousness spoke.
प्रत्युवाच हनूमन्तं सर्वभूतहिते रता। मयो नाम महातेजा मायावी वानरर्षभ
She replied to Hanuman, who is devoted to the welfare of all beings: 'O foremost of monkeys, there was a mighty and magical being named Maya.'
तेनेदं निर्मितं सर्वं मायया काञ्चनं वनम्। पुरा दानवमुख्यानां विश्वकर्मा बभूव ह
By him, this entire golden forest was created through his illusion; in ancient times, he was the chief architect for the leaders of the Dānavas, like Viśvakarman.
येनेदं काञ्चनं दिव्यं निर्मितं भवनोत्तमम्। स तु वर्षसहस्राणि तपस्तप्त्वा महद्वने
It was he who constructed this golden, divine, and most excellent mansion; after performing severe austerities for thousands of years in the great forest.
पितामहाद् वरं लेभे सर्वमौशनसं धनम्। विधाय सर्वं बलवान् सर्वकामेश्वरस्तदा
He obtained a boon from the Grandsire (Brahmā) of all the wealth of the descendants of Uśanas; and, having accomplished everything, he became powerful and lord of all desires.
उवास सुखितः कालं कंचिदस्मिन् महावने। तमप्सरसि हेमायां सक्तं दानवपुङ्गवम्
He dwelled happily for some time in this great forest; that foremost of Dānavas became attached to the Apsaras Hemā.
विक्रम्यैवाशनिं गृह्य जघानेशः पुरंदरः। इदं च ब्रह्मणा दत्तं हेमायै वनमुत्तमम्
But Indra, the lord, struck him down with his thunderbolt after a great struggle; and this excellent forest was given by Brahmā to Hemā.
शाश्वतः कामभोगश्च गृहं चेदं हिरण्मयम्। दुहिता मेरुसावर्णेरहं तस्याः स्वयंप्रभा
This eternal enjoyment of pleasures and this golden mansion were granted; I am Svayamprabhā, daughter of Merusāvarṇa, and she is my mother.
इदं रक्षामि भवनं हेमाया वानरोत्तम। मम प्रियसखी हेमा नृत्तगीतविशारदा
O best of monkeys, I protect this mansion of Hemā; Hemā, my dear friend, is skilled in dance and song.
तयादत्तवरा चास्मि रक्षामि भवनं महत्। किं कार्यं कस्य वा हेतोः कान्ताराणि प्रपद्यथ
Blessed with a boon from her, I guard this great mansion; tell me, for what purpose and for whose sake have you entered this wilderness?
कथं चेदं वनं दुर्गं युष्माभिरुपलक्षितम्। शुचीन्यभ्यवहाराणि मूलानि च फलानि च। भुक्त्वा पीत्वा च पानीयं सर्वं मे वक्तुमर्हसि
How did you come to see this difficult and inaccessible forest? Having eaten pure roots and fruits and drunk water, you must tell me everything.
thumb|द्विपञ्चाशः सर्गः श्रूयताम्|center श्रीमद्वाल्मीकियरामायणे किष्किन्धाकाण्डे द्विपञ्चाशः सर्गः ॥४-
Hear now the fifty-second sarga in the glorious Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, in the Kiṣkindhā Kāṇḍa.
अथ तानब्रवीत् सर्वान् विश्रान्तान् हरियूथपान्। इदं वचनमेकाग्रा तापसी धर्मचारिणी
Then, as all the monkey leaders rested, the ascetic woman, steadfast in righteousness, addressed them with these words.
वानरा यदि वः खेदः प्रणष्टः फलभक्षणात्। यदि चैतन्मया श्राव्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तां कथाम्
'Monkeys, if your fatigue has been relieved by eating fruits, and if it is appropriate for me to hear, I wish to listen to your story.'
तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। आर्जवेन यथातत्त्वमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे
Hearing her words, Hanuman, son of the Wind, began to recount everything truthfully and straightforwardly.
राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य महेन्द्रवरुणोपमः। रामो दाशरथिः श्रीमान् प्रविष्टो दण्डकावनम्
'The king of all the world, Rāma, son of Daśaratha, resplendent and equal to Mahendra and Varuṇa, has entered the Daṇḍaka forest.'
लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा वैदेह्या सह भार्यया। तस्य भार्या जनस्थानाद् रावणेन हृता बलात्
'With his brother Lakṣmaṇa and his wife Sītā, he entered; his wife was seized by Rāvaṇa by force from Janasthāna.'
वीरस्तस्य सखा राज्ञः सुग्रीवो नाम वानरः। राजा वानरमुख्यानां येन प्रस्थापिता वयम्
'A heroic friend of that king is Sugrīva, a monkey, the king of the foremost monkeys, by whom we have been sent.'
अगस्त्यचरितामाशां दक्षिणां यमरक्षिताम्। सहैभिर्वानरैर्मुख्यैरङ्गदप्रमुखैर्वयम्
'With these leading monkeys, headed by Aṅgada, we have come to the southern quarter, protected by Yama, and sanctified by Agastya.'
रावणं सहिताः सर्वे राक्षसं कामरूपिणम्। सीतया सह वैदेह्या मार्गध्वमिति चोदिताः
All of us were instructed: 'Search for Rāvaṇa, the rākṣasa who can assume any form at will, together with Sītā, the daughter of Videha.'
विचित्य तु वनं सर्वं समुद्रं दक्षिणां दिशम्। वयं बुभुक्षिताः सर्वे वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रिताः
Having searched the entire forest and the southern direction up to the ocean, we all, hungry, took shelter at the root of a tree.
विवर्णवदनाः सर्वे सर्वे ध्यानपरायणाः। नाधिगच्छामहे पारं मग्नाश्चिन्तामहार्णवे
All of us, our faces pale and absorbed in thought, are unable to find a way across, submerged in the great ocean of anxiety.