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.
चारयन्तस्ततश्चक्षुर्दृष्टवन्तो महद् बिलम्। लतापादपसंछन्नं तिमिरेण समावृतम्
Then, as we cast our eyes about, we saw a great cave, concealed by creepers and trees, shrouded in darkness.
अस्माद्धंसा जलक्लिन्नाः पक्षैः सलिलरेणुभिः। कुरराः सारसाश्चैव निष्पतन्ति पतत्त्रिणः
From that place, swans with wings wet from water, along with cranes and herons, were flying out, their feathers sprinkled with droplets.
साध्वत्र प्रविशामेति मया तूक्ताः प्लवङ्गमाः। तेषामपि हि सर्वेषामनुमानमुपागतम्
'It is safe to enter here,' I said to the monkeys; for all of them had come to the same conclusion.
अस्मिन् निपतिताः सर्वेऽप्यथ कार्यत्वरान्विताः। ततो गाढं निपतिता गृह्य हस्तैः परस्परम्
All of us, intent on our task, entered there; then, holding each other's hands tightly, we descended deeply.
इदं प्रविष्टाः सहसा बिलं तिमिरसंवृतम्। एतन्नः कार्यमेतेन कृत्येन वयमागताः
We suddenly entered this cave, enveloped in darkness; it is for this purpose that we have come here.
त्वां चैवोपगताः सर्वे परिद्यूना बुभुक्षिताः। आतिथ्यधर्मदत्तानि मूलानि च फलानि च
And now, all of us, distressed and hungry, have come to you; you have given us roots and fruits in accordance with the law of hospitality.
अस्माभिरुपयुक्तानि बुभुक्षापरिपीडितैः। यत् त्वया रक्षिताः सर्वे म्रियमाणा बुभुक्षया
We, tormented by hunger, have eaten them; it is by you that all of us, dying of hunger, have been preserved.
ब्रूहि प्रत्युपकारार्थं किं ते कुर्वन्तु वानराः। एवमुक्ता तु सर्वज्ञा वानरैस्तैः स्वयंप्रभा
Tell us, for the sake of requital, what the monkeys may do for you; thus addressed by the monkeys, Svayamprabhā, who knows all, replied.
प्रत्युवाच ततः सर्वानिदं वानरयूथपान्। सर्वेषां परितुष्टास्मि वानराणां तरस्विनाम्
Then she spoke these words to all the monkey chiefs: 'I am fully satisfied with all these energetic monkeys.'
चरन्त्या मम धर्मेण न कार्यमिह केनचित्। एवमुक्तः शुभं वाक्यं तापस्या धर्मसंहितम्
'As I live by my own dharma, I have no business here with anyone.' Thus addressed with these auspicious, righteous words by the ascetic lady—