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—
उवाच हनुमान् वाक्यं तामनिन्दितलोचनाम्। शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नाः स्मः सर्वे वै धर्मचारिणीम्
Hanumān spoke to her, whose eyes were above reproach: 'We have all sought refuge with you, O righteous one.'
यः कृतः समयोऽस्मासु सुग्रीवेण महात्मना। स तु कालो व्यतिक्रान्तो बिले च परिवर्तताम्
'The time agreed upon with the great-souled Sugrīva has now passed; let us return from the cave.'
सा त्वमस्माद् बिलादस्मानुत्तारयितुमर्हसि। तस्मात् सुग्रीववचनादतिक्रान्तान् गतायुषः
'Therefore, you ought to deliver us from this cave, for, by Sugrīva's command, we have exceeded the allotted time and our lives are at risk.'
त्रातुमर्हसि नः सर्वान् सुग्रीवभयशङ्कितान्। महच्च कार्यमस्माभिः कर्तव्यं धर्मचारिणि
'You should save us all, who are fearful of Sugrīva's wrath; and, O righteous one, we have a great task yet to accomplish.'
तच्चापि न कृतं कार्यमस्माभिरिह वासिभिः। एवमुक्ता हनुमता तापसी वाक्यमब्रवीत्
'And that task has not yet been done by us, who dwell here.' Thus addressed by Hanumān, the ascetic woman spoke these words.
जीवता दुष्करं मन्ये प्रविष्टेन निवर्तितुम्। तपसः सुप्रभावेण नियमोपार्जितेन च
I think it is difficult for one who has entered to return alive, except by the great power of asceticism and the discipline acquired through vows.
सर्वानेव बिलादस्मात् तारयिष्यामि वानरान्। निमीलयत चक्षूंषि सर्वे वानरपुङ्गवाः
I will lead all the monkeys out of this cave; all you foremost monkeys, close your eyes.
नहि निष्क्रमितुं शक्यमनिमीलितलोचनैः। ततो निमीलिताः सर्वे सुकुमाराङ्गुलैः करैः
It is not possible to exit with eyes open; then all of them closed their eyes with their delicate-fingered hands.
सहसा पिदधुर्दृष्टिं हृष्टा गमनकांक्षया। वानरास्तु महात्मानो हस्तरुद्धमुखास्तदा
Eager for departure, the delighted monkeys quickly covered their sight; at that time, those great-souled monkeys covered their mouths with their hands.
निमेषान्तरमात्रेण बिलादुत्तारितास्तया। उवाच सर्वांस्तांस्तत्र तापसी धर्मचारिणी
In the span of a blink, she brought them out of the cave; then the ascetic, devoted to righteousness, spoke to them all there.