अवकाशो न साम्नस्तु राक्षसेष्वभिगम्यते। न दानस्य न भेदस्य नैव युद्धस्य दृश्यते
Among the rakshasas, there is no scope for conciliation, nor for gifts, nor for division, nor even for battle.
चतुर्णामेव हि गतिर्वानराणां तरस्विनाम्। वालिपुत्रस्य नीलस्य मम राज्ञश्च धीमतः
Only four swift monkeys have a way: the son of Vali, Nila, myself, and the wise king.
यावज्जानामि वैदेहीं यदि जीवति वा न वा। तत्रैव चिन्तयिष्यामि दृष्ट्वा तां जनकात्मजाम्
Until I know whether Vaidehi lives or not, I will think there, after seeing Janaka's daughter.
ततः स चिन्तयामास मुहूर्तं कपिकुञ्जरः। गिरेः शृङ्गे स्थितस्तस्मिन् रामस्याभ्युदयं ततः
Then, the elephant among monkeys, standing on that mountain peak, pondered for a moment about Rama's success.
अनेन रूपेण मया न शक्या रक्षसां पुरी। प्रवेष्टुं राक्षसैर्गुप्ता क्रूरैर्बलसमन्वितैः
With this form, I cannot enter the city of the rakshasas, guarded by cruel and powerful rakshasas.
महौजसो महावीर्या बलवन्तश्च राक्षसाः। वञ्चनीया मया सर्वे जानकीं परिमार्गता
All the rakshasas, mighty, powerful, and of great energy, must be deceived by me as I search for Janaki.
लक्ष्यालक्ष्येण रूपेण रात्रौ लंकापुरी मया। प्राप्तकालं प्रवेष्टुं मे कृत्यं साधयितुं महत्
With a form visible and invisible, at night, I must enter Lanka at the right time, to accomplish my great task.
तां पुरीं तादृशीं दृष्ट्वा दुराधर्षां सुरासुरैः। हनूमांश्चिन्तयामास विनिःश्वस्य मुहुर्मुहुः
Seeing that city, so formidable, unconquerable by gods and demons, Hanuman pondered, sighing again and again.
केनोपायेन पश्येयं मैथिलीं जनकात्मजाम्। अदृष्टो राक्षसेन्द्रेण रावणेन दुरात्मना
By what means could I see Maithili, Janaka's daughter, unseen by Ravana, the wicked king of rakshasas?
न विनश्येत् कथं कार्यं रामस्य विदितात्मनः। एकामेकस्तु पश्येयं रहिते जनकात्मजाम्
How could Rama's purpose, who knows himself, not be lost? Alone, I must see Janaka's daughter in secret.
भूताश्चार्था विनश्यन्ति देशकालविरोधिताः। विक्लवं दूतमासाद्य तमः सूर्योदये यथा
Purposes perish when opposed by place and time, encountering a timid messenger, as darkness at sunrise.
अर्थानर्थान्तरे बुद्धिर्निश्चितापि न शोभते। घातयन्तीह कार्याणि दूताः पण्डितमानिनः
Even a decision made with discernment between gain and loss does not shine, if it destroys the intended purpose; messengers who think themselves wise ruin matters here.
न विनश्येत् कथं कार्यं वैक्लव्यं न कथं भवेत्। लङ्घनं च समुद्रस्य कथं नु न भवेद् वृथा
How can the task not be lost, how can faint-heartedness not arise, and how can crossing the ocean not become futile?
मयि दृष्टे तु रक्षोभी रामस्य विदितात्मनः। भवेद् व्यर्थमिदं कार्यं रावणानर्थमिच्छतः
If I am seen by the demons, this mission will become useless for Ravana, who seeks harm, and for Rama, who knows his own self.
नहि शक्यं क्वचित् स्थातुमविज्ञातेन राक्षसैः। अपि राक्षसरूपेण किमुतान्येन केनचित्
It is not possible to remain anywhere without being detected by the demons, even in the form of a demon—how much less in any other form.
वायुरप्यत्र नाज्ञातश्चरेदिति मतिर्मम। नह्यत्राविदितं किंचिद् रक्षसां भीमकर्मणाम्
Even the wind, in my view, could not move here unnoticed; for nothing is unknown to these demons of terrible deeds.
इहाहं यदि तिष्ठामि स्वेन रूपेण संवृतः। विनाशमुपयास्यामि भर्तुरर्थश्च हास्यति
If I remain here in my own form, concealed, I will meet with destruction, and my master's purpose will be lost.
तदहं स्वेन रूपेण रजन्यां ह्रस्वतां गतः। लंकामभिपतिष्यामि राघवस्यार्थसिद्धये
Therefore, I will enter Lanka at night, having assumed a small form, for the accomplishment of Raghava's purpose.
रावणस्य पुरीं रात्रौ प्रविश्य सुदुरासदाम्। प्रविश्य भवनं सर्वं द्रक्ष्यामि जनकात्मजाम्
Entering Ravana's city at night, which is very difficult to approach, I will enter every palace and see the daughter of Janaka.
इति निश्चित्य हनुमान् सूर्यस्यास्तमयं कपिः। आचकाङ्क्षे तदा वीरो वैदेह्या दर्शनोत्सुकः
Having resolved thus, Hanuman, the monkey, eager to see Vaidehi, then awaited the setting of the sun.
सूर्ये चास्तं गते रात्रौ देहं संक्षिप्य मारुतिः। वृषदंशकमात्रोऽथ बभूवाद्भुतदर्शनः
When the sun had set and night had come, the son of the wind contracted his body and became the size of a cat, appearing wondrous to behold.
प्रदोषकाले हनुमांस्तूर्णमुत्पत्य वीर्यवान्। प्रविवेश पुरीं रम्यां प्रविभक्तमहापथाम्
At twilight, Hanuman, full of vigor, quickly leapt up and entered the beautiful city, with its great roads clearly divided.
प्रासादमालाविततां स्तम्भैः काञ्चनसंनिभैः। शातकुम्भनिभैर्जालैर्गन्धर्वनगरोपमाम्
Adorned with rows of palaces, with pillars shining like gold, with lattices resembling refined gold, the city resembled the city of the Gandharvas.
सप्तभौमाष्टभौमैश्च स ददर्श महापुरीम्। तलैः स्फटिकसंकीर्णैः कार्तस्वरविभूषितैः
He saw the great city with seven- and eight-storied buildings, their floors inlaid with crystal and decorated with gold.
वैदूर्यमणिचित्रैश्च मुक्ताजालविभूषितैः। तैस्तैः शुशुभिरे तानि भवनान्यत्र रक्षसाम्
With intricate patterns of beryl gems and adorned with strings of pearls, those mansions of the demons shone in various ways.
काञ्चनानि विचित्राणि तोरणानि च रक्षसाम्। लंकामुद्योतयामासुः सर्वतः समलंकृताम्
The wondrous golden gateways of the demons illuminated Lanka on all sides, fully adorned.
अचिन्त्यामद्भुताकारां दृष्ट्वा लंकां महाकपिः। आसीद् विषण्णो हृष्टश्च वैदेह्या दर्शनोत्सुकः
Seeing Lanka, of inconceivable and marvelous form, the great monkey was both despondent and delighted, eager to see Vaidehi.
स पाण्डुराविद्धविमानमालिनीं महार्हजाम्बूनदजालतोरणाम्। यशस्विनीं रावणबाहुपालितां क्षपाचरैर्भीमबलैः सुपालिताम्
He saw the city adorned with white-towered palaces, with gateways made of precious gold, renowned, guarded by Ravana's arms, and well protected by night-wandering demons of terrible strength.
चन्द्रोऽपि साचिव्यमिवास्य कुर्वं- स्तारागणैर्मध्यगतो विराजन्। ज्योत्स्नावितानेन वितत्य लोका- नुत्तिष्ठतेऽनेकसहस्ररश्मिः
Even the moon, shining among the stars, seemed to act as her companion, rising with its many thousand rays, spreading a veil of moonlight over the worlds.
शङ्खप्रभं क्षीरमृणालवर्ण- मुद्गच्छमानं व्यवभासमानम्। ददर्श चन्द्रं स कपिप्रवीरः पोप्लूयमानं सरसीव हंसम्
That foremost of monkeys saw the moon, shining with the radiance of a conch, white as milk or the fiber of a lotus, rising and glowing, like a swan lifting itself from a lake.