उत्तमं जवमास्थाय शेषमध्वानमास्थितः। ततोऽहं सुचिरं कालं जवेनाभ्यगमं पथि
Having assumed the utmost speed, I set out on the remaining path; then, after a long time, I traveled swiftly along the way.
ततः पश्याम्यहं देवीं सुरसां नागमातरम्। समुद्रमध्ये सा देवी वचनं चेदमब्रवीत्
Then I saw the goddess Surasā, mother of the serpents, in the middle of the ocean; that goddess spoke these words to me.
मम भक्ष्यः प्रदिष्टस्त्वममरैर्हरिसत्तम। ततस्त्वां भक्षयिष्यामि विहितस्त्वं हि मे सुरैः
You have been appointed as my food by the gods, O best of monkeys; therefore I will devour you, for you have been assigned to me by the gods.
एवमुक्तः सुरसया प्राञ्जलिः प्रणतः स्थितः। विवर्णवदनो भूत्वा वाक्यं चेदमुदीरयम्
Thus addressed by Surasā, I stood with joined palms, bowing, my face drained of color, and spoke these words.
रामो दाशरथिः श्रीमान् प्रविष्टो दण्डकावनम्। लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा सीतया च परंतपः
Rāma, son of Daśaratha, glorious and mighty, has entered the Daṇḍaka forest with his brother Lakṣmaṇa and his wife Sītā.
तस्य सीता हृता भार्या रावणेन दुरात्मना। तस्याः सकाशं दूतोऽहं गमिष्ये रामशासनात्
His wife Sītā was abducted by the wicked Rāvaṇa; by Rāma's command, I am going as a messenger to her.
कर्तुमर्हसि रामस्य साहाय्यं विषये सती। अथवा मैथिलीं दृष्ट्वा रामं चाक्लिष्टकारिणम्
You ought to assist Rāma in this matter; or, after seeing Maithilī and the blameless Rāma, you may act as you wish.
आगमिष्यामि ते वक्त्रं सत्यं प्रतिशृणोमि ते। एवमुक्ता मया सा तु सुरसा कामरूपिणी
I will enter your mouth and return; I promise you this truly. Thus addressed by me, Surasā, the wish-formed, replied.
अब्रवीन्नातिवर्तेत कश्चिदेष वरो मम। एवमुक्तः सुरसया दशयोजनमायतः
She said, 'No one can surpass this; such is my boon.' Thus addressed by Surasā, I became ten yojanas long.
ततोऽर्धगुणविस्तारो बभूवाहं क्षणेन तु। मत्प्रमाणाधिकं चैव व्यादितं तु मुखं तया
Then, in a moment, I became half as wide as before; and she opened her mouth wider than my own size.
तद् दृष्ट्वा व्यादितं त्वास्यं ह्रस्वं ह्यकरवं पुनः। तस्मिन् मुहूर्ते च पुनर्बभूवाङ्गुष्ठसम्मितः
Seeing her mouth thus opened, I made myself small again; in that instant, I became the size of a thumb.
अभिपत्याशु तद्वक्त्रं निर्गतोऽहं ततः क्षणात् । अब्रवीत् सुरसा देवी स्वेन रूपेण मां पुनः
Swiftly entering her mouth, I came out again in a moment; then the goddess Surasā, in her own form, spoke to me.
अर्थसिद्धौ हरिश्रेष्ठ गच्छ सौम्य यथासुखम्। समानय च वैदेहीं राघवेण महात्मना
O best of monkeys, go, gentle one, and accomplish your purpose as you wish; bring back Vaidehī to the great-souled Rāghava.
सुखी भव महाबाहो प्रीतास्मि तव वानर। ततोऽहं साधुसाध्वीति सर्वभूतैः प्रशंसितः
Be happy, mighty-armed one; I am pleased with you, O monkey. Then I was praised by all beings, saying, 'Well done! Well done!'
ततोऽन्तरिक्षं विपुलं प्लुतोऽहं गरुडो यथा। छाया मे निगृहीता च न च पश्यामि किंचन
Then I soared through the vast sky like Garuḍa; my shadow was seized, but I saw nothing.
सोऽहं विगतवेगस्तु दिशो दश विलोकयन्। न किंचित् तत्र पश्यामि येन मे विहता गतिः
Then, my speed gone, I looked in all ten directions; I saw nothing there by which my movement was hindered.
अथ मे बुद्धिरुत्पन्ना किंनाम गमने मम। ईदृशो विघ्न उत्पन्नो रूपमत्र न दृश्यते
Then a thought arose in me: 'What is this that obstructs my journey? Such an obstacle has appeared, but no form is seen here.'
अधोभागे तु मे दृष्टिः शोचतः पतिता तदा। तत्राद्राक्षमहं भीमां राक्षसीं सलिलेशयाम्
Then, as I grieved, my gaze fell downward, and there I saw a terrifying rākṣasī lying in the water.
प्रहस्य च महानादमुक्तोऽहं भीमया तया। अवस्थितमसम्भ्रान्तमिदं वाक्यमशोभनम्
She let out a great roar of laughter, and, unshaken, I heard her utter these harsh words to me.
क्वासि गन्ता महाकाय क्षुधिताया ममेप्सितः। भक्षः प्रीणय मे देहं चिरमाहारवर्जितम्
"Where are you going, great-bodied one? You are the meal I desire for my hunger. Satisfy me with your body, which has long been deprived of food."
बाढमित्येव तां वाणीं प्रत्यगृह्णामहं ततः। आस्यप्रमाणादधिकं तस्याः कायमपूरयम्
I replied, "So be it," and then I filled her body, which was larger than her mouth could contain.
तस्याश्चास्यं महद् भीमं वर्धते मम भक्षणे। न तु मां सा नु बुबुधे मम वा विकृतं कृतम्
As I was being devoured, her huge and dreadful mouth kept growing, but she did not perceive me, nor did she notice my altered form.
ततोऽहं विपुलं रूपं संक्षिप्य निमिषान्तरात्। तस्या हृदयमादाय प्रपतामि नभःस्थलम्
Then, in a moment, I contracted my vast form, seized her heart, and leapt into the sky.
सा विसृष्टभुजा भीमा पपात लवणाम्भसि। मया पर्वतसंकाशा निकृत्तहृदया सती
That dreadful one, her arms flung out, fell into the salty sea, her heart torn out by me, resembling a mountain.
शृणोमि खगतानां च वाचः सौम्या महात्मनाम्। राक्षसी सिंहिका भीमा क्षिप्रं हनुमता हता
I heard the gentle voices of the great beings moving through the sky: 'The terrible rākṣasī Siṃhikā has swiftly been slain by Hanuman.'
तां हत्वा पुनरेवाहं कृत्यमात्ययिकं स्मरन्। गत्वा च महदध्वानं पश्यामि नगमण्डितम्
Having slain her, I remembered my urgent task, and, after traversing a great distance, I saw a city adorned with mountains.
दक्षिणं तीरमुदधेर्लङ्का यत्र गता पुरी। अस्तं दिनकरे याते रक्षसां निलयं पुरीम्
On the southern shore of the ocean, I reached the city of Lanka, the abode of the rākṣasas, as the sun was setting.
प्रविष्टोऽहमविज्ञातो रक्षोभिर्भीमविक्रमैः। तत्र प्रविशतश्चापि कल्पान्तघनसप्रभा
I entered unnoticed by the rākṣasas of terrible might; and as I entered there, a woman appeared, radiant as a dense cloud at the end of an age.
अट्टहासं विमुञ्चन्ती नारी काप्युत्थिता पुरः। जिघांसन्तीं ततस्तां तु ज्वलदग्निशिरोरुहाम्
A certain woman, letting out a loud, mocking laugh, stood before me, her hair blazing like fire, intent on killing me.
सव्यमुष्टिप्रहारेण पराजित्य सुभैरवाम्। प्रदोषकाले प्रविशं भीतयाहं तयोदितः
With a blow of my left fist, I overcame that fearsome one; and as I entered at dusk, she, frightened, spoke to me.