Svayamprabha and the Enchanted Cave

Shloka 1 (kishkindha.51.1)

इत्युक्त्वा हनुमांस्तत्र पुनः कृष्णाजिनाम्बराम् । अब्रवीत् तां महाभागां तापसीं धर्मचारिणीम् ॥ 51.1 ॥

ityuktvā hanumāṃstatra punaḥ kṛṣṇājināmbarām | abravīt tāṃ mahābhāgāṃ tāpasīṃ dharmacāriṇīm || 51.1 ||

Having said this, Hanuman then again spoke there to that most fortunate and virtuous ascetic woman, clad in a garment of black antelope skin.

Shloka 2 (kishkindha.51.2)

इदं प्रविष्टाः सहसा बिलं तिमिरसंवृतम् । क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्ताः परिखिन्नाश्च सर्वशः ॥ 51.2 ॥

idaṃ praviṣṭāḥ sahasā bilaṃ timirasaṃvṛtam | kṣutpipāsāpariśrāntāḥ parikhinnāśca sarvaśaḥ || 51.2 ||

We suddenly entered this cave enveloped in darkness, exhausted by hunger and thirst, and wearied in every way.

Shloka 3 (kishkindha.51.3)

महद् धरण्या विवरं प्रविष्टाः स्म पिपासिताः । इमांस्त्वेवंविधान् भावान् विविधानद्भुतोपमान् ॥ 51.3 ॥

mahad dharaṇyā vivaraṃ praviṣṭāḥ sma pipāsitāḥ | imāṃstvevaṃvidhān bhāvān vividhānadbhutopamān || 51.3 ||

Thirsty, we entered this great cavity of the earth; and having beheld these various, wondrous, extraordinary sights—

Shloka 4 (kishkindha.51.4)

दृष्ट्वा वयं प्रव्यथिताः सम्भ्रान्ता नष्टचेतसः । कस्यैते काञ्चना वृक्षास्तरुणादित्यसंनिभाः ॥ 51.4 ॥

dṛṣṭvā vayaṃ pravyathitāḥ sambhrāntā naṣṭacetasaḥ | kasyaite kāñcanā vṛkṣāstaruṇādityasaṃnibhāḥ || 51.4 ||

—seeing them, we became agitated, bewildered, and lost our senses: whose are these golden trees, resembling the rising sun?

Shloka 5 (kishkindha.51.5)

शुचीन्यभ्यवहाराणि मूलानि च फलानि च । काञ्चनानि विमानानि राजतानि गृहाणि च ॥ 51.5 ॥

śucīnyabhyavahārāṇi mūlāni ca phalāni ca | kāñcanāni vimānāni rājatāni gṛhāṇi ca || 51.5 ||

Pure edible roots and fruits, golden palaces and silver mansions,

Shloka 6 (kishkindha.51.6)

तपनीयगवाक्षाणि मणिजालावृतानि च । पुष्पिताः फलवन्तश्च पुण्याः सुरभिगन्धयः ॥ 51.6 ॥

tapanīyagavākṣāṇi maṇijālāvṛtāni ca | puṣpitāḥ phalavantaśca puṇyāḥ surabhigandhayaḥ || 51.6 ||

windows of refined gold overlaid with networks of gems; trees in bloom and fruit, sacred and fragrant,

Shloka 7 (kishkindha.51.7)

इमे जाम्बूनदमयाः पादपाः कस्य तेजसा । काञ्चनानि च पद्मानि जातानि विमले जले ॥ 51.7 ॥

ime jāmbūnadamayāḥ pādapāḥ kasya tejasā | kāñcanāni ca padmāni jātāni vimale jale || 51.7 ||

by whose power do these trees of jambunada gold stand, and by whose have golden lotuses grown in this clear water?

Shloka 8 (kishkindha.51.8)

कथं मत्स्याश्च सौवर्णा दृश्यन्ते सह कच्छपैः । आत्मनस्त्वनुभावाद् वा कस्य चैतत्तपोबलम् ॥ 51.8 ॥

kathaṃ matsyāśca sauvarṇā dṛśyante saha kacchapaiḥ | ātmanastvanubhāvād vā kasya caitattapobalam || 51.8 ||

How is it that golden fish are seen along with tortoises? Is this by your own power, or by whose strength of penance is this?

Shloka 9 (kishkindha.51.9)

अजानतां नः सर्वेषां सर्वमाख्यातुमर्हसि । एवमुक्ता हनुमता तापसी धर्मचारिणी ॥ 51.9 ॥

ajānatāṃ naḥ sarveṣāṃ sarvamākhyātumarhasi | evamuktā hanumatā tāpasī dharmacāriṇī || 51.9 ||

'We know nothing of this — you should tell us everything.' Thus addressed by Hanuman, that virtuous ascetic woman,

Shloka 10 (kishkindha.51.10)

प्रत्युवाच हनूमन्तं सर्वभूतहिते रता । मयो नाम महातेजा मायावी दानवर्षभः ॥ 51.10 ॥

pratyuvāca hanūmantaṃ sarvabhūtahite ratā | mayo nāma mahātejā māyāvī dānavarṣabhaḥ || 51.10 ||

—she, who delighted in the welfare of all beings, replied to Hanuman: 'There was a greatly resplendent sorcerer named Maya, chief among demons —

Shloka 11 (kishkindha.51.11)

तेनेदं निर्मितं सर्वं मायया काञ्चनं वनम् । पुरा दानवमुख्यानां विश्वकर्मा बभूव ह ॥ 51.11 ॥

tenedaṃ nirmitaṃ sarvaṃ māyayā kāñcanaṃ vanam | purā dānavamukhyānāṃ viśvakarmā babhūva ha || 51.11 ||

—by him, through his magic, this entire golden forest was fashioned. Long ago he became the Vishvakarma, the architect, for the chief demons.

Shloka 12 (kishkindha.51.12)

येनेदं काञ्चनं दिव्यं निर्मितं भवनोत्तमम् । स तु वर्षसहस्राणि तपस्तप्त्वा महद्वने ॥ 51.12 ॥

yenedaṃ kāñcanaṃ divyaṃ nirmitaṃ bhavanottamam | sa tu varṣasahasrāṇi tapastaptvā mahadvane || 51.12 ||

By him this divine, golden and supreme mansion was built. Having practised austerity for a thousand years in this great forest,

Shloka 13 (kishkindha.51.13)

पितामहाद् वरं लेभे सर्वमौशनसं धनम् । विधाय सर्वं बलवान् सर्वकामेश्वरस्तदा ॥ 51.13 ॥

pitāmahād varaṃ lebhe sarvamauśanasaṃ dhanam | vidhāya sarvaṃ balavān sarvakāmeśvarastadā || 51.13 ||

—he obtained from the Grandsire Brahma the boon of all the wealth of Ushanas [Shukra]. Having accomplished all this, that mighty one, now lord of every desire,

Shloka 14 (kishkindha.51.14)

उवास सुखितः कालं कंचिदस्मिन् महावने । तमप्सरसि हेमायां सक्तं दानवपुङ्गवम् ॥ 51.14 ॥

uvāsa sukhitaḥ kālaṃ kaṃcidasmin mahāvane | tamapsarasi hemāyāṃ saktaṃ dānavapuṅgavam || 51.14 ||

—dwelt happily for a time in this great forest. That foremost of demons, attached to the apsara Hema,

Shloka 15 (kishkindha.51.15)

विक्रम्यैवाशनिं गृह्य जघानेशः पुरंदरः । इदं च ब्रह्मणा दत्तं हेमायै वनमुत्तमम् ॥ 51.15 ॥

vikramyaivāśaniṃ gṛhya jaghāneśaḥ puraṃdaraḥ | idaṃ ca brahmaṇā dattaṃ hemāyai vanamuttamam || 51.15 ||

—Lord Purandara [Indra], seizing his thunderbolt, valorously slew. And this excellent forest was given by Brahma to Hema,

Shloka 16 (kishkindha.51.16)

शाश्वतः कामभोगश्च गृहं चेदं हिरण्मयम् । दुहिता मेरुसावर्णेरहं तस्याः स्वयंप्रभा ॥ 51.16 ॥

śāśvataḥ kāmabhogaśca gṛhaṃ cedaṃ hiraṇmayam | duhitā merusāvarṇerahaṃ tasyāḥ svayaṃprabhā || 51.16 ||

—along with everlasting pleasures and this golden mansion. I am Svayamprabha, daughter of Merusavarni, friend of that same Hema.

Shloka 17 (kishkindha.51.17)

इदं रक्षामि भवनं हेमाया वानरोत्तम । मम प्रियसखी हेमा नृत्तगीतविशारदा ॥ 51.17 ॥

idaṃ rakṣāmi bhavanaṃ hemāyā vānarottama | mama priyasakhī hemā nṛttagītaviśāradā || 51.17 ||

O best of monkeys, I guard this mansion of Hema. Hema, my dear friend, is accomplished in dance and song.

Shloka 18 (kishkindha.51.18)

तयादत्तवरा चास्मि रक्षामि भवनं महत् । किं कार्यं कस्य वा हेतोः कान्ताराणि प्रपद्यथ ॥ 51.18 ॥

tayādattavarā cāsmi rakṣāmi bhavanaṃ mahat | kiṃ kāryaṃ kasya vā hetoḥ kāntārāṇi prapadyatha || 51.18 ||

Granted a boon by her, I guard this great mansion. What is your task, or for what reason have you come into these forests,

Shloka 19 (kishkindha.51.19)

कथं चेदं वनं दुर्गं युष्माभिरुपलक्षितम् । शुचीन्यभ्यवहाराणि मूलानि च फलानि च । भुक्त्वा पीत्वा च पानीयं सर्वं मे वक्तुमर्हसि ॥ 51.19 ॥

kathaṃ cedaṃ vanaṃ durgaṃ yuṣmābhirupalakṣitam | śucīnyabhyavahārāṇi mūlāni ca phalāni ca | bhuktvā pītvā ca pānīyaṃ sarvaṃ me vaktumarhasi || 51.19 ||

—and how did you discover this impenetrable forest? Having eaten these pure edibles, roots and fruits, and drunk the water, you ought to tell me everything.