Book IV : Kishkindha Kanda - The Empire of Holy Monkeys
The legend of Black Cave is informed to Hanuma and others by Swayamprabha, the sainted lady who safeguards the paradisaical creation of a demon named Maya. Maya crafted this cave as a heaven on earth, for which the infuriated Indra eliminated Maya. Hema, an apsara, nymphal-virtuoso accords this fantastic creation to Swayamprabha. Swayamprabha offers hospitality to all the monkeys who entered that cave. |
iti uktvaa hanumaan tatra punaH kR^iSNa ajina a.mbaraam |
abraviit taam mahaabhaagaam taapasiim dharma caariNiim || 4-51-1
1. iti+uktvaa+hanumaan+tatra= thus, on saying, Hanuma, there; punaH+kR^iSNa+ajina+ ambaraam= again, to one with black deer, skin, dressed in; abraviit+taam+mahaabhaagaam= spoke, to her, most reverential lady; taapasiim+dharma+caariNiim= sainted lady, in probity, conducting herself.
Thus, Hanuma on saying therein [that subject,] again spoke to that most reverential and sainted lady who is dressed in black deerskin and conducting herself in probity. [4-51-1]
idam praviSTaaH sahasaa bilam timira sa.mvR^itam |
kSut pipaasaa parishraa.ntaaH parikhinnaaH ca sarvashaH || 4-51-2
2. idam+[vayam] praviSTaaH+sahasaa= here, [we,] entered, suddenly; bilam+timira+ samvR^itam= cavity, with darkness, overspread; kSut+pipaasaa+ parishraantaaH= with hunger, thirst, overtired; pari khinnaaH + ca+sarvashaH= overawed, also, anywise.
"Overtired with hunger and thirst we are overawed anywise, and we suddenly entered this cavity, which is overspread with darkness..." [Thus Hanuma is speaking to her.] [4-51-2]
mahat dharaNyaa vivaram praviSTaaH sma pipaasitaaH |
imaam tu evam vidhaan bhaavaan vividhaan adbhuta upamaan || 4-51-3
dR^iSTvaa vayam pravyathitaaH sa.mbhraa.ntaa naSTa cetasaH |
kasya ete kaa.ncanaa vR^ikSaaH taruNa aaditya sannibhaaH || 4-51-4
3, 4. mahat+dharaNyaa+vivaram= extensive, earth's, hollow; praviSTaaH+sma+ pipaasitaaH= entered, we, thirstily; imaam+tu+evam+vidhaan+bhaavaan= these, but, this, kind of, mansion; vividhaan+adbhuta + upamaan = diverse, marvel, similar [marvellous ones]; dR^iSTvaa+vayam+pravyathitaaH+ sambhraantaa + naSTa+cetasaH= on seeing, we are, verily agitated, verily amazed, lost, hearts [agonised]; kasya+ ete+ kaancanaa +vR^ikSaaH= whose, all these, golden, trees; taruNa+ aaditya+ sannibhaaH= young, sun, splendent like.
"We entered this extensive hollow of earth thirstily, but on seeing this kind of these diverse and marvellous mansions we are verily amazed [presuming that this is a dominion of some demon,] and we are agitated [in not knowing dos and don'ts,] and agonised [at our incarceration...] whose trees are all these golden ones, splendent like young sun... [4-51-3, 4]
shuciini abhyavahaar.hyaaNi muulaani ca phalaani ca |
kaa.ncanaani vimaanaani raajataani gR^ihaaNi ca || 4-51-5
tapaniiya gava akSaaNi maNi jaala aavR^itaani ca |
5, 6a shuciini+abhyavahaaryaaNi= depurated, edibles; muulaani+ca+phalaani+ca= tubers, also, fruits, also; kaancanaani+vimaanaani= golden, aircrafts; raajataani+gR^ihaaNi+ca= silvern, mansion, also; tapaniiya+ gavaakSaaNi= molten god [golden,] ventilators; maNi+jaala +aavR^itaani+ca= jewelly, laces, overspread [encased,] also.
"The edibles, tubers, and fruits are all depurated... golden are the aircrafts... mansions silvern... ventilators golden and encased in jewelly laces... [4-51-5, 6a]
puSpitaaH phaalavantaH ca puNyaaH surabhi gandhayaH || 4-51-6
ime jaa.mbuunadamayaaH paadapaaH kasya tejasaa |
6b, 7a. puSpitaaH+phaalavantaH+ca= flowered, fruited, also; puNyaaH+surabhi+ gandhayaH= auspicious, scented, aromatically; ime+jaambuunadamayaaH+paadapaaH = these, completely golden, trees; kasya+ tejasaa= by whose, splendour.
"Flowered and fruited and also aromatically scented are these auspicious and completely golden trees... by whose splendour [they are rendered thus?] [4-51-6b, 7a]
kaa.ncanaani ca padmaani jaataani vimale jale || 4-51-7
katham matsyaaH ca sauvarNaa dR^ishyante saha kacChapaiH |
7b, 8a. kaancanaani+ca+padmaani= golden, also, lotuses; jaataani+vimale+jale= born, in limpid, water; katham+matsyaaH+ca+sauvarNaa= how, fishes, also, are golden; dR^ishyante+ saha+kacChapaiH= ostensibly, with, tortoises.
"Also how the lotuses born in limpid water are golden, and how the fishes along with tortoises are ostensibly golden? [4-51-7b, 8a]
aatmaanaH anubhaavaat vaa kasya vai etat tapo balam || 4-51-8
ajaanataam naH sarveSaam sarvam aakhyaatum ar.hhasi |
8b, 9a. aatmaanaH+anu+bhaavaat+vaa= of yours, innate, owing to prodigy, or; kasya+vai+ etat+tapaH + balam= whose, indeed, all this, ascesis', prowess; a+jaanataam+naH+ sarveSaam= not, knowing [oblivious of,] us, all of; sarvam+aakhyaatum+arhasi= all of it, to narrate, apt of you.
"Or, is all this owing to the innate prodigy of yours or to whose ascesis' prowess all this is owed... as all of us are oblivious of it, so it will be apt of you to narrate all of it..." [Thus Hanuma requested that sainted lady.] [4-51-8b, 9a]
evam uktaa hanumataa taapasii dharma caariNii || 4-51-9
prati uvaaca hanuuma.ntam sarva bhuuta hite rataa |
9b, 10a. evam+uktaa+hanumataa= thus, she is addressed, by Hanuma; taapasii+dharma+ caariNii= sainted lady, righteous, of conduct; prati+uvaaca+hanuumantam= in turn, spoke [replied,] to Hanuma; sarva+bhuuta+hite+rataa= all, beings, in well-being, blissful one.
Thus when Hanuma addressed her, that sainted lady, and a blissful one in the well being of all the beings, she replied Hanuma. [4-51-9b, 10a]
mayo naama mahaatejaa maayaavii daanavarSabhaH || 4-51-10
tena idam nirmitam sarvam maayayaa kaa.ncanam vanam |
10b, 11a. mayaH+naama+mahaatejaa [aasiit]= Maya, named, great-resplendent one [a marvellous fantasist] [was there]; maayaavii+daanava+R^iSabhaH= a wizard, demon, bullish; tena+idam+nirmitam= by him, this is, constructed; sarvam+maayayaa+kaancanam+vanam= all this, with expertise in illusiveness [phenomenal expertise,] golden, woodland.
"A marvellous fantasist by name Maya was there, a bullish demon of wizardry and by him with his phenomenal expertise all this golden woodland is constructed..." [Thus, that sainted lady started her narration.] [4-51-10b]
puraa daanava mukhyaanaam vishvakarmaa babhuuva ha || 4-51-11
yena idam kaa.ncanam divyam nirmitam bhavana uttamam |
11b, 12a. puraa+daanava+mukhyaanaam= once, for demons, lords; vishva+karmaa+babhuuva+ ha= universal, craftsman, [he] became, indeed; yena+idam+kaancanam+divyam= by whom, this, golden, heavenly; nirmitam+bhavana+uttamam= constructed, mansion, superb.
"Once he was the Universal Craftsman to the lords of demons by whom this divinely golden and superb mansion was constructed... [4-51-11]
sa tu varSa sahasraaNi tapaH taptvaa mahat vane || 4-51-12
pitaamahaat varam lebhe sarvam aushasanam dhanam |
12b, 13a saH+tu+varSa+sahasraaNi= he, but, years, thousands; tapaH+taptvaa+mahat+vane= ascesis, on practising, in [this] horrendous, forest; pitaamahaat+varam+lebhe= from Forefather [Brahma,] boon, obtained; sarvam+aushasanam+dhanam= entire, of Sage Shukra, wealth [the architecture or, the wealth of immoderate beseechers of wealth.]
"But he on practising ascesis for thousands of years in this horrendous forest, obtained a boon from Brahma, the Forefather, [which entails acquirement of] entire wealth of Sage Shukra...
Or
"But he on practising ascesis for thousands of years in this horrendous forest, obtained a boon from Brahma, the Forefather, [which entails acquirement of] entire wealth of those people, who immoderately and avariciously beseech all the available gods, to accord all wealth to them only...[4-51-12b, 13a]
Comment: Sage Shukra, better known as Shukraacaarya, is the mentor and clan-priest of demons. He was an astounding expert to canonise the Architectural Engineering, creating paradisiacal constructions, materialising materials just from out of thin air and the like. Likewise, many humans beseech gods near at hand, to bestow wealth as godsend without an iota of their personal strain, with a confidence that when Shukraacaarya could deliver material comforts to demons from out of thin air, gods must also be bestowing riches on them, as gods have no other function than this. Hence, this demon Maya, being a demon, wanted to loot the wealth of his own demon-priest Shukraacaarya, viz., the Architectural Engineering. And Brahma granted it, as a crosswise benefit to gods.
vidhaaya sarvam balavaan sarva kaama iishvaraH tadaa || 4-51-13
uvaasa sukhitaH kaalam ka.mcit asmin mahaavane |
13b, 14a. vidhaaya+sarvam+balavaan= methodised, everything, dynamic one; sarva+kaama+iishvaraH + tadaa= all, wishes, ruler of [invested with privileges for all wishes,] then; uvaasa+ sukhitaH= resided, comfortably; kaalam+kamcit+asmin+mahaavane= time, some, in this, great, forest.
"That dynamic one methodised everything and then resided comfortably in this great forest for some time, privileged with all his wishes... [4-51-13b, 14a]
tam apsarasi hemaayaam saktam daanava pu.ngavam || 4-51-14
vikramya eva ashanim gR^ihya jaghaana iishaH pura.ndaraH |
14b, 15a. tam+apsarasi+hemaayaam+saktam= him [demon Maya,] in apsara, [the paradisiacal nymph,] with Hema, engaged with; daanava+pungavam= demon, eminent one; vikramya+eva+ ashanim+ gR^ihya= charging, thus, Thunderbolt, on taking; jaghaana+iishaH+purandaraH= eliminated, administrator [of worlds,] enemy-strongholds destroyer, namely Indra.
"Indra, the Administrator of Worlds and destroyer of enemy citadels, on taking His Thunderbolt eliminated Maya, when that eminent demon was engaged with an apsara, a paradisiacal nymph, called Hema... [4-51-14b, 15a]
idam ca brahmaNaa dattam hemaayai vanam uttamam || 4-51-15
shaashvataH kaama bhogaH ca gR^iham ca idam hiraNmayam |
15b, 16a. idam+ca+brahmaNaa+dattam= this one, also, by Brahma, beneficed; hemaayai+vanam+ uttamam= for Hema, woodland, marvellous one; shaashvataH+kaama+ bhogaH+ca= everlasting, wish, enjoyments [fulfillers,] also; gR^iham+ca+idam+hiraNmayam= mansion, also, this one, golden.
"This marvellous woodland, these everlasting wish-fulfillers, and this golden mansion, are beneficed by Brahma for Hema... [4-51-15]
duhitaa merusaavarNeH aham tasyaaH svaya.mprabhaa || 4-51-16
idam rakSaami bhavanam hemaayaa vaanarottama |
16b, 17a. duhitaa+merusaavarNeH+aham= daughter, of Merusaavarni, I am; tasyaaH+ svayamprabhaa = of her [of that apsara,] Swayamprabha named [meaning Self-Splendent]; idam+ rakSaami+ bhavanam= this, safeguarding, mansion; hemaayaa+vaanarottama= of Hema, oh, best monkey.
"I am the daughter of Merusaavarni, oh, best monkey, named Swayamprabha and I am safeguarding this mansion of her, [that apsara] Hema... [4-51-16b, 17a]
mama priya sakhii hemaa nR^itta giita vishaaradaa || 4-51-17
tayaa datta varaa ca asmi rakSaami bhavanam mahaan |
17b, 18a. mama+priya+sakhii+hemaa= my, dearest, nymphean-friend, Hema; nR^itta+giita+vishaaradaa = in dance, music, virtuoso; tayaa+datta+varaa+ca+asmi= by her, bestowed, boon, also, I am; rakSaami + bhavanam+mahaan= safeguarding, mansion, superb.
"Hema is a virtuoso in dance and music and my dearest nymphean-friend, and she bestowed a boon upon me [by which none can dishonour me, and thus] I am safeguarding this superb mansion... [4-51-17b, 18a]
Comment: The Universal Architect is given the title of vishva karma and he will be proficient, right from the skills of a blacksmith to that of an outstanding engineer. His works are always guided and as directed by Indra. Indra's logic is that there shall be one vishva karma in all three worlds, like one Indra to three worlds. But whenever Indra lies low, the demons get works done through the heavenly vishva karma, instead of appointing their own architect as their clan-priest Shukraacaarya's treasure of architecture is lost. This treasure of architecture of Shukraacaarya is usurped by this demon Maya, through Brahma. As Indra cannot defy the boon of Brahma, he baited this Hema, the apsara, to make Maya to woo her. Accordingly, demon Maya brought the nymphal-virtuoso Hema to this cavernous paradisiacal mansion and was subjected to elimination by Indra. After the elimination of this Wonder Architect, Hema departed to Brahma's abode, bequeathing this mansion to Swayamprabha. From then on Hema resided in brahma loka 'Brahma's abode...' as said at: ghR^itaaciim atha vishvaaciim.... naaga datam ca hemaam ca... in Ayodhya part II, Ch. 91, verse 17. When Sage Bharadwaja gave hospitality to Bharata, that sage says this.
kim kaaryam kasya vaa hetoH kaa.ntaaraaNi prapadyatha || 4-51-18
katham ca idam vanam durgam yuSmaabhiH upalakSitam |
18b, 19a. kim+kaaryam+kasya+vaa+hetoH= what, work [effort,] which, or, reason; kaantaaraaNi+ prapadyatha= impervious forests, come to pass; katham+ca+idam+vanam+ durgam= how, also, this, forest, impassable; yuSmaabhiH+upalakSitam= by you all, is seen [discovered.]
"What is your effort or for what reason you came to pass this impervious forest, and how you all have discovered this impassable forest... [4-51-18b, 19a]
shuciini abhyavahaar.hyaaNi muulaani ca phalaani ca |
bhuktvaa piitvaa ca paaniiyam sarvam me vaktum arhatha || 4-51-19
19b, 19c. shuciini+abhyavahaaryaaNi= wholesome, edibles; muulaani+ca+phalaani+ ca= tubers, also, fruits, also; bhuktvaa= on dining; piitvaa+ca+paaniiyam= on drinking, also, soft-drinks; sarvam+me+vaktum + arhatha= about all, to me, to say [inform,] apt of you.
"Dine on these wholesome edibles, fruits and tubers, also on drinking soft drinks, it is apt of you to inform me all about [your mission..." Thus Swayamprabha gave hospitality to the monkeys.] [4-51-19b, 19c]
iti vaalmiiki raamaayaNe aadi kaavye kiSkindha kaaNDe eka pa.ncaashaH sargaH
Thus, this is the 51st chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Nov, 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao