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 paradisiacal 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. |
#it %®va hnuman! tÇ pun> k«:[ Aijn A<bram!,
AävIt! tam! mha-agam! tapsIm! xmR cair[Im!. 4£51£1
1. tatra= in that matter; hanumaan iti uktvaa= Hanuma, this way, on saying; kR^iSNa ajina ambaraam= again, with black deer, skin, to one who is dressed in; mahaabhaagaam dharma caariNiim= most reverential lady, in probity, conducting herself; taam taapasiim punaH abraviit= to her, sainted lady, again, said.
On asking her thus in the matter of her identity Hanuma again spoke to that most reverential and sainted lady who is dressed in black deerskin and conducting herself in probity. [4-51-1]
#dm! àivòa> shsa iblm! itimr s<v&tm!,
]ut! ippasa pirïa<ta> pirioÚa> c svRz>. 4£51£2
2. kSut pipaasaa parishraantaaH= with hunger, thirst, overtired; sarvashaH= in everyway; pari khinnaaH ca= overawed ones, also; [vayam= we, the monkeys]; timira samvR^itam= with darkness, overspread; idam bilam sahasaa praviSTaaH= this, cavity, suddenly, entered.
"We suddenly entered this cavity which is overspread with darkness, as we are overawed in everyway overtired with hunger and thirst." Thus Hanuma is speaking to her. [4-51-2]
mht! xr{ya ivvrm! àivòa> Sm ippaista>,
#mam! tu @vm! ivxan! -avan! ivivxan! AÑ‚t %pman!. 4£51£3
†òœva vym! àVyiwta> s<æa<ta nò cets>,
3, 4a. pipaasitaaH= thirstily; dharaNyaa mahat vivaram= earth's, extensive, hollow; praviSTaaH sma= entered, we have; evam vidhaan= this, kind of; vividhaan adbhuta upamaan= diverse, marvel, similar [marvellous ones]; imaam bhaavaan= these, items [of food, housing etc]; dR^iSTvaa= on seeing; vayam= we; naSTa cetasaH= lost, hearts [agonised]; sambhraantaaH pravyathitaaH= verily amazed, verily agitated.
"We entered this extensive hollow of earth thirstily, but on seeing this kind of cave with 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. [4-51-3, 4a]
kSy @te ka<cna v&]a> té[ AaidTy siÚ-a>. 4£51£4
zucIin A_yvhar(ai[ mUlain c )lain c,
ka<cnain ivmanain rajtain g&hai[ c. 4£51£5
tpnIy gv A]ai[ mi[ jal Aav&tain c,
4b, 5, 6a. ete= all these; taruNa aaditya sannibhaaH= young, sun, splendent, as with; kaancanaa vR^ikSaaH= golden, trees; shuciini abhyavahaaryaaNi= depurated, edibles; muulaani ca phalaani ca= tubers, also, fruits, also; kaancanaani vimaanaani= golden, spires [or, aircrafts]; raajataani tapaniiya gavaakSaaNi= with silvern, golden, having such ventilators; maNi jaala aavR^itaani ca= jewelly, laces, overspread [encased,] also; gR^ihaaNi ca= mansions, also; kasya= whose.
"All these golden trees splendent like young sun, these depurated edibles, tubers, and fruits, these mansions with golden spires whose ventilators are golden silvern and encased in jewelly laces... they belong to whom? [4-51-5, 6a]
pui:pta> )alvNt> c pu{ya> suri- gNxy>. 4£51£6
#me ja<bUndmya> padpa> kSy tejsa,
ka<cnain c pÒain jatain ivmle jle. 4£51£7
kwm! mTSya> c saEv[aR †ZyNte sh kCDpE>,
AaTman> Anu-avat! va kSy vE @tt! tpae blm!. 4£51£8
Ajantam! n> sveR;am! svRm! AaOyatum! Arœhis,
6b, 7, 8, 9a. puSpitaaH phaalavantaH ca= flowered, fruited, also; puNyaaH surabhi gandhayaH= auspicious, scented, aromatically; ime jaambuunadamayaaH paadapaaH= these, completely golden, trees; and; vimale jale= in limpid, water; kaancanaani padmaani= golden, are lotuses; kasya tejasaa jaataani= by whose, splendour, are created; kacChapaiH saha= tortoises, along with; sauvarNaa matsyaaH ca= golden, are the fish; katham dR^ishyante= how, they are appearing; aatmaanaH anu bhaavaat vaa= of yours, innate, owing to prodigy, [are they like that] or; etat tapaH balam kasya vai= all this, ascesis', prowess, whose, indeed; a + jaanataam naH sarveSaam= not, knowing [oblivious of,] us, all of; sarvam aakhyaatum arhasi= all of it, to narrate, apt of you.
"By whose splendour these auspicious and completely golden trees are flowered, fruited and aromatically scented with auspicious scent, lotuses in limpid water are golden, and the fishes along with tortoises are ostensible as golden? Is all this owing to your innate prodigy, or someone else created with his ascetic power? As all of us are oblivious of this cavity, it will be apt of you to narrate all of it." Thus Hanuma requested that sainted lady. [4-51-6b, 7, 8, 9a]
@vm! %a hnumta tapsI xmR cair[I. 4£51£9
àit %vac hnUm<tm! svR -Ut ihte rta,
9b, 10a. hanumataa evam uktaa= by Hanuma, thus, she is addressed; sarva bhuuta hite rataa= all, beings, in well-being, who takes delight; taapasii dharma caariNii= sainted lady, righteous, of conduct; hanuumantam= to Hanuma; prati uvaaca= in turn, spoke - replied.
When Hanuma addressed her in that way that sainted lady who takes delight in the well being of all the beings replied him. [4-51-9b, 10a]
myae nam mhateja mayavI danv;R->. 4£51£10
ten #dm! inimRtm! svRm! mayya ka<cnm! vnm!,
10b, 11a. mahaatejaaH= a great-resplendent one [a marvellous fantasist]; maayaavii mayaH naama= a wizard, Maya, named; daanava R^iSabhaH= demon, a unique one; was there; idam sarvam kaancanam vanam= this, all, golden, woodland; tena maayayaa nirmitam= by his, with expertise in illusiveness [phenomenal expertise,] constructed.
"A unique demon of wizardry who is a marvellous fantasist by name Maya is there, and he constructed all this golden woodland with his phenomenal expertise." Thus, that sainted lady started her narration. [4-51-10b]
pura danv muOyanam! ivñkmaR b-Uv h. 4£51£11
yen #dm! ka<cnm! idVym! inimRtm! -vn %Ämm!,
11b, 12a. yena= by whom; kaancanam divyam= golden, heavenly; idam bhavana uttamam= this, mansion, superb one; nirmitam= constructed; he was once; puraa daanava mukhyaanaam= once, for demons, lords; vishva karmaa babhuuva ha= universal, craftsman, [he] became, indeed.
"He who has constructed this divinely golden and superb mansion, that Maya, the demon, was once the Universal Craftsman to the lords of demons. [4-51-11]
s tu v;R shöai[ tp> tÞva mht! vne. 4£51£12
iptamhat! vrm! le-e svRm! AaEzsnm! xnm!,
12b, 13a. saH= he; vane= in forest; varSa sahasraaNi= years, thousands of; mahat tapaH taptvaa= great, ascesis, on practising; pitaamahaat varam= from Forefather [Brahma,] boon; aushasanam dhanam= of Sage Shukra, wealth [the architecture or, the wealth of immoderate beseechers of wealth]; sarvam lebhe= entire [wealth,] obtained.
"On practising great ascesis for thousands of years in forest, he obtained a boon from Brahma, the Forefather, which entails acquirement of entire wealth of Sage Shukra.
Or
"On practising a great ascesis for thousands of years in forest, he 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]
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.
ivxay svRm! blvan! svR kam $ñr> tda. 4£51£13
%vas suiot> kalm! k<ict! AiSmn! mhavne,
13b, 14a. tadaa= then; balavaan= dynamic one; sarva kaama iishvaraH= all, wishes, ruler of [invested with privileges for all wishes]; vidhaaya sarvam= created, all this [golden woodland]; sukhitaH= comfortably; asmin mahaavane= in this, great, forest; kamcit kaalam uvaasa= for some, time, resided.
"That dynamic one created all this golden woodland and then resided comfortably in this great forest for some time privileged with all his wishes. [4-51-13b, 14a]
tm! APsris hemayam! sm! danv pu<gvm!. 4£51£14
iv³My @v Azinm! g&ý j"an $z> pur<dr>,
14b, 15a. hemaayaam apsarasi saktam= with Hema, in apsara, [the paradisiacal nymph,] when engaged with; tam daanava pungavam= him, that demon, eminent one; iishaH= administrator [of worlds]; purandaraH= enemy-strongholds destroyer, namely Indra; ashanim gR^ihya= on taking - wielding, Thunderbolt; vikramya eva jaghaana= charging[demon Maya,] thus, eliminated.
"Indra, the Administrator of Worlds and destroyer of enemy citadels, wielding his Thunderbolt eliminated Maya when that eminent demon Maya was engaged with an apsara, a paradisiacal nymph, called Hema. [4-51-14b, 15a]
#dm! c äü[a dÄm! hemayE vnm! %Ämm!. 4£51£15
zañt> kam -aeg> c g&hm! c #dm! ihr{mym!,
15b, 16a. idam uttamam vanam= this, marvellous, woodland; shaashvataH kaama bhogaH ca= everlasting, wish, enjoyments [fulfillers,] also; hiraNmayam idam gR^iham ca= golden, this, mansion, also; brahmaNaa hemaayai dattam= by Brahma, for Hema, given.
"Brahma gave this marvellous woodland, this golden mansion, and these everlasting and wish-fulfilling paraphernalia available here to Hema, the celestial nymph. [4-51-15b, 16a]
Êihta meésav[eR> Ahm! tSya> Svy<à-a. 4£51£16
#dm! r]aim -vnm! hemaya vanraeÄm,
16b, 17a. vaanarottama= oh, best monkey; merusaavarNeH duhitaa= of Merusaavarni, daughter; such as I am; svayamprabhaa= Swayamprabha [named one I am, meaning Self-Splendent]; aham= I am; tasyaaH hemaayaaH= of her [of that apsara,] of Hema; idam bhavanam= this, mansion; rakSaami= I am safeguarding.
"I am the daughter of Merusaavarni, oh, best monkey, named Swayamprabha and I am safeguarding this mansion of her, of that apsara Hema. [4-51-16b, 17a]
mm iày soI hema n&Ä gIt ivzarda. 4£51£17
tya dÄ vra c AiSm r]aim -vnm! mhan!,
17b, 18a. nR^itta giita vishaaradaa= in dance, music, virtuoso; hemaa= Hema; mama priya sakhii= my, dearest, nymphean-friend; tayaa datta varaa asmi= by her, bestowed, boon, I am; mahaan bhavanam rakSaami= superb, mansion, I am safeguarding.
"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]
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.
ikm! kayRm! kSy va hetae> ka<tarai[ àp*w. 4£51£18
kwm! c #dm! vnm! ÊgRm! yu:mai-> %pli]tm!,
18b, 19a. kaaryam kim= work, what - what is your mission; kasya vaa hetoH= which, or, by reason - by which reason you came; kaantaaraaNi prapadyatha= impervious forests, [you have] come to pass; durgam idam vanam= impassable, this, forest; yuSmaabhiH katham upalakSitam= by you all, how, it is seen [discovered.]
"What is your mission or for what reason you came to pass this impervious forest, and how you all have discovered this impassable forest? [4-51-18b, 19a]
zucIin A_yvhar(ai[ mUlain c )lain c,
-u®va pITva c panIym! svRm! me v…m! AhRw. 4£51£19
19b, 19c. shuciini abhyavahaaryaaNi= wholesome, edibles; muulaani ca phalaani ca= tubers, also, fruits, also; bhuktvaa= on dining; paaniiyam ca piitvaa= soft-drinks, also, on drinking; me sarvam vaktum arhatha= to me, about all, to say [inform,] apt of you.
"Dine on these wholesome edibles, fruits and tubers, also on drinking soft drinks it will be apt of you to inform me all about your mission." Thus Swayamprabha gave hospitality to the monkeys. [4-51-19b, 19c]
#it vaLmIik ramay[e Aaid kaVye iki:kNx ka{fe @k p<caz> sgR
Thus, this is the 51st chapter in Kishkindha Kanda of Valmiki Ramayana, the First Epic poem of India.
© Nov, 2002, Desiraju Hanumanta Rao [Revised : November 04]