सह ताराङ्गदाभ्यां तु संगम्य हनुमान् कपिः। विचिनोति च विन्ध्यस्य गुहाश्च गहनानि च॥ सिंहशार्दूलजुष्टाश्च गुहाश्च परितस्तदा। विषमेषु नगेन्द्रस्य महाप्रस्रवणेषु च॥
The monkey, Hanumān, in company with Tārā and Angada searcheth the caves and woods of Vindhya, caverns all around haunted by lions and tigers, and in vast inaccessible cascades in that foremost of mountains.
आसेदुस्तस्य शैलस्य कोटि दक्षिणपश्चिमाम्। तेषां तत्रैव वनतां स कालो व्यत्यवर्तत॥
And they came to the south-western summit of the inountain. And when they sojourned there, their (appointed) term had not expired.
स हि देशो दुरन्वेष्यो गुहागहनवान् महान्। तत्र वायुसुतः सर्वं विचिनोति स्म पर्वतम्॥
And that spacious country, consisting as it did, of caves and grots and woods, was difficult to search. And there the wind-god's offspring searched all over the mountain.
परस्परेण रहिता अन्योन्यस्याविदूरतः। गजो गवाक्षो गवयः शरभो गन्धमादनः॥ मैन्दश्च द्विविदश्चैव हनूमान् जाम्बवानपि। अङ्गदो युवराजश्च तारश्च वनगोचरः॥ गिरिजालावृतान् देशान् मार्गित्वा दक्षिणां दिशम्। विचिन्वन्तस्ततस्तत्र ददृशुर्विवृतं बिलम्॥ दुर्गमृक्षबिलं नाम दानवेनाभिरक्षितम्। क्षुत्पिपासापरीतास्तु श्रान्तास्तु सलिलार्थिनः॥ अवकीर्णं लतावृक्षैर्ददृशशुस्ते महाबिलम्। तत्र क्रौञ्चश्च हंसाश्च सारसाश्चापि निष्क्रमन्॥ जलार्दाश्चकवाकाश्च रक्ताङ्गाः पद्मरेणुभिः।
And each apart remaining at no great distance from the others, Gaja, Gavākha and Gavaya, Sarabha, Gandhamādana, Mainda, Dwivida, and Hanumān, Jambavān, the youthful prince Angada, and Tārā, remaining in sight of the wood, after having searched the South-lands covered with mountain ranges, were searching (about), when they espied an unenclosed cavity, difficult of entry, named Věkşavila, guarded by a Dānava. And tried by hunger and thirst, worn out with fatigue, seeking for water, they found that cavity surrounded by trees and plants. And, with their bodies drenched and reddened with lotus dust, Kraunchas and swans and cranes and Chakravākas, came out of the cavity.
ततस्तद् विलमासाद्य सुगन्धि दुरतिक्रमम्॥ विस्मयव्यग्रमनसो बभूवुर्वानरर्षभाः। संजातपरिशङ्कास्ते तद् बिलं प्लवगोत्तमाः॥
And drawing nigh to that fragrant and inaccessible cave, those superior monkeys were struck with amaze, and became eager (to enter into it).
अभ्यपद्यन्त संहृष्टास्तेजोवन्तो महाबलाः। नानासत्त्वसमाकीर्णं दैत्येन्द्रनिलयोपमम्॥ दुर्दर्शमिव घोरं च दुर्विगाह्यं च सर्वशः। ततः पर्वतकूटाभो हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः॥ अब्रवीद् वानरान् घोरान् कान्तारवनकोविदः।
And with their minds filled with doubt, those vigorous foremost of monkeys gladly approached that cave; abounding in diverse animals, resembling the residence of the lord of Daityas, dazzling, and dreadful, and impenetrable on all sides. Then Hanuman the son of the wind-god, possessed of the splendour of a mountain-summit, cognizant of woods and forests, said to the grim-visaged apes,
गिरिजालावृतान् देशान् मार्गित्वा दक्षिणां दिशम्॥ वयं सर्वे परिश्रान्ता न च पश्याम मैथिलीम्।
Having explored the South, (containing) countries enveloped with mountain chains, we have all got fatigued, but we have failed to find Mithila's daughter.
अस्माच्चापि बिलाद्धंसाः क्रौञ्चाश्च सह सारसैः॥ जलार्द्राश्चक्रवाकाश्च निष्पतन्ति स्म सर्वशः। नूनं सलिलवानत्र कूपो वा यदि वा हृदः॥ तथा चेमे बिलद्वारे स्निग्धास्तिष्ठन्ति पादपाः।
And from yonder cave come out swarms of and and kraunchas and chakravākas, drenched with water. For certain here is a well or a watery expanse. And at the mouth of the cave there are these cool trees.'
इत्युक्तास्तद् बिलं सर्वे विविशुस्तमिवावृतम्॥ अचन्द्रसूर्यं हरयो ददृशू रोमहर्षणम्। निशाम्य तस्मात् सिंहांश्च तांस्तांश्च मृगपक्षिणः॥ प्रविष्टा हरिशार्दूला बिलं तिमिरसंवृतम्। न तेषां सज्जते दृष्टिर्न तेजो न पराक्रमः॥ वायोरिव गतिस्तेषां दृष्टिस्तमसि वर्तते।
Hanumān having said this, all the monkeys went into the cave covered with darkness; without the sun or the moon, capable of making one's down stand on end. And seeing lions, and birds and beasts (ranging around), those tigerlike monkeys entered that cave covered with swans cranes darkness. And (there) neither their ken, nor their vigour, nor yet their prowess was baffled: and their speed resembled the wind, and their sight remained unimpaired albeit in darkness.
ते प्रविष्टास्तु वेगेन तद् बिलं कपिकुञ्जराः॥ प्रकाशं चाभिरामं च ददृशुर्देशमुत्तमम्। ततस्तस्मिन् बिले भीमे नानापादपसंकुले॥ अन्योन्यं सम्परिष्वज्य जग्मुर्योजनमन्तरम्।
And those foremost of monkeys rushed into the cavity; and beheld displayed (before them) an excellent and charming scene. And embracing each other in that fearful cave rife with various trees, they passed over an hundred Yojanas.
ते नष्टसंज्ञास्तृषिताः सम्भ्रान्ताः सलिलार्थिनः॥ परिपेतुर्बिले तस्मिन् कंचित् कालमतन्द्रिताः। ते कृशा दीनवदनाः परिश्रान्ताः प्लवङ्गमाः॥ आलोकं ददृशुर्वीरा निराशा जीविते यदा।
And deprived of their sense, and tried with thirst, and bewildered, and thirsting for water, they for a time vigilantly descended in darkness down the cave. And emaciated, with woebegone faces, and spent, those monkeys despairing of their lives, (at last) saw light.
ततस्तं देशमागम्य सौम्या वितिमिरं वनम्॥ ददृशुः काञ्चनान् वृक्षान् दीप्तवैश्वानरप्रभान्।
Those mild ones, coming to a spot free from darkness, saw golden trees, possessed of the brightness of flaming fire.
सालास्तालास्तमालांश्च पुंनागान्वञ्जुलान्धवान्॥ चम्पकान् नागवृक्षांश्च कर्णिकारांश्च पुष्पितान्। स्तबकैः काञ्चनैश्चित्र रक्तैः किसलयैस्तथा॥ आपीडैश्च लताभिश्च हेमाभरणभूषितान्। तरुणाादित्यसंकाशान् वैदूर्यमयवेदिकान्॥ विभ्राजमानान् वपुषा पादपांश्च हिरण्मयान्। नीलवैदूर्यवर्णाश्च पद्मिनी: पतगैर्वृताः॥ महद्भिः काञ्चनैर्वृक्षवृतं बालार्कसंनिभैः। जातरूपमयैर्मत्स्यैर्महद्भिश्चाथ पङ्कजैः॥ नलिनीस्तत्र ददृशुः प्रसन्नसलिलायुताः।
And Sālas and palms, and Tamālas, Punnāgas, Vañjulas, and Dhavās, Campakas, Nāga trees, Karņikāras in flower, with variegated golden bunches and twigs, and crests of clusters, and plants,-embellished with golden garniture; resembling the infantine sun,-on daises composed of lapises;—golden trees with resplendent bodies, having the hues of purple lapises; and lotus-plants flocked with fowls; and (spots) surrounded by large golden trees, like to the infantine sun; and tanks with large fishes or gold and lotuses, containing pleasant waters-all these saw there.
काञ्चनानि विमानानि राजतानि तथैव च॥ हैमराजतभौमानि वैदूर्यमणिमन्ति च। तपनीयगवाक्षाणि मुक्ताजालावृतानि च॥ ददृशुस्तत्र हरयो गृहमुख्यानि सर्वशः।
And the monkeys saw there golden as well as silvern vehicles, and elegant dwellings all round veiled with nets of pearls; having golden balconys; with their grounds paved with gold and silver; and furnished with lapis lazulis.
पुष्पितान् फलिनो वृक्षान् प्रवालमणिसंनिभान्॥ काश्चनभ्रमरांश्चैव मधूनि च समन्ततः। मणिकाञ्चनचित्राणि शयनान्यासनानि च॥ विविधानि विशालानि ददृशुस्ते समन्ततः। हैमराजतकांस्यानां भाजनानां च राशयः॥ अगुरूणां च दिव्यानां चन्दनानां च संचयान्। शुचीन्यभ्यवहाराणि मूलानि च फलानि च॥ महार्हाणि च यानानि मधूनि रसवन्ति च। दिव्यानामम्बराणां च महार्हाणां च संचयान्॥ कम्बलानां च चित्राणामजिनानां च संचयान्।
And on all sides they saw trees bearing fruits and flowers resembling coral; and golden black bees, and honey all round, and various spacious seats and beds about dight with gold and jewels. And searching in that cave, the exceedingly effulgent heroic monkeys saw heaps of golden, silver and bell-metal vessels; and heaps of excellent aguru and sandal; and pure fruits and roots; and costly vehicles and various kinds of sapid honey; and loads of costly attire; and lots of variegated woolen cloths and deer-skins; as well as a female, from near.
तत्र तत्र विचिन्वन्तो बिले तत्र महाप्रभाः॥ ददृशुर्वानराः शूराः स्त्रियं कांचिददूरतः। तां च ते ददृशुस्तत्र चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बराम्॥ तापसी नियताहारां ज्वलन्तीमिव तेजसा।। विस्मिता हरयस्तत्र व्यवतिष्ठन्त सर्वशः। पप्रच्छ हनुमांस्तत्र काऽसि त्वं कस्य वा बिलम्॥
And they found her there, wearing a black deer-skin,-a female ascetic, with restrained fare-as if flaming in energy. Amazed, the monkeys sat them down in a body. And then Hanumān asked her,-Who are you? And to whom does this cave belong?
ततो हनूमान् गिरिसंनिकाशः कृताञ्जलिस्तामभिवाद्य वृद्धाम्। पप्रच्छ का त्वं भवनं बिलं च रत्नानि चेमानि वदस्व कस्य॥
And-Hanumān like to a hill, bowing down to the old women with joined hands, asked her, saying,-Who are you? And tell me, to whom belong this edifice and the cave as well as all these jewels.