अथ तानब्रवीत् सर्वान् विश्रान्तान् हरियूथपान्। इदं वचनमेकाना तापसी धर्मचारिणी॥
Then to all the monkey-chiefs, after they had rested, the female ascetic, engaged in righteous practices, eagerly said these words,
वानरा यदि वः खेदः प्रणष्टः फलभक्षणात्। यदि चैतन्मया श्राव्यं श्रोतुमिच्छामि तां कथाम्॥
You monkeys, if your pain has gone off in consequence of the fare of fruits which you have partaken, and also if it be fit to be heard by me, I would listen to your narration.
तस्यास्तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा हनूमान् मारुतात्मजः। आर्जवेन यथातत्त्वमाख्यातुमुपचक्रमे॥
Hearing her words, Hanumān, the son of the wind-god, in all candour began to relate everything faithfully.
राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य महेन्द्रवरुणोपमः। रामो दाशरथिः श्रीमान् प्रविष्टो दण्डकावनम्॥ लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा वैदेह्या सह भार्यया। तस्य भार्या जनस्थानाद् रावणेन हृता बलात्॥
The Sovereign of all this world, resembling Mahendra or Varuna, Rāma, the graceful son of Dasaratha, entered the woods of Dandaka, in company with his brother, Laksmana, as well as his spouse, Vaidehi. His wife has been forcibly carried of by Rāvana.
वीरस्तस्य सखा राज्ञः सुग्रीवो नाम वानरः। राजा वानरमुख्यानां येन प्रस्थापिता वयम् ॥ अगस्त्यचरितामाशां दक्षिणां यमरक्षिताम्। सहैभिर्वानरैर्मुख्यैरङ्गदप्रमुखैर्वयम्॥
His friend is that heroic king, the monkey named Sugrīva. By that monarch of the foremnost monkeys have we been despatched (hither). And we have, joining company with these prime monkeys headed by Angada, come to the South, protected by Yama, and inhabited by Agastya.
रावणं सहिताः सर्वे राक्षसं कामरूपिणम्। सीतया सह वैदेह्या मार्गध्वमिति चोदिताः॥
And we have been commissioned, 'Do you all search for the Rākşasa Rāvana, wearing forms at will, along with Videha's daughter, Sītā.'
विचित्य तु वनं सर्वं समुद्र दक्षिणां दिशम्। वयं बुभुक्षिताः सर्वे वृक्षमूलमुपाश्रिताः॥
Having searched through the forest as well as the ocean on the South, we becoming hungry, sat down at the foot of a tree.
विवर्णवदनाः सर्वे सर्वे ध्यानपरायणाः। नाधिगच्छामहे पारं मग्नाश्चिन्तामहार्णवे॥
And with pallid countenance, we all, absorbed in thought, sank in a wide sea of anxiety, which we could not cross.
चारयन्तस्ततश्चक्षुर्दृष्टवन्तो महद् बिलम्। लतापादपसंछन्नं तिमिरेण समावृतम्॥
And casting our eyes around, we spyed a huge cave covered with trees and plants and enveloped in gloom.
अस्माद्धंसा जलक्लिन्नाः पक्षैः सलिलरेणुभिः। कुरराः सारसाश्चैव निष्पतन्ति पतत्त्रिणः॥
And (it came to pass that) from this (cave) came out swans, drenched with water, with drops of water on their wings,-and plumed kuravas and cranes.
साध्वत्र प्रविशामेति मया तूक्ताः प्लवङ्गमाः। तेषामपि ह सर्वेषामनुमानमुपागतम्॥ अस्मिन् निपतिताः सर्वेऽप्यथ कार्यत्वरान्विताः। ततो गाढं निपतिता गृह्य हस्तैः परस्परम्॥ इदं प्रविष्टाः सहसा बिलं तिमिरसंवृतम्। . एतन्नः कार्यमेतेन कृत्येन वयमागताः॥
Let us enter here', said I to the monkeys. And they also arrived at that conclusion.* And thereupon they, bestirring themselves, entered into the cave. And firmly griping each other's hands, they at once made entry into the cave covered with darkness. This is our errand; and it is on this job that we have come. *Namely, that water was to be found there.
त्वां चैवोपगताः सर्वे परिघुना बुभुक्षिताः। आतिथ्यधर्मदत्तानि मूलानि च फलानि च॥ अस्माभिरुपयुक्तानि बुभुक्षापरिपीडितैः।
Having come to you, hungry, and exhausted, we, who had been sore tried by hunger, have been entertained with fruits and roots, agreeably to the code regulating hospitality.
यत् त्वया रक्षिताः सर्वे म्रियमाणा बुभुक्षया॥ ब्रूहि प्रत्युपकारार्थं किं ते कुर्वन्तु वानराः।
And as you had saved the monkeys, who were weary and suffering from hunger, tell (me),-what benefit shall the monkeys do you in return?
एवमुक्ता तु सर्वज्ञा वानरैस्तैः स्वयंप्रभा॥ प्रत्युवाच ततः सर्वानिदं वानरयूथपान्।
Thus addressed by the apes, the all-knowing Svayamprabhā replied to the monkey-chiefs, saying,
सर्वेषां परितुष्टाऽस्मि वानराणां तरस्विनाम्॥ चरन्त्या मम धर्मेण न कार्यमिह केनचित्।
Well pleased am I with the fast-footing monkeys. But by one engaged in your duties, there is no work that is desiderated.
एवमुक्तः शुभं वाक्यं तापस्या धर्मसंहितम्॥ उवाच हनुमान् वाक्यं तामनिन्दितलोचनाम्।
Thus accosted in excellent words fraught with asceticism and righteousness Hanumān spoke to that one of faultless eyes, saying.
शरणं त्वां प्रपन्नाः स्मः सर्वे वै धर्मचारिणीम्॥ यः कृतः समयोऽस्मासु सुग्रीवेण महात्मना। स तु कालो व्यतिक्रान्तो बिले च परिवर्तताम्॥
We all take refuge in you, practising piety. the term that had been fixed by the high-souled Sugrīva in respect of us, shall all be spent in this cave. Therefore it behoveth you to deliver us from this place.
सा त्वमस्याद् बिलादस्मानुत्तारयितुमर्हसि। तस्मात् सुग्रीववचनादतिक्रान्तान् गतायुषः॥ त्रातुमर्हसि नः सर्वान् सुग्रीवभयशङ्कितान्।
It behove you to save us, exercised with fear for Sugriva,-who, happening to override Sugriva's command, shall lose our lives. And, further, O you that practisest righteousness, great is the task that is to be performed by us.
महच्च कार्यमस्माभिः कर्तव्यं धर्मचारिणि ॥ तच्चापि न कृतं कार्यमस्माभिरिह वासिभिः।
But if we stay here, that work of ours shall remain unaccomplished.
एवमुक्ता हनुमता तापसी वाक्यमब्रवीत्॥ जीवता दुष्करं मन्ये प्रविष्टेन निवर्तितुम्। तपसः सुप्रभावेण नियमोपार्जितेन च॥ सर्वानेव बिलादस्माद् तारयिष्यामि वानरान्।
Thus addressed by Hanumān, the ascetic said, Once entering, hard it is for any one to return (hence) alive. But by the potency of my asceticism acquired through self-discipline, I shall deliver all the monkeys from this den.
निमीलयत चढूंषि सर्वे वानरपुङ्गवाः॥ नहि निष्क्रमितुं शक्यमनिमीलितलोचनैः।
You foremost of monkeys, do you close your eyes. No one is able to issue out of this place without closing one's eyes.
ततो निमीलिताः सर्वे सुकुमाराङ्गुलैः करैः॥ सहसा पिदधुदृष्टिं हृष्टा गमनकाझ्या ।
Then they, eagerly desirous of going out, closed their sight* with their hands furnished with tender fingers. *The text has nimilitah—and thus they closed their eyes. This redundant epithet has been left out in the translation, as it would render the version extremely awkward.
वानरास्तु महात्मानो हस्तरुद्धमुखास्तदा॥ निमेषान्तरमात्रेण बिलादुत्तारितास्तया।
The magnanimous monkeys, with their faces covered with their palms, were in the twinkling of an eye, liberated from the den by her.
उवाच सर्वांस्तांस्तत्र तापसी धर्मचारिणी॥ निःसृतान् विषमात् तस्मात् समाश्वास्येदमब्रवीत्।
And then the pious anchoret spoke to them there. And when they had come out of the fearful den, cheering them up, she said,
एष विन्ध्यो गिरिः श्रीमान् नानादुमलतायुतः॥ एष प्रस्रवणः शैलः सागरोऽयं महोदधिः। स्वस्ति वोऽस्तु गमिष्यामि भवनं वानरर्षभाः। इत्युक्त्वा तद् बिलं श्रीमत् प्रविवेश स्वयंप्रभा॥
This is the fair Vindhya mountain filled with various trees and herbs. This is the Praśravaņa hill; and this is the great deep. Fair Fortune! I go to my abode, you foremost of monkeys. Having spokea thus, Svayamprabhā entered that captivating cave.