Sundara Kanda: Chapter 6

स निकामं विमानेषु विजरन् कामरूपधृक् । विचचार कपिर्लङ्कां लाघवेन समन्वितः॥
Wending about at will on the roofs of sevenstoried edifices, that monkey capable of assuming any form that he chose, began Lankā with speed.

आससाद च लक्ष्मीवान् राक्षसेन्द्रनिवेशनम्। प्राकारेणार्कवर्णेन भास्वरेणाभिसंवृतम्॥
And (at length) that auspicious one arrived at the mansion of the Rākṣasa chief, surrounded by a shining wall hued like the Sun;

रक्षितं राक्षसैभीमैः सिंहैरिव महद् वनम्। समीक्षमाणो भवनं चक्राशे कपिकुञ्जरः॥ रूप्यकोपहितैश्चित्रैस्तोरणैर्हेमभूषणैः। विचित्राभिश्च कक्ष्याभिरैिश्च रुचिरैर्वृतम्॥ गजा िथतैर्महामारैः शूरैश्च विगतश्रमैः। उपस्थितमसंहायैर्हयैः स्यन्दनयायिभिः॥ सिंहव्याघ्रतनुत्राणैर्दान्तकाञ्जनराजतीः। घोषवद्भिर्विचित्रैश्च सदा विचरितं रथैः॥ बहुरत्नसमाकीर्णं पराासनभूषितम्। महारथसमावापं महारथमहासनम्॥ दृश्यैश्च परमोदारैस्तैस्तैश्च मृगपक्षिभिः। विविधैर्बहुसाहस्रैः परिपूर्ण समन्ततः॥ विनीतैरन्तपालैश्च रक्षोभिश्च सुरक्षितम्। मुख्याभिश्च वरस्त्रीभिः परिपूर्णं समन्ततः॥ मुदितप्रमदारत्नं राक्षसेन्द्रनिवेशनम्। वराभरणसंहादैः समुद्रस्वननिःस्वनम् ॥
Protected by terrible Rākṣasas, like a mighty forests by lions. And as that foremost of monkeys saw the mansion, with fretted arches plated with silver and embellished with gold, beautifully abounding in splendid courts and gateways; containing elephant-drivers, and heroes knowing no fatigue; ever coursed by irresistible steeds drawing cars, and curious vehicles, covered over with skins of lions and tigers, resounding with bells hung thereon, and embosoming effigies of ivory, gold and silver, the locality of mighty cars, and the home of mighty car-warriors; filled all around with many thousand of divers beauteous and dainty birds and beasts; well protected by meek Rākṣas warders at the outskirts; thronged about with magnificent dames of the first order; containing gems of joyous damsels-the abode of the foremost Rākṣasas—sounding like the sea with the sounds of superb ornaments.

तद् राजगुणसम्पन्नं मुख्यैश्च वरचन्दनैः। महाजनसमाकीर्णं सिंहैरिव महद् वनम्॥
That affluent with regal insignia and excellent sandals; crowded with mighty ones, like a vast forest with lions;

भेरीमृदङ्गाभिरुतं शङ्खघोषविनादितम्। नित्यार्चितं पर्वसुतं पूजितं राक्षसैः सदा॥
Resonant with trumpets and drums; and ringing with the blares of conchs; where the ever adored offspring of the Parvas was always worshipped by the Rākşasas;

समुद्रमिव गम्भीरं समुद्रसमनि:स्वनम्। महात्मनो महद् वेश्म महारत्नपरिच्छदम्॥
Solemn like the sea; and resounding like the ocean itself, the mighty mansion of the highsouled (Rāvana); clad in costly jewels; scattered with precious gems-as that mighty monkey beheld (Ravana's residence), he set about searching for Sītā.

महारत्नसमाकीर्णं ददर्श स महाकपिः। विराजमानं वपुषा गजाश्वरथसंकुलम्॥ लङ्काभरणमित्येव सोऽमन्यत महाकपिः। चचार हनुमांस्तत्र रावणस्य समीपतः॥
That mighty monkey concluded, “This is the ornament of Larikā bodied forth beautifully to the view, covered with elephants, steeds and chariots."

गृहाद् गृहं राक्षसानामुद्यानानि च सर्वशः। वीक्षमाणोऽप्यसंत्रस्तः प्रसादांश्च चचार सः॥
There in the vicinity of Rāvana's mansion, Hanumān began to range the dwellings of the Rākṣasas from one to another, as well as all the gardens (located there). And without experiencing any agitation, he observing (everything), ranged the palaces. *Rāmānuja says that Hanumān began to range the dwelling about the wall environing Rāvana's mansion.

अवप्लुत्य महावेगः प्रहस्तस्य निवेशनम्। ततोऽन्यत् पुप्लुवे वेश्म महापार्श्वस्य वीर्यवान्॥
Then that one endowed with wondrous motion, with a bound entered Prahasta's palace; and then with another, that (monkey) possessed of energy entered the into of Mahaparcwa.

अथ मेघप्रतीकाशं कुम्भकर्णनिवेशनम्। विभीषणस्य च तथा पुप्लुवे स महाकपिः॥
Then that inighty monkey entered into the abode of Kumbhakarna, resembling a mass of clouds; and thereafter that of Vibhisana;

महोदरस्य च तथा विरूपाक्षस्य चैव हि। विद्युज्जिह्वस्य भवनं विद्युन्मालेस्तथैव च॥
And then that of Mahodara, and then that of Virupaksha; and then the abode of Vidyujjibha, and then that of Vidyunmala;

वज्रदंष्ट्रस्य च तथा पुप्लुवे स महाकपिः। शुकस्य च महावेगः सारणस्य च धीमतः॥
And then that mighty monkey with a bound entered into the abode of Vahudanshtra. And then that leader of monkey-bands gifted with great speed leapt into the abode of Suka, and next into that of the intelligent Sarana.

तथा चेन्द्रजितो वेश्म जगाम हरियूथपः। जम्बुमालेः सुमालेश्च जगाम हरिसत्तमः॥
And thus, next into that of Indrajit, and that foremost of monkeys went to the mansion of Jambumāla, and of Sumāla,

रश्मिकेतोश्च भवनं सूर्यशत्रोस्तथैव च। वज्रकायस्य च तथा पुप्लुवे स महाकपिः॥
and (then) to the abode of Rashmiketu, and Suryyasachu. And (next) that powerful monkey leapt into the mansion of Vajrakaya;

धूम्राक्षस्याथ सम्पातेर्भवनं मारुतात्मजः। विधुदूपस्य भीमस्य घनस्य विघनस्य च ॥ शुकनाभस्य चक्रस्य शठस्य कपटस्य च। ह्रस्वकर्णस्य दंष्ट्रस्य लोमशस्य च रक्षसः॥ युद्धोन्मत्तस्य मत्तस्य ध्वजग्रीवस्य सादिनः। विद्युज्जिह्वद्विजिह्वानां तथा हस्तिमुखस्य च॥ करालस्य विशालस्य शोणिताक्षस्य चैव हि। प्लवमानः क्रमेणैव हनुमान् मारुतात्मजः॥ तेषु तेषु महार्हेषु भवनेषु महायशाः। तेषामृद्धिमतामृद्धिं ददर्श स महाकपिः॥
And (next) the Wind-god's offspring entered the house of Dhumraksa, and (next) that of Sampāti, and the grim Vidyudrūpa, and Ghana, and Vighana, and Sukanābha, and Cakra, and Satha, and Kapata, and Hrasvakarna, and Danstra, and the Rākşasa Lomasa, and Yuddhyonmatta, and Matta, and the horseman, Dhvajagrīva, and of Vidyujjihva and Vijihva, and of Hastimukha, and of Karāla, and Vicala, and of Sonitaksha. The issustrious offspring of the Wind, Hanumān, one after another, leapt into all these noble edifices. And that redoubtable monkey observed the affluence of all these (Raksasas) possessed of prosperity.

सर्वेषां समतिक्रम्य भवनानि समन्ततः। आससादाथ लक्ष्मीवान् राक्षसेन्द्रनिवेशनम्॥
Having bounded over the mansions of all situated around, that blessed with one auspiciousness, at length came to the very mansion of the monarch of the Rākşasas.

रावणस्योपशायिन्यो ददर्श हरिसत्तमः। विचरन् हरिशार्दूलो राक्षसीर्विकृतेक्षणाः॥ शूलमुद्गरहस्तांश्च शक्तितोमरधारिणः। ददर्श विविधान् गुल्मांस्तस्य रक्ष:पतेर्गृहे ॥
That tiger-like monkey-the best of his speciesranging around, saw Rākṣasis of frightful eyes, alternately mounting sentry over the couch of Rāvana-bearing darts and maces in their hands, and equipped with javelins and clubs.

राक्षसांश्च महाकायान् नानाप्रहरणोद्यतान्। ताश्वेतान् सितांश्चापि हरिश्चापि महाजवान्॥ कुलीनान् रूपसम्पन्नान् गजान् परगजारुजान्। शिक्षितान् गजशिक्षायामैरावतसमान् युधि ॥ निहन्तृन् परसैन्यानां गृहे तस्मिन् ददर्श सः। क्षरतश्च यथा मेघान् स्रवतश्च यथा गिरीन्॥ मेघस्तनितनिर्घोषान् दुर्धर्षान् समरे परैः।
And (there) in the residence of that lord of the Rākşasas, he beheld various bands of Rākṣasis, as well as Rākşasas of gigantic frames, upraising various kinds of weapons; and steeds of exceeding fleetness, red, and white, and black; and first-rate elephants, possessed of eninent grace, capable of crushing hostile elephants, and well trained in arts relative to their species-like Airāvata himself in conflict. And there in that mansion he saw (all these elephants), destroyers of hostile hosts—like to pouring clouds, or hills, sending up fountains, rumbling like to clouds, and invincible in battle by foes.

सहस्रं वाहिनीस्तत्र जाम्बूनदपरिष्कृताः॥ हेमजालैरविच्छिन्नास्तरुणादित्यसंनिभाः। ददर्श राक्षसेन्द्रस्य रावणस्य निवेशने॥ शिबिका विविधाकाराः स कपिर्मारुतात्मजः।
That monkey, son to the Wind-god, saw in the mansion of the lord of Rākşasas, Rāvana, hosts by thousands; and cars of various forms of glittering gold, furnished all over with golden net-works, resembling the risen sun.

लतागृहाणि चान्यानि चित्रशालागृहाणि च॥ क्रीडागृहाणि चान्यानि दारुपर्वतकानि च। कामस्य गृहकं रम्यं दिवागृहकमेव च॥ ददर्श राक्षसेन्द्रस्य रावणस्य निवेशने।
And graceful grots; and picture galleries; and sporting saloons, mountains composed of wood, captivating structures dedicated to dalliance, and dwellings for day-dalliance,' saw he in the mansion of the Raksasa monarch. 1. Designed for sport. — 2. The conception of day-dalliance met with in Vidya Sundara of Bharata Chandra Roy, the Bengali poet, is found to have first originated with Vālimiki.

स मन्दरसमप्रख्यं मयूरस्थानसंकुलम्॥ ध्वजयष्टिभिराकीर्णं ददर्श भवनोत्तमम्। अनन्तरत्ननिचयं निधिजालं समन्ततः। धीरनिष्ठितकर्माङ्गं गृहं भूतपतेरिव ॥
He beheld that charming mansion resembling Mandara, filled with places for peacocks* thronged with pennons and flagstaffs, a very mine of countless gems, a field of treasures spread around, where persons of intrepid calmness were engaged in acts tending to the safety of the treasures, resembling the mansion herself of Kubera. *Sportive peacocks.

अर्चिभिश्चापि रत्नानां तेजसा रावणस्य च। विरराज च तद् वेश्म रश्मिवानिव रश्मिभिः॥
On account of the lustre shed by the genes, as well as the energy of Rāvana himself, that mansion appeared splendid like the rayfurnished Sun in all his glory.

जाम्बूनदमयान्येव शयनान्यासनानि च। भाजनानि च शुभ्राणि ददर्श हरियूथपः॥
And the chief of monkey-bands saw bedsteads and seat of gold and white vessels.

मध्वासवकृतक्लेदं मणिभाजनसंकुलम्। मनोरममसम्बाधं कुबेरभवनं यथा॥ नूपुराणां च घोषेण काञ्जीनां निःस्वनेन च। मृदङ्गतलनिर्घोषैर्घोषवद्भिर्विनादितम्॥ प्रासादसंघातयुतं स्त्रीरत्नशतसंकुलम्। सुव्यूढकक्ष्यं हनुमान् प्रविवेश महागृहम्॥
Hanumān entered the mighty mansion, filled with gemmed cans; charming; free from impediments; resembling the mansion herself of Kama, like the abode of Kubera, resonant with the sounds of bangles and the tinklings of zones, as well as with the beat of mridanga hides and other eloquent musical instruments; with palaces close on each other; thronged with hundreds of females (like to) jewels; and containing capacious enclosures. 1. Spirituous liquor distilled from the blossoms of the Bassia latifolia. According to some, a spirit distilled from grapes. 2. Spirit distilled from sugar or molasses. filled with gemmed cans; charming; free from impediments; resembling the mansion herself of Kama, like the abode of Kubera, resonant with the sounds of bangles and the tinklings of zones, as well as with the beat of mridanga hides and other eloquent musical instruments; with palaces close on each other; thronged with hundreds of females (like to) jewels; and containing capacious enclosures. 1. Spirituous liquor distilled from the blossoms of the Bassia latifolia. According to some, a spirit distilled from grapes. 2. Spirit distilled from sugar or molasses.