Sundara Kanda: Chapter 7

स वेश्मजालं बलवान् ददर्श व्यासक्तवैदूर्यसुवर्णजालम्। यथा महत्प्रावृषि मेघजालं विद्युत्पिनद्धं सविहङ्गजालम्॥
And that one endowed with strength saw that row of structures fitted up with golden windows, studded with lapis lazulis, and containing birds; like to a mass of clouds in a season of great rains, crowned with lightning, and fraught with fowls.

निवेशनानां विविधाश्च शाला: प्रधानशङ्खायुधचापशालाः। मनोहराश्चापि पुनर्विशालाः ददर्श वेश्माद्रिषु चन्द्रशालाः॥
He saw various structures close to one another to which excellent conchs, arms and bows lent lustre; as well as huge and splendid towers belonging to edifices resembling mountains.

गृहाणि नानावसुराजितानि देवासुरैश्चापि सुपूजितानि। सर्वैश्च दोषैः परिवर्जितानि कपिर्ददर्श स्वबलार्जितानि॥
The monkey beheld mansions, treasuring various kinds of wealth, which were held in regard by both gods and Asuras, devoid of every defect; and which had been won (by Rāvana) through his own might.* Swavalenarjitam. Another meaning is: (mansions) into which Hanumān found entry through his own might.

तानि प्रयत्नाभिसमाहितानि मयेन साक्षादिव निर्मितानि। महीतले सर्वगुणोत्तराणि ददर्श लङ्काधिपतेर्गृहाणि ॥
And (Hanumān) saw the mansions of the lord of Lankā, located in strict conformity with aesthetic laws, appearing as if they had been constructed by Maya himself, which had on the earth beneath every excellence.

ततो ददर्शोच्छ्रितमेघरूपं मनोहरं काञ्चनचारुरूपम्। रक्षोऽधिपस्यात्मबलानुरूपं गृहोत्तमं ह्यप्रतिरूपरूपम्॥ महीतले स्वर्गमिव प्रकीर्ण श्रिया ज्वलन्तं बहुरत्नकीर्णम्। नानातरूणां कुसुमावकीर्णं गिरेरिवाग्रं रजसावकीर्णम्॥ नारीप्रवेकैरिव दीप्यमानं तडिद्भिरम्भोधरमच॑मानम्। हंसप्रवेकैरिव वाह्यमानं श्रिया युतं खे सुकृतं विमानम्॥
And then he saw the mansion of the lord of Rākşas himself, surpassing the best structures; like to a mass of towering clouds; captivating boasting of a beauteous golden appearance; worthy of his own power, and of incomparable loveliness; appearing as if the celestial regions had dropped down on the earth; blazing in beauty; teeming with countless gems; like to the brow of a mountain strewn with the blossoms and the dust thereof of various trees; and illumined by the foremost females, appearing like a mass of clouds containing lightning, or the witching welkin furnished with grace, afloat with excellent swans.

यथा नगाग्रं बहुधातुचित्रं यथा नभश्च ग्रहचन्द्रचित्रम्। ददर्श युक्तीकृतचारुमेघचित्रं विमानं बहुरत्नचित्रम्॥
And (Hanumān) saw the car variegated with countless gems; like unto the top of a mountain variegated with innumerable metals; or like the firmament with the moon and the planets, or like clouds of diverse hues fused into a homogeneous whole.

मही कृता पर्वतराजिपूर्णा शैलाः कृता वृक्षवितानपूर्णाः। वृक्षाः कृताः पुष्पवितानपूर्णाः पुष्पं कृतं केसरपत्रपूर्णम्॥
The place in the car designed as the seat of the many, was filled with rows of hills,* Composed of gold and gems. Its hills were filled with trees; its trees were filled flowers; and (finally) its flowers were filled with leaves and filaments.

कृतानि वेश्मानि च पाण्डुराणि तथा सुपुष्पाण्यपि पुष्कराणि। पुनश्च पद्मानि सकेसराणि वनानि चित्राणि सरोवराणि ॥
And (in it), where white mansions were reared, there were tank's filed with fair flowers; and lotuses furnished with filaments; and picturesque woods; and liquid lapses.

पुष्पाह्वयं नाम विराजमानं रत्नप्रभाभिश्च विघूर्णमानम्। वेश्मोत्तमानामपि चोञ्चमानं. महाकपिस्तत्र महाविमानम्॥
And the mighty monkey beheld there the great chariot going after the name of Pushpa, appearing beautiful, wheeling round in the splendour of the gems—which had surpassed cven the cars pertaining to the abodes of the celestials.

कृताश्च वैदूर्यमया विहङ्गा रूप्यप्रवालैश्च तथा विहङ्गाः। चित्राश्च नानावसुभिर्भुजङ्गा जात्यानुरूपास्तुरगाः शुभाङ्गाः॥ प्रवालजाम्बूनदपुष्पपक्षाः सलीलमावर्जितजिह्मपक्षाः। कामस्य साक्षादिव भान्ति पक्षाः कृता विहङ्गाः सुमुखाः सुपक्षाः॥
And in that car) were birds made of lapis lazulis; and (other) birds composed of silver and coral; and variegated serpents made of various precious metals; and fair-bodied steeds resembling those of superior breeds; and there were constructed birds having graceful mouths; and fair, tapering, playful and contracted plumage, bearing blossoms made of coral and gold, like to the very plumage of Kama himself.

नियुज्यमानाश्च गजाः सुहस्ताः सकेसराश्चोत्पलपत्रहस्ताः। बभूव देवी च कृतासुहस्ता लक्ष्मीस्तथा पद्मिनि पद्महस्ता॥
There were elephants possessed of graceful trunks, bearing filaments; and with their trunks bearing lotus leaves, engaged in showering water on Lakshmi); as well as the goddess, made with fair arms, seated on a pool with a lotus in her hand.

इतीव तद्वहमभिगम्य शोभमानं सविस्मयो नगमिव चारुकन्दरम्। पुनश्च तत्परमसुगन्धि सुन्दरं हिमात्यये नगमिव चारुकन्दरम्॥
Thus entering that graceful mansion, like to a mountain containing charming caverns, (Hanumān) was seized with wonderment. And once again (entering that charming mansion), like to a taking and fragrant tree during spring furnished with holes, Hanumān was seized with wonderment.

ततः स तां कपिरभिपत्य पूजितां चरन् पुरी दशमुखबाहुपालिताम्। अदृश्य तां जनकसुतां सुपूजितां सुदुःखितां पतिगुणवेगनिर्जिताम्॥
Then ranging by bounds that honoured city ruled by the arms of the Ten faced one, he, not finding the highly regarded and extremely distressed daughter of Janaka, who had won over her grief by contemplating the virtues of her lord, (was affected with sorrow).

ततस्तदा बहुविधभावितात्मनः कृतात्मनो जनकसुतां सुवर्त्मनः। अपश्यतोऽभवदतिदुःखितां मनः सचक्षुषः प्रविचरतो महात्मनः॥
And, not seeing Janaka's daughter, then the heart of that high-souled one, honoured for his character by the entire world, of schooled self, ever ranging by the way chiming in with morality, and having the scriptures for his eyesight, as he ranged about, was oppressed with grief.