Hari Om.
Let us begin the fifty first sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam by offering our prostrations at the lotus feet of SrIrAma and our sathguru.
Prince angada’s star studded team was battling sagging spirits, hunger and a very difficult terrain as they cast their net wide across the expansive mountain ranges to the south of the vindhyas. They would converge by the evenings disappointed, spend the night, pick up spirits and then get busy in the search again. This disappointment of lack of success was becoming common when one day they suddenly noticed the mouth of a cave from which birds drenched in water were flying out. They were attracted to the cave since it promised some water source to quench their thirsts. As they ventured in, it was pitch dark, but they soldiered on patiently and finally there was light, but not the end of the tunnel. All of a sudden, the landscape changed, there was unimaginable natural beauty, water body, lotuses, aquatic animals, fruits, roots and even gigantic well decorated mansions! This was some star turn for the lot as they landed in the wonderland. Soon enough they noticed an old ascetic woman. The great initiative taker, hanumAn approached her and inquired about the place and her. Onwards…
Having spoken to the ascetic and righteous woman clad in bark clothes and engaged in penance, hanumAn continued –
“O lady, disappointed and tormented by hunger and thirst we all entered this cave which was enveloped in darkness. Roaming the forests we were thirsty, we stumbled in to this cave and coming here we behold many wonders. And this enhances our pain and we have lost our senses.
कस्यैते काञ्चना वृक्षास्तरुणादित्यसन्निभाः।।4.51.4।।
शुचीन्यभ्यवहार्याणि मूलानि च फलानि च।
काञ्चनानि विमानानि राजतानि गृहाणि च।।4.51.5।।
तपनीयगवाक्षाणि मणिजालावृतानि च।
To whom do these trees resplendent like the rising sun in golden hue, the pure delicacies, fruits and roots belong? Who owns the towering mansions studded with silver and with windows containing gems and jewels? These trees which are in full bloom and bore sweet and fragrant fruits in complete golden hue, by whose influence have they grown? In the crystal clear waters, we behold golden lotuses, golden fish and tortoises! Surely, this is growing by the influence of the penance of someone. We are not aware of it. You ought to tell us about all this”.
Spoken to thus by hanumAn, the ascetic woman, ever engaged in the welfare of all replied to hanumAn –
“O great vAnaras, the illustrious maya who is full of magical powers has built this golden forest. In the yore, he became the chief architect of the demons. He observed penance for thousands of years in the deep forests and propitiated lord brahma. The lord conferred the boon as per his desire that he shall inherit the entire wealth of uSana (Sukra, the preceptor of the demons). Having received all the magical powers, the demon lived in this dense forest having built these great mansions here. He was infatuated with an apsara by name hEmA. Taking offence, lord indra attacked him with his thunderbolt. Then lord brahma presented this luxurious forest to the apsara hEmA.
My name is swayamprabha and I am the dughter of mErusAvarNi. I am in charge of the maintenance of this forest and the mansions that belong to hEmA who is proficient in dance and music. I take care of her property here in the forest.
On what work and for whose sake have you been here and how did you end up in this dense and difficult-to-enter forest? However, before you start narrating, please partake these delicacies, the fruits and roots. After doing that, you may narrate comprehensively.
किं कार्यं कस्य वा हेतोः कान्ताराणि प्रपश्यथ।।4.51.18।।
कथं चेदं वनं दुर्गं युष्माभिरुपलक्षितम्।
इमान्यभ्यवहार्याणि मूलानि च फलानि च।।4.51.19।।
भुक्त्वा पीत्वा च पानीयं सर्वं मे वक्तुमर्हथ।
Here we conclude the fifty first sarga of the kishkindhA kAnDam of SrImath vAlmiKi rAmAyaNam and humbly offer it at the lotus feet of SrIrAma. Hari: Om!
jAi SrIrAma.
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Next: 4.52. Gracious host enlivens the mission
Previous: 4.50. vAnaras in the wonderland!
rAmabhaktisAmrAjyam 