September 29 - Sargas 51 and 52 of Kishkindha Kanda.
After the ascetic Swayamprabha explains to Hanuman and other vanaras what the history of that wonderful place is, she offers them generous hospitality with food and drink.
Later, on hearing Hanuman's story of their continuing search for Sita, using her spiritual powers, she transports the vanaras out of that cavern and to a spot near the seashore.
***
Hanuman explains to the ascetic woman that the vanaras were in deep distress due to hunger, thirst, and fatigue, and seeing the mouth of this cave with perhaps water and other things, as many birds were flying out happily, they had transgressed into her cave. Now, frankly, they all were disoriented and frightened by the magical sights inside.
काञ्चनानि विमानानि राजतानि गृहाणि च ।
पुष्पिताः फलवन्ताश्च पुण्याः सुरभिगन्धवः ॥
काञ्चनानि च पाद्मानि जातानि विमले जले ।
आत्मानमनुभावं च कस्य चैतात्तपोबलम् ॥
"Pray, venerable lady, these golden structures, silver palaces encrusted with gems, these trees with the full splendour of flowers and fruits and fragrances, all golden and luminous, these golden lotuses in crystal clear waters, all these - are these created by your own spiritual powers? Or, by whom else?"
The lady replies:
"Oh, supreme vanara, this golden forest and everything else were created by the magical prowess of a demon called Mayaa. He was the Vishwakarma or chief architect of the demons.
"Mayaa did tapas for a thousand years in the dense forest and secured as Brahma's boon the wealth of Shukra. He later created these mansions and everything else with his powers. He lived here happily for a while. Then he fell in love with an apsara (celestial maiden) called Hema. The lord of celestials, Indra, then punished him for that act and drove him out of here. Brahma then gave this place as a gift to the apsara, Hema. I am the daughter of Meru Sauvarni, and a close and trusted friend of Hema. Hema is wonderfully gifted in music and dance (and perhaps busy everywhere). She asked me to move in here and take care of it.
"Pray, vanara, you now tell me why you are all roaming in the forest and have managed to come here. But that can in fact wait. Please first of all refresh yourselves and partake of all these foods, fruits and roots, and drinks, and satisfy yourselves."
***
The grateful vanaras are happy to feast on the fare offered and feel much much better soon.
Thereupon, the ascetic repeats her request for information on what had brought the vanaras there.
Hanuman replies:
राजा सर्वस्य लोकस्य महेन्द्रवरुणोपमः ।
रामो दाशरथिश्श्रीमान्प्रविष्टो दण्डकावनम् ॥
लक्ष्मणेन सह भ्रात्रा वैदेह्या चापि भार्यया ।
तस्य भार्या जनस्थानाद् रावणेन हृता बलात् ॥
"Noble lady, the supreme lord of all, equal in glory to Indra and Varuna, is the prince and son of Dasharatha of Ayodhya, Sri Rama. (Notice how Hanuman introduces Sri Rama as equal to Indra. This is needed to establish a certain regard for them in the eyes of Swayamprabha).
"Sri Rama, for some reason, arrived in Dandaka forest, along with his younger brother Lakshmana and his wife, daughter of Janaka, Sita.
"Sita was abducted from Janasthana by the rakshasa Ravana."
Hanuman explains how Sri Rama then befriended Sugriva, lord of all vanaras. Sugriva has despatched this army of vanaras to seek out Sita's whereabouts as well as information about Ravana. They took the blessings of Sage Agastya and came here, led by their prince Angada. But their search thus far has been in vain and also, they were deeply overcome by fatigue, hunger, and thirst.
Seeing this magical cave, they entered, on Hanuman's advice, and struggled through the dark passage holding each other for safety.
Hanuman now says,
आथित्यधर्मदत्तानि मूलानि च फलानि च ।
अस्माभिरुपभुक्तानि बुभुक्षापरिपीडितैः ॥
यत्त्वया रक्षतास्सर्वे म्रियमाणा बुभुक्षया ।
ब्रूहि प्रत्युपकारार्थं किं ते कुर्वन्तु वानराः ॥
"Oh kind lady, by your righteous hospitality, we have eaten the sumptuous fare of fruits and roots and felt relieved of our suffering from hunger. You have indeed saved us from death by starvation. Please now be so kind as to tell us in what way the vanaras can repay you with true gratitude for your kind act."
The lady, who had disclosed by now her name as Swayamprabha (self-luminous), replies,
सर्वेषां परितुष्टास्मि वानराणां तरस्विनाम् ।
चरन्त्या मम धर्मेण न कार्यमिह केनचित् ॥
"Dear Hanuman, Indeed I am already much pleased by the conduct of all of you powerful and good vanaras. In my ascetic Dharma, in fact, I lack nothing and nothing, therefore, need be done for me in return."
Hanuman then adds, in a dejected voice, that they have failed to accomplish the orders of their lord Sugriva who had commissioned them to discover Sita's whereabouts. The ultimatum of one month had also passed while they were wandering in this place. Now they really had nothing to look forward to in life.
Would she help them get out of this magical cavern so that they may go on searching for Sita?
Swayamprabha replies:
जीविता दुष्करं मन्ये प्रविष्टेन निवर्तितुम् ।
तपसः सुप्रभावेण नियमोपार्जितेन च ॥
सर्वानेव बिलादस्मात् तारयिष्यामि वानरान् ।
निमीलयत चक्षूंषि सर्वे वानरपुङ्गवाः ॥
ततो निमीलिताः सर्वे सुकुमाराङ्गुलैः करैः ।
निमेषान्तरमात्रेण बिलादुत्तारितास्तया ॥
"Dear Hanuman, it is impossible for anyone who has entered here to get out alive. However, by virtue of my spiritual powers acquired after much-regulated tapas, I shall now transport you out of this place. For this, all of you great vanaras have to close your eyes tight, as I tell you, "
Valmiki says, "thus did all the vanaras obediently close their eyes tight with their fists which had tender fingers. Lo! In less than a minute, they all found themselves standing outside that cave, thanks to Swayamprabha."
Notice how the poet Valmiki does not miss a chance to point out that even mighty simians have very human-like, in fact, tender and pink-looking fingers 😀.
Thereupon, to a most grateful Hanuman and others, Swayamprabha points out the Prasravana mountain and the yonder seashore. Blessing them to get all success, she goes back into the cave.
***
॥ श्रीरामजयम् ॥
