Kishkindha Kanda · Sarga 51 of 67 · 19 verses
Svayamprabha Tells of Maya’s Cave
Having said this, Hanuman speaks to that very fortunate ascetic woman, wearing rags and black deerskin, who walks in dharma: “We entered this cave covered in darkness suddenly, worn out by hunger and thirst and exhausted in every way. Thirsty, we entered this great opening in the earth. Seeing these things of many kinds, like marvels, we are shaken, bewildered and out of our senses. Whose are these golden trees like the young sun, these pure foods, roots and fruits, these golden mansions and silver houses with windows of refined gold covered with nets of gems? By whose power are these trees, flowering, fruit-bearing, holy and fragrant, made of gold? And these golden lotuses grown in the clear water? How are golden fish seen together with tortoises? Is it by your own power, or whose austerity is this? We all know nothing; please tell us everything.” Spoken to so by Hanuman, the ascetic woman who walks in dharma, devoted to the good of all beings, answers Hanuman: “There was a very splendid master of illusion named Maya, bull among monkeys. By his magic this whole golden forest was made. Long ago he was the Vishvakarman of the chief danavas; it was he who built this golden, divine, supreme dwelling. Having performed austerity for thousands of years in the great forest, he won from the Grandfather a boon: all the wealth of Ushanas. Having made everything, the mighty one, lord of every desire, lived happily for some time in this great forest. When that bull among danavas became attached to the apsaras Hema, lord Purandara took his thunderbolt and killed him by force. And Brahma gave this supreme forest to Hema, with everlasting enjoyment of pleasures and this golden house. I am the daughter of Merusavarni, Svayamprabha; I guard this dwelling of Hema, best of monkeys. Hema, skilled in dance and song, is my dear friend; having been given a boon by her, I guard this great dwelling. What is your purpose? For what reason do you travel through the wildernesses? And how did you find this impassable forest? Having eaten these pure foods, roots and fruits, and drunk water, you should tell me everything.”
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इत्युक्त्वा हनुमांस्तत्र चीरकृष्णाजिनाम्बराम् । अब्रवीत् तां महाभागां तापसीं धर्मचारिणीम् ॥ १ ॥
Having said this, Hanuman there spoke to that very fortunate ascetic woman, wearing rags and black deerskin, walking in dharma:
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इदं प्रविष्टाः सहसा बिलं तिमिरसंवृतम् । क्षुत्पिपासापरिश्रान्ताः परिखिन्नाश्च सर्वशः ॥ २ ॥
“We entered this cave covered in darkness suddenly, worn out by hunger and thirst, and exhausted in every way.
महद् धरण्या विवरं प्रविष्टाः स्म पिपासिताः । इमांस्त्वेवंविधान् भावान् विविधानद्भुतोपमान् ॥ ३ ॥
“We entered a great opening of the earth, thirsty. But having seen these states of being of many kinds, like marvels,
दृष्ट्वा वयं प्रव्यथिताः सम्भ्रान्ता नष्टचेतसः । कस्यैते काञ्चना वृक्षास्तरुणादित्यसंनिभाः ॥ ४ ॥
“we are shaken, bewildered, out of our senses. Whose are these golden trees, like the young sun,
शुचीन्यभ्यवहाराणि मूलानि च फलानि च । काञ्चनानि विमानानि राजतानि गृहाणि च ॥ ५ ॥
“the pure foods, roots and fruits, golden mansions and silver houses,
तपनीयगवाक्षाणि मणिजालावृतानि च । पुष्पिताः फलवन्तश्च पुण्याः सुरभिगन्धयः ॥ ६ ॥
“with windows of refined gold, covered with nets of gems? Flowering and fruit-bearing, holy, fragrant,
इमे जाम्बूनदमयाः पादपाः कस्य तेजसा । काञ्चनानि च पद्मानि जातानि विमले जले ॥ ७ ॥
“these trees made of gold: by whose splendour? And golden lotuses grown in clear water?
कथं मत्स्याश्च सौवर्णा दृश्यन्ते सह कच्छपैः । आत्मनस्त्वनुभावाद् वा कस्य चैतत्तपोबलम् ॥ ८ ॥
“How are golden fish seen together with tortoises? By the power of yourself, or whose is this strength of austerity?
अजानतां नः सर्वेषां सर्वमाख्यातुमर्हसि । एवमुक्ता हनुमता तापसी धर्मचारिणी ॥ ९ ॥
“To all of us, who do not know, you should tell everything.” Spoken to so by Hanuman, the ascetic woman walking in dharma,
प्रत्युवाच हनूमन्तं सर्वभूतहिते रता । मयो नाम महातेजा मायावी वानरर्षभ ॥ १० ॥
devoted to the good of all beings, replied to Hanuman: “There was one named Maya, of great splendour, a master of illusion, bull among monkeys.
तेनेदं निर्मितं सर्वं मायया काञ्चनं वनम् । पुरा दानवमुख्यानां विश्वकर्मा बभूव ह ॥ ११ ॥
“By him this whole golden forest was made by magic. Long ago he was the Vishvakarman of the chief danavas,
येनेदं काञ्चनं दिव्यं निर्मितं भवनोत्तमम् । स तु वर्षसहस्राणि तपस्तप्त्वा महद्वने ॥ १२ ॥
“by whom this golden, divine, supreme dwelling was made. He, having performed austerity for thousands of years in the great forest,
पितामहाद् वरं लेभे सर्वमौशनसं धनम् । विधाय सर्वं बलवान् सर्वकामेश्वरस्तदा ॥ १३ ॥
“won from the Grandfather a boon, all the wealth of Ushanas. Having made everything, the mighty one, lord of all desires then,
उवास सुखितः कालं कंचिदस्मिन् महावने । तमप्सरसि हेमायां सक्तं दानवपुङ्गवम् ॥ १४ ॥
“lived happily for some time in this great forest. That bull among danavas, attached to the apsaras Hema,
विक्रम्यैवाशनिं गृह्य जघानेशः पुरंदरः । इदं च ब्रह्मणा दत्तं हेमायै वनमुत्तमम् ॥ १५ ॥
“lord Purandara, attacking, seizing the thunderbolt, killed. And this supreme forest was given by Brahma to Hema,
शाश्वतः कामभोगश्च गृहं चेदं हिरण्मयम् । दुहिता मेरुसावर्णेरहं तस्याः स्वयंप्रभा ॥ १६ ॥
“and everlasting enjoyment of pleasures, and this golden house. I am the daughter of Merusavarni, Svayamprabha;
इदं रक्षामि भवनं हेमाया वानरोत्तम । मम प्रियसखी हेमा नृत्तगीतविशारदा ॥ १७ ॥
“I guard this dwelling of Hema, best of monkeys. Hema, skilled in dance and song, is my dear friend.
तयादत्तवरा चास्मि रक्षामि भवनं महत् । किं कार्यं कस्य वा हेतोः कान्ताराणि प्रपद्यथ ॥ १८ ॥
“And having been given a boon by her, I guard the great dwelling. What is your purpose, or for what reason do you go through wildernesses?
कथं चेदं वनं दुर्गं युष्माभिरुपलक्षितम् । शुचीन्यभ्यवहाराणि मूलानि च फलानि च । भुक्त्वा पीत्वा च पानीयं सर्वं मे वक्तुमर्हसि ॥ १९ ॥
“And how was this impassable forest perceived by you? Having eaten the pure foods, roots and fruits, and having drunk water, you should tell me all.”