Sundara Kanda, Sarga 14

Meaning

Reflecting awhile as to how he should reach the Aśoka grove and reaching Sītā mentally, Hanumān, who was endowed with extraordinary energy, leapt from the defence wall of the palace on to the enclosure of the Aśoka grove. (1)

Meaning

Stationed on the said enclosure, with all his limbs thrilled with joy at the prospect of finding Sītā in the grove, that great monkey for his part found the various trees, viz., sāl, Aśoka, Bhavya and Campaka, which were in full blossom, as well as Uddālaka, Nāgakeśara and mango trees with their fruits crimson as the snout of a monkey—surrounded with clumps of mango trees and intertwined with hundreds of climbers, and covered at the extremities with flowers, it being the beginning of spring. Nay, like an arrow shot from a bow-string by Śrī Rāma, he leapt into the grove. (2–4)

Meaning

Penetrating deep into it, the mighty Hanumān surveyed that marvellous grove, which was rendered noisy by birds, was surrounded on all sides with golden and silvery trees and looked variegated with birds and herds of deer; which consisted of lovely thickets and with its reddish flowers appeared red like the sun just risen; nay, which was fringed with trees of various kinds laden with flowers and fruits, and was ever inhabited by cuckoos and king-bees in heat; which filled men with delight at all times and overwhelmed deer and birds with heat and which was made noisy by peacocks in heat and was full of birds of every species. (5—8)

Meaning

While searching for that irreproachable princess of excellent limbs, the monkey woke the birds sweetly lying asleep. (9)

Meaning

Buffeted by flocks of birds with winds while moving on their wings, the trees in the Aśoka grove released showers of flowers of various kinds and various colours. (10)

Meaning

Covered with those flowers, Hanumān, sprung from the loins of the wind-god, looked charming like a mountain of flowers in the midst of the Aśoka grove. (11)

Meaning

Beholding the monkey stationed in a cluster of trees after running in all directions, all living beings in the Aśoka garden thought that it was Spring-incarnate. (12)

Meaning

Strewn with flowers of various kinds fallen from the trees, the earth there shone like a young woman richly adorned. (13)

Meaning

Shaken with violence in diverse ways by the impetuous monkey, the aforesaid trees shed blooms of diverse kinds at that time.(14)

Meaning

With their tops shorn of leaves and their blossom and fruit fallen, the trees stood like gamblers who, having lost their game, had staked even their raiment and ornaments. (15)

Meaning

Shaken by the impetuous Hanumān, those excellent trees, adorned with fruit, speedily shed their blossom, leaves and fruit. (16)

Meaning

Deserted by flocks of birds and depended upon their boughs alone, all the trees, when violently shaken, became unworthy of being approached. (17)

Meaning

Battered by the tail and hands as well as by the feet of Hanumān and with its trees shattered, the Aśoka grove looked smitten exactly like a young woman whose locks have been thrown into disorder, whose ‘Tilaka’ (sacred mark on the forehead) has been effaced, whose lips illumined by her bright teeth have been deprived of their colour (by being kissed again and again) and who has been dug into with nails and bitten with teeth. (18-19)

Meaning

The monkey in his impetuosity snapped the clusters of thick climbers even as the wind scatters masses of clouds in its onrush during the rains. (20)

Meaning

Ranging in that grove, the monkey beheld soul-ravishing grounds paved with gems and plated with silver and gold. (21)

Meaning

He also beheld at different places ponds of different shapes, which were full of excellent water and provided with costly steps of gems; which were distinguished by sands of pearls and corals and bottoms of crystals and were embellished with lovely golden trees growing on their margin; which contained beds of open lotuses and lilies, were adorned with Cakrawākas (red geese), and resonant with the notes of Cātaka birds and were made noisy by swans and cranes; which were fed on all sides with broad and delightful streams containing nectar-like water and bordered by trees; which were screened by hundreds of creepers and covered with flowers of Santana (a species of celestial wish-yielding trees); whose water was surrounded with shrubs of various kinds and which could be peeped into through Karavira trees, which served as air-holes. (22—26)

Meaning

Then Hanumān, a tiger among monkeys, sighted a mountain closely resembling a cloud laden with moisture, with elevated and charming peaks and surrounded on all sides with other mountain-tops, which was dotted with caves and covered with trees of every species and was reckoned as a lovely mountain on earth. (27-28)

Meaning

Hanumān further beheld a stream fallen from that mountain like a beloved wife fallen (in rage) with a bound from the lap of her loved one, and adorned with trees, whose boughs had bent down to the level of water, and thus looking like an enraged young woman, leaving her loved one, being detained by her near and dear ones. (29-30)

Meaning

Again the great monkey saw the stream of the river turned back due to its being impeded in its course by the aforesaid boughs, showing as if the beloved wife had returned duly reconciled to her loved one. (31)

Meaning

Not far from that mountain, the aforesaid Hanumān, an offspring of the wind-god and a tiger among monkeys, sighted lotus-ponds crowded with birds of every species. (32)

Meaning

Nay, he also beheld an artificial oblong pond full of cool water, provided with steps made of excellent gems and enriched with sands in the form of pearls, nay, which looked charming with various herds of deer, was surrounded by manifold thickets and lined with huge mansions constructed by Viśwakarmā, the architect of gods, and which was duly adorned on all sides with artificial woods. Whatever trees there were, laden with flowers and fruit, were crowned with boughs which spread like an umbrella and were all provided at their foot with platforms having smaller golden platforms above. That mighty Hanumān then sighted a singular golden Śiṁśapā (Aśoka) tree intertwined with numerous clusters of climbers and clothed with abundant leaves, and actually surrounded on all sides by golden daises. (33—37)

Meaning

He also beheld stretches of open land and mountain springs as well as other golden trees resplendent as fire. (38)

Meaning

Enveloped by the effulgence of those trees, which resembled the brilliance of Mount Meru (the golden mountain), the hero thought himself to be golden all round. (39)

Meaning

Hanumān was wonderstruck to behold the aforesaid clusters of splendid golden trees with their crests in full blossom and bristling with young shoots and leaves, trees which, when violently shaken by the wind, emitted a sound like the tinkling of hundreds of ornaments for the waist with tiny bells fastened to them. Climbing up that Śiṁśapā tree covered with leaves, Hanumān, who was full of great impetuosity, reflected as follows: ‘From this position I shall look out for Sītā, a princess of the Videha territory, who is sighing for Śrī Rāma’s sight and who, stricken with sorrow, must be wandering aimlessly to and fro. (40—42)

Meaning

‘Nay, this Aśoka grove of the evil-minded Rāvaṇa is highly delightful and is richly adorned with sandalwood and Campaka, as well as with Bakula trees. (43)

Meaning

‘Here is a lovely lotus-pond, frequented by flocks of birds. Queen Sītā, daughter of Janaka, will undoubtedly seek it. (44)

Meaning

‘Bereft of Śrī Rāma, the aforesaid Queen, Sītā, daughter of Janaka, ever beloved of Śrī Rāma, a scion of Raghu, and accustomed to roaming in woods, will surely walk to this place. (45)

Meaning

‘Or, that fawn-eyed lady, who is conversant with the beauties of this forest, will seek this forest at this spot today, greatly emaciated as she is by the thought of Śrī Rāma. (46)

Meaning

‘Sore stricken with grief on account of separation from Śrī Rāma, that fair-eyed lady, who is ever fond of dwelling in woods and is used to roving in forests, will turn up this side. (47)

Meaning

‘Nay, the noble and virtuous daughter of Janaka, the beloved spouse of Śrī Rāma, perpetually loved heretofore the denizens of the grove without doubt. (48)

Meaning

‘Intent on the devotions pertaining to the morning and evening twilights, the fair-complexioned daughter of Janaka, who ever looks as though she were only sixteen years old, will surely seek this stream of translucent water for the sake of her morning ablutions and devotions. (49)

Meaning

‘Nay, this magnificent Aśoka grove is also worthy of that charming lady, who is the highly esteemed consort of Śrī Rāma, the king of the rulers of the earth. (50)

Meaning

‘If that godlike lady, whose countenance resembles the moon, the suzerain lord of stars, is surviving, she will undoubtedly visit this stream of cool waters.’ (51)

Meaning

Pondering thus and expecting Sītā, the consort of a ruler of men, nay, looking all round in search of her, while remaining concealed on that tree in full blossom and thick with leaves, the high-souled Hanumān surveyed the entire grove. (52)