Sloka & Translation

[The story of Svayamprabha]

ityuktvā hanumāṅstatra punaḥ kṛṣṇājināmbarām.

abravīttāṅ mahābhāgāṅ tāpasīṅ dharmacāriṇīm৷৷4.51.1৷৷


tatra there, hanumān Hanuman, iti thus, uktvā having addressed, punaḥ again, kṛṣṇājināmbarām robed in deer skin, mahābhāgām a distinguished lady, dharmacāriṇīm a righteous woman, tāṅ tāpasīm ascetic woman, abravīt said.

On meeting the distinguished, righteous ascetic woman robed in deer skin, Hanuman said:
idaṅ praviṣṭāssahasā bilaṅ timirasaṅvṛtam.

kṣutpipāsāpariśrāntāḥ parikhinnāśca sarvaśaḥ৷৷4.51.2৷৷


kṣutpipāsāpariśrāntāḥ exhausted with hunger and thirst, sarvaśaḥ by all means, parikhinnāśca fatigued, timirasaṅvṛtam filled with darkness, idam this, bilam cave, sahasā all at once, praviṣṭāḥ entered.

'We are exhausted with thirst and hunger. We are fatigued. (Hence) we entered this dark cave all at once(without waiting for permission).
mahaddharaṇyā vivaraṅ praviṣṭāḥ sma pipāsitāḥ.

imāṅ stvēvaṅvidhānbhāvānvividhānadbhutōpamān৷৷4.51.3৷৷

dṛṣṭvā vayaṅ pravyathitāssambhrāntā naṣṭacētasaḥ.


pipāsitāḥ thirsty, dharaṇyāḥ of the earth, mahat huge, vivaram hole, praviṣṭāḥ sma we entered, ēvaṅ vidhān this kind, vividhān many, adbhutōpamān wonderful ones, imān these, bhāvān feelings,
dṛṣṭvā after seeing, vayam we, naṣṭacētasaḥ having lost conciousness nearly, sambhrāntāḥ amazed, pravyathitāḥ we are pained.

'Thirst drove us into this cave on earth. We are amazed at the kind of many wonderful objects here and have nearly lost our senses. We are tormented with pain.
kasyaitē kāñcanā vṛkṣāstaruṇādityasannibhāḥ৷৷4.51.4৷৷

śucīnyabhyavahāryāṇi mūlāni ca phalāni ca.

kāñcanāni vimānāni rājatāni gṛhāṇi ca৷৷4.51.5৷৷

tapanīyagavākṣāṇi maṇijālāvṛtāni ca.


ētē these, taruṇādityasannibhāḥ resembling like the rising Sun, kāñcanāḥ golden, vṛkṣāḥ trees, śucīni pure, abhyavahāryāṇi very tasty eatables, mūlāni ca roots, phalāni ca and fruits, kāñcanāni golden, vimānāni storeyed structures, rājatāni silver, tapanīya gavākṣāṇi glittering golden windows, maṇijālāvṛtāni adorned with lattices encrusted with gems, gṛhāṇi ca and houses, kasya whose?

'To whom do these golden trees resembling the rising Sun belong? For whom are these tasty roots and fruits? Whose are these many-storeyed golden houses with glittering windows adorned with silver lattices encrusted with gems?
puṣpitāḥ phalavantaśca puṇyāssurabhigandhinaḥ৷৷4.51.6৷৷

imē jāmbūnadamayāḥ pādapāḥ kasya tējasā.

kāñcanāni ca padmāni jātāni vimalē jalē৷৷4.51.7৷৷

kathaṅ matsyāśca sauvarṇā dṛśyantē saha kacchapaiḥ.

ātmānamanubhāvaṅ ca kasya caitattapōbalam৷৷4.51.8৷৷

ajānatāṅ na ssarvēṣāṅ sarvamākhyātumarhasi.


puṣpitāḥ blossomed, phalavantaśca full of fruits, puṇyāḥ sacred, surabhigandhinaḥ filled with fragrance, imē these, jāmbūnadamayāḥ full of gold, pādapāḥ trees, vimalē in pure, jalē in water, kāñcanāni of gold, padmāni ca and lotuses, kasya whose, tējasā by lustre, jātāni created, kacchapaiḥ saha along with tortoises, sauvarṇāḥ golden, matsyāśca fishes too, katham how, ātmānam yourself, anubhāvām ca your power!, ētat all this, tapōbalam ascetic power, kasya whose, ca and, ajānatām do not know, naḥ us, sarvēṣām for all of us, sarvam everything, ākhyātum to tell, arhasi you ought to.

'By whose prowess are these golden trees yielding sacred fragrant flowers and fruits? How are these golden lotuses created in the clear water? How is it that here are golden fishes and tortoises? Whose fruit of penance is this? Is it by your power? We do not know. You should tell all of us everything'.
ēvamuktā hanumatā tāpasī dharmacāriṇī৷৷4.51.9৷৷

pratyuvāca hanūmantaṅ sarvabhūtahitē ratā.


hanumatā Hanuman, ēvam in that way, uktā spoken, sarvabhūtahitē in the interest of all beings, ratā committed, dharmacāriṇī noble woman, tāpasī female ascetic, hanūmantam to Hanuman, pratyuvāca replied.

The noble ascetic committed to the welfare of all beings replied to Hanuman's enquiry:
mayō nāma mahātējā māyāvī vānararṣabhaḥ৷৷4.51.10৷৷

tēnēdaṅ nirmitaṅ sarvaṅ māyayā kāñcanaṅ vanam.


vānararṣabhaḥ O bull among monkeys!, mahātējāḥ brilliant, māyāvī a deceitful, mayō nāma called Maya, idam this, sarvam all, kāñcanaṅ vanam golden forest, tēna by his, māyayā magical power, nirmitam created.

'O bull among monkeys! this golden forest was created by the magical power of a deceitful demon called Maya.
purā dānavamukhyānāṅ viśvakarmā babhūva ha৷৷4.51.11৷৷

yēnēdaṅ kāñcanaṅ divyaṅ nirmitaṅ bhavanōttamam.


yēna by whomsoever, kāñcanam golden, divyam wonderful, idam this, bhavanōttamam best of mansions, nirmitam constructed, purā earlier, dānavamukhyānām chiefs of demons, viśvakarmā Visvakarma, babhūva existed.

This best of wonderful mansions has been constructed earlier by Visvakarma, the chief (architect) of the demons.
sa tu varṣasahasrāṇi tapastaptvā mahāvanē৷৷4.51.12৷৷

pitāmahādvaraṅ lēbhē sarvamauśanasaṅ dhanam.


saḥ that, vanē in the forest, varṣasahasrāṇi for thousands of years, mahāvanē dense forest, tapaḥ penance, taptvā having performed, pitāmahāt from the creator Brahma, varam boon, auśanasam of Usanas, sarvam all, dhanam wealth, lēbhē inherited.

'He (Maya) performed rigorous penance in the dense forest for thousands of years seeking the favour of Brahma, the creator and obtained a boon that he should inherit all the wealth of Usanas (Shukra).
vanaṅ vidhāya balavānsarvakāmēśvarastadā৷৷4.51.13৷৷

uvāsa sukhitaḥ kālaṅ kañcidasminmahāvanē.


tadā then, balavān powerful one, sarvakāmēśvaraḥ master of all desires, sukhitaḥ happily, asmin in this, mahāvanē in this dense forest, kañcitkālam for some time, uvāsa lived, vanaṅ the forest, vidhāya after creating.

Then the mighty Maya who received the power of (executing) desires created this mansion and lived here happily for some time in this dense forest.
tamapsarasi hēmāyāṅ saktaṅ dānavapuṅgavam৷৷4.51.14৷৷

vikramyaivāśaniṅ gṛhya jaghānētraḥ purandaraḥ.


hēmāyām Hema, apsarasi an apsarasa or angel, saktam infatuated, tam him, dānavapuṅgavam great demon, īśaḥ lord, purandaraḥ Indra, aśanim thunderbolt, gṛhya after taking, vikramyaiva with all his might, jaghāna attacked.

'Seeing this great demon in love with a heavenly apsara (nymph) called Hema, Lord Indra with all his might attacked him with his thunderbolt.
idaṅ ca brahmaṇā dattaṅ hēmāyai vanamuttamam৷৷4.51.15৷৷

śāśvatā: kāmabhōgaśca gṛhaṅ cēdaṅ hiraṇmayam.


idam thus, uttamam wonderful, vanam forest, śāśvatā: permanently, kāmabhōgaśca luxurious life, hiraṇmayam golden, idam this, gṛham house, brahmaṇā creator Brahma, hēmāyai to Hema, dattam was given.

'Thus this wonderful forest and the golden house with all luxury were given away permanently to Hema by the creator Brahma.
duhitā mērusāvarṇērahaṅ tasyāssvayaṅprabhā৷৷4.51.16৷৷

idaṅ rakṣāmi bhavanaṅ hēmāyā vānarōttama!.


vānarōttama best of monkeys, mērusāvarṇēḥ of Meru Sauvarni, duhitā daughter, svayaṅprabhā Svayamprabha, aham me, tasyāḥ her, hēmāyāḥ Hema's, idam this, bhavanam house, rakṣāmiI protect.

'O best of monkeys! daughter of Meru Sauvarni, I am Svayamprabha (self-illuminator), caretaker of this house of Hema. (Meru Sauvarni is the eleventh Manu).
mama priyasakhī hēmā nṛttagītaviśāradā৷৷4.51.17৷৷

tayā dattavarā cāsmi rakṣāmi bhavanōttamam.


nṛttagītaviśāradā well-versed in dance and music, hēmā Hema, mama to me, priyasakhī dear friend, tayā as such, dattavarā granted a boon, asmi I am, uttamam supreme, bhavanam house, rakṣāmi I watch this house.

'Hema, well-versed in dance and music is a fast friend to me. She granted a boon (that none can resist me) and gave this house of which I am the care-taker.
kiṅ kāryaṅ kasya vā hētōḥ kāntārāṇi prapaśyatha৷৷4.51.18৷৷

kathaṅ cēdaṅ vanaṅ durgaṅ yuṣmābhirupalakṣitam.


kāryam mission, kim what, kasya vā for what, hētōḥ for purpose, kāntārāṇi these forests, prapaśyatha you are looking for, durgam inaccessible, idam vanam this forest, yuṣmābhiḥ by all of you, katham how, upalakṣitam was found?

'What is your mission? For what purpose have you come to this inaccessible forest? What are you looking for?How did you find this?
imānyabhyavahāryāṇi mūlāni ca phalāni ca৷৷4.51.19৷৷

bhuktvā pītvā ca pānīyaṅ sarvaṅ mē vaktumarhatha.


imān these, abhyavahāryāṇi wonderful eatables, mūlāni ca roots, phalāni ca and fruits, bhuktvā after eating, pānīyam drink, pītvā ca taking, mē to me, sarvam every thing, vaktum you may tell, arhatha you may do so.

'Eat these wonderful roots and fruits and have these drinks and then tell me all about you.
ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē kiṣkindhākāṇḍē ēkapañcaśassargaḥ৷৷
Thus ends of the fifty-first sarga in Kishkindakanda of the first epic, the Holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.