Having reflected for a while, and mentally met with her, that highly
energetic one leapt from the wall of Ravana's mansion on to that (of the
_Asoka_ wood). And all his frame filled with delight, that mighty
monkey, stationed on the wall, saw various trees having their tops
furnished with flowers through spring and the other seasons,--_salas_
and _asokas_, _bhavyas_, _champakas_, _udalakas_, and _nagas_, and those
bearing fruits resembling the mouths of monkeys; and those relative to
mango woods.--with hundreds of plants. And (Hanuman) leapt into the
garden like an arrow let go from the bow string. Entering into the
grove, variegated all over; resonant with the notes of birds; filled on
all sides with golden and silvern trees; many-hued with birds and
beasts; containing dainty tracts of trees like unto the risen Sun,--the
powerful Hanuman saw the place surrounded with various kinds of trees,
having fruits and flowers; frequented by maddened coels and _bhramaras_,
with creatures expressing happiness by their movements, birds and beasts
overflowing with spirits; echoing with the cries of peacocks; furnished
with various species of fowls. And as he was searching for that
surpassingly beautiful and blameless daughter of the king, that monkey
awakened the monkeys that were sleeping sweetly. And blown against by
the wind caused by the wings of the birds as they flew upwards, various
and variegated trees showered down blossoms. And in the midst of the
_Asoka_ wood, Hanumln, son unto the Wind-god, covered over with flowers,
looked lovely like a hill strewn with blossoms. And all creatures,
beholding that monkey embosomed among trees and darting on all sides,
took him for spring. And strewn with several masses of blossoms loosened
from the trees, the Earth appeared beauteous like a damsel dight with
ornaments. And shaken in diverse ways by the motion of the light
fleeting monkey, the trees showered many-hued flowers. And with their
leaves and tops torn, and their flowers and fruits shrivelled up, the
trees looked like worsted gamblers bereft of their clothes. And shaken
by Hanuman vehemently moving about, those excellent trees crowned with
fruits, speedily cast off fruits, flowers and foliage. And moved by the
Wind god's offspring, the trees with their trunks left, and forsaken by
the fowls were incapable of harbouring any creatures. And like youthful
fair ones with hair dishevelled, their paste worn off, their upper lips
with fair teeth sucked of their moisture; and having their persons torn
with nails and teeth; appeared the _Asoka_ wood with its trees
shattered; and itself ground with the tail, hands and legs (of Hanuman).
And that monkey with his vehemence scattered the clusters of shrubs,
like the wind violently scattering clouds in the rainy season. And
ranging there, the monkey saw beautiful pavements, jewelled, silvern aud
golden. And he saw there various pools filled with excellent water and
having steps crusted with jewels. Their sandy soil was filled with
pearls and corals, and the ground inside was made of crystal. And their
banks were decked with diverse golden trees. They were beautified with
full blown lotuses, water-lilies, _Chakravakas_ and _Natyuhas_[306] and
filled with the notes of swans and _Sarasas_. They were encircled on all
sides with big tanks having trees on their banks and water, clear and
sweet like unto nectar. They were entwined with hundreds of creepers,
covered with _Santana_[307] flowers and filled with diverse groves and
_Karaviras_ serving the purpose of windows.[308] And thereupon that
foremost of monkeys beheld there a mountain--the most picturesque in the
world, resembling clouds, having high summits, covered on all sides with
peaks and filled with hilly abodes and various trees. And that monkey
beheld there a river falling down from the mountain like unto a damsel
falling down from the lap of her beloved. And the branches of the trees
touching the water (of the stream) resembled a fair damsel prevented by
her dear companions from forsaking the company of her beloved). And that
great monkey beheld further down the stream turning back like unto the
damsel, pleased, going back to her dear one. And that foremost of
monkeys, Hanuman, the son of Maruti, beheld, at some distance, ponds
filled with lotuses and various birds. And he saw a big artificial pond
full of cool water having stairs crusted with excellent jewels and its
sandy banks filled with pearls. It was embellished (on all sides) with
various animals, diverse trees and big mansions made by Viswakarma[309]
himself. It was adorned all around with artificial fqrests and all the
trees there bore flowers and fruits, spreading their branches like unto
umbrellas and having golden and silvern pavements under them. And that
great monkey beheld there one golden _Singsapa_[310] tree surrounded on
all sides with golden pavements. And he saw the glebe, the hill streams
and many a golden tree resembling fire. By the lustre of all those trees
that heroic monkey appeared as if made of gold like unto the Sun by the
touch of the mount Sumeru. And having seen those beautiful golden trees,
shaken by the wind and making a sound like that of a _Kinkini_;[311]
having flowery tops and new leaves he was greatly amazed. And climbing
that _Singsapa_ tree enveloped with leaves that monkey, gifted with
velocity, reflected--"Perchance I may see Vaidehi, exercised with grief,
anxious to behold Rama and wandering hither and thither at her pleasure.
Certainly this is the picturesque _Asoka_ forest of that vicious-souled
one, embellished with sandal, _Champakas_ and _Vakulas_. Here is a
beautiful pond abounding in lotuses, thronged with birds and forsooth
shall that royal spouse Janaki repair hither. She is the beloved queen
of Raghava and expert in walking in the garden. And separated from Rama,
certainly shall Janaki repair hither. Or she having the eyes of a young
antelope and adept in roaming in the forest, exercised with thought
touching Rama, shall come here. Or she having beautiful eyes and fond of
ranging in the forest, racked with sorrow in consequence of Rama's
separation, doth always frequent this forest.[312] Ere this, the chaste
and worshipful spouse of Rama--Janaka's daughter, used to love always
the birds and animals of the forest. (The morning hath set in) and
surely the beautiful and graceful daughter of Janaka fond of performing
morning[313] ablutions, shall come to this river of pure water to
perform them. Truly is this beautiful forest of Asoka the worthy abode
of the beloved and chaste spouse of Rama, the lord of men. If that one
of moon-like countenance breathes, forsooth shall she come to this river
of cool water." Having arrived there and anxiously expecting the
appearance of the spouse of that lord of men, the high-souled Hanuman
hiding himself (on the Singsapa tree) enveloped with flowers and leaves,
beheld all.
[306] A gallinule.--T.
[307] One of the trees of heaven.--T.
[308] Literally the passages means "making a gap in that forest thickly
filled with trees." But Ramanuja interprets thus and we have
adopted his interpretation.--T.
[309] The son of Brahma and artist of gods.--T.
[310] A tree (Dalbergia Sisu).--T.
[311] A kind of tinkling ornament.--T.
[312] The commentator, Ramanuja interprets this _sloka_ as explaining
the cause of Sita's frequentiug the Asoka forest.--T.
[313] _Sandhya_ literally means the point of time which connects day and
night. It however, generally means the period after sunset and
before the night sets to. But here with reference to the speech
which Hanuman began by the end of night, it means the morning.--T.