p. 932

Lavine reflected fora 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 ndgas, avd those bearing fruits resembling, the mouths of monkeys; and those relative to mango woods,—with hundreds of plants. And (tHlanun.dn) leapt into the garden like an arrow let go from the bow string. Entering into the grove, variegated ail over ; resonant with the notes of birds ; filled on all sides with golden and silvern trees ; many-hued with birds and beasts ; contaming dainty tracts of trees like unto the risea Sun,—the powerful Hanuman saw the place surrounded with various kinds of trees, having fruits and flowers ; frequented by maddened cocl> and dhramaras, with creatures expressing happiness by their movements, birds and beasts overflowing wee ee He ee $ Prayapati.—T.

p. 933

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, Hanum&n, 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 gulden

p. 934

trees. They were beautified with full blown lotuses, waterlilies, Chakravakas and Natyuhas* and filled with the notes of swans and Sd4rasas. They were encirc!ed 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 Santénat flowers and filled with diverse groves and Karaviras serving the purpose of windows.{ 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, Hanum&a, 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§ 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 volden and silvern pavements under them. And that great monkey beheld there one golden Singsapal| tree * A gallinule.—T. t+ One of the trees of heaven.—T. + Literally the passages means “making a gap in that forest thickly filed with trees." But R4manuja interprets thus and we have adopted his interpetation. —T. § The sun of Brahma and artist of gods.—T. _ A tree (Dalbergia Sisu).—T.

p. 935

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 makinga sound like that of a Kénkini ;* 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 inthe 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 R4ma’s separation, doth always frequent this forest.t 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 morningt ablutions, shall come to this river of pure water to perform them. Truly is this beautiful forest of Asoka the worthy ° Akind of tinkling ornament.—T. + The commentator, Ram4nuja interprets this sloka as explaining the cause of Siat’s frequentiug the Asoka forest.—T. t 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 in. But here with reference to the speech which Hanum4n began by the end of night, it means the moraing.—T.

p. 936

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 Hanum4n hiding himself (on the Singsapa tree) enveloped with flowers and leaves, beheld all.