Chapter CII: Section XXVII

On Sugriva being installed and the monkeys entering the cave, Rama, along with his younger brother, got at the Prasrabana hill, resounded with the noise of tigers and deer, filled with terrible lions, covered with diverse trees, creepers and bowers, inhabited by bears, monkeys, _Gopuchyas_ and cats, resembling a collection of clouds and always auspicious. Rama, along with Saumitri, selected for his habitation, a spacious cave, situated on the summit of that hill. Making the above condition with Sugriva, Rama, the pure-souled descendant of Raghu, spake unto his humble younger brother Lakshmana, the enhancer of wealth, the following sound words, worthy of being spoken on that occasion--"O Saumitri, O slayer of foes, in this pleasant and spacious mountain cave filled with air, we shall pass the rainy season. O son of a king, this summit of the hill is excellent and picturesque, beautified with white, black and coppery stones, filled with diverse metals and river frogs, covered with diverse trees and pleasant creepers, resounded with the musical notes of various birds and cries of peacocks and beautified with various flowery trees,such as _Malati_, _Kundas_, _Sindubara_,[117] _Sirisa_,[118] _Kadamba_, _Arjuna,_[119] and _Sarja_.[120] O son of a king, this pond filled with full blown lotuses shall always be near our cave. This cave shall be worthy of our habitation, O gentle one, having its north-eastern part low and the western part high. There is, O Saumitri, at the entrance of the cave, a level, beautiful, spacious stone, black like unto collyrium. Behold O my brother, on the north, the summit of the hill, resembling collyrium and a rising cloud. There appears on the south a beautiful white hill resembling the Kailaca filled with various metals. Behold before the cave the mudless stream, flowing towards the east like unto _Janhavi_[121] in the _Trikuta_[122] mountain. This rivulet appears like unto a damsel ornamented and clothed, being filled with various trees, such as--_Sandal_, _Tilaka_, _Sala_, _Tamalas_, _Atimuktas_,[123] _Padmaka_, _Saralas_,[124] _Asokas_, _Baneeras,_[125] _Timidas_, _Vakulas_, _Ketakas,_ _Hintalas_, _Tinicas_, _Neepas_, _Vetashas_, _Kritamalakas_ growing on her banks. This rivulet resounded with various notes of hundreds of various birds, filled with _Chakrabakas_ attached to each other, crowded with geese and _Sarasas_, having picturesque banks, and various jewels, is as it were laughing on all sides. Here it appears covered with violet lotuses, here with red lotuses and there again with celestial white water-lilies. This pleasant and picturesque stream is filled with various water fowls and _Chakravakas_ and served by many a saint. Behold there the rows of pleasant sandal trees and those _Kukuvas_ which have grown up as it were like unto mental emotion. Picturesque indeed is this place, O slayer of foes, and we shall happily live here, O son of Sumitra. At no distance, O son of a king, from this place is situate the pleasant city of Sugriva--Kishkindha, filled with forests. Hear then, O best of conquerors, the sound of music, and the clatter of monkeys mingled with the sound of _Mridangas_. Forsooth is rejoicing Sugriva--the foremost of monkeys, getting back his wife, regaining his kingdom, and attaining to regal splendour." Having said this, Raghava, along with Lakshmana, dwelt in that _Prasravana_ hill abounding in caves and bowers. He did not attain to a best felicity although he lived in that pleasant hill filled with many things. Pondering over the ravishment of his spouse, dearer than his life, beholding the setting of the Sun in particular, he did not go to sleep, although he laid himself on the bed in the night. His younger brother Lakshmana, equally aggrieved, spoke unto Kakutstha, thus bewailing being exercised with grief and almost beside himself with sorrow, consequent upon Sita's bereavement, saying:--"It doth not behove thee to lament thus, being exercised with grief--it is not unknown unto thee that people, thus bewailing do exhaust themselves by and by. O Raghava, thou art devoted to pious actions and the services of the Deity in this world-- and pious, energetic and dost believe in the existence of God. Without being persevering thou shalt not be able to destroy in conflict thy enemy--that terrible, willy Rakshasa. Do thou renounce thy grief and take recourse to energy and thou shalt be able to slay that Rakshasa with all his family. What of the destruction of Ravana, thou art O Kakutstha, capable of uprooting the earth with oceans, forests and hills. Rains have set in and do thou wait for the autumn when thou shalt encompass the destruction of Ravana with his kingdom and kinsmen. I, too, am exciting thy latent energy like unto fire hidden in ashes with oblations. Welcoming the auspicious and well-meaning accents of Lakshmana, Raghava again spake unto him the following affectionate words:-- "O Lakshmana, truly do thy words become thee, affectionate, devoted, truthful and intent on my welfare as thou art. Renouncing this grief standing in the way of all business, I shall call forth, the more, this my energy on the occasion of displaying my prowess. I shall live here, awaiting the autumn and abiding by thy words and awaiting as well Sugriva's pleasure and the clear currents of the rivers. Heroes receiving favours always return them; the ungrateful lose the friendship of the honest." Considering Rama's words as highly sound and welcoming them therefore, Lakshmana, with folded hands, spake unto Rama of graceful appearance, displaying his own intelligence--"O lord of men, I fully approve of all thou hast said. The monkey-chief shall soon engage in our service. Resolved on the destruction of thy enemy, do thou spend here this rainy season awaiting the autumn. Subduing thy wrath, and awaiting the autumn, do thou with me spend these four months in this hill filled with deer, capable as thou art of encompassing the destruction of thy enemy."

[117] A small tree--Vitex negundo.--T.

[118] A kind of tree--Acacia Sirisa.--T.

[119] A tree--Pentaptera arjunee.--T.

[120] The _Sala_ tree (Shorea robusta) another tree (Pentaptera
Arjuna).--T.

[121] The river Ganges--literally~the daughter of _Janhu_ a saint. The
Ganges is called so on account of her supposed origination from
the thigh of the great saint.--T.

[122] The name of a mountain--literally it means--having three
peaks.--T.

[123] A tree (Dalbergia onjeimaisis)--Mountain ebony.--T.

[124] A sort of pine, (Pinis longifolia)--T.

[125] A sort of cane or ratan, (Calamas Rotany).--T.