स्वयंप्रभा
प्रश्नोत्तरम् / Svayamprabha Explains the Golden Forest and Questions the Vanaras
महद्धरण्या विवरं प्रविष्टाः स्म पिपासिताः।इमां स्त्वेवंविधान्भावान्विविधानद्भुतोपमान्।।4.51.3।।दृष्ट्वा वयं प्रव्यथितास्सम्भ्रान्ता नष्टचेतसः।
mahad dharaṇyā vivaraṃ praviṣṭāḥ sma pipāsitāḥ | imāṃs tv evaṃvidhān bhāvān vividhān adbhutopamān || 4.51.3 || dṛṣṭvā vayaṃ pravyathitāḥ sambhrāntā naṣṭacetasaḥ |
Von Durst gequält traten wir in diese gewaltige Öffnung der Erde ein; und als wir die mannigfachen, wunderbaren Erscheinungen sahen, wurden wir erschüttert, verwirrt und beinahe besinnungslos.
'Eat these wonderful roots and fruits and have these drinks and then tell me all about you.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē kiṣkindhākāṇḍē ēkapañcaśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends of the fifty-first sarga in Kishkindakanda of the first epic, the Holy Ramayana composed by sage Valmiki.
Humility before the unknown: dharma includes recognizing one’s limits and seeking rightful guidance rather than acting rashly amid marvels.
The vanaras describe how thirst led them into a great subterranean opening and how the extraordinary sights inside left them disoriented.
Prudence—acknowledging confusion and implicitly inviting instruction from a wiser resident (the ascetic).