Shloka 4.50.24
ऋक्षबिलप्रवेशः — Entry into the Rikshabilam Cave
ततस्तं देशमागम्य सौम्या वितिमिरं वनम्।।।।ददृशुः काञ्चनान्वृक्षान्दीप्तवैश्वानरप्रभान्।सालां स्तालांश्च पुन्नागान्ककुभान्वञ्जुलान्धवान्।।।।चम्पकान् नागवृक्षांश्च कर्णिकारांश्च पुष्पितान्।स्तबकैः काञ्चनैश्चित्रै रक्तै: किसलयैस्तथा।।।।आपीडैश्च लताभिश्च हेमाभरणभूषितान्।तरुणादित्यसङ्काशान्वैढूर्यकृतवेदिकान्।।।।विभ्राजमानान्वपुषा पादपांश्च हिरण्मयान्।नीलवैढूर्यवर्णाश्च पद्मिनीः पतगावृताः।।।।महद्भि: काञ्चनैः पद्मैर्वृता बालार्कसन्निभैः।
tatas taṁ deśam āgamya saumyā vitimiraṁ vanam |
dadṛśuḥ kāñcanān vṛkṣān dīptavaiśvānaraprabhān |
sālāṁs tālāṁś ca punnāgān kakubhān vañjulān dhavān |
campakān nāgavṛkṣāṁś ca karṇikārāṁś ca puṣpitān |
stabakaiḥ kāñcanaiś citrai raktaiḥ kisalayais tathā |
āpīḍaiś ca latābhiś ca hemābharaṇabhūṣitān |
taruṇādityasaṅkāśān vaiḍhūryakṛtavedikān |
vibhrājamānān vapuṣā pādapāṁś ca hiraṇmayān |
nīlavaiḍhūryavarṇāś ca padminīḥ patagāvṛtāḥ |
mahadbhiḥ kāñcanaiḥ padmair vṛtā bālārkasannibhaiḥ ||
Reaching that region, the gentle ones beheld a forest free of darkness, blazing as if with firelight. There they saw golden trees—sāla and tāla, punnāga, kakubha, vañjula, dhava, campaka, nāga, and flowering karṇikāra—adorned with wondrous golden clusters and red tender shoots, entwined with creepers, as though ornamented with gold. Some seemed like the rising sun, with platforms inlaid with vaidūrya gems; the golden trees shone with their own splendor. Lotus-ponds, blue like vaidūrya, were covered with birds and filled with great golden lotuses, resembling the newborn sun.
Having reached inside the cave the monkeys saw a forest shining like blazing fire, dispelling the surrounding darkness. There they noticed sala, tala, tamala, punnaga, vanjjula, dhava, champaka, and naga trees. They also saw blossoming plants of Karnikara, bunches of beautiful golden flowers and tender red-coloured leaves.They saw wonderful trees with creepers on top entwining them, and ornamented with gold (like golden fruits), radiant like the dazzling rising Sun. There were altars encrusted with precious sapphire and vaidurya. The golden trees were shining bright. There were lotus creepers looking like sapphire and vaidurya.The ponds were filled with golden lotuses and were surrounded by birds.
The passage frames a dharmic motif: after enduring darkness and hardship without abandoning duty, the seekers arrive at a realm of light—suggesting that steadfast righteous effort culminates in clarity and auspicious vision.
The vānaras emerge from the oppressive cave-darkness into a marvelous inner region: a luminous forest with gem-inlaid structures and lotus-ponds.
Śraddhā and perseverance—continuing the mission until the environment itself shifts from despair to revelation.