Shloka 4.50.28
ऋक्षबिलप्रवेशः — Entry into the Rikshabilam Cave
ततस्तं देशमागम्य सौम्या वितिमिरं वनम्।।4.50.24।।ददृशुः काञ्चनान्वृक्षान्दीप्तवैश्वानरप्रभान्।सालां स्तालांश्च पुन्नागान्ककुभान्वञ्जुलान्धवान्।।4.50.25।।चम्पकान् नागवृक्षांश्च कर्णिकारांश्च पुष्पितान्।स्तबकैः काञ्चनैश्चित्रै रक्तै: किसलयैस्तथा।।4.50.26।।आपीडैश्च लताभिश्च हेमाभरणभूषितान्।तरुणादित्यसङ्काशान्वैढूर्यकृतवेदिकान्।।4.50.27।।विभ्राजमानान्वपुषा पादपांश्च हिरण्मयान्।नीलवैढूर्यवर्णाश्च पद्मिनीः पतगावृताः।।4.50.28।।महद्भि: काञ्चनैः पद्मैर्वृता बालार्कसन्निभैः।
tatastaṁ deśamāgamya saumyā vitimiraṁ vanam॥4.50.24॥
dadṛśuḥ kāñcanān vṛkṣān dīptavaiśvānaraprabhān |
sālāṁ stālāṁś ca punnāgān kakubhān vañjulān dhavān॥4.50.25॥
campakān nāgavṛkṣāṁś ca karṇikārāṁś ca puṣpitān |
stabakaiḥ kāñcanaiś citraiḥ raktaiḥ kisalayais tathā॥4.50.26॥
āpīḍaiś ca latābhiś ca hemābharaṇabhūṣitān |
taruṇādityasaṅkāśān vaiḍūryakṛtavedikān॥4.50.27॥
vibhrājamānān vapuṣā pādapāṁś ca hiraṇmayān |
nīlavaiḍūryavarṇāś ca padminīḥ patagāvṛtāḥ॥4.50.28॥
mahadbhiḥ kāñcanaiḥ padmair vṛtā bālārkasannibhaiḥ |
Then those gentle monkeys, having reached that region, beheld a forest free from darkness. They saw golden trees blazing as if with the radiance of fire—śāla and tāla, punnāga and kakubha, vañjula and dhava; also campaka, nāga-trees, and flowering karṇikāra. The trees were adorned with wondrous clusters of golden blossoms and tender red shoots, with creepers twined upon them like ornaments of gold. Altars and platforms were inlaid with vaidūrya gems; and the golden trees shone brilliantly in form. Lotus-ponds, blue as vaidūrya, were filled with birds and covered with great golden lotuses resembling the glow of the rising 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 redcoloured 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 verse presents alluring splendor, implicitly testing steadfastness: dharma here is maintaining focus on one’s entrusted mission despite distraction by beauty and luxury.
The vanaras enter a wondrous, light-filled region (within a cavern-like realm) and witness extraordinary golden vegetation, gem-inlaid structures, and lotus-ponds.
Self-control and disciplined attention (dama/saṁyama) are implied as necessary virtues for the vanaras, who must not lose their purpose amid enchantment.