Shloka 38
स्वयम्प्रभा-विमोचनम् — Svayamprabha Leads the Vanaras Out
Time-Limit Crisis and Counsel
इदं हि मायाविहितं सुदुर्गमंप्रभूतवृक्षोदकभोज्यपेयकम्।इहास्ति नो नैव भयं पुरन्दरान्न राघवाद्वानरराजतोऽपि वा।।।।
idaṃ hi māyāvihitaṃ sudurgamaṃ prabhūtavṛkṣodakabhojyapeyakam |
ihāsti no naiva bhayaṃ purandarān na rāghavād vānararājato 'pi vā ||
此处由幻力所造，极难到达，却具足繁茂树木、清水、食物与饮品。若我们留在这里，便无所畏惧——不惧破城之因陀罗，不惧罗伽婆（罗摩），甚至不惧猴王。
'This cave built by magic is inaccessible. It has a number of trees, water, eatables and drinks. (If we live here) we need not be afraid of even Indra, the breaker of enemy citadels or even of Rama or also of the king of monkeys'.
FAQs
The verse highlights a temptation to abandon dharma through escapism—seeking safety and comfort rather than fulfilling the entrusted mission. In the Ramayana’s ethical frame, fear-driven withdrawal from duty is a lapse in responsibility.
The vānaras, anxious about punishment for failing the search, consider hiding in a magically protected, well-provisioned place instead of returning to Sugrīva with results.
Negatively, it foregrounds the absence of courage and accountability; by contrast, the larger episode sets up the need for steadfastness (dhṛti) and loyalty to one’s commission.