SECTION LVII.

And springing up like unto a winged hill, that one endowed with energy, the untiring Hanumān, began to swim on the ocean of the firmament having for its blown lotuses and lilies, snakes, Yakshas and Gandharbas; with the Moon for its comely Kumuda;[⁴²¹] and with the Sun for its Kārandavas; charming to behold; having Tishya and Srāvana for its swans, clouds for its mosses and grass, Punarvasu for its mighty fish, the red-bodied one[⁴²²] for its huge aquatic animal, Airāvata for its spacious island, Swāti for its sportive swan, breezes for its billows, and moonlight for its cool waters. And as if swallowing up the welkin and touching the lord of stars, abolishing the sky decorated with stars and the solar disc, and cleaving the clouds, the unfatigued Hanumān began to cross over that sea. And (on all sides) mighty masses of clouds, sable, crimson, blue, Mangistha-hued, and green-red, looked exceedingly beautiful. And now entering into clouds and now imerging from them, he, again and again becoming visible and lost to sight, looked like the Moon. And that one clad in white raiment, coursing through diverse clouds, the hero's body was (alternately) visible and invisible, like unto the Moon in the sky. And the Wind-god's son went on in the sky, scattering the clouds and descending again and again. And sending up mighty sounds, that exceedingly energetic one gifted with a powerful voice like that of the clouds, having slain the foremost Rākshasas and rendered his name famous, having filled the city with lamentations and afflicted Rāvana, having distressed the mighty heroes and paid obeisance unto Vaidehi,—again held his course along the mid-ocean. And touching Maināka—foremost of mountains—that one endowed with prowess proceeded amain like an iron dart let go from a string. And from a distance approaching and beholding that mighty mountain, Mahendra, resembling clouds, that redoubted monkey began to roar. And having a lusty voice resembling that of clouds, that monkey, roaring, filled all quarters with his lofty shouts. And arriving at that place, he, eager to behold his friends, emitted tremendous roars, and began to flourish his tail. And as he went on roaring in the path ranged by Suparna, the firmament with the solar disc seemed to be rent by his shouts. And (it came to pass that) those powerful and heroic (monkeys) that had formerly stationed themselves on the northern shore of the ocean, anxious to see the Wind-god's offspring, heard the sounds proceeding from Hanumān's vehement speed, resembling the rumbling of clouds agitated by the winds. And all those rangers of woods, (staying) dispirited, heard the roars of that foremost of monkeys, like unto the roaring of rain-pouring clouds. And hearing those sounds as he kept crying, those monkeys (sitting) around, eager to see their friend, became extremely anxious. And that best of monkeys, Jambavān, with a joyful heart addressing all the monkeys, said,—"Hanumān hath succeeded completely. There is no doubt about this. If he were unsuccessful, he would not utter shouts as these." And hearing the sounds produced by the violent movements of the arms of that high-souled (hero), as well as the shouts of that magnanimous one, the monkeys, filled with delight, leapt up on all sides. And they, eager to have a sight of Hanumān, joyfully went from mountain-top to mountain-top and from peak on to peak. And influenced by joy, the monkeys remained holding a bough at the top of a tree, and waving their clean apparels. And as the wind roareth in a cavern, roared the powerful Hanumān, son unto the Wind-god. And seeing that mighty monkey resembling a mass of clouds, alighting, those monkeys stood joining their hands. And then the vehement monkey resembling a hill, having leapt up from that mountain, alighted on the top of that (other) mountain[⁴²³] filled with trees. And bursting with delight, (Hanumān) dropped near a fountain, like unto a hill whose wings have been clipped. Then with joyful hearts, all the principal monkeys stood encircling the high-souled Hanumān. And surrounding him, they experienced excess of delight, and drew near the newcomer with joyful faces. And bringing fruits and roots, the monkeys honored that chief of monkeys, the offspring of the Wind-god. And some, filled with delight, sent shouts, and some raised ululations; and the foremost monkeys fetched branches of trees.[⁴²⁴] And that mighty monkey, Hanumān, saluted his superiors and the aged, headed by Jambavān; as well as Prince Angada. And honored by the monkeys, as he very well deserved to be, and gratified by them, (he) briefly said—"Seen have I the exalted lady." And taking Vāli's son by the hand, he sat him down in a charming tract of the woodland belonging to the mountain Mahendra.—Then asked (by them), Hanumān addressed those foremost monkeys,—"I have seen Janaka's daughter in the Açoka woods. That blameless one is guarded by dreadful Rākshasis. The girt weareth a single braid of hair, and burneth to attain a sight of Rāma. She is faint in consequence of fasting, and dirty, weareth matted locks and is emaciated." Hearing the words, "I have seen" from the Wind-god's offspring resembling ambrosia, all the monkeys were filled with rejoicing. And thereupon, some of mighty ones roared, and some shouted, aid some blustered, and some raised ululations, and others stormed (in return). And some elephantine monkeys in joy upraised their tails, and some lashed with their long and broad tails. And others, transported with joy, bounding up to the mountain-summit, touched that foremost of monkeys, the handsome Hanumān. And when Hanumān had ended, Angada said these excellent words in the midst of the heroic monkeys,—"There is none, O monkey, that is like unto thee in strength and prowess. As having bounded over the spacious main, thou hast come back (here), thou art, O excellent monkey, the only giver of our lives. By thy grace it is that, our end attained, we shall meet with Rāghava. Oh for thy fidelity! Oh for thy prowess! Oh for thy fortitude! By luck hast thou seen that exalted one, the illustrious wife of Rāma, by luck it is that Kākutstha shall forego his sorrow in consequence of separation from Sitā." Then surrounding Angada, Hanumān, and Jāmbavān, the monkeys, exceedingly rejoiced, sat down upon a spacious stone. And having sat them down on the spacious rock, the monkeys became eager to hear of the bounding of the main and of (Hanumān's) seeing Lankā, Sitā and Rāvana. And they stood with joined hands, looking wistfully into Hanumān's face. And the graceful Angada was there, surrounded by many monkeys, and honored by them, even as the lord of celestials is honored in heaven by the celestials. When the famous and renowned Hanumān, and Angada with bracelets on his arms, had sat down, the elevated and mighty mountain-summit was illuminated with splendour.