Seeing them like that the leader of that task-force, Angada decided to do something to raise their spirits. Accordingly he addressed them "Hi! my friends, please lend me your ears. We in oneness have searched here, there and thereabouts in the very thickset forests, daunting mountains, frightening rivers and unnerving and petrifying cavities and in mountain caves up to their end. Unfortunately we have not seen Janaki. That ill-natured rakshash, the abductor of Seetha, namely Ravana is not seen, either. As that rakshash Ravana, carrying Seetha was going southward, his ultimate destination must be there in the south. For that reason our king Sugreeva seems to believe that we will find them. We started a long time back and a great deal of time has lapsed. All of you know very well that our master Sugreeva is a strict disciplinarian. It is, therefore incumbent on all of us to continued our search with renewed vigour everywhere collectively.
"Surrender not to sluggishness, submit not to sorrowfulness, slouch not to sleep, as these undesirable lethargies seem to be creeping on you. Let us all continue the search with revitalized energy and enthusiasm.
"Insistency, ingenuity and indomitability of heart are said to be the vanguard for achieving results. You all know that relentless efforts will get the fruits of pursuit.
"I am positive that it will be our team that will find the whereabouts of Seetha. Fruit of pursuit will definitely be for those who pursue an endeavour earnestly and steadfastly. You all know that any endeavour will have its own vicissitudes. Now we seem to be at the down-end. If we pursue with grit and resolution, I am sure, we will to to the top. That apart, all of you know that our King Sugreeva is irascible and a ruthless persecutor. Bear this in mind and all the sluggishness will disappear from you."
On hearing Angada's words, one vanara (sorry, I forgot his name) though enervated with thirst and fatigue agreed with him in toto and said "Friends! I entirely agree with what Angada said. What he said is very rational, appropriate, advantageous and pragmatic. Let us carry out as said by him. Again let us search out mountains, caves, crags, and also the uninhabited forests and mountain rapids. Let us all collectively search all of the places with forests, mountains and gorges as indicated by Sugreeva."
Those great-mighty vanaras again perking themselves up searched the southern compass that was overspread with Vindhya forests. Those vanaras were now eager to get the honour for finding the whereabouts of Seetha. Now they made their searches with more thoroughness than before. They searched everywhere relentlessly on ascending the mountaintop and other places. They did not find Seetha but fatigue found them.
Those great-mighty vanaras again perking themselves up searched the southern compass that was overspread with Vindhya forests. Those vanaras were now eager to get the honour for finding the whereabouts of Seetha. Now they made their searches with more thoroughness than before. They searched everywhere relentlessly on ascending the mountaintop and other places. They did not find Seetha but fatigue found them.
After a little rest they continued searching what all they could see all over on that many caved mountain. Then on climbing down the mountain they reached ground until they became tired and inane. However, they took respite for only a few moments.
Thus starting from the Mt. Vindhya, they continued their search towards the southern direction.
Despite the fact that the caves and the thick forests of the Mt. Vindhya were packed with lions and tigers, they braved them and searched the caves and thick forests of Vindhya Range thoroughly. They did not spare the towering rapids. When they reached the southwest peak of that mountain during their search they reckoned that the time set by Sugreeva had lapsed. This was due to the fact that they overstayed thereat viz. Mt. Vindhya.
As there was no point returning to Kishkindha without any positive result they continued their search. They observed a wide-opened, intimidating, alarming, frightening, discouraging, awesome, unnerving and disconcerting cavity known as Riksha cavity.
As the entire vanara force was clenched tightly by thirst, hunger and fatigue and were craving for at least water, they were all immune to the sentiment called fear. The only sentiment they had at that point of time was hope. Clinging their dear hope, they peeped into that capacious cavity which was enwrapped with climbers and trees. There they also saw swans and the waterfowls like Krauncha, Saarasa and Chakravaka waterfowls exiting from the cavity with their bodies drenched in water and reddened with the dapples of lotuses' pollen.
As the entire vanara force was clenched tightly by thirst, hunger and fatigue and were craving for at least water, they were all immune to the sentiment called fear. The only sentiment they had at that point of time was hope. Clinging their dear hope, they peeped into that capacious cavity which was enwrapped with climbers and trees. There they also saw swans and the waterfowls like Krauncha, Saarasa and Chakravaka waterfowls exiting from the cavity with their bodies drenched in water and reddened with the dapples of lotuses' pollen.
They wondered what that cavity was. Was it the entrance to Naraka, The Hell of Yama, Paataala or the Netherworld of the Emperor Bali? All such thoughts vanished when they noticed that there was some water in there. Hanuman who was well known for his eruditeness and was respected by all for his worldly knowledge over very many things, and was very much regarded for his glossiness spoke "We all have searched the southern quarter including those places that are enmeshed with meshes of mountains, and we got fatigue instead of the whereabouts of Seetha.
"Swans along with waterfowls like Saarasa, Kruancha, and water drenched Chakravaka birds are coming out of this cavity from all over, and even the trees available at its doorway are verdant. Certainly there must be a wellspring or a pond with water."
Those words of Hanuma emboldened all those vanaras and they entered the cavity and found it as a sunless or moonless cavity, enfolded in hair-raising darkness. They noticed some lions and various other animals and birds going in and out of that cavity which was enshrouded in obscurity. Strangely they were able to see in spite of the darkness.
On going further into that cavity, those vanaras beheld a locale that was luminous, as well as lovely. In that awful cave compacted with various trees, they advanced further carefully and holding hands so that no one is lost.
They became very thirsty and awfully tired and after going quite a distance they perceived a luminescence. They were looking in wonder a shadowless woodland with golden trees which in irradiance was like the irradiated Ritual-fire. They beheld Saala, Taala [Palmyra,] Tamaala trees and some flowered trees like Punnaaga, Vanjula, Dhava, Campaka, Naaga and Karnikaara trees. The bunches of their flowers were golden and amazing, leaflets were reddish, and like that the climbers enwreathing at their tops were like their towering diadems and since those trees have golden fruits, they look as though decorated with golden jewellery. Those golden-bodied tress were shining forth like tender sun and their pedestals were completely studded with lapis gems. The birds encircling those trees were in the hue of lapis lazuli gems. The lotus lakes were encompassed with golden lotuses with broad petals, which in shine were similar to tender sun.
Then they beheld there the lotus-lakes containing serene waters and stocky lotuses and burly fishes that were golden. There the vanaras beheld choicest mansions everywhere made out of gold and silver, some with golden and some with silver domes, while some with golden and some with silver multi-stories, but all were studded with lapis gems with golden windows covered with lacework of pearls. They have also seen everywhere flowered and fruited trees that were similar in shine to red corals and rubies, and golden honeybees, as well as honeys.
They further beheld everywhere diverse and capacious beds and seats that were amazingly crafted with gemstones and gold, and also stacks of utensils made of gold, silver and bell metal. They saw stockpiles of heavenly aloe vera substances and sandalwood sticks and depurated eatables, tubers and fruits. They also saw top-grade soft drinks, luscious honeys, heaps of finest quality clothing, exotic blankets and sheaves of deerskins. There were mounds of undefiled gold stockpiled here and there glowing with the glow of ritual fire.
All the vanaras were gaping in wonder here and there and they noticed a lady there. She looked like a saint and was attired in jute-cloths. She looked like a luminiferous entity.
In wonderment the vanaras stood still all over, and Hanuman asked her politely "Who are you? Whose is this cavity, the mansion and these jewels? Please speak."
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Eagerly awaiting to know who this lady is!
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