{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry324.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry324.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry324.htm","text":"Angad and T\u00e1ra by his side,\n Again rose Hanum\u00e1ntried\n Each mountain cavern, dark and deep,\n And stony pass and wooded steep,\n The lion's and the tiger's home,\n By rushing torrents white with foam.\n Then with new ardour, south and west,\n O'er Vindhya's height the search they pressed.\n The day prescribed was near and they\n Still wandered on their weary way.\n They reached the southern land beset\n With woody mountains like a net.\n At length a mighty cave they spied\n That opened in a mountain's side.\n Where many a verdant creeper grew\n And o'er the mouth its tendrils threw.\n Thence issued crane, and swan, and drake,\n And trooping birds that love the lake.\n The V\u00e1narsed within to cool\n Their fevered lips in spring or pool.\n Vast was the cavern dark and dread,\n Where not a ray of light was shed;\n Yet not the more their eyesight failed,\n \n \n Their courage sank or valour quailed.\n On through the gloom the V\u00e1narssed\n With hunger, thirst, and toil distressed,\n Poor helpless wanderers, sad, forlorn,\n With wasted faces wan and worn.\n At length, when life seemed lost for aye,\n They saw a splendour as of day,\n A wondrous forest, fair and bright,\n Where golden trees shot flamy light.\n And lotus-covered pools were there\n With pleasant waters fresh and fair,\n And streams their rippling currents rolled\n By seats of silver and of gold.\n Fair houses reared their stately height\n Of burnished gold and lazulite,\n And glorious was the lustre thrown\n Through lattices of precious stone.\n And there were flowers and fruit on stems\n Of coral decked with rarest gems,\n And emerald leaves on silver trees,\n And honeycomb and golden bees.\n Then as the V\u00e1narser drew,\n A holy woman met their view.\n Around her form was duly tied\n A garment of the blackdeer's hide.\u00a01\n Pure votaress she shone with light\n Of fervent zeal and holy rite.\n Then Hanum\u00e1nre the rest\n With reverent words the dame addressed:\n 'Who art thou? say: and who is lord\n Of this vast cave with treasures stored?'","title":"BOOK IV: Canto L.: The Enchanted Cave.","type":"page"}