had left the shore behind. He was flying across the sea to find , who had been taken to Laṅkā. His body moved high above the waves, while his shadow travelled over the water below. The wind did not hinder him. The sun did not burn him. Clouds of different colours passed around him.
Yet the crossing was long, and the far shore was still out of sight.
The ocean saw on his way. It remembered the house of , for King Sagara of that line had once enlarged the sea. Now 's messenger was crossing it. The ocean wanted to help him finish this difficult journey. It chose to offer a place to rest along the way.
Beneath the water stood , a mountain with gold-coloured peaks. The ocean asked him to rise. It told him that the traveller above was , working for , and that a resting place would help him cross the remaining distance. listened. Then his mountain body rose through the sea. Water fell from his slopes.
Trees and creepers came up with him, and his shining peaks reached towards the sky. The peaks were so bright that the sky above the water seemed touched by gold. The sea had hidden this mountain; now it stood before the traveller in full view.
To , the mountain appeared without warning in the path of his flight. He took it for an obstacle and struck it with his chest. did not answer the blow with anger. He recognized the traveller's power and took human form to speak to him with respect.
He offered his peaks as a place to pause. There was room to sit and rest before continuing over the water. A mountain that had first looked like a barrier was speaking as a host.
had a reason to care for this guest. He told about a much older time, when mountains could fly with wings. They moved where they wished. People were frightened of the mountains that could fall from the sky, and began cutting away their wings.
When was in danger, , the wind, swept him to safety and set him under the sea. There he stayed, protected beneath the water. was 's father. The mountain remembered that rescue and wished to welcome the son of the one who had helped him.
The old kindness had not been forgotten under the waves.
There was another reason. The ocean had asked to serve 's messenger. offered rest, hospitality and fruit growing on his slopes. He wanted him to ease the strain of flight and accept the welcome of both mountain and sea. The offer was real. could have stopped there for a while.
The mountain asked him to regard the welcome with affection, not as an interruption of their shared wish for 's work to succeed.
answered with courtesy. He was glad of 's kindness, and said that his words had already given him welcome. But he had a task that could not wait: had to be found. He had also told the other vānaras that he would cross without stopping.
The meeting was brief, yet he did not pass as though the mountain were nothing. He touched with his hand, giving the welcome the respect he could give, and sprang back into the open sky.
From below, mountain and ocean watched him continue. went forward on the path of his father, the wind. had not given him a long rest, but the mountain had offered it freely. saw what had happened and praised for helping in a dangerous undertaking. The mountain was glad of that praise.
slow down hereAbove the sea, kept flying. Below it, remained. One had offered shelter; the other had received the offer and gone on. Neither had mistaken the other's purpose after they spoke.