Shloka 44

लङ्कादाहः — The Burning of Lanka

Catuḥpañcāśaḥ Sargaḥ

Devanagari script

त्रिकूटशृङ्गाग्रतले विचित्रे प्रतिष्ठितो वानरराजसिंहः।प्रदीप्तलाङ्गूलकृतार्चिमाली व्यराजताऽऽदित्य इवांशुमाली।।।।

Transliteration

trikūṭaśṛṅgāgratalē vicitrē pratiṣṭhito vānararājasiṃhaḥ | pradīptalāṅgūlakṛtārcimālī vyarājatāditya ivāṃśumālī ||

Translation

ثبتَ على القمّة العجيبة لِتريكوطا، فكان أسدَ زعماء القِرَدة يسطع نورًا؛ وذيلُه المتّقدُ إكليلٌ من لهب، يتلألأ كالشمسِ المضيئةِ المحاطةِ بأشعّتها.

Word by Word

• त्रिकूट-शृङ्ग-अग्र-तले: on the summit-surface of Trikuta peak
• त्रिकूट-शृङ्ग-अग्र-तले: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: त्रिकूट (प्रातिपदिक) + शृङ्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष-श्रृंखला: ‘त्रिकूटस्य शृङ्गस्य अग्रस्य तलम्’ (on the surface of the peak of Trikūṭa)

• विचित्रे: wonderful
• विचित्रे: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विचित्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन; स्थानविशेषण

• प्रतिष्ठितः: stood stationed
• प्रतिष्ठितः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रति+स्था (धातु) → प्रतिष्ठित (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘stationed/standing’

• वानर-राज-सिंहः: lion among vanara chiefs
• वानर-राज-सिंहः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वानर (प्रातिपदिक) + राज (प्रातिपदिक) + सिंह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘वानराणां राज्ञां सिंहः’ (lion among monkey-kings)

• प्रदीप्त-लाङ्गूल-कृत-अर्चि-माली: having a garland of flames from his blazing tail
• प्रदीप्त-लाङ्गूल-कृत-अर्चि-माली: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रदीप्त (कृदन्त, क्त) + लाङ्गूल (प्रातिपदिक) + कृत (कृदन्त, क्त) + अर्चिस् (प्रातिपदिक) + मालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘प्रदीप्तेन लाङ्गूलेन कृताः अर्चिषः यस्य सः’ (whose garland of flames is produced by the burning tail)

• विराजत: shone
• विराजत: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: राज् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (अनद्यतनभूत/Imperfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद/परस्मैपद-प्रयोगभेद (here: ‘shone’)

• आदित्यः: the sun
• आदित्यः: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय

• अंशु-माली: garlanded with rays
• अंशु-माली: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अंशु (प्रातिपदिक) + मालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; तृतीया/षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘अंशुभिः माली’ (garlanded with rays)

Context

All the gods praised the vanara chief, son of the Wind-god, who was powerful, wise and efficient and had the speed of the Wind.

Characters & Entities

• Hanuman
• Trikuta (Trikūṭa mountain)
• Aditya (Sun)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The imagery links righteous purpose with tejas (moral radiance): when power is aligned with dharma, it becomes luminous and awe-inspiring rather than merely destructive.

What is the narrative situation?

After setting Lanka ablaze, Hanuman stands on Trikūṭa’s peak, visibly blazing from his burning tail.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Tejas and leadership: he appears as a heroic standard-bearer for Rama’s cause.