Shloka 31
लङ्कादाह-प्रचोदनं तथा वानर-राक्षस-समरारम्भः
The Burning of Lanka and the Outbreak of Battle
साबभूवमुहूर्तेनहरिभिर्दीपितापुरी ।लोकस्यास्यक्ष्येघोरेप्रदीप्तेववसुन्दरा ।।।।
sā babhūva muhūrtena haribhir dīpitā purī |
lokasyāsya kṣaye ghore pradīptev a vasundharā ||
Von den Affen in Brand gesteckt, glich jene Stadt in kürzester Zeit der Erde selbst, die in der schrecklichen Zerstörung der Welt loderte.
Set fire by the monkeys, in a short while, the city was like a land flaming out of dreadful destruction in the world.
FAQs
The verse frames war’s devastation as world-ending in feel—implying that Dharma must govern force. Even righteous war is grave; its purpose is restoration of satya and order, not indulgence in destruction.
The fire spreads rapidly through Laṅkā, and the entire city appears like a cosmic conflagration.
Determination and effectiveness in carrying out a mission (kārya-sādhana), restrained by the larger dharmic goal of ending Rāvaṇa’s oppression.