HomeRamayanaSundara KandaSarga 43Shloka 5.43.1
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Shloka 5.43.1

चैत्यप्रासाद-विध्वंसः (Destruction of the Chaitya Palace and Hanuman’s Proclamation)

ततस्स किङ्करान्हत्वा हनुमान्ध्यानमास्थितः।वनं भग्नं मया चैत्यप्रासादो न विनाशितः।।।।तस्मात्प्रासादमप्येवं भीमं विध्वंसयाम्यहं।इति सञ्चिन्त्य मनसा हनुमान्दर्शयन्बलम्।।।।चैत्यप्रासादमाप्लुत्य मेरुशृङ्गमिवोन्नतम्।आरुरोह कपिश्रेष्ठो हनुमान्मारुतात्मजः।।।।

tatas sa kiṅkarān hatvā hanumān dhyānam āsthitaḥ |

vanaṃ bhagnaṃ mayā caitya-prāsādo na vināśitaḥ ||

tasmāt prāsādam apy evaṃ bhīmaṃ vidhvaṃsayāmy aham |

iti sañcintya manasā hanumān darśayan balam ||

caitya-prāsādam āplutya meru-śṛṅgam ivonnatam |

āruroha kapi-śreṣṭho hanumān mārutātmajaḥ ||

After slaying the kiṅkaras, Hanumān paused to reflect: “I have shattered the grove, yet I have not destroyed the temple-like palace. Therefore I shall demolish even this fearsome building.” Thus resolving to display his power, Hanumān leapt onto the lofty caitya-palace, towering like the peak of Mount Meru, and the best of monkeys, son of the Wind, climbed up.

Having slain the kinkaras, Hanuman stood and reflected, ' I have ruined the garden and not the palatial buildings that are like temples (Chaityas)'. Then Hanuman, son of the Wind-god, decided in his mind to show his strength and jumped on to the top of the palatial building that appeared like the peak of mount Meru.

H
Hanumān
K
Kiṅkaras
L
Laṅkā (implied setting)
C
Caitya-prāsāda (temple-like palace)
M
Meru

Dharma here is purposeful strength: Hanumān’s force is not random cruelty but a deliberate, mission-aligned act meant to pressure adharma (Rāvaṇa’s regime) and advance the rescue of Sītā.

After killing the kinkara-guards and wrecking the Aśoka grove, Hanumān decides to escalate the disruption by attacking the prominent caitya-palace, mounting it like a battle-platform.

Vīrya with viveka (valor guided by judgment): he pauses to reflect, then acts decisively to demonstrate power in service of Rāma’s objective.