Shloka 5.54.12
लङ्कादाहः — The Burning of Lanka (Catuḥpañcāśaḥ Sargaḥ)
रश्मिकेतोश्च भवनं सूर्यशत्रोस्तथैव च।ह्रस्वकर्णस्य दंष्ट्रस्य रोमशस्य च रक्षसः।।।।युद्धोन्मत्तस्य मत्तस्य ध्वजग्रीवस्य रक्षसः।विद्युज्जिह्वस्य घोरस्य तथा हस्तिमुखस्य च।।।।करालस्य पिशाचस्य शोणिताक्षस्य चैव हि।कुम्भकर्णस्य भवनं मकराक्षस्य चैव हि।।।।यज्ञशत्रोश्च भवनं ब्रह्मशत्रोस्तथैव च।नरान्तकस्य कुम्भस्य निकुम्भस्य दुरात्मनः।।।।वर्जयित्वा महातेजा विभीषणगृहं प्रति।क्रममाणः क्रमेणैव ददाह हरिपुङ्गवः।।।।
raśmiketoś ca bhavanaṁ sūryaśatroḥ tathaiva ca | hrasvakarṇasya daṁṣṭrasya romaśasya ca rakṣasaḥ || 5.54.12 ||
yuddhonmattasya mattasya dhvajagrīvasya rakṣasaḥ | vidyujjihvasya ghorasya tathā hastimukhasya ca || 5.54.13 ||
karālasya piśācasya śoṇitākṣasya caiva hi | kumbhakarṇasya bhavanaṁ makarākṣasya caiva hi || 5.54.14 ||
yajñaśatroś ca bhavanaṁ brahmaśatroḥ tathaiva ca | narāntakasya kumbhasya nikumbhasya durātmanaḥ || 5.54.15 ||
varjayitvā mahātejā vibhīṣaṇagṛhaṁ prati | kramamāṇaḥ krameṇaiva dadāha haripuṅgavaḥ || 5.54.16 ||
The radiant leader among monkeys moved through the city, setting fire—one after another—to the mansions of Raśmiketu, Sūryaśatru, Hrasvakarṇa, Daṁṣṭra, Romaśa, Yuddhonmatta, Matta, Dhvajagrīva, the fearsome Vidyujjihva, Hastimukha, Karāla, Piśāca, Śoṇitākṣa, Kumbhakarṇa, Makarākṣa, Yajñaśatru, Brahmaśatru, Narāntaka, Kumbha, and the wicked Nikumbha; yet he deliberately spared the house of Vibhīṣaṇa as he went.
The brilliant monkey leader bypassed Vibhishanas's house and avoiding it that way set fire to the mansions of other ogres, Rasmiketu, Suryasatru, Hrasvakarna, Vajradamshtra, Romasa, Yuddhonmatta, Matta, Dhwajagriva, Vidyujjihva, Hastimukha, Karala, Pisacha, Sonitaksha, Kumbhakarna, Makaraksha, Yagnasatru, Brahmasatru, Naranthaka, Kumbha, and wicked Nikumbha.
Viveka in action: even amid punishment, Hanumān distinguishes the righteous from the wicked—sparing Vibhīṣaṇa shows dharma is not blind destruction but morally discriminating justice.
With his tail aflame, Hanumān systematically sets Laṅkā’s rākṣasa mansions on fire, but intentionally does not harm Vibhīṣaṇa’s home.
Nyāya-buddhi (sense of justice) and saṁyama (restraint): power is exercised with ethical boundaries.