Shloka 5.54.14

लङ्कादाहः — The Burning of Lanka (Catuḥpañcāśaḥ Sargaḥ)

Devanagari script

रश्मिकेतोश्च भवनं सूर्यशत्रोस्तथैव च।ह्रस्वकर्णस्य दंष्ट्रस्य रोमशस्य च रक्षसः।।5.54.12।।युद्धोन्मत्तस्य मत्तस्य ध्वजग्रीवस्य रक्षसः।विद्युज्जिह्वस्य घोरस्य तथा हस्तिमुखस्य च।।5.54.13।।करालस्य पिशाचस्य शोणिताक्षस्य चैव हि।कुम्भकर्णस्य भवनं मकराक्षस्य चैव हि।।5.54.14।।यज्ञशत्रोश्च भवनं ब्रह्मशत्रोस्तथैव च।नरान्तकस्य कुम्भस्य निकुम्भस्य दुरात्मनः।।5.54.15।।वर्जयित्वा महातेजा विभीषणगृहं प्रति।क्रममाणः क्रमेणैव ददाह हरिपुङ्गवः।।5.54.16।।

Transliteration

karālasya piśācasya śoṇitākṣasya caiva hi |

kumbhakarṇasya bhavanaṃ makarākṣasya caiva hi ||5.54.14||

Translation

He set fire to the mansions of Karāla, Piśāca, and Śoṇitākṣa; indeed, he also burned the houses of Kumbhakarṇa and Makarākṣa.

Context

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.

Characters & Entities

• Karāla
• Piśāca
• Śoṇitākṣa
• Kumbhakarṇa
• Makarākṣa

FAQs

How does this verse relate to dharma when it describes burning houses?

In the Sundarakāṇḍa, Hanumān’s burning of rākṣasa mansions functions as a dharmic counter-measure within a just war: it is targeted against the aggressor’s power-structure and serves as a warning, while the larger episode explicitly includes restraint (not harming Sītā and sparing Vibhīṣaṇa’s house), aligning force with moral purpose rather than cruelty.

Where is satya (truth) reflected in this verse’s narrative context?

Satya is reflected in the fidelity to Rāma’s mission: Hanumān’s actions are not random violence but the truthful execution of his role as messenger and agent of a righteous cause—demonstrating reliability, accountability, and consistency with the objective of rescuing Sītā and confronting adharma.