Shloka 5.54.35
लङ्कादाहः — The Burning of Lanka (Catuḥpañcāśaḥ Sargaḥ)
वज्री महेन्द्रस्त्रिदशेश्वरो वा साक्षाद्यमो वा वरुणोऽनिलो वा।रुद्रोऽग्निरर्को धनदश्च सोमो न वानरोऽयं स्वयमेव कालः।।।।
vajrī mahendras tridaśeśvaro vā sākṣād yamo vā varuṇo ’nilo vā |
rudro ’gnir arko dhanadaś ca somo na vānarō ’yaṁ svayam eva kālaḥ ||
“Is he Indra, wielder of the thunderbolt, the lord of the gods? Or Yama himself? Or Varuṇa, or the Wind? Or Rudra—Fire—Sun—Kubera—or the Moon? He is no mere monkey; is he Time (Death) itself in person?”
'Is this the wielder of thunderbolt Indra, who is the king of gods? Is it Yama himself? Is It the Wind-god, or Fire-god, or Varuna or Rudra? Is it Kubera or Sun or Moon or is it the god of death himself? He cannot be a mere monkey, indeed.
Adharma breeds moral blindness, yet crisis can force recognition: the rākṣasas, confronted by the consequences of wrongdoing, intuit a higher order (daiva/kāla) operating beyond their control.
Seeing Laṅkā burning, the rākṣasas are overwhelmed and wonder whether the devastator is a god (Indra, Yama, etc.) or Kāla itself.
Hanumān’s tejas (radiant might) and abhaya-dāna by action—fearlessness in executing a righteous commission—are highlighted through the enemies’ awe.