Shloka 6.75.17
लङ्कादाह-प्रचोदनं तथा वानर-राक्षस-समरारम्भः (The Burning of Lanka and the Outbreak of Battle)
नानाविधान्गृहच्छन्दान्धदाहहुतभुक्तदा ।आवासान्राक्षसानां च सर्वेषांगृहगर्थिनाम् ।।6.75.14।।हेमचित्रतनुत्राणस्रग्दामाम्भरधारिणाम् ।शीधुपानचलाक्षाणांमद्विह्वलगामिनाम् ।।6.75.15।।कान्तालम्बितवस्त्राणांशत्रुसञ्जातमन्युनाम् ।गदाशूलासिहस्तानांखादतांपिबतामपि ।।6.75.16।।शयनेषुमहार्हेषुप्रसुप्तानांप्रियैस्सह ।त्रस्तानांगच्छतांतूर्णंपुत्रानादायसर्वतः ।।6.75.17।।तेषांशतसहस्राणितदालङ्कानिवासिनाम् ।अदहत्पावकस्तत्रजज्वाल च पुनःपुनः ।।6.75.18।।
śayaneṣu mahārheṣu prasuptānāṃ priyaiḥ saha |
trastānāṃ gacchatāṃ tūrṇaṃ putrān ādāya sarvataḥ || 6.75.17 ||
Some lay fast asleep with their loved ones on costly beds; others, terrified, fled in haste from every side, snatching up their children as they ran.
The fire consumed many kinds of wonderful homes of Rakshasas, with loved ones on the best beds, their armour made of gold Rakshasas decked with garland s and best of attire their eyes inebriated with intoxication, shaking while walking slowly, holding their loved ones, seized with anger against enemies, holding mace and tridents in hand, eating, drinking and sleeping on the best beds, fast asleep some out of fear taking their sons going quickly and all of them dwelling there in hundreds and thousands were burning again and again.
Worldly security is fragile: luxury and intimacy cannot protect against the fallout of collective adharma; responsibility for one’s actions affects even families.
As the fire spreads, the city’s residents react in contrasting ways—some unaware in sleep, others panicked—highlighting the suddenness of calamity.
The verse underscores the seriousness of Rāvaṇa’s wrongdoing by showing how his adharma brings fear and suffering to his own people.