Shloka 39
लङ्कादाहः — The Burning of Lanka
Catuḥpañcāśaḥ Sargaḥ
ततस्तु लङ्का सहसा प्रदग्धा सराक्षसा साश्वरथा सनागा।सपक्षिसङ्घा समृगा सवृक्षा रुरोद दीना तुमुलं सशब्दम्।।।।
tatas tu laṅkā sahasā pradagdhā sa-rākṣasā sāśva-rathā sa-nāgā |
sa-pakṣi-saṅghā sa-mṛgā sa-vṛkṣā ruroda dīnā tumulaṁ sa-śabdam ||
Entonces Laṅkā, repentinamente incendiada —junto con sus rākṣasas, sus caballos y carros, sus elefantes, sus bandadas de pájaros, sus bestias y sus árboles— pareció gemir de miseria con un estruendo tumultuoso.
Lanka with its chariots horses, elephants, flocks of birds, animals and trees burnt all of a sudden, the ogres cried loudly and piteously.
FAQs
The verse conveys that adharma harms not only perpetrators but entire ecosystems and communities; dharma includes responsibility toward all beings affected by one’s collective actions.
The narration personifies Laṅkā’s devastation, listing living creatures and war assets consumed by the sudden fire.
Hanumān’s strategic deterrence is implied: the destruction is meant to break enemy morale and pressure the adharma-based regime.