Shloka 23

लाङ्गूलदाह-पर्यटनम्

The Burning Tail and the Parade through Laṅkā

Devanagari script

स्त्रीबालवृद्धाः निर्जग्मुस्तत्र तत्र कुतूहलात्।।5.53.23।।तं प्रदीपितलाङ्गूलं हनुमन्तं दिदृक्षवः।

Transliteration

strī-bāla-vṛddhāḥ nirjagmus tatra tatra kutūhalāt | taṃ pradīpita-lāṅgūlaṃ hanumantaṃ didṛkṣavaḥ ||5.53.23||

Translation

കൗതുകം കൊണ്ടു സ്ത്രീകളും കുട്ടികളും വൃദ്ധരും അവിടവിടങ്ങളിൽ നിന്നു പുറത്തുവന്നു; ജ്വലിക്കുന്ന വാലോടുകൂടിയ ഹനുമാനെ കാണാൻ അവർ ആകാംക്ഷിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• स्त्री-बाल-वृद्धाः: women, children, and the aged
• स्त्री-बाल-वृद्धाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्त्री (प्रातिपदिक) + बाल (प्रातिपदिक) + वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (1st/Nominative), बहुवचन; द्वन्द्वसमासः (समाहार/इतरेतर—समूहवाचक)

• निर्जग्मुः: went out / came forth
• निर्जग्मुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: निर्गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्; उपसर्गः ‘निर्’

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण (locative adverb)

• तत्र: here and there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; पुनरुक्त-देशवाचक क्रियाविशेषण

• कुतूहलात्: out of curiosity
• कुतूहलात्: Hetu/Reason (हेतु)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुतूहल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (5th/Ablative), एकवचन

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• प्रदीपित-लाङ्गूलम्: having a kindled/blazing tail
• प्रदीपित-लाङ्गूलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र-दीप् (धातु) + लाङ्गूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कृदन्त (क्त-प्रत्यय, past passive participle) ‘प्रदीपित’ + तत्पुरुषसमासः; नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘तम्/हनुमन्तम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• हनुमन्तम्: Hanuman
• हनुमन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हनुमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• दिदृक्षवः: desirous to see
• दिदृक्षवः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दृश् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (सन्-अर्थे इच्छार्थक, ‘दिदृक्षु’ = to wish to see); पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; कर्तृविशेषणम् (स्त्रीबालवृद्धाः)

Context

With eagerness to have a glance at Hanuman's blazing tail, women, children and the aged here and there came out of eagerness to see him.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

The verse cautions that curiosity can normalize cruelty; dharma encourages compassion and restraint when witnessing another’s suffering.

What is the narrative situation?

As Hanumān is paraded with his tail on fire, civilians come out to watch the spectacle.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s forbearance (kṣamā) amid public harassment.