Shloka 24

लाङ्गूलदाह-पर्यटनम्

The Burning Tail and the Parade through Laṅkā

Devanagari script

दीप्यमाने ततस्तत्र लाङ्गूलाग्रे हनूमतः।।5.53.24।।राक्षस्यस्ता विरूपाक्ष्य श्शंसुर्देव्यास्तदप्रियम्।

Transliteration

dīpyamāne tatas tatra lāṅgūlāgre hanūmataḥ | rākṣasyas tā virūpākṣyaḥ śaṃsur devyās tad apriyam ||5.53.24||

Translation

അപ്പോൾ അവിടെ ഹനുമാന്റെ വാലിന്റെ അഗ്രം ജ്വലിക്കുമ്പോൾ, വികൃതനേത്രങ്ങളായ ആ രാക്ഷസീകൾ ദേവി (സീത)യോട് ആ ദുഃഖകരമായ വാർത്ത അറിയിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• दीप्यमाने: while (it) was blazing
• दीप्यमाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दीप् (धातु)
• Form: कृदन्त (शतृ/शानच्-प्रत्यय, वर्तमानकाले कर्मणि/आत्मनेपदे) ‘दीप्यमान’; सप्तमी-विभक्ति (7th/Locative), एकवचन; सति-सप्तमी (locative absolute)

• ततः: then
• ततः: Sequence/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ततः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रम/अनन्तरवाचक (then/thereupon)

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

• लाङ्गूल-अग्रे: at the tip of the tail
• लाङ्गूल-अग्रे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाङ्गूल (प्रातिपदिक) + अग्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुषसमासः (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘लाङ्गूलस्य अग्रे’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• हनूमतः: of Hanuman
• हनूमतः: Shashthi-sambandha (षष्ठी-सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हनुमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• राक्षस्यः: she-demons
• राक्षस्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षसी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• ताः: those (women)
• ताः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम; ‘राक्षस्यः’ इत्यस्य पुनर्निर्देशः

• विरूप-अक्ष्यः: ugly-eyed
• विरूप-अक्ष्यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: विरूप (प्रातिपदिक) + अक्षि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारयसमासः (‘विरूपे अक्षिणी यस्याः’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘राक्षस्यः’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• शंसुः: reported / informed
• शंसुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: शंस् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• देव्याः: to the lady (Sita)
• देव्याः: Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देवी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (4th/Dative), एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम; ‘अप्रियम्’ इत्यस्य विशेषणम्

• अप्रियम्: unpleasant news
• अप्रियम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अप्रिय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; भाववाचक/वस्तुवाचक (an unpleasant thing)

Context

When the tip of Hanuman's tail was set on fire, the ugly-eyed she-demon. Carried the unpleasant news to divine Sita.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Sītā
• rākṣasī (she-demons)
• fire (burning tail tip)

FAQs

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

It contrasts adharma (delighting in another’s pain and spreading fear) with Sītā’s dharmic compassion that follows in subsequent verses.

What is the narrative situation?

Rākṣasī guards inform Sītā that Hanumān’s tail has been set on fire.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sītā’s compassion is prepared by the verse’s shock; the immediate focus is the rākṣasīs’ harshness (a vice).