Shloka 44

लाङ्गूलदाह-पर्यटनम्

The Burning Tail and the Parade through Laṅkā

Devanagari script

स तान्निहत्त्वा रणचण्डविक्रम स्समीक्षमाणः पुनरेव लङ्काम्।प्रदीप्तलाङ्गूलकृतार्चिमाली प्रकाशतादित्य इवार्चिमाली।।5.53.44।।

Transliteration

sa tān nihattvā raṇacaṇḍavikramaḥ samīkṣamāṇaḥ punar eva laṅkām |

pradīpta-lāṅgūla-kṛtārcimālī prakāśatāditya ivārcimālī || 5.53.44 ||

Translation

അവരെ സംഹരിച്ച ശേഷം, യുദ്ധത്തിൽ ഭയങ്കരവിക്രമനായ ഹനുമാൻ വീണ്ടും ലങ്കയെ നിരീക്ഷിച്ചു; ജ്വലിക്കുന്ന വാൽ തീയുടെ മാലയായി മാറി, കിരണമാലാധാരിയായ ആദിത്യനെപ്പോലെ അവൻ പ്രകാശിച്ചു.

Word by Word

• सः: he
• सः: कर्ता (Karta)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• तान्: those (guards)
• तान्: कर्म (Karma)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, बहुवचन; सर्वनाम

• निहत्त्वा: having slain
• निहत्त्वा: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Verb
• Root: हन् (धातु)
• Form: उपसर्ग-पूर्वक (नि+), क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund): ‘having killed’

• रणचण्डविक्रमः: (he) of fierce war-valour
• रणचण्डविक्रमः: कर्ता (Karta; apposition)
• Type: Noun
• Root: रण+चण्ड+विक्रम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; कर्मधारय-समास: रणेषु चण्डः विक्रमः यस्य (fierce valour in war)

• समीक्षमाणः: gazing/looking
• समीक्षमाणः: कर्ता (Karta; participial)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: उपसर्ग-पूर्वक (सम्+), शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकाले कृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• पुनः: again
• पुनः: क्रियाविशेषण (Kriyāviśeṣaṇa)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: पुनः (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: सम्बन्ध/निपात (Particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; निश्चय/अवधारण (emphasis)

• लङ्काम्: Lanka
• लङ्काम्: कर्म (Karma; object of looking)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• प्रदीप्तलाङ्गूलकृतार्चिमाली: garlanded with flames from his blazing tail
• प्रदीप्तलाङ्गूलकृतार्चिमाली: कर्ता (Karta; apposition)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+दीप् (धातु) + लाङ्गूल + कृ (धातु) + अर्चिमालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि-समास: प्रदीप्तं लाङ्गूलं येन कृताः अर्चयः, सः अर्चिमाली (garlanded with flames made by the burning tail)

• प्रकाशत: shone
• प्रकाशत: क्रिया (Kriyā)
• Type: Verb
• Root: काश् (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect/Past), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद/परस्मैपद प्रयोगानुसार ‘he shone’ (प्र+√काश्)

• आदित्यः: the sun
• आदित्यः: उपमान (Upamāna/Standard of comparison)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आदित्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन

• इव: like
• इव: उपमा-निपात (Comparative particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; उपमा-वाचक (comparative particle)

• अर्चिमाली: radiant, garlanded with rays
• अर्चिमाली: उपमेय (Upameya/Compared entity; apposition to ‘सः’)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अर्चिमालिन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; ‘having a garland of rays/flames’

Context

Hanuman, who was of fearsome valour in war with the demons, having killed them, gazed at Lanka once again. Garlanded by the flames of his tail around, he shone like the Sun covered with garlands of rays.ityārṣē śrīmadrāmāyaṇē vālmīkīya ādikāvyē sundarakāṇḍē tripañcāśassargaḥ৷৷Thus ends the fiftythird sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Laṅkā
• Āditya (Sun)

FAQs

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

Dharma is depicted as luminous and unstoppable: when action is aligned with truth and duty, it gains a radiance that overawes oppression and inspires moral confidence.

What is the narrative situation?

Having cleared the guards, Hanumān pauses to survey Laṅkā again, his flaming tail making him blaze like the sun—foreshadowing the city’s impending burning.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Indomitable valor joined with clarity of purpose—he remains focused on the larger objective, not merely the immediate fight.