Shloka 6

लाङ्गूलदाह-पर्यटनम्

The Burning Tail and the Parade through Laṅkā

Devanagari script

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा राक्षसाः कोपकर्शिताः।वेष्टयन्ति स्म लाङ्गूलं जीर्णैः कार्पासकैः पटैः।।5.53.6।।

Transliteration

tasya tad-vacanaṁ śrutvā rākṣasāḥ kopakarśitāḥ |

veṣṭayanti sma lāṅgūlaṁ jīrṇaiḥ kārpāsakaiḥ paṭaiḥ || 5.53.6 ||

Translation

അവന്റെ വാക്ക് കേട്ട ഉടൻ ക്രോധത്തിൽ കത്തിയ രാക്ഷസർ ഹനുമാന്റെ വാൽ പഴകിയ പഞ്ഞിത്തുണി ചീന്തുകളാൽ ചുറ്റിപ്പൊതിഞ്ഞു.

Word by Word

• तस्य: of him
• तस्य: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• तत्: that
• तत्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies वचनम्

• वचनम्: speech/words
• वचनम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: वचन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• श्रुत्वा: having heard
• श्रुत्वा: पूर्वकाल-क्रिया (Absolutive)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √श्रु (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund); 'having heard'

• राक्षसाः: demons
• राक्षसाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राक्षस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• कोपकर्शिताः: afflicted by anger
• कोपकर्शिताः: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कोप + कर्शित (कृदन्त; √कृश् 'to be emaciated/afflicted' + क्त)
• Form: समास: तत्पुरुष (कोपेन कर्शिताः), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; qualifies राक्षसाः

• वेष्टयन्ति: wrap
• वेष्टयन्ति: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वेष्ट् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (Present), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• स्म: (indeed/then; narrative marker)
• स्म: सम्बन्ध (निपात/Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्म (अव्यय)
• Form: स्म-निपात; past-habitual/continuative marker with present form

• लाङ्गूलम्: tail
• लाङ्गूलम्: कर्म (Karma/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लाङ्गूल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन

• जीर्णैः: worn-out
• जीर्णैः: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: जीर्ण (कृदन्त; √जॄ/जीर् + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; qualifies पटैः

• कार्पासकैः: cotton
• कार्पासकैः: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: कार्पासक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन; qualifies पटैः

• पटैः: with cloth-strips
• पटैः: करण (Karaṇa/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पट (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, तृतीया, बहुवचन

Context

"Then all his friends, relatives and his kinsmen will see his disfigured and handicapped form. The demon king having ordered thus, the monkey was taken by the ogres round the junctions of the roads all over the city with his tail on fire.

Characters & Entities

• Rāvaṇa (implied by 'his command')
• Rākṣasas
• Hanumān (tail)

FAQs

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

Anger (krodha) is shown as a driver of adharma: it pushes beings toward cruelty and shortsighted actions that ultimately backfire—here, the very act of preparing the fire becomes the cause of Laṅkā’s terror.

What is the narrative situation?

Following Rāvaṇa’s order, the rākṣasas prepare Hanumān’s tail for burning by wrapping it with cotton rags to feed the flames.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast through negation: the rākṣasas’ lack of restraint is highlighted, setting up Hanumān’s composure and resilience under unjust treatment.