Shloka 9

लाङ्गूलदाह-पर्यटनम्

The Burning Tail and the Parade through Laṅkā

Devanagari script

लाङ्गूलं सम्प्रदीप्तं तु द्रष्टुं तस्य हनूमतः।।5.53.9।।सहस्त्रीबालवृद्धाश्च जग्मुः प्रीता निशाचराः।

Transliteration

lāṅgūlaṁ sampradīptaṁ tu draṣṭuṁ tasya hanūmataḥ | sahastrī-bāla-vṛddhāś ca jagmuḥ prītā niśācarāḥ || 5.53.9 ||

Translation

ഹനുമാന്റെ വാൽ പൂർണ്ണമായി ജ്വലിക്കുന്നത് കാണാൻ നിശാചരർ സന്തോഷത്തോടെ പുറപ്പെട്ടു; സ്ത്രീകളും കുട്ടികളും വൃദ്ധരും കൂടെ.

Word by Word

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

• सम्प्रदीप्तम्: fully blazing
• सम्प्रदीप्तम्: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: सम् + प्रदीप्त (कृदन्त; √दीप् + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया, एकवचन; qualifies लाङ्गूलम्

• तु: but/indeed
• तु: सम्बन्ध (Discourse particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: निपात; contrast/emphasis

• द्रष्टुम्: to see
• द्रष्टुम्: प्रयोजन (Purpose)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √दृश् (धातु)
• Form: तुमुन्-प्रत्ययान्त (infinitive)

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

• हनूमतः: of Hanuman
• हनूमतः: सम्बन्ध (षष्ठी/Genitive relation)
• Type: Noun
• Root: हनूमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी, एकवचन

• सहस्त्रीबालवृद्धाः: women, children, and the old (together)
• सहस्त्रीबालवृद्धाः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स + स्त्री + बाल + वृद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व-समास (स्त्रियः च बालाः च वृद्धाः च), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; collective group

• च: and
• च: सम्बन्ध (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय अव्यय (conjunction)

• जग्मुः: went
• जग्मुः: क्रिया (Verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √गम् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• प्रीताः: delighted
• प्रीताः: विशेषण (Adjectival)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्रीत (कृदन्त; √प्री + क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त, पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; qualifies निशाचराः

• निशाचराः: night-roamers (demons)
• निशाचराः: कर्ता (Karta/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: निशा + चर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (निशायां चरन्ति), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

Context

All the demons including the she-demons and their children and the elders went out joyfully to see the burning tail of Hanuman.

Characters & Entities

• Hanumān
• Niśācaras (Rākṣasas)

FAQs

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

Adharma normalizes cruelty: collective delight in another’s suffering shows ethical collapse, warning that society-wide approval of wrongdoing invites downfall.

What is the narrative situation?

Laṅkā’s inhabitants gather to enjoy the spectacle of Hanumān’s burning tail, treating punishment as entertainment.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

By contrast (implicitly), Hanumān’s forbearance and purpose: he remains mission-focused despite public humiliation.