Shloka 41

लङ्कादाहः — The Burning of Lanka

Catuḥpañcāśaḥ Sargaḥ

Devanagari script

हुताशनज्वालसमावृता सा हतप्रवीरा परिवृत्तयोधाहनूमतः क्रोधबलाभिभूता बभूव शापोपहतेव लङ्का।।।।

Transliteration

hutāśana-jvāla-samāvṛtā sā hata-pravīrā parivṛtta-yodhā |

hanūmataḥ krodha-balābhibhūtā babhūva śāpopahatā iva laṅkā ||

Translation

അഗ്നിജ്വാലകളാൽ പൊതിഞ്ഞ്, വീരന്മാർ നിഹതരായി സൈന്യം പിന്മാറിയ ലങ്ക—ഹനുമാന്റെ ക്രോധബലത്തിന് കീഴടങ്ങി—ശാപം ബാധിച്ചതുപോലെ തോന്നി.

Word by Word

• हुताशन-ज्वाला-समावृता: engulfed by fire-flames
• हुताशन-ज्वाला-समावृता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हुताशन (प्रातिपदिक) + ज्वाला (प्रातिपदिक) + समावृत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘हुताशनस्य ज्वालाभिः समावृता’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष + तृतीया-अर्थ; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (covered/engulfed)

• सा: that (she/it)
• सा: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• हत-प्रवीरा: with heroes slain
• हत-प्रवीरा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: हत (कृदन्त, क्त) + प्रवीर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘हताḥ प्रवीराः यस्याः सा’ (whose heroes are slain)

• परिवृत्त-योधा: with troops in retreat
• परिवृत्त-योधा: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परिवृत्त (कृदन्त, क्त) + योध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; बहुव्रीहि: ‘परिवृत्ता योधाः यस्याः सा’ (whose troops have turned back/retreated)

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

• क्रोध-बल-अभिभूता: overpowered by (his) anger-power
• क्रोध-बल-अभिभूता: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: क्रोध (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + अभिभूत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘क्रोधस्य बलम्’ इति षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष, तेन अभिभूता (overpowered by the power of anger)

• बभूव: became
• बभूव: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: भू (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• शाप-उपहता: curse-stricken
• शाप-उपहता: Upamana-dharma (उपमान-धर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाप (प्रातिपदिक) + उपहत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘शापेन उपहता’ इति तृतीया-तत्पुरुष (struck by a curse)

• इव: as if
• इव: Upamana (उपमान)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इव (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमानवाचक-अव्यय (particle of comparison)

• लङ्का: Lanka
• लङ्का: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

Context

With the Fire god spreading flames all over, heroes dead, retreating troops shattered by Hanuman's anger, Lanka appeared as though it was cursed.

Characters & Entities

• Laṅkā
• Hanumān
• hutāśana (fire)

FAQs

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

It depicts moral causality: a city that shelters adharma comes to appear ‘cursed’—not as random fate, but as consequence of sustained wrongdoing.

What is the narrative situation?

The fire spreads; defenders fall and retreat; the narrator describes Laṅkā’s condition as if under a curse due to Hanumān’s overpowering action.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Hanumān’s righteous ferocity (krodha harnessed to duty) is emphasized—anger disciplined toward a dharmic objective, not personal cruelty.