Shloka 48

लङ्कादाहः — The Burning of Lanka

Catuḥpañcāśaḥ Sargaḥ

Devanagari script

तत्र देवास्सगन्धर्वास्सिद्धाश्च परमर्षयः।दृष्ट्वा लङ्कां प्रदग्धां तां विस्मयं परमं गताः।।।।

Transliteration

tatra devāḥ sa-gandharvāḥ siddhāś ca paramarṣayaḥ | dṛṣṭvā laṅkāṃ pradagdhāṃ tāṃ vismayaṃ paramaṃ gatāḥ ||

Translation

Di sana para dewa bersama para Gandharva, para Siddha dan para maharṣi, melihat Lankā yang sedang terbakar, lalu mereka diliputi kehairanan yang tertinggi.

Word by Word

• तत्र: there
• तत्र: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तत्र (अव्यय)
• Form: देशवाचक-अव्यय (locative adverb: there)

• देवाः: gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• स-गन्धर्वाः: with gandharvas
• स-गन्धर्वाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स (अव्यय/उपपद) + गन्धर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; अव्ययीभाव: ‘गन्धर्वैः सह’ (together with gandharvas)

• सिद्धाः: siddhas
• सिद्धाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सिद्ध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• च: and
• च: Samuccaya (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-अव्यय

• परम-ऋषयः: great sages
• परम-ऋषयः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक) + ऋषि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; कर्मधारय: ‘परमा ऋषयः’ (great sages)

• दृष्ट्वा: having seen
• दृष्ट्वा: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: दृश् (धातु) → दृष्ट्वा (कृदन्त, त्वा)
• Form: क्त्वान्त-अव्यय (gerund), ‘having seen’

• लङ्काम्: Lanka
• लङ्काम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: लङ्का (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• प्रदग्धाम्: burnt down
• प्रदग्धाम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: प्र+दह् (धातु) → प्रदग्ध (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (burnt)

• ताम्: that
• ताम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• विस्मयम्: astonishment
• विस्मयम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विस्मय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन

• परमम्: supreme
• परमम्: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: परम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• गताः: attained
• गताः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: गम् (धातु) → गत (कृदन्त, क्त)
• Form: क्त-प्रत्ययान्त (PPP used predicatively), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन; ‘having gone/attained’

Context

'It would be proper to satiate this fire at the end of my tail by offering it to these excellent mansions (I shall set fire to these houses).

Characters & Entities

• Lanka
• Devas
• Gandharvas
• Siddhas
• Rishis (Paramarshis)

FAQs

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

The cosmos is a witness to moral struggle: dharma and adharma are not private matters; righteous acts reverberate and are ‘seen’ by higher orders of beings.

What is the narrative situation?

Celestial beings observe the burning of Lanka caused by Hanuman and react with amazement.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Awe-inspiring capability under dharma: Hanuman’s act is so extraordinary that it draws universal attention.