Shloka 19
लङ्कादाह-प्रचोदनं तथा वानर-राक्षस-समरारम्भः
The Burning of Lanka and the Outbreak of Battle
सारवन्तिमहार्हाणिगम्भीरगुणवन्ति च ।हेमचन्द्रार्धचन्द्राणिचन्द्रशालोनतानि च ।।।।तत्रचित्रगवाक्षाणिसाधिष्ठानानिसर्वशः ।मणिविद्रुमचित्राणिस्पृशन्तीवदिवाकरम् ।।।।क्रौञ्चबर्हिबवीणानांभूषणानां च निस्स्वनैः ।नादितान्यचलाभानिवेश्मान्यग्निर्ददाह स ।।।।
sāravanti mahārhāṇi gambhīraguṇavanti ca |
hemacandrārdhacandrāṇi candraśālonatāni ca || 6.75.19 ||
Api membakar istana-istana yang kukuh lagi amat berharga, sarat dengan keagungan; dihiasi motif bulan emas dan separuh bulan, serta serambi bertingkat yang tinggi bermandikan cahaya bulan.
The fire consumed the houses which were strong and impenetrable, with many enclosures, magnificent ones, constructed in gold in the shape of a half moon and full moon, windows endowed with wonderful pictures. All over the rooms were high on top, decorated with gems, and as if touching the Sun. It was rendered noisy with notes of herons and peacocks, playing of Veena, and jingling of ornaments like the vibration of sounds. The dwellings which looked like mountains were consumed by fire.
FAQs
Splendor without righteousness is unstable: even the most magnificent achievements collapse when grounded in adharma.
The narrator describes the grandeur of Laṅkā’s architecture to heighten the contrast with its destruction by fire.
The verse indirectly emphasizes vairāgya (detachment) as a lesson: external luxury is not an ultimate refuge.