Shloka 15
लङ्कादाहः — The Burning of Lanka
Catuḥpañcāśaḥ Sargaḥ
रश्मिकेतोश्च भवनं सूर्यशत्रोस्तथैव च।ह्रस्वकर्णस्य दंष्ट्रस्य रोमशस्य च रक्षसः।।5.54.12।।युद्धोन्मत्तस्य मत्तस्य ध्वजग्रीवस्य रक्षसः।विद्युज्जिह्वस्य घोरस्य तथा हस्तिमुखस्य च।।5.54.13।।करालस्य पिशाचस्य शोणिताक्षस्य चैव हि।कुम्भकर्णस्य भवनं मकराक्षस्य चैव हि।।5.54.14।।यज्ञशत्रोश्च भवनं ब्रह्मशत्रोस्तथैव च।नरान्तकस्य कुम्भस्य निकुम्भस्य दुरात्मनः।।5.54.15।।वर्जयित्वा महातेजा विभीषणगृहं प्रति।क्रममाणः क्रमेणैव ददाह हरिपुङ्गवः।।5.54.16।।
raśmiketoś ca bhavanaṁ sūryaśatroḥ tathaiva ca | hrasvakarṇasya daṁṣṭrasya romaśasya ca rakṣasaḥ || 5.54.12 ||
yuddhonmattasya mattasya dhvajagrīvasya rakṣasaḥ | vidyujjihvasya ghorasya tathā hastimukhasya ca || 5.54.13 ||
karālasya piśācasya śoṇitākṣasya caiva hi | kumbhakarṇasya bhavanaṁ makarākṣasya caiva hi || 5.54.14 ||
yajñaśatroś ca bhavanaṁ brahmaśatroḥ tathaiva ca | narāntakasya kumbhasya nikumbhasya durātmanaḥ || 5.54.15 ||
varjayitvā mahātejā vibhīṣaṇagṛhaṁ prati | kramamāṇaḥ krameṇaiva dadāha haripuṅgavaḥ || 5.54.16 ||
那光辉的猿中领袖在城中行进，依次纵火焚烧罗湿弥计都（Raśmiketu）、苏利耶沙特鲁（Sūryaśatru）、赫罗娑迦耳那（Hrasvakarṇa）、丹什特罗（Daṁṣṭra）、罗摩沙（Romaśa）、尤陀嗡摩多（Yuddhonmatta）、摩多（Matta）、旗颈（Dhvajagrīva）、可怖的电舌（Vidyujjihva）、象面（Hastimukha）、卡罗罗（Karāla）、毗舍遮（Piśāca）、血眼（Śoṇitākṣa）、军婆迦耳那（Kumbhakarṇa）、摩迦罗阿叉（Makarākṣa）、祭敌（Yajñaśatru）、梵敌（Brahmaśatru）、人终（Narāntaka）、军婆（Kumbha）以及恶徒尼军婆（Nikumbha）的宅邸；然而他行进之间，特意避开并保全了毗毗沙那（Vibhīṣaṇa）的家。
The brilliant monkey leader bypassed Vibhishanas's house and avoiding it that way set fire to the mansions of other ogres, Rasmiketu, Suryasatru, Hrasvakarna, Vajradamshtra, Romasa, Yuddhonmatta, Matta, Dhwajagriva, Vidyujjihva, Hastimukha, Karala, Pisacha, Sonitaksha, Kumbhakarna, Makaraksha, Yagnasatru, Brahmasatru, Naranthaka, Kumbha, and wicked Nikumbha.
FAQs
Viveka in action: even amid punishment, Hanumān distinguishes the righteous from the wicked—sparing Vibhīṣaṇa shows dharma is not blind destruction but morally discriminating justice.
With his tail aflame, Hanumān systematically sets Laṅkā’s rākṣasa mansions on fire, but intentionally does not harm Vibhīṣaṇa’s home.
Nyāya-buddhi (sense of justice) and saṁyama (restraint): power is exercised with ethical boundaries.