The Burning of Lanka
The fire set to Hanuman's tail becomes the cause of Lanka's devastation. Moving through the city, he burns away the pride of the demons.
Sundar Kand · Episode 10 / 20
Episode Text
रहा न नगर बसन घृत तेला। बाढ़ी पूँछ कीन्ह कपि खेला॥ कौतुक कहँ आए पुरबासी। मारहिं चरन करहिं बहु हाँसी॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rahā na nagara basana ghṛta telā। bāṛhī pūṃcha kīnh kapi khelā॥ kautuka kahaṃ āe purabāsī। mārahiṃ carana karahiṃ bahu hāṃsī॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
So much cloth and so much ghee and oil were used in wrapping the tail that none was left in the city. Hanuman played in such a way that the tail grew longer. The townspeople came to watch the spectacle; they kicked Hanuman and laughed loudly at him.
बाजहिं ढोल देहिं सब तारी। नगर फेरि पुनि पूँछ प्रजारी॥ पावक जरत देखि हनुमंता। भयउ परम लघुरूप तुरंता॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bājahiṃ ḍhola dehiṃ saba tārī। nagara pheri puni pūṃcha prajārī॥ pāvaka jarata dekhi hanumaṃtā। bhayau parama laghūrūpa turaṃtā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Drums were beaten and everyone clapped. Hanuman was paraded through the city, and then his tail was set on fire. Seeing the blazing fire, Hanuman instantly assumed a very small form.
हरि प्रेरित तेहि अवसर चले मरुत उनचास। अट्टहास करि गर्जा कपि बढ़ि लाग अकास॥ २५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
hari prerita tehi avasara cale maruta unacāsa। aṭṭahāsa kari garjā kapi baṛhi lāga akāsa॥ 25 ॥
Meaning:
At that time, by Hari’s prompting, the forty-nine winds began to blow. Hanuman laughed thunderously and roared, rising up to reach the sky.
देह बिसाल परम हरुआई। मंदिर तें मंदिर चढ़ धाई॥ जरइ नगर भा लोग बिहाला। झपट लपट बहु कोटि कराला॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
deha bisāla parama haruāī। mandira teṃ mandira caṛha dhāī॥ jarai nagara bhā loga bihālā। jhapaṭa laṭapa bahu koṭi karālā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
His body is vast, yet extraordinarily light. He runs and leaps from one palace to another. The city is burning, and the people are in distress. Fierce flames, countless in number, are flaring and lashing about.
तात मातु हा सुनिअ पुकारा। एहिं अवसर को हमहि उबारा॥ हम जो कहा यह कपि नहिं होई। बानर रूप धरें सुर कोई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tāta mātu hā suni'a pukārā। ehiṃ avasara ko hamahi ubārā॥ hama jo kahā yaha kapi nahiṃ hoī। bānara rūpa dhareṃ sura koī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Father! Mother! Who will save us at this time? Such cries are heard on all sides. We had said earlier that this is not a monkey, but some deity in the form of a monkey!
साधु अवग्या कर फलु ऐसा। जरइ नगर अनाथ कर जैसा॥ जारा नगरु निमिष एक माहीं। एक बिभीषन कर गृह नाहीं॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sādhu avagyā kara phalu aisā। jarai nagara anātha kara jaisā॥ jārā nagaru nimiṣa eka māhīṃ। eka bibhīṣana kara gṛha nāhīṃ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Such is the fruit of insulting the saint: the city burns like a city without a protector. Hanuman burned the whole city in a single moment, except for Vibhishana’s house.
ता कर दूत अनल जेहिं सिरिजा। जरा न सो तेहि कारन गिरिजा॥ उलटि पलटि लंका सब जारी। कूदि परा पुनि सिंधु मझारी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
tā kara dūta anala jehiṃ sirijā। jarā na so tehi kārana girijā॥ ulaṭi palaṭi laṅkā saba jārī। kūdi parā puni sindhu majhārī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
[Shiva says:] O Parvati, the one who created fire—Hanuman is his messenger. For that reason, fire did not burn him. Hanuman overturned and scorched all of Lanka, and then leapt back into the ocean.
पूँछ बुझाइ खोइ श्रम धरि लघु रूप बहोरि। जनकसुता कें आगें ठाढ़ भयउ कर जोरि॥ २६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
pūṃcha bujhāi khoi śrama dhari laghu rūpa bahori। janakasutā keṃ āgeṃ ṭhāṛha bhayau kara jori॥ 26 ॥
Meaning:
After extinguishing his tail and recovering from exhaustion, Hanuman again assumed a small form and stood before Janakasuta with folded hands.