संक्षिप्त सुंदरकांड
Chapter 53

तस्य तद्वचनं श्रुत्वा दशग्रीवो महाबलः ।
देशकालहितं वाक्यं भ्रातुरुत्तर मब्रवीत् ॥

Then that powerful ten headed Ravana listened to the advice which is in synch with time and place and told him as follows

सम्यगुक्तं हि भवता दूतवध्या विगर्हिता ।
अवश्यंतु वधादन्यः क्रियतामस्य निग्रहः ॥
कपीनां किल लांगूलं इष्टं भवति भूषणम्।
तदप्य दीप्यतां शीघ्रं तेन दग्धेन गच्चतु ॥

" What you said is true. We should think of punishing the Vanara in some other way. The Vanaras like their tail. That is their decoration. Set fire to his tail and he will go back with a burnt tail"

आज्ञापयद्राक्षसेंद्रः पुरं सर्वं सचत्वरम् ।
लांगूलेन प्रदीप्तेन रक्षोभिः परिणीयताम् ॥

Then Ravana ordered the Rakshasas " Let this Vanara with burning tail be taken around the city of Lanka "

स भूय स्संगतैः क्रूरै राक्षसैर्हरिसत्तमः ।
निबद्धः कृतवान् वीरः तत्कालसदृशीम् मतिम् ॥
ततस्ते संवृताकारं सत्ववंतं महाकपिम्।
परिगृह्य ययुर्हृष्टा राक्षसाः कपिकुंजरम् ॥

The cruel Rakshasas then got together and tied Hanuman . Hanuman thoughtfully remained captive though fully capable of breaking those bonds and become free. Then the delighted Rakshasas took around the Vanara who decided to remain captive

शंखभेरीनिनादैस्तं घोषयंतः स्वकर्मभिः ।
राक्षसाः क्रूरकर्माणः चारयंतिस्म तां पुरीम् ॥

Then those cruel Rakshasas with blaring sounds of conches and drums , also making lot of noise by their actions took Hanuman around the city

दीप्यमाने ततस्तस्य लांगूलाग्रे हनूमतः ।
राक्षस्य स्ता विरूपाक्ष्यः शंसुर्देव्यास्तदप्रियम् ॥
यस्त्वया कृत संवादः सीते ताम्रमुखः कपिः ।
लांगूलेन प्रदीप्तेन स एष परिणीयते ॥
श्रुत्वा तद्वचनं क्रूरं आत्मापहरणोसमम् ।
वैदेही शोकसंतप्ता हुताशन मुपागमत् ॥

When the tail of Hanuman was set on fire many ugly faced Rakshasa women ran to Sita to announce this unpleasant news. "O Sita the red faced Vanara who was talking to you is being taken around city with his tail put on fire ". Feeling this news as being as painful as her kidnapping and overcome with sorrow Sita began to pray to the fire deity .

मंगळाभिमुखितस्य सा तदासीन्महाकपेः ।
उपतस्थे विशालाक्षी प्रयता हव्यवाहनम् ॥

The wide eyed and pure lady then began to pray to Fire deity wishing for the welfare of Hanuman

यद्यति पतिशुश्रूषा यद्यस्ति चरितं तपः ।
यदिचास्तेकपत्नीत्वं शीतो भव हनूमतः ॥
यदिकिंचिदनुक्रोशः तस्यमय्यस्ति धीमतः ।
यदि वा भाग्य शेषोमे शीतो भव हनूमतः ॥
यदिमां वृत्तसंपन्नां तत्समागमलालसाम् ।
स विजानाति धर्मात्मा शीतो भव हनूमतः ॥
यदिमां तारयेदार्यः सुग्रीवसत्यसंगरः।
अस्मादुःखांबुसंरोधात शीतोभवहनूमतः ॥

" If I have served my husband well , if I have observed all the austerities well and If I have been a true wife without blemish then may you act in a way providing cooling effect for Hanuman. O Lord if my Lord has any consideration for me and if have any fortune left then may you act in a way providing cooling effect for Hanuman. If my Lord considers me as a chaste wife , and knows that I am anxiously waiting for the reunion then may you act in a way providing cooling effect for Hanuman. If worshipful Sugriva who is as truthful as powerful is going to save me from the ocean of sorrow may you act in a way providing cooling effect for Hanuman.

ततस्तीक्षार्चिरव्यग्रः प्रदक्षिणशिखोनलः ।
जज्वाल मृगशाबाक्ष्याः शंसन्निव शिवं कपेः ॥
दह्यमाने च लांगूले चिंतयामास वानरः ।
प्रदीप्तोग्नरयं कस्मात् न मां दहति पर्वतः ।
दृश्यते च महाज्वालः करोति न च मे रुजम् ॥
सीतायाश्चानृशंस्येन तेजसा राघवस्य च ।
पितुश्च मम सख्येन न मां दहति पावकः ॥

"As if to demonstrate that he is being considerate to Hanuman the normally fierce fire now burned in a mild and auspicious way. When the fire was burning fiercely Hanuman started to think ." How is it that this fire burning brightly does not affect me. May be it is because of the grace of Sita or because of SriRama or may be because of his friendship with my father".

कथमस्मद्विधस्येह बंधनं राक्षसाधमैः ।
प्रतिक्रियास्य युक्तास्यात् सति मह्यं पराक्रमे ॥

"This wretched Rakshasas have been able to tie me up . I am the servant of SriRama. I must payback these Rakshasas

ततश्चित्या च तान् पाशान् वेगवान् वै महाकपिः।
उत्पपाथ वेगेन ननाद च महाकपिः॥
विमुक्तश्चाभवत् श्रीमान् पुनः पर्वतसन्निभः ।
वीक्षमाणश्च ददृशे परिघं तोरणाश्रितम् ॥
सतं गृह्य महाबाहुः कालायसपरिष्कृतम् ।
रक्षिणस्तान् पुनस्सर्वान् सूदयामास मारुतिः॥

Then Hanuman broke his bonds and flew into the sky with thunderous noise. After being free then the Hanuman assumed a form equaling a mountain and his eyes fell on the iron pestle lying on the main archway. He grabbed the same and destroyed all the Rakshasas guarding him .

स तान्निहत्वा रणचंड विक्रमः
समीक्षमाणः पुनरेव लंकां।
प्रदीप्तलांगूलकृतार्चिमाली
प्रकाशतादित्यैवार्चिमाली ॥

After killing those Rakshasas in the battle Hanuman stood there looking at the city of lanka. With his tail burning brightly the shroud of flames raising gave him the aura of Sun surrounded by his rays .

संक्षिप्त सुंदरकांड
समाप्तं