Sundarakanda Chapter 55

Burning of Lanka

Chapter 55:

Summary : Having burnt down the city of Lanka Hanuman suddenly seized of a concern that in that process he might have endangered Sita's life and thus endangering the mission for which he started. Even as he is assailed by such doubts he hears the charanas talking about Sita being miraculously saved !

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(Sankshipta Sundara Kanda)

Chapter 55

लंकां समस्तां संदीप्य लांगूलाग्निं महाबलः ।
निर्वापयामास तदा समुद्रे हरिसत्तमः ।

Then that great hanuman having burnt down th ecity of Lanka fully put out the fire at the end of his tail in the sea.

संदीप्यमानां विध्वस्तां त्रस्तरक्षोगणां पुरीम् ।
अवेक्ष्य हनुमान् लंकां चिंतयामास वानरः ॥
तस्याभूत् सुमहां स्त्रासः कुत्साचात्मन्यजायत ।
लंकां प्रदहता कर्म किंस्विकृतमिदं मया ॥

Seeing the city burning and the Rakshasas shivering in fear Hanuman started to think. " Alas what did I do by burning the city of Lanka ". He started to blame himself for the miseries of people in Lanka

धन्यास्ते पुरुषश्रेष्टा ये बुध्या कोपमुत्थितम् ।
निरुंधंति महात्मानो दीप्तमग्निमिवांभसा ॥
क्रुद्धः पापं न कुर्यात् कः क्रुद्धो हन्याद् गुरूनपि ।
क्रुद्धः परुषया वाचा नरस्साधूनधिक्षिपेत् ॥
वाच्या वाच्यं प्रकुतोपि न विजानाति कर्हिचित् ।
नाकार्यमस्ति क्रुद्धस्य नावाच्यं विध्यते क्वचि ॥
य स्समुत्पतितं क्रोधं क्षमयेव निरस्यति ।
यथोरगस्त्वचं जीर्णां स वै पुरुष उच्यते॥

Learned people curb the excitement of overflowing anger with firmness of the mind like flames are curbed by water. They are indeed the blessed people. The one who is overcome with anger commmits wilful acts of sin. Such a one may even kill his Guru. Such a one will insult even good men with insolent words. He loses the ability discriminate between good and bad or what should be said and what should not be said. There is no act he will not do. He may give utterenace to anything that may come to his mind. He is real man who is able to control his anger and shakes off his anger like a serpent shedding its skin !

धिगस्तु मां सुदुर्बुद्धिं निर्लज्जं पापकृत्तमम् ।
अचिंतयित्वा तां सीतां अग्निदं स्वामिघातुकम् ॥
यदि दग्धात्वियं लंका नूनमर्यापि जानकी ।
दग्धातेन मयाभर्तुः हतं कार्यमजायत ॥

What a mindless person am I . Without shame I am acted in a unthinking way that I put Sita in the way of fire and betryaed my own master. If teh lanka is fully burndown Sita too might have been burnt By this thoughless act I have failed in my mission

विनष्टा जानकी नूनं न ह्यदग्धः प्रदृश्यते ।
लंकायां कश्चिदुद्देशः सर्वा भस्मी कृतापुरी॥
यदि तद्विहितं कार्यं मम प्रज्ञाविपर्ययात् ।
इहैव प्राणसन्न्यासो ममापि हृद्य रोचते ॥

All of lanka is burnt. there is no place that is not burnt. Hence Sita would have been certainly burnt . Because of my stupidity the purpose of my mission is defeated . The best alternative then is to end my life here and now.

इति चिंतयतस्तस्य निमित्तान्युपपेदिरे ।
पूर्वमप्युपलब्धानि साक्षात् पुनरचिंतयत् ॥
अथवा चारु सर्वांगी रक्षिता स्वेन तेजसा ।
न नशिष्यति कल्याणी नाग्निरग्नौ प्रवर्तते ॥

Hanuman who was thus lost in sorrow again started seeing seeing aupicious omens making him think again. That charming lady a symbol of auspeciousness herself would have been saved by her own powers. Indeed fire cannot destroy fire,
..
यद्वा दहनकर्मायं सर्वत्र प्रभुरव्ययः ।
न मे दहति लांगूलं कथमार्यां प्रधक्ष्यति॥

The fire is all powerful . There is nothing that can stand in its way. But even then it did not burn my tail. Then how can it burn Sita.

तपसा सत्यवाक्येन अनन्यत्वाच्च भर्तरि।
अपि सा निर्धहेदग्निं न तामग्निः प्रदक्ष्यति ॥
सतथा चिंतयंस्तत्र देव्या धर्म परिग्रहम् ।
शुश्राव हनुमान् वाक्यं चारणानां महात्मनाम्॥.

By her power of penance and truthfulness and her devotion to her husband Sita herself can destroy Fire.Hence Fire cannot destroy her . While he was thus thinking about her righteousness Hanuman heard the charanas the panergytics of heavens !

दग्धेयं नगरी सर्वा साट्ट प्राकार तोरणा।
जानकी च न दग्धेति विस्मयो अद्भुत एव च॥
इतिशुश्राव हनुमान् वाचं ताममृतोपमाम्।
बभूव चास्य मनसः हर्षस्तत्कालसंभवः ॥

"This city with its ramparts mansions and flags has been burnt down. But Sita has not been burnt . This is wonderful and amazing. " . Hearing these sweet words of nectar Hanuman felt relieved and delighted .

ततः कपिः प्राप्त मनोरथार्थः
तामक्षतां राजसुतां विदित्वा ।
प्रत्यक्षतस्तां पुनरेव दृष्ट्वा
प्रतिप्रयाणाय मतिं चकार ॥

Having accomplished what all he desired and learning that Sita is safe then Hanuman decided that he should go back after meeting Sita

Thus ends the Chapter 55 of Sankshipta Sundarakanda