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VĀLMĪKI RĀMĀYAṆA · CHAPTER 53
सुन्दरकाण्डम् · सर्गः 53
Ravana orders Hanuman’s tail to be burned and the captive paraded through Lanka. Sita prays for him while he turns the procession into a chance to study the city.
An edition-specific reading with original English meanings. Source & reading notes
SCENE 01 · VERSES 1–44
Hanuman observes Lanka, recognizes unexpected protection and chooses the moment to break free.
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा दशग्रीवो महात्मनः ।
tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā daśagrīvo mahātmanaḥ |
Hearing his noble brother's words,
देशकालहितं वाक्यं भ्रातुरुत्तरमब्रवीत् ॥
deśakālahitaṃ vākyaṃ bhrāturuttaramabravīt ||
the ten-necked king gave an answer suited to the occasion.
सम्यगुक्तं हि भवता दूतवध्या विगर्हिता ।
samyaguktaṃ hi bhavatā dūtavadhyā vigarhitā |
'You have spoken rightly: killing an envoy is condemned.
अवश्यं तु वधायान्यः क्रियतामस्य निग्रहः ॥
avaśyaṃ tu vadhāyānyaḥ kriyatāmasya nigrahaḥ ||
Another punishment, however, must certainly be imposed upon him.
कपीनां किल लाङ्गूलमिष्टं भवति भूषणम् ।
kapīnāṃ kila lāṅgūlamiṣṭaṃ bhavati bhūṣaṇam |
Vanaras, they say, cherish their tails as ornaments.
तदस्य दीप्यतां शीघ्रं तेन दग्धेन गच्छतु ॥
tadasya dīpyatāṃ śīghraṃ tena dagdhena gacchatu ||
Set his tail alight at once; let him depart with it burned.
ततः पश्यन्त्वमुं दीनमङ्गवैरूप्यकर्शितम् ।
tataḥ paśyantvamuṃ dīnamaṅgavairūpyakarśitam |
Then let all his friends, relatives and companions
सुमित्रज्ञातयः सर्वे बान्धवाः ससुहृज्जनाः ॥
sumitrajñātayaḥ sarve bāndhavāḥ sasuhṛjjanāḥ ||
see him miserable and distressed by the disfigurement of his body.'
आज्ञापयद् राक्षसेन्द्रः पुरं सर्वं सचत्वरम् ।
ājñāpayad rākṣasendraḥ puraṃ sarvaṃ sacatvaram |
The rakshasa king ordered, 'Let the guards parade him
लाङ्गूलेन प्रदीप्तेन रक्षोभिः परिणीयताम् ॥
lāṅgūlena pradīptena rakṣobhiḥ pariṇīyatām ||
through the whole city and its squares with his tail burning.'
तस्य तद् वचनं श्रुत्वा राक्षसाः कोपकर्कशाः ।
tasya tad vacanaṃ śrutvā rākṣasāḥ kopakarkaśāḥ |
Hearing the command, the angry, harsh rakshasas
वेष्टन्ते तस्य लाङ्गूलं जीर्णैः कार्पासिकैः पटैः ॥
veṣṭante tasya lāṅgūlaṃ jīrṇaiḥ kārpāsikaiḥ paṭaiḥ ||
wrapped his tail in old cotton cloths.
संवेष्ट्यमाने लाङ्गूले व्यवर्धत महाकपिः ।
saṃveṣṭyamāne lāṅgūle vyavardhata mahākapiḥ |
As his tail was wrapped, the great vanara grew,
शुष्कमिन्धनमासाद्य वनेष्विव हुताशनम् ॥
śuṣkamindhanamāsādya vaneṣviva hutāśanam ||
like forest fire expanding when it reaches dry fuel.
तैलेन परिषिच्याथ तेऽग्निं तत्रोपपादयन् ।
tailena pariṣicyātha te’gniṃ tatropapādayan |
They soaked the wrappings in oil and set them alight;
लाङ्गूलेन प्रदीप्तेन राक्षसांस्तानताडयत् ॥
lāṅgūlena pradīptena rākṣasāṃstānatāḍayat ||
with his blazing tail he struck those rakshasas.
रोषामर्षपरीतात्मा बालसूर्यसमाननः ।
roṣāmarṣaparītātmā bālasūryasamānanaḥ |
His face like the young sun, his mind filled with anger and indignation,
स भूयः संगतैः क्रूरै राक्षसैर्हरिपुङ्गवः ॥
sa bhūyaḥ saṃgataiḥ krūrai rākṣasairharipuṅgavaḥ ||
the foremost vanara was again surrounded by those cruel rakshasas.
सहस्त्रीबालवृद्धाश्च जग्मुः प्रीतिं निशाचराः ।
sahastrībālavṛddhāśca jagmuḥ prītiṃ niśācarāḥ |
The night-wanderers, including women, children and elders, rejoiced;
निबद्धः कृतवान् वीरस्तत्कालसदृशीं मतिम् ॥
nibaddhaḥ kṛtavān vīrastatkālasadṛśīṃ matim ||
bound, the hero formed a plan suited to that moment.
कामं खलु न मे शक्ता निबद्धस्यापि राक्षसाः ।
kāmaṃ khalu na me śaktā nibaddhasyāpi rākṣasāḥ |
'Even though I am bound, these rakshasas cannot overpower me.
छित्त्वा पाशान् समुत्पत्य हन्यामहमिमान् पुनः ॥
chittvā pāśān samutpatya hanyāmahamimān punaḥ ||
I could break the ropes, leap up and kill them again.
यदि भर्तृहितार्थाय चरन्तं भर्तृशासनात् ।
yadi bhartṛhitārthāya carantaṃ bhartṛśāsanāt |
These wicked beings bind me while I carry out my lord's orders for his good;
निबध्नन्ते दुरात्मानो न तु मे निष्कृतिः कृता ॥
nibadhnante durātmāno na tu me niṣkṛtiḥ kṛtā ||
they have not yet received my answer for it.
सर्वेषामेव पर्याप्तो राक्षसानामहं युधि ।
sarveṣāmeva paryāpto rākṣasānāmahaṃ yudhi |
I am a match for all the rakshasas in battle;
किं तु रामस्य प्रीत्यर्थं विषहिष्येऽहमीदृशम् ॥
kiṃ tu rāmasya prītyarthaṃ viṣahiṣye’hamīdṛśam ||
nevertheless, for Rama's sake I will endure this treatment.
लङ्का चारयितव्या मे पुनरेव भवेदिति ।
laṅkā cārayitavyā me punareva bhavediti |
I should inspect Lanka once more,
रात्रौ नहि सुदृष्टा मे दुर्गकर्मविधानतः ॥
rātrau nahi sudṛṣṭā me durgakarmavidhānataḥ ||
for at night I did not fully see the arrangement of its defences.
अवश्यमेव द्रष्टव्या मया लङ्का निशाक्षये ।
avaśyameva draṣṭavyā mayā laṅkā niśākṣaye |
I must certainly view Lanka when night has ended.
कामं बध्नन्तु मे भूयः पुच्छस्योद्दीपनेन च ॥
kāmaṃ badhnantu me bhūyaḥ pucchasyoddīpanena ca ||
Let them bind me further and set my tail alight.
पीडां कुर्वन्ति रक्षांसि न मेऽस्ति मनसः श्रमः ।
pīḍāṃ kurvanti rakṣāṃsi na me’sti manasaḥ śramaḥ |
Though the rakshasas inflict pain, my mind is not distressed.'
ततस्ते संवृताकारं सत्त्ववन्तं महाकपिम् ॥
tataste saṃvṛtākāraṃ sattvavantaṃ mahākapim ||
Then they took that mighty vanara, who concealed his intentions—
परिगृह्य ययुर्हृष्टा राक्षसाः कपिकुञ्जरम् ।
parigṛhya yayurhṛṣṭā rākṣasāḥ kapikuñjaram |
and happily led away the foremost vanara,
शङ्खभेरीनिनादैश्च घोषयन्तः स्वकर्मभिः ॥
śaṅkhabherīninādaiśca ghoṣayantaḥ svakarmabhiḥ ||
announcing their deed with the sounds of conches and drums.
राक्षसाः क्रूरकर्माणश्चारयन्ति स्म तां पुरीम् ।
rākṣasāḥ krūrakarmāṇaścārayanti sma tāṃ purīm |
Those cruel rakshasas took him through the city;
अन्वीयमानो रक्षोभिर्ययौ सुखमिरंदमः ॥
anvīyamāno rakṣobhiryayau sukhamiraṃdamaḥ ||
followed by the guards, the enemy-subduer went along at ease.
हनूमांश्चारयामास राक्षसानां महापुरीम् ।
hanūmāṃścārayāmāsa rākṣasānāṃ mahāpurīm |
Hanuman surveyed the rakshasas' great city;
अथापश्यद् विमानानि विचित्राणि महाकपिः ॥
athāpaśyad vimānāni vicitrāṇi mahākapiḥ ||
the mighty vanara saw its wonderfully varied lofty buildings.
संवृतान् भूमिभागांश्च सुविभक्तांश्च चत्वरान् ।
saṃvṛtān bhūmibhāgāṃśca suvibhaktāṃśca catvarān |
He observed enclosed grounds and well-arranged squares,
रथ्याश्च गृहसम्बाधाः कपिः शृङ्गाटकानि च ॥
rathyāśca gṛhasambādhāḥ kapiḥ śṛṅgāṭakāni ca ||
streets crowded with houses, and road junctions.
तथा रथ्योपरथ्याश्च तथैव च गृहान्तरान् ।
tathā rathyoparathyāśca tathaiva ca gṛhāntarān |
He saw major roads and side streets, and the spaces between houses,
चत्वरेषु चतुष्केषु राजमार्गे तथैव च ॥
catvareṣu catuṣkeṣu rājamārge tathaiva ca ||
as they passed through squares, crossroads and the royal road.
घोषयन्ति कपिं सर्वे चार इत्येव राक्षसाः ।
ghoṣayanti kapiṃ sarve cāra ityeva rākṣasāḥ |
Everywhere the rakshasas proclaimed, 'This vanara is a spy!'
स्त्रीबालवृद्धा निर्जग्मुस्तत्र तत्र कुतूहलात् ॥
strībālavṛddhā nirjagmustatra tatra kutūhalāt ||
Women, children and elders came out in curiosity.
तं प्रदीपितलाङ्गूलं हनूमन्तं दिदृक्षवः ।
taṃ pradīpitalāṅgūlaṃ hanūmantaṃ didṛkṣavaḥ |
They wished to see Hanuman with his burning tail.
दीप्यमाने ततस्तस्य लाङ्गूलाग्रे हनूमतः ॥
dīpyamāne tatastasya lāṅgūlāgre hanūmataḥ ||
While the tip of his tail blazed—
राक्षस्यस्ता विरूपाक्ष्यः शंसुर्देव्यास्तदप्रियम् ।
rākṣasyastā virūpākṣyaḥ śaṃsurdevyāstadapriyam |
the misshapen rakshasis told Sita the unwelcome news:
यस्त्वया कृतसंवादः सीते ताम्रमुखः कपिः ॥
yastvayā kṛtasaṃvādaḥ sīte tāmramukhaḥ kapiḥ ||
'That copper-faced vanara with whom you spoke, Sita—
लाङ्गूलेन प्रदीप्तेन स एष परिणीयते ।
lāṅgūlena pradīptena sa eṣa pariṇīyate |
is now being led around with his tail on fire.'
श्रुत्वा तद् वचनं क्रूरमात्मापहरणोपमम् ॥
śrutvā tad vacanaṃ krūramātmāpaharaṇopamam ||
Hearing those cruel words, which felt like a threat to her own life—
वैदेही शोकसंतप्ता हुताशनमुपागमत् ।
vaidehī śokasaṃtaptā hutāśanamupāgamat |
Vaidehi, tormented by grief, turned to the Fire-god;
मङ्गलाभिमुखी तस्य सा तदासीन्महाकपेः ॥
maṅgalābhimukhī tasya sā tadāsīnmahākapeḥ ||
she directed her thoughts towards the great vanara's welfare.
उपतस्थे विशालाक्षी प्रयता हव्यवाहनम् ।
upatasthe viśālākṣī prayatā havyavāhanam |
The large-eyed lady reverently addressed the bearer of offerings:
यद्यस्ति पतिशुश्रूषा यद्यस्ति चरितं तपः ।
yadyasti patiśuśrūṣā yadyasti caritaṃ tapaḥ |
'If I have served my husband, if I have practised austerity,
यदि वा त्वेकपत्नीत्वं शीतो भव हनूमतः ॥
yadi vā tvekapatnītvaṃ śīto bhava hanūmataḥ ||
if I have remained faithful to him alone, be cool to Hanuman.
यदि किंचिदनुक्रोशस्तस्य मय्यस्ति धीमतः ।
yadi kiṃcidanukrośastasya mayyasti dhīmataḥ |
If that wise one has any compassion for me,
यदि वा भाग्यशेषो मे शीतो भव हनूमतः ॥
yadi vā bhāgyaśeṣo me śīto bhava hanūmataḥ ||
and if any good fortune remains to me, be cool to Hanuman.
यदि मां वृत्तसम्पन्नां तत्समागमलालसाम् ।
yadi māṃ vṛttasampannāṃ tatsamāgamalālasām |
If that righteous one knows me to be virtuous
स विजानाति धर्मात्मा शीतो भव हनूमतः ॥
sa vijānāti dharmātmā śīto bhava hanūmataḥ ||
and longing for reunion with him, be cool to Hanuman.
यदि मां तारयेदार्यः सुग्रीवः सत्यसंगरः ।
yadi māṃ tārayedāryaḥ sugrīvaḥ satyasaṃgaraḥ |
If noble Sugriva, true to his promise, will rescue me
अस्माद् दुःखाम्बुसंरोधाच्छीतो भव हनूमतः ॥
asmād duḥkhāmbusaṃrodhācchīto bhava hanūmataḥ ||
from this enclosing sea of sorrow, be cool to Hanuman.'
ततस्तीक्ष्णार्चिरव्यग्रः प्रदक्षिणशिखोऽनलः ।
tatastīkṣṇārciravyagraḥ pradakṣiṇaśikho’nalaḥ |
Then Fire burned steadily with sharp flames turning to the right,
जज्वाल मृगशावाक्ष्याः शंसन्निव शुभं कपेः ॥
jajvāla mṛgaśāvākṣyāḥ śaṃsanniva śubhaṃ kapeḥ ||
seeming to announce the vanara's safety to the doe-eyed lady.
हनूमज्जनकश्चैव पुच्छानलयुतोऽनिलः ।
hanūmajjanakaścaiva pucchānalayuto’nilaḥ |
The Wind, Hanuman's father, joined the fire upon his tail
ववौ स्वास्थ्यकरो देव्याः प्रालेयानिलशीतलः ॥
vavau svāsthyakaro devyāḥ prāleyānilaśītalaḥ ||
and blew cool as a snowy breeze, bringing comfort to the lady.
दह्यमाने च लाङ्गूले चिन्तयामास वानरः ।
dahyamāne ca lāṅgūle cintayāmāsa vānaraḥ |
While his tail burned, the vanara wondered,
प्रदीप्तोऽग्निरयं कस्मान्न मां दहति सर्वतः ॥
pradīpto’gnirayaṃ kasmānna māṃ dahati sarvataḥ ||
'Why does this blazing fire not burn me all over?
दृश्यते च महाज्वालः करोति च न मे रुजम् ।
dṛśyate ca mahājvālaḥ karoti ca na me rujam |
I see a great flame, yet it causes me no pain;
शिशिरस्येव सम्पातो लाङ्गूलाग्रे प्रतिष्ठितः ॥
śiśirasyeva sampāto lāṅgūlāgre pratiṣṭhitaḥ ||
at my tail's tip it feels like a touch of cold.
अथ वा तदिदं व्यक्तं यद् दृष्टं प्लवता मया ।
atha vā tadidaṃ vyaktaṃ yad dṛṣṭaṃ plavatā mayā |
Perhaps this plainly resembles the wonder I saw in my flight:
रामप्रभावादाश्चर्यं पर्वतः सरितां पतौ ॥
rāmaprabhāvādāścaryaṃ parvataḥ saritāṃ patau ||
a mountain rising in the ocean through Rama's power.
यदि तावत् समुद्रस्य मैनाकस्य च धीमतः ।
yadi tāvat samudrasya mainākasya ca dhīmataḥ |
If the ocean and wise Mainaka showed such eagerness
रामार्थं सम्भ्रमस्तादृक् किमग्निर्न करिष्यति ॥
rāmārthaṃ sambhramastādṛk kimagnirna kariṣyati ||
for Rama's sake, why should Fire not do the same?
सीतायाश्चानृशंस्येन तेजसा राघवस्य च ।
sītāyāścānṛśaṃsyena tejasā rāghavasya ca |
Through Sita's compassion, Raghava's radiance,
पितुश्च मम सख्येन न मां दहति पावकः ॥
pituśca mama sakhyena na māṃ dahati pāvakaḥ ||
and Fire's friendship with my father, the flame does not burn me.'
भूयः स चिन्तयामास मुहूर्तं कपिकुञ्जरः ।
bhūyaḥ sa cintayāmāsa muhūrtaṃ kapikuñjaraḥ |
Again the foremost vanara reflected briefly:
कथमस्मद्विधस्येह बन्धनं राक्षसाधमैः ॥
kathamasmadvidhasyeha bandhanaṃ rākṣasādhamaiḥ ||
'How can someone like me remain bound here by these low rakshasas?
प्रतिक्रियास्य युक्ता स्यात् सति मह्यं पराक्रमे ।
pratikriyāsya yuktā syāt sati mahyaṃ parākrame |
Since I possess strength, a response to this is fitting.'
ततश्छित्त्वा च तान् पाशान् वेगवान् वै महाकपिः ॥
tataśchittvā ca tān pāśān vegavān vai mahākapiḥ ||
Then the swift great vanara broke those bonds—
उत्पपाताथ वेगेन ननाद च महाकपिः ।
utpapātātha vegena nanāda ca mahākapiḥ |
leapt up rapidly and gave a mighty roar.
पुरद्वारं ततः श्रीमान् शैलशृङ्गमिवोन्नतम् ॥
puradvāraṃ tataḥ śrīmān śailaśṛṅgamivonnatam ||
Then the glorious one approached the city gateway, lofty as a mountain peak—
विभक्तरक्षःसम्बाधमाससादानिलात्मजः ।
vibhaktarakṣaḥsambādhamāsasādānilātmajaḥ |
crowded with guards stationed in their assigned places.
स भूत्वा शैलसंकाशः क्षणेन पुनरात्मवान् ॥
sa bhūtvā śailasaṃkāśaḥ kṣaṇena punarātmavān ||
The self-controlled Wind's son became mountainlike, then in an instant—
ह्रस्वतां परमां प्राप्तो बन्धनान्यवशातयत् ।
hrasvatāṃ paramāṃ prāpto bandhanānyavaśātayat |
became exceedingly small and let the bindings fall away.
विमुक्तश्चाभवच्छ्रीमान् पुनः पर्वतसंनिभः ॥
vimuktaścābhavacchrīmān punaḥ parvatasaṃnibhaḥ ||
Freed, that splendid hero again grew as large as a mountain.
वीक्षमाणश्च ददृशे परिघं तोरणाश्रितम् ।
vīkṣamāṇaśca dadṛśe parighaṃ toraṇāśritam |
Looking around, he saw an iron bar at the gateway.
स तं गृह्य महाबाहुः कालायसपरिष्कृतम् ।
sa taṃ gṛhya mahābāhuḥ kālāyasapariṣkṛtam |
Taking that black-iron-bound bar, the strong-armed one
रक्षिणस्तान् पुनः सर्वान् सूदयामास मारुतिः ॥
rakṣiṇastān punaḥ sarvān sūdayāmāsa mārutiḥ ||
once more killed all those guards.
स तान् निहत्वा रणचण्डविक्रमः
sa tān nihatvā raṇacaṇḍavikramaḥ
Having killed them with fierce battle-prowess,
समीक्षमाणः पुनरेव लङ्काम् ।
samīkṣamāṇaḥ punareva laṅkām |
he looked again over Lanka.
प्रदीप्तलाङ्गूलकृतार्चिमाली
pradīptalāṅgūlakṛtārcimālī
Garlanded with flames from his burning tail,
प्रकाशितादित्य इवार्चिमाली ॥
prakāśitāditya ivārcimālī ||
he shone like the sun encircled by rays.
CHAPTER 53 COMPLETE
Hanuman has escaped his bonds and stands above Lanka with his tail still blazing.
Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Sundara Kanda, chapter 53. This reading follows Sanskrit Wikisource revision 355166, with all 44 numbered verses. Verse divisions and wording vary between editions.
The Sanskrit is preserved with normalized display spacing and line breaks. Some sentences continue across verse boundaries; the English follows that continuity. A yojana is a traditional distance unit, retained without assigning a modern measurement. Shape-changing and celestial beings belong to the epic’s sacred narrative.
English line senses and short meanings are original AI-assisted DHIH renderings checked against this Sanskrit reading; they are not a word-for-word grammatical commentary or a claim of human scholarly certification. Roman transliteration is generated mechanically in IAST. Names may also appear in familiar English spellings.
Sanskrit transcription credit: Wikisource contributors, revision history. The adapted reading text and DHIH English on this chapter page are offered under CC BY-SA 4.0. The ancient Sanskrit work is in the public domain. Illustrations are separately commissioned AI-generated DHIH artwork.
Historical comparison: M. N. Dutt’s Ramayana, volume II, a public-domain translation, was consulted for narrative context. The English displayed here is a fresh rendering of the pinned Sanskrit, not a reproduction of that translation.
The complete account includes public humiliation, fire, prayers and fatal violence against guards. It is not a child-focused retelling. Audio will be added only when suitable recording permissions are available.