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Sarg 52-Vibheeshan Advises Raavan

After ordering to kill Hanumaan, Raavan got silent, Vibheeshan opposed to this punishment because he didn't think it proper to prescribe death sentence to a messenger. Because Hanumaan clearly said that he was Raam's messenger. Vibheeshan said - "Hey Raajan, Leave your anger and listen to me. This Vaanar is not worthy for death sentence because he is the messenger of Raam. Messenger's killing is against diplomacy. This decision is not of an intelligent person, and I don't see anybody else here as intelligent as you."

Raavan said angrily - "There is no crime in prescribing him death sentence because he is our enemy." Vibheeshan again said - "Hey Raavan, Messengers are never given a death sentence. You must think what is just and what is unjust before prescribing a death sentence. I know this that the enemy has done a great loss to us, but learned people do not kill the messengers. They prescribe some other punishment, for example, shaving mustache, or marking the body with hot iron, or whipping etc, but I have never seen anybody prescribing death sentence for a messenger.

You yourself are intelligent and you know good and bad things. I don't see anything good for us in this punishment. If you want to prescribe death sentence, then prescribe for Him who has sent him, not him because he has come here only to convey the message for other person. If you want to kill, kill Indra etc Devtaa. This Vaanar will be rather helpful to get your enemy ready for fight. You should send your mighty Raakshas with your army to that place where those princes live, so that they can impress them and arrest them for you." Raavan agreed with Vibheeshan.

Sarg 53-Setting Fire to Hanumaan's Tail

Vibheeshan said again - "This is good that you are not prescribing death sentence to him, but you must prescribe some other sentence to him. Vaanar love their tails, like women love their jewelry, therefore we may burn his tail, so that when he goes back to his brothers and friends, they can make fun of him." Raavan liked this idea, so he ordered to burn Hanumaan's tail and to give him a round of the whole city.

Hearing this, Raakshas started wrapping cloth around his tail. Hanumaan was happy with this decision, so he started increasing his size. Raakshas set the fire to Hanumaan's tail after pouring the oil on it. Hanumaan started beating Raakshas with his burning tail. Raakshas tied him. Hanumaan said to himself 'Even after tying me they cannot win me. These Raakshas are tying me for Raam's work, that is all right, but whatever loss I have done to Lankaa they cannot take its revenge. Although I alone am able to kill all these Raakshas, but I am tolerating this only for my Swaamee. If Raam has vowed to kill them, and I kill them here then Raam's vow will be broken, And I will be given a round of the whole Lankaa, that will also be in my favor, because at that time I could not see Lankaa properly because of night [I will be able to see it now]."

Those Raakshas started giving Hanumaan a round telling his evil actions to everybody. At that time Hanumaan saw many beautiful Vimaan. On every major crossing Raakshas announced of being him as messenger of Raam.

Raakshasee told this incident to Seetaa. She immediately meditated Agni Dev and prayed him - "If I have done some Tapasyaa, if I have served my husband, and if I am the wife of Raam, then Hey Agni Dev, be cool for Hanumaan." Agni became cool to Hanumaan. 

Even Hanumaan's father Vaayu also flowed cold like ice to comfort his son. And Hanumaan was thinking "When my tail is burning then why doesn't this fire burn it. Although I can see a big flame in my tail, but I am not feeling anything". Then he came to conclusion that "When seas and mountains worry about Raam's work then why not Agni Dev will care for me. By the kindness of Seetaa, by the grace of Raam, and by the friendship of Agni with my father, this Agni is not burning me".

Then he tested his strength and broke all ties. He took a huge form and jumped on a building making a loud cry and his all ties were broken. He killed the guards of the building and started looking at Lankaa.

Sarg 54-Hanumaan Burns Lankaa

When Hanumaan's round of Lankaa was over, he thought, "as what to do now to harm Raakshas. I have already harmed Raavan by destroying his Ashok Vaatikaa and killing his so many Raakshas, now I should demolish Raavan's forts. Let me use my tail's fire for that purpose." Thinking thus he jumped on houses to houses. After burning those houses, he set fire to Prahast's house, then to Mahaapaarshwa's house, then to Indrajeet's house, then to Jaambmaalee's house, then to Sumaalee's house etc. Then he burned Rashmiketu, Sooryashatru, Hrishwarvkarn, Danshtruk, Romash, Yuddhonmatt, Matt, Dhwajgreev, Vidyujjah, Ghor, Sastimukh, Karaal, Vishaal, Shonitaaksh, Kumbhkarn, Makaraaksh's houses. There was only one house left, Vibheeshan's house, which Hanumaan didn't burn.

Then he came to Raavan's palace. he set fire to it and gave a loud cry. Vaayu started fanning the fire in all those houses and houses started blazing and falling down.

Seeing this, Raakshas lost their courage and they worried about their houses. Women started jumping from the roof of their houses carrying their children. Hanumaan saw several precious metals melting in that fire. He burned Lankaa as Shiv Jee destroyed Tripur. Raakshas started thinking that, "This is not a Vaanar, he is some Devtaa, or he is our Kaal (death) who has come to destroy us in the form of Vaanar, or maybe Vishnu Himself has come."

Burnt Lankaa was looking so terrible as it is a city under the spell of some Shaap. Hanumaan looked at those Raakshas who were crying at the burning of their houses. After burning the whole Lankaa, Hanumaan took some rest, meditated on Raam and then he jumped into the sea to put out the fire. Devtaa, Gandharv were surprised to see all this, because only Hanumaan could do it.

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