Hanuman delighted with what he had achieved wondered if he could do anything else to inflict more suffering on the demons. Giving it a moment's thought he decided that the only thing left for him now was to wreck the inviolable city of Lanka. Watching his burning tail he said, "My tail still burns and I shall offer that Agni the best in Lanka to feast upon." Leaping over gardens, groves and mansions, Hanuman ignited every one of them. Nothing was spared and everything went up in flames except the home of Vibhishana. Hanuman's final target was the palace of Ravana. Large as mount Meru, filled with riches beyond belief, it was a manifestation of opulence and splendor, while its architecture was stunning. Roaring with joy, Hanuman merrily consigned that monumental magnificence to ruin by setting it afire. Beholding the growing strength of the Devas, rid of the fear of Ravana, Agni blazed like the cosmic fire and Vayu raced fanning its flames whose fiery fervor was enhanced by the burning fat of dead rakshasas! Chaos reigned supreme as structures shattered citizens screamed and noisy guards tried to subdue Hanuman. Hungry flames hissed and crackled reaching for the gems and pearls that had lent their charm to the grandeur of Lanka's. Fabulous palaces made of precious metals scorched and wilted. Bowing to the brutality of the blaze they disappeared to appear again as rivers of molten gold and silver, carrying with them the glitter of gems. Lanka burned, the rakshasas wailed and Hanuman exulted. He stood watching the last moments of Lanka as its glory and its very existence was coming to an end, to lie devastated for all time. But Hanuman was not satiated, nor was the earth, though thousands of bodies of the dead and dying rakshasas kept falling to the ground. Like a messenger of death from the land of Yama, Hanuman romped in the sky, while those who had survived the carnage wondered who the Vanara was asking each other, "Could it be Indra, Varuna, Vayu, Surya or Kubera? Perhaps it is Brahma come in this form for the ruin of the rakshasa race or could it be the manifest effulgence of Lord Visnu himself? Though the demons were unsure of who Hanuman was, they were sure that he was no ordinary monkey". In that city perishing in the infernal blaze, the noise of exploding buildings, the din of disintegrating splendor and the shrieking of bird, beast and rakshasa reached a crescendo. Lanka smoldering in the aftermath of Hanuman's rampage was like a city cursed, while the cause of it all stood on the highest peak of Trikoota glowing like the Sun. The gods and the celestials praised Hanuman while the creatures of the earth looked in fear.
Summary
Hanuman delighted with what he had achieved wondered if he could do anything else to inflict more suffering on the demons. Giving it a moment's thought he decided that the only thing left for him now was to wreck the inviolable city of Lanka. Watching his burning tail he said, "My tail still burns and I shall offer that Agni the best in Lanka to feast upon." Leaping over gardens, groves and mansions, Hanuman ignited every one of them. Nothing was spared and everything went up in flames except the home of Vibhishana. Hanuman's final target was the palace of Ravana. Large as mount Meru, filled with riches beyond belief, it was a manifestation of opulence and splendor, while its architecture was stunning. Roaring with joy, Hanuman merrily consigned that monumental magnificence to ruin by setting it afire. Beholding the growing strength of the Devas, rid of the fear of Ravana, Agni blazed like the cosmic fire and Vayu raced fanning its flames whose fiery fervor was enhanced by the burning fat of dead rakshasas! Chaos reigned supreme as structures shattered citizens screamed and noisy guards tried to subdue Hanuman. Hungry flames hissed and crackled reaching for the gems and pearls that had lent their charm to the grandeur of Lanka's. Fabulous palaces made of precious metals scorched and wilted. Bowing to the brutality of the blaze they disappeared to appear again as rivers of molten gold and silver, carrying with them the glitter of gems. Lanka burned, the rakshasas wailed and Hanuman exulted. He stood watching the last moments of Lanka as its glory and its very existence was coming to an end, to lie devastated for all time. But Hanuman was not satiated, nor was the earth, though thousands of bodies of the dead and dying rakshasas kept falling to the ground. Like a messenger of death from the land of Yama, Hanuman romped in the sky, while those who had survived the carnage wondered who the Vanara was asking each other, "Could it be Indra, Varuna, Vayu, Surya or Kubera? Perhaps it is Brahma come in this form for the ruin of the rakshasa race or could it be the manifest effulgence of Lord Visnu himself? Though the demons were unsure of who Hanuman was, they were sure that he was no ordinary monkey". In that city perishing in the infernal blaze, the noise of exploding buildings, the din of disintegrating splendor and the shrieking of bird, beast and rakshasa reached a crescendo. Lanka smoldering in the aftermath of Hanuman's rampage was like a city cursed, while the cause of it all stood on the highest peak of Trikoota glowing like the Sun. The gods and the celestials praised Hanuman while the creatures of the earth looked in fear.