Episode 24 - Destruction of Lanka by Anjaneya with his burning tail

Hanuman thought about the action to be taken and decided to destroy the Fort surrounding the city to facilitate the impending march into Lanka by Rama. He also thought it fit to satisfy the Fire God who had been burning on his tail and yet protecting him. Accordingly, he set fire to all the important buildings including those of the Ministers and the King Ravana but excluding the residence of Vibhishana. The fire was carried from house to house by the wind. The Rakshasas including women with children in arms were all bewildered and shocked and ran helter-skelter for life; while some of them were trying to put out the fire. They cried that God Agni himself came down upon them in the form of the monkey. The whole atmosphere was filled with burning buildings and trees and cries and wails by burning Rakshasas, animals and birds. Lanka looked like a cursed city. Hanuman, after his triumph, thought of Rama. Devas, Gandharvas, Siddhas and other divine groups and Rishis were filled with amazement at the extraordinary strength of Anjaneya and the wholesale destruction inflicted by him upon the Rakshasas and showered words of praise on the Vanara from the sky above. It is to be remembered here that all of them had been troubled by the Rakshasas at some point of time or the other, at their will and pleasure, without cause. The victorious Anjaneya shone like the 'Kalagni', the Doomsday Fire, frightening everyone around.

Anjaneya's sorrow for throwing Sita's life into danger as imagined by him

Anjaneya soon realised his folly in setting the whole of Lanka on fire unmindful of Sita's location and her safety. He was at once drowned in gloom, fear and wretchedness and reflected: “Those who control anger are really great. He who gives in to anger is capable of any crime. He can kill even his preceptors. There is no foul word he cannot utter and there is no foul deed he cannot do. He alone is called a Purusha who overcomes anger through forbearance.”

“Fie upon me who is an evil-minded shameless sinner that has destroyed Sita and along with her, the master's cause. The purpose for which I have come so far, has been defeated. There is not a single area in the whole of Lanka which has not been reduced to ashes. If, by my thoughtlessness, Sita has been lost, death is the only recourse left to me.”

“Submitting to the evil of anger, I have only demonstrated monkeys' fickleness which is well-established in all the three worlds. Fie upon the Rajasa (emotional) nature which is uncontrollable and unsteady! Under its influence, I could not protect Sita in spite of being competent to do so. Hearing of Sita's death, Rama and Lakshmana will die followed by Sugriva and his relatives. Rama's kith and kin will likewise embrace death. When a Dharmic (just) king dies, his subjects, overtaken by grief, will all lay down their lives. Now it is clear that having been overtaken by the evil of anger and being devoid of Dharma and Artha, I shall stand out as the cause of the destruction of the entire world.”

Hanuman nevertheless found some good omens. He pondered thus: “Sita is pure as fire and well protected by her chastity. Fire cannot destroy fire. If the Fire God has not burnt me, it is due to the greatness of Rama and the pure character of Sita. By the power of her own penance, truthfulness, and single-minded devotion to her husband, Sita is capable of destroying Fire itself.”

As Anjaneya was reasoning the possibilities within himself, a divine group called Charanas exclaimed from the sky: “Oh! How wonderful! Hanuman has done the impossible. He has set Lanka on fire and yet Sita is safe and sound.” Hearing this, Hanuman was now fully convinced about Sita's safety.

Note: By now, Anjaneya has well exceeded his brief which is to find out the whereabouts of Sita. He has destroyed Lanka out of uncontrolled anger born out of offence. Here, through the broodings of Anjaneya, Valmiki sets out the disastrous consequences of sudden and unlimited anger and advises that anger is to be avoided at all costs and at any rate, not acted upon instantly and never in full measure.