{"collection":"Hinduism","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/hin/rama/ry392.htm","path":"hin/rama/ry392.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/hin/rama/ry392.htm","text":"'What further deed remains to do\n To vex the R\u00e1kshas king anew?\n The beauty of his grove is marred,\n Killed are the bravest of his guard.\n The captains of his host are slain;\n But forts and palaces remain.\n Swift is the work and light the toil\n Each fortress of the foe to spoil.'\n \u00a0\u00a0 Reflecting thus, his tale ablaze\n As through the cloud red lightning plays,\n He scaled the palaces and spread\n The conflagration where he sped.\n From house to house he hurried on,\n And the wild flames behind him shone.\n Each mansion of the foe he scaled,\n And furious fire its roof assailed\n Till all the common ruin shared:\n Vibh\u00edshan's house alone was spared.\n From blazing pile to pile he sprang,\n And loud his shout of triumph rang,\n As roars the doomsday cloud when all\n The worlds in dissolution fall.\n The friendly wind conspired to fan\n The hungry flames that leapt and ran,\n And spreading in their fury caught\n The gilded walls with pearls inwrought,\n Till each proud palace reeled and fell\n As falls a heavenly citadel.\n \u00a0\u00a0 Loud was the roar the demons raised\n Mid walls that split and beams that blazed,\n As each with vain endeavour strove\n To stay the flames in house or grove.\n The women, with dishevelled hair,\n Flocked to the roofs in wild despair,\n Shrieked out for succour, wept aloud,\n And fell, like lightning from a cloud.\n He saw the flames ascend and curl\n Round turkis, diamond, and pearl,\n While silver floods and molten gold\n From ruined wall and latice rolled.\n As fire grows fiercer as he feeds\n On wood and grass and crackling reeds,\n So Hanum\u00e1n the ruin eyed\n With fury still unsatisfied.","title":"BOOK V: Canto LIV.: The Burning of Lank\u00e1.","type":"page"}