The tenheaded Ravana heard his brother, the greatsoul Vibhishana's timely advice which was in keeping with the laws of the land and replied.

"Indeed, you have spoken very well.Killing of emissary is censured (in sastras). Surely we will impose suitable punishment other than killing.

"The tail is dear to the monkeys and it is an ornament for them. Set fire to it at once and let him go with his burning tail.

"Then all his friends, relatives and his kinsmen will see his disfigured and handicapped form. The demon king having ordered thus, the monkey was taken by the ogres round the junctions of the roads all over the city with his tail on fire.

"Then all his friends, relatives and his kinsmen will see his disfigured and handicapped form. The demon king having ordered thus, the monkey was taken by the ogres round the junctions of the roads all over the city with his tail on fire.

"Obeying the orders of the king, the brutally angry demons wrapped his tail with tatters of cotton.

While the tail was being swathed, the great vanara grew in size like wild fire fed with dry firewood.

The demons soaked the tail and set fire to it. His face burning in anger shone like the rising Sun and his mind seized with indignation, he struck them with the burning tail.

All the demons including the shedemons and their children and the elders went out joyfully to see the burning tail of Hanuman.

When the cruel demons collected together and bound him once again the heroic Hanuman thought what was appropriate to the moment.

'Even though these ogres are not capable, they have bound me. Indeed I will leap (into the air) once again and sever my bonds and kill them.

'These evilminded demons bind me, ordered by their lord. When I am moving here for the welfare of my master, I will not let them escape৷৷

'I am strong enough to destroy all the demons in a battle. I am enduring this humiliation in order to make Rama happy. In this way I will get a chance to see Lanka once again.

'I am strong enough to destroy all the demons in a battle. I am enduring this humiliation in order to make Rama happy. In this way I will get a chance to see Lanka once again.

'Indeed I saw Lanka at night for which I could not acquire proper knowledge about the fortification of the city. Surely it should be seen by me now after the night has passed.

'Let the demons torture me freely by setting fire to my tail. Let them bind me. I am not exhausted.

Then the ogres set forth joyfully capturing the very powerful elephant among the monkeys, the great vanara who had contracted his body.

The cruel demons started blowing conches and beating drums. They paraded him in the city announcing their deeds.

Hanuman, the subduer of enemies ranged forth happily while he was followed by the demons in the great city.

The great vanara saw wonderful, towering mansions, secure, mammoth buildings all over and welllaid out squares on the streets.

The son of the Windgod saw the streets with beautiful, tall mansions and houses appearing like clouds, highways and byways and secret routes.

All the demons went forth through cross roads, altars built on four pillars and royal roads announcing that he (Hanuman) was a spy.

With eagerness to have a glance at Hanuman's blazing tail, women, children and the aged here and there came out of eagerness to see him.

When the tip of Hanuman's tail was set on fire, the uglyeyed shedemon. Carried the unpleasant news to divine Sita.

"O Sita the redfaced monkey who conversed with you is being paraded in the streets with his tail set on fire".

Distressed on hearing the news which was as cruel as her own abduction Sita started burning with grief and invoked the firegod.

Wishing the great monkey well, the largeeyed Sita invoked the Firegod in her heart.

"O Firegod if I have served my husband, if I have practised austerities, and if I am loyal to my husband, be cool to Hanuman.

"If wise Rama has some compassion for me, if there is any residue of good luck for me, to Hanuman be cool O Firegod.

"O Firegod if Rama is righteous, if I am pure in mind, and if I am longing to unite with him, be cool to Hanuman.

"If Sugriva is true to his promise to fight (for me), if he should be able to rescue me from this ocean of agony let Hanuman be cool (not consumed by fire.)"

Then the tips of the intense flame appeared steadily moving to the fawneyed Sita indicating the firegod's auspiciousness and safety to Hanuman.

"The Windgod accompanying Hanuman's firelit tail also blew cool like the wind from snow, to calm the mind of the divine lady.

When the tail was burning, the vanara wondered how the fire ablaze on every side was not burning him:

'This huge flame is not hurting me. It is as though a mass of ice is placed at the end of my tail. (The fire did not torture nor extend beyond the tip of my tail.)

'It must be due to the power of Rama, by which I found a wonderful mountain emerging from the sea to give me protection while I was crossing the ocean. Now evidently this is due to Rama's power (that my tail is not burning me).

'If the anxiety of the ocean and the wise Mainaka mountain is to serve Rama what is it that the fire cannot do?

'Because of Sita's steadfast loyalty, Rama's power and my father's friendship with the Firegod, the fire is not burning me.'

Once more a thought came to the great Hanuman,the elephant among monkeys. He sprang up and shouted loud.

Then the illustrious Hanuman reached the entrance of the lofty city, which was like the peak of a mountain and turned away the demons.

From his mountainlike form he assumed his original small figure within a moment casting off the bonds.

Illustrious Hanuman was relieved of the bond and once again grew to a mountain size. Looking around he saw an iron club near the archway.

Seizing the black Iron club again, the strongarmed Hanuman killed all the demon guards.

Hanuman, who was of fearsome valour in war with the demons, having killed them, gazed at Lanka once again. Garlanded by the flames of his tail around, he shone like the Sun covered with garlands of rays. इत्यार्षे श्रीमद्रामायणे वाल्मीकीय आदिकाव्ये सुन्दरकाण्डे त्रिपञ्चाशस्सर्गः।। Thus ends the fiftythird sarga of Sundarakanda of the holy Ramayana, the first epic composed by sage Valmiki.