ईषत्कार्यमिदं कार्यं कृतमासीन्न संशयः। तस्य क्रोधाभिभूतेन मया मूलक्षयः कृतः॥ विनष्टा जानकी व्यक्तं न ह्यदग्धः प्रदृश्यते। लङ्कायाः कश्चिदुद्देशः सर्वा भस्मीकृता पुरी॥
īṣatkāryamidaṃ kāryaṃ kṛtamāsīnna saṃśayaḥ| tasya krodhābhibhūtena mayā mūlakṣayaḥ kṛtaḥ|| vinaṣṭā jānakī vyaktaṃ na hyadagdhaḥ pradṛśyate| laṅkāyāḥ kaściduddeśaḥ sarvā bhasmīkṛtā purī||
English Meaning
To have burnt down Lankā is assuredly a trifle, but in my ire I have lost my great object. Forsooth has Janaki been consumed, since I behold no spot in Lankā which is not made desolate with fire-in fact the whole city has been reduced to ashes.
— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)