तेषां शतसहस्राणि तदा लङ्कानिवासिनाम्॥ अदहत्पावकस्तत्र जज्वाल च पुनः पुनः। सारवन्ति महार्हाणि गम्भीरगुणवन्ति च॥ हेमचन्द्रार्धचन्द्राणि चन्द्रशालोत्तमानि च। तत्र चित्रगवाक्षाणि साधिष्ठानानि सर्वशः॥ मणिविदुमचित्राणि स्पृशन्तीव दिवाकरम्। क्रौञ्चबर्हिणवर्णानां भूषणानां च निःस्वनैः।।२० नादितान्यचलाभानि वेश्मान्यग्निर्ददाह सः। ज्वलनेन परीतानि तोरणानि चकाशिरे॥ विद्युद्भिरिव नद्धानि मेघजालानि धर्मगे। ज्वलनेन परीतानि गृहाणि प्रचकाशिरे॥ दावाग्निदीप्तानि यथा शिखराणि महागिरेः।
teṣāṃ śatasahasrāṇi tadā laṅkānivāsinām|| adahatpāvakastatra jajvāla ca punaḥ punaḥ| sāravanti mahārhāṇi gambhīraguṇavanti ca|| hemacandrārdhacandrāṇi candraśālottamāni ca| tatra citragavākṣāṇi sādhiṣṭhānāni sarvaśaḥ|| maṇividumacitrāṇi spṛśantīva divākaram| krauñcabarhiṇavarṇānāṃ bhūṣaṇānāṃ ca niḥsvanaiḥ||20 nāditānyacalābhāni veśmānyagnirdadāha saḥ| jvalanena parītāni toraṇāni cakāśire|| vidyudbhiriva naddhāni meghajālāni dharmage| jvalanena parītāni gṛhāṇi pracakāśire|| dāvāgnidīptāni yathā śikharāṇi mahāgireḥ|
English Meaning
That fire burnt down firm-based rich dwellings furnished with innumerable apartments, and garnished with golden Moons and crescents, and mansions having graceful crests; and variegated windows and daises raised there, embellished with rubies and lapises, and seeming to touch the Sun; and piles resembling mountains in grandeur, and resonant with the cries of Krauñas and peacocks and the tinklings of omaments. The flaming gateways all round appeared like clouds in the rainy season lighted up by lightning, or like the peaks of a mighty mountain ablaze with forest-conflagration.
— M.N. Dutt (1891–94, public domain)