Sundara Kanda / Sundara Kandam depicts the adventures of Hanuman. Hanuman was lovingly called Sundara by his mother Anjani and this kand deals primarily with Hanuman’s journey to Lanka and his selflessness, strength, and devotion to Rama.
HANUMAN WENT TO SEARCH SITA IN LANKA
Hanuman flied through the various palaces and gardens in search of Sita. He proceeded to Ashok Vatika where he finally saw Sita. He took position on a branch of a tree, above Sita, and contemplated his next move.
He saw Ravana walked towards Sita, and beg her to glance at least once toward him. Ravan threatened to behead Sita but was calmed down by his wife, Sita kept quiet and simply looked at grass.
(Once Ravan saw an Apsara, Rambha flashing like a flame, concealing herself in the sky and proceeding towards the abode of Brahma, she was enjoyed forcibly by Ravan. She went to the abode of Brahma and the matter was made known to him. Brahma cursed Ravan that he would never be able to approach another woman unless she shared his love. If carried away by lust, he does violence to any woman who did not love him, his head will split into seven pieces.”
Fearing the curse given by Brahama, Ravan could not violently make Sita to marry him or take charge of Sita by force.)
Hanuman approached Sita and explained who he is. He presented the ring Ram had given him. Sita blessed Hanuman. Sita gave her jewelry to Hanuman and asked him to give it to her husband. Hanuman offered to carry Sita back to Ram, however she refused. She said that Ram himself must come and avenge the insult of her abduction.
HANUMAN CAPTURED BY INDRAJIT IN LANKA
Hanuman told Sita that he is hungry and asked for her permission to eat fruits from the Vatika. He not only ate but managed to destroy large parts of it. He easily killed one of Ravan’s sons, prince Aksaya. Indrajit arrived there and after a fight Hanuman allowed himself to be captured. He was brought in front of the king of Lanka, Ravan.
Ravana ordered his death, however, Vibhishan reminded him that Hanuman was an envoy and could not be killed according to religious principle. Ravan decided to humiliate Hanuman by setting his tail on fire. Cloths were wrapped around his tail and soaked in oil. Hanuman chanted the name of Ram and his tail got longer, and more cloth and oil was used. He changed from his small form into a gigantic form and torched the whole of Lanka.
He returned to the ocean to extinguish his tail and then went to Sita to reassure her that the next time she saw him, it would be with Ram and leaped back towards Angad and Jambavan. The monkey army then ventured back to where Sugriv, Ram and Laksman were waiting. On arrival Hanuman explained all that happened and presented the jewellery sent by Sita to Ram. Immediately an army was prepared to go south towards Lanka.
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RAM PERFORMED TAPASYA TO VARUNA FOR PASSAGE
Faced with the dilemma of how to cross the ocean, Ram sat on the sea -shore performed tapasya to Varuna, the Lord of Oceans seeking the help of the ocean god to yield a passage for his army to pass through and reach the city of Lanka. The ocean did not appear.
Ram became angry at the ocean and when Ram was about to release a missile presided over by Brahma from his bow, the sea-god appeared in person before Him with joined palms and told Ram of the boon obtained by the monkey brothers Nila and Nala, and that they had the power to build a bridge across the ocean. . The ocean god disappeared after giving this advice to Ram.
Valmiki Ramayana is divided in following Kanda’s :
- Bala Kanda – Childhood – Birth and training of the Princes and marriage of the Princes
- Ayodhya Kanda – Ayodhya – Preparations for Ram’s coronation as a prince, coronation and his exile into the forest. Raja Dasharath died due to grief.
- Aranya Kanda –Forest – Forest life of Ram, visit to the Rishis, Ram received celestial weapons from Rishi Agastya. Kidnapping of Sita by Ravan.
- Kishkindha Kanda –Kishkindha – Meeting of Hanuman with Ram, Sugriv killed Bali with the help of Ram. Sugriv was crowned as the king of Kishkindha search of Sita.
- Sundara Kanda – Auspiciousness – Hanuman’s journey to Lanka and his meeting with Sita, sets fire to Lanka.
- Yuddha Kanda – War – Battle between Ram and Ravan. Both used Astras charged with Mantra, Sita was rescued from Ravan. Sita’s honour was tested in the fire
- Uttara Kanda –Afterword – Ram’s life after returning to Ayodhya and Sita’s exile, the birth of Luv and Kusha to Sita, their coronation to the throne of Ayodhya.
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