|| om tat sat || || om Sri Raamaaya namah || Sundarakanda from Valmiki Ramayanam. A chapter wise aggregation of the meaning of all slokas. A publication of Athato Foundation. a Kasarabada Trust || om tat sat || ________________________________________________________________ 1 This is a publication of Athato Foundation, a Kasarabada Trust, 7061 Prestige Shantiniketan, Hoodi-ITPL Road, Mahadevapura Post, Bangalore 560048, India. All copy rights with the Athato Foundation unless otherwise specified. Not for sale Private circulation only First Edition October 2017 Silver Springs, Md. 2 Contents Foreword 5 In Praise of Hanuman 7 A brief Chapter wise summary 11 Sarga 1 - Hanuman’s leap across the ocean 14 Sarga 2 - Hanuman enters Lanka at night 23 Sarga 3 - Hanuman overcomes Lankini 26 Sarga 4 - Hanuman’s search in Lanka 29 Sarga 5 - Hanuman’s search in Lanka 31 Sarga 6 - Hanuman’s search in Lanka 34 Sarga 7 - Hanuman sees Pushpaka Vimana 37 Sarga 8 - Description of Pushpaka Vimana 39 Sarga 9 - Hanuman enters Ravana’s palace 41 Sarga 10- Hanuman sees Mandodari and thinks she is Sita 45 Sarga 11- Hanuman in the Banquet hall 48 Sarga 12- Hanuman’s grief 51 Sarga 13- Hanuman at a loss then sees Ashoka grove 53 Sarga 14- Hanuman enters Ashoka grove 57 Sarga 15- Hanuman sees Sita 60 Sarga 16- Hanuman in distress seeing Sita 63 Sarga 17- Hanuman sees the Rakshasa women guarding Sita 65 Sarga 18- Ravana enters Ashoka grove 68 Sarga 19- Sita’s distress on seeing Ravana 70 Sarga 20- Ravana proposes 72 Sarga 21- Sita turns down Ravana 75 Sarga 22- Ravana’s ultimatum 77 Sarga 23- Rakshasa women pursue Sita on behalf of Ravana 80 Sarga 24- Rakshasa women threaten Sita 82 Sarga 25- Sita’s response to threats 85 Sarga 26- Sita’s despair and resolution to give up life 87 Sarga 27- Trijata’s dream 90 Sarga 28- Sita’s wailing 93 Sarga 29- Good omens 95 Sarga 30- Hanuman’s resolve 97 Sarga 31- Hanuman sings Rama’s story 100 Sarga 32- Sita perplexed 102 Sarga 33- Hanuman speaks to Sita 104 Sarga 34- Sita’s doubts 107 Sarga 35- Hanuman’s eloquence on Rama and his mission 109 Sarga 36- Hanuman gives Rama’s signet ring to Sita 114 Sarga 37- Hanuman’s offer- Sita’s doubts about Hanuman’s Capabilities 117 3 Sarga 38- Story of the crow 120 Sarga 39- Sita’s misgivings and Hanuman’s reassurance 124 Sarga 40- Hanuman takes leave to go back 127 Sarga 41- Destruction of Ashoka grove 129 Sarga 42- Kinkara’s killed & Jaya mantra 131 Sarga 43- Hanuman’s proclamation 134 Sarga 44- Jambumali killed 136 Sarga 45- Sons of the minister killed 138 Sarga 46- Five generals killed 140 Sarga 47- Prince Aksha killed 143 Sarga 48- Indrajit captures Hanuman using Brahma Astra 146 Sarga 49- Hanuman sees Ravana in his court 150 Sarga 50 - Ordered by Ravana Prahasta questions Hanuman 152 Sarga 51- Hanuman’s advice to Ravana 154 Sarga 52- Vibhishana pleads 157 Sarga 53- Hanuman’s tail set on fire & Sita’s prayers 159 Sarga 54- Lanka set on fire 162 Sarga 55- Hanuman’s fears 165 Sarga 56- Hanuman takes leave of Sita and the leaps to Northern shores 167 Sarga 57- Hanuman reaches the northern shores 169 Sarga 58- Hanuman recounts his trip to Lanka 172 Sarga 59- Hanuman’s plan of action 179 Sarga 60 Angada’s proposal – Jambavan’s direction 181 Sarga 61- Vanaras in Madhuvan 182 Sarga 62- Dadhimukha pushed back 184 Sarga 63- Sugriva asks Dadhimukha to tell the Vanaras to report back 186 Sarga 64- Hanuman reports to Rama that Sita is safe 188 Sarga 65- Hanuman gives Sita’s Chudamani 190 Sarga 66- Rama’s sorrow 192 Sarga 67- Hanuman narrates conversations with Sita 193 Sarga 68- Hanuman tells Rama that he restored confidence of Sita 196 Epilogue 198 The End 199 4 Foreword Sundarakanda is an enchanting part of Valmiki Ramayana. Ramayana composed by Valmiki is the earliest epic in poetic form in Sanskrit. It is known as “Adi kavya”, the first poetic composition. The very first sloka in Sanskrit literature, supposedly uttered by Valmiki, is part of Valmiki Ramayana. Valmiki taken aback by the beauty and simplicity of the first sloka repeats it to himself and his disciples. He uses the literary form to write the epic story of Rama called Ramayana at the prodding of Brahma who also gives Valmiki an unlimited insight into the story of Rama. Ramayana is truly written in a very simple style that makes the meanings easily understood for a student of Sanskrit. Most of the Indian languages are derivatives of Sanskrit. Some languages even if they are not derivatives, have absorbed most or all of the Sanskrit words into their language as is the case with Telugu and even Kannada. Proficiency in Sanskrit derivatives or languages which absorbed Sanskrit, is enough to understand the gist of a sloka even if one is not a student of Sanskrit. Sundarakanda forms the central part of Ramayana. According to many it is heart of Ramayana. Sundarakanda is a story of single minded pursuit. It is a story which converts a mood of despondency, to a mood of optimism and hope. The mood at the end of Kishkindha kanda in Ramayana was of despondency of Vanaras as well as Rama and Sita too. At the end of Kishkindha Kanda we see the Vanaras facing a daunting task of crossing a huge ocean in search of Sita who has been carried away by Ravana. By the end of Sundarakanda there is hope. The last sloka of Sundarakanda literally says that hope and solace has been provided to the troubled mind of Sita by Hanuman. It is a story with many highs and lows in the moods of the chief protagonist Hanuman. But he, the Hanuman, never wavers from his objective. That is probably the most important lesson for all. Sundarakanda has a folklore associated with it from time immemorial. All the modern commentaries including those brought out by the western scholars refer to it. Reading or recitation of Sundarakanda has been on par with similar recitation of holy books like Gita. It has been a daily Parayana or recitation item in many a Hindu household. Miracles have been attributed to such parayana. It is more probable that the spirit of Sundarakanda, more specifically the spirit of Hanuman in pursuing the goals against all odds, is absorbed in the process of ‘parayana’. That spirit is probably what made the miracles happen. In any case Hanuman remains the central hero of Sundarakanda. Infact the tittle “Sundarakanda” is assumed to be based on the name “Sundara” associated with Hanuman. Sundarakanda can be taken to mean the exploits of Sundara or Hanuman. As per tradition, when ever one wishes for some “fruit”, one undertakes Sundarakanda parayana. In our case the Sundarakanda parayana is in the form of re-writing all the Sanskrit slokas in a prose order to make the meaning more easily self evident and then writing the meanings for all the slokas. Sundarakanda has nearly three thousand slokas in the sixty-eight Sargas or chapters. 5 In addition to writing the prose order and meanings in English, we have an added twist of writing the Sanskrit text in multiple languages Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati and Devanagari facilitating reading of Slokas in one’s own language. Thus, one has the option of Sanskrit text presented in Devanagari, Telugu, Kannada, and Gujarati with English Translation. These are available in kasarabada.org web site. This presentation of chapterwise summary of Sundarakanda is based on essentially aggregating the meanings of all the translated slokas. This has been a huge task. The fact that we could undertake the same and complete the same in a time bound form is itself the “fruit” we wished for. That we have aggregated the meanings of all the slokas has the charm that we are in fact reading ‘complete Sundarakanda’ which is faithful to its original form albeit in a different language. But it also suffers from the difficulties that result in such true translations. There will be innumerable repetitions. There will be innumerable descriptions which defy easy translation as well as understanding without added historical or contextual notes. In the spirit of being faithful to the original text, we have left both of them, namely the repetitions and difficult translations in place as they are. Our foray into the ocean of Sundarakanda is actually much older than this effort. This being a favorite book of our parents, as per their wish and with their active guidance we have brought out a “Samkshipta Sundarakanda”, which is shortened form of Sundarakanda. In Samkshipta Sundarakanda, the nearly three thousand slokas of Sundarakanda have been condensed to about three hundred slokas, while retaining the flow of the story. It has been brought out as a book in Telugu and English. It has been an experience that energized us to do more and more. The current effort is a direct result of that energy. ||om tat sat || 6 Om Sriram IN PRAISE OF HANUMAN HANUMASTUTI "Vikrantastvam samardhastvam" says Sita "Kritam Hanumata karyam" says Sri Rama "Tvayyeva Hanumanasti balam buddhi parakramah" says Sugriva Such is the awe-inspiring part played by Hanuman! From the time, Hanuman steps into the story counselling Sugriva not to be concerned about the two Naras - Rama and Lakshmana -who entered their area, to the time he takes leave of Sri Rama as a confirmed Ramabhaktha, a devotee of Sri Rama, his exploits are surely mind boggling and in fact more so in Sundarakanda. No wonder that the popular adage goes: 'Sundare Sundara Kapih', (In Sundara kanda beautiful is Hanuman).