Sundara Kanda
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Sundara Kanda is the fifth book in the Hindu epic, the Ramayana. It depicts the adventures of Hanuman. The original Sundara Kanda is in Sanskrit and was composed by Valmiki, who was the first to scrpturally record the Ramayana. Other versions of the Sundara Kanda exist in other languages as well, for instance in Bhojpuri, the language in which the saint Tulsidas wrote the Ramayana, titled Sri Ramcharitmanas. The Sri Ramcharitmanas was written much later than Valmiki's Ramayana.
Sundara Kanda, translated in English means "beautiful book/chapter", depending upon the context for "kanda" which can also mean occurrence, occasion etc.. As the name suggests, the chapter is really beautiful, not necessaruly in the literary sense, but in terms of the events covered. Very many happy events take place during the course of this chapter, mainly on account of heroics of Hanumana.
Its subject matter is brief, and the narrative covers a maximum of two to three days. It describes the venerable monkey Hanuman’s search for the heroine of the epic Sita, who, kidnapped by the vicious demon Ravana, is confined to a small garden inside the villain’s palace.[1]
This chapter is indeed recited by many religious Hindu individuals/families preferably on Tuesdays and/or Saturdays, both days having been earmarked for special prayers to Hanumana. The religious faith suggests that its recital brings harmony into the household.
Hanuman Chalisa is a different poetic contribution towards the heroics of Hanumana by poet Tulasidas. Though it mentions his achievements during Ramayana, it goes beyond that as well, encompassing complete life-cycle of Hanumana.
[edit] References
- ^ The Beauty of Beauty: An Aesthetic Journey Into The Ramayana, by Sri Nitin Kumar.
| The Rāmāyaņa by Valmiki |
|---|
| Characters |
| Dasaratha | Kausalya | Sumitra | Kaikeyi | Janaka | Manthara | Rama | Bharata | Lakshmana | Shatrughna | Sita | Urmila | Mandavi | Shrutakirti | Viswamitra | Ahalya | Jatayu | Sampati | Hanuman | Sugriva | Vali | Angada | Jambavantha | Vibhishana | Tataka | Surpanakha | Maricha | Subahu | Khara | Ravana | Kumbhakarna | Mandodari | Mayasura | Indrajit | Prahasta | Akshayakumara | Atikaya | Lava | Kusha |
| Other |
| Ayodhya | Mithila | Lanka | Sarayu | Treta Yuga | Raghuvamsa | Lakshman Rekha | Aditya Hridayam | Oshadhiparvata | Sundara Kanda | Pushpaka Vimana | Vedavati | Vanara |
 |
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