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Sundara Kānda: Hanuman's Odyssey

Whereas Mahabharata's Bhagvad-Gita is taken as a philosophical guide, Ramayana's Sundara Kãnda is sought for spiritual solace; many believe that reading it or hearing it recited would remove all hurdles and usher in good tidings! Miracles apart, it's in the nature of this great epic to inculcate fortitude and generate hope in man for it’s a depiction of how Hanuman goes about his errand against all odds. Besides, it portrays how Seetha, on the verge of self-immolation, overcomes despair to see life in a new light? With rhythm of its verse and the flow of the narrative this sloka to sloka transcreation of the canto beautiful of Valmiki's adi kavya - the foremost poetical composition in the world, Hanuman's Odyssey that paves the way for Rama to rescue his kidnapped wife is bound to charm the readers and listeners alike. Interestingly, as the following verse illustrates, this epic was the forerunner of the magic realism of our times – “Gripped she then him by shadow / Cast which Hanuman coast to coast, Recalled he in dismay then / What Sugreev said at outset / That one fiend had aptitude / To grip its prey by mere shadow.” On a personal note, my paternal grandfather, Bulusu Thimmaiah-garu, like many in his time, was a life-long practitioner of Sundara Kãnda parayana (the epic’s daily recital in part or full), whose spirituality could have providentially guided me in this, rather an effortless, trans-creative endeavour.

BS_Murthy · Fantasy
Not enough ratings
70 Chs

Flight sans Hassles

Airborne as he so he seemed

Like a mountain with huge wings.

Nagas all from stratosphere

Saw him then in his flight route.

Stars all in their resplendence

Saw him as he passed them by.

Hanuman got a feeling then

Was he there in another world.

Moved as he thus in high skies

Seemed he swallowed clouds all there.

Picked as up he speed in flight

Seemed as if skies shrunk in size.

Formed then rainbow in mid-air

Looked that like a welcome arch.

Clouds as darkened in mid-course

Played he hide 'n seek like moon.

As and when he came in view

In his vest he shone like moon.

Acquired as if Garuda's grace

With such ease then Hanuman flew.

Seemed then ether spread to world

Words those Hanuman spoke to self

About the valorous deeds of his

Done by grace of Lord Rama.

Approached when he Mainaka

Touched him Hanuman in reverence.

Sighted as he Indra's hill

Roared then like a lion Hanuman.

Induced by the roars of his

Thundered all the clouds in skies.

Sighted as he home shore soon

Waved his tail in triumph Hanuman.

Sounded as he his comeback

Seemed all worlds then shook to roots.

With such chaos in the skies

Guessed his peers all his approach.

Waited they with bated breath

For Hanuman to come then in sight.

Soared their spirits as with his roars

Reached they shores to see him land.

Urge of theirs to see Hanuman

Made them all jump up and down.

Jambavan it was then addressed

All the vanars there gathered.

Doubt there none that our Hanuman

Is well on his way back home.

Neared as Hanuman southern shore

Raised sea mean level in welcome.

For the sight of Hanuman then

Climbed all vanars then treetops.

Jumped for joy as those vanars

Fell all leaves from their branches.

Heard they roar of their hero

Raised those decibels all over.

Sighted as all Hanuman soon

Raised they hands in salute then.

Folks as his lay awestruck then

He on Mahendra's peak landed.

Jumped he down to rejoin

All those vanars whom he left.

In their joy then vanars all

Ran to mob their own hero.

Finding him in pink of health

Sigh of relief heaved they all.

Looked at him all in reverence

Fetched they rare fruits all for him.

Sounding welcome for Hanuman

Gave their throats then vanars all.

To elders all and Prince Angad

For his part then bowed Hanuman.

Knew as he their eagerness

To hear the story in detail,

As though to save all for Ram

Gave he brief as 'Seen Seetha'.

Having embraced Prince Angad

Squatted Hanuman there on lawn.

Goaded by the vanars then

Told he how he found Seetha.

In her lament for her man

Found I famished her to bone.

That he himself saw Seetha

Cheered the vanars there gathered.

Roared as vanars with one throat

Shocked were birds all in their flight.

Raised as vanars tails their long

Looked like ladders they to skies.

Pachyderm like as sat Hanuman

In their joy they hugged him all.

Bringing order then Angad

Addressed Hanuman thus in praise.

None can equal thee on earth

Flew who over sea this twice.

Swore as all of us to die

Had thee failed to find Seetha

It's thy valour saved our lives.

It's thy reverence to Sri Ram

Made thee as the chosen one

To discern Seetha there yonder.

News of Seetha in his wait

Sure to gladden Rama's heart.

Clapped all vanars to one man

At what all Angad just then said.

Kept they silence of pin drop

So that Hanuman could go on.

So to let him unfold then

With their hearts in mouths they sat.

So to catch his every word

Sat next Angad to Hanuman.

With the vanars there thus sat

Seemed the place then royal court.