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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

Pep Talk to Peers

Having told the main story

Fillips these then gave Hanuman.

Heartened that I found Seetha

Glued I then to Rama's thought.

Lays who store on spouse like her

Woman there none so ever like her.

Ravan is no common man

For he survived Seetha's ire.

Can turn Seetha to ashes

With her looks the gods even

Should they come ever coveting her,

But Ravan who laid on her

Hands his as he kidnapped her

Came out unscathed from her wrath.

How I wish that I could have

Brought her back to meet her man.

On my own then I could have

Killed all Lankans with Ravan.

Land as we all in Lanka

What would Ravan's fate be then?

For me to slay all of them

Could have taken day or two,

So to bring them to their knees

Need we but an hour at most.

But then Ravan's eldest son

By no means a pushover,

Dared he as well subdued too

None the less than Lord Indra,

Shy as gods all from him thus

Hails him world as Indrajit.

How I wish to fly back now

So to make him bite the dust.

With thy blessings on my own

Conquer could I all three worlds.

Were Jambavan to confront him

Where would Ravan hide his head?

Won't our Angad on his own

Give a run to demons there all.

We've Neel 'n Panasa too

Need but fists to smash mountains.

None there ever in angels too

Match who might well Manduni.

What to speak of Dwividu then

Comes when it to fighting foes.

These two of the Aswin clan

Ever eager to fight such wars.

Come not to grief they in wars

Blessed are thus by Lord Brahma.

Partook both they nectar then

Subdued when they angels all.

Having them at our forefront

For us on the Lankan shores

Figure it would make but picnic.

Fire as I set to Lanka

Prayed all Lankans to Lord Ram.

Ram 'n Lakshman I extolled

Besides vanar Lord Sugreev.

Wondered as they who I was

Gave them that I'm Vayu's son.

As I reached her to take leave

Found Seetha in great distress.

Amidst the guards who circled her

Seemed she full moon sunk in clouds.

Confined as thus by Ravan

Lost she none the sight of Ram.

Thinks she none of another man

Breathes she air that sounds Rama.

Wore she saree same old one

That which she had on her then

Snared when Ravan so long back.

Plaited she seems not her hair

Ever since she was thus confined.

Wont it's her to chant Rama

Threaten her as and when her guards.

Pester ever as her captors

Rama's wife is tired of life.

Felt all glad as Seetha learned

Her man made our Lord his friend.

Doomed as Ravan by her curse

Bound to get killed by her man.

Slim as Seetha by nature

Got she slimmer in despair.

Left it's now to us vanars

How to see her out of woods.