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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

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70 Chs

Takes on Prahastha’s Son

Sent as he was by Ravan

In time garden gate Prahastha's

Son had reached to slay Hanuman

Who by then came back to post.

Came thus Hanuman face to face

With Jambumali that Prahastha's son

Savage fiend that slain all dared

Feared thus most the world over.

Bow his rivalled Indra's own

Sent shivers it down enemies' spines.

Strung as he the string to test

Of his bow to serve his cause

Echoed its sound in high skies.

Driven in cart of four donkeys

Came as Prahastha's son near him,

Greeted Hanuman him in scorn

Slapping hard his own thighs then.

Jambumali then lost no time

Aimed he arrows sharp at him.

Missed no arrow its target

Tip to toe was hurt Hanuman.

Bloodied face of Hanuman then

Looked like flowering rose at dawn.

Hurt by arrows in their scores

Mouth of Hanuman's coral red

Looked like lotus in full bloom.

So to launch a blitzkrieg on

Prahastha's son by Ravan sent

Picked up some slab then Hanuman.

What he hurled at Prahastha's son

Turned that then to pebbles latter.

Enraged Hanuman plucked a tree

And javelined hard at Jambumali.

Aimed his arrows Prahastha's son

Tree that just left Hanuman's hands.

Prowess such was Jambumali's

Shot he arrows in their scores

Missed none of them its target

Chipped to firewood tree all that.

With the shield of tree thus lost

To body blows of Prahastha's son

Laid bare then all Hanuman frame.

Hanuman pulled a door latch then

Leapt he thus at Prahastha's son.

Hit then Hanuman with that latch

Chest of Prahastha's son that strong.

Blow that Hanuman dealt was such

Broke all bones of fiend that strong.

Battered as by Hanuman then

Lay dead Ravan's chosen one.

Heard as breaking news Ravan

Of the death of Prahastha's son

Went he into rare frenzy.

So to bring to book Hanuman

Sent Ravan for seven Marshals

Heirs apparent of secretaries.

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