Sankshiptaparayana (Sundarakanda) Part - 8.

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Dear All, The article below (written by Prof B.G.Y Sastri) is illuminating Regards, aavesh Dear friends and devotees, Bhakti is eternal. (Part – 8) The resplendence of Sundarakanda namOstu ramaaya salakshmaNaaya, dEvyai ca thasyai janakaatmajaayai, namOstu rudrEndraya maanilEbhyO,

namOstu candraarka marudgaNEbhyaha. Sri Ram who is with Lakshmana - Namaskaram To Mata Janakee Devi - Namaskaaram To Rudra, Indra, Yama, and Vayu - Namaskaaram Chandra and Surya and other Devata Gana I give my respectable Namaskaarams In Mahabharata which is considered as panchamaveda (Fifth veda), Bhagavad-Gita is considered as Upanishad and noted for daily parayana (recitation). Likewise out of all the kandas of Srimadramayana which is considered as vedasara, Sundarakanda is noted for its elegancy and daily parayana. Of all the other Kandas (chapters) in the epic Sri Ramayana, the Sundarakanda is one which has earned its special place and being treated as most beautifully narrated and unquestionably have proven discoveries by which the

devotees can gain unlimited bliss as well as they will be taken and guided to the other side of the sea. As we are well aware each Chapter's name is defined by that chapter's main subject - like the birth and the days of the infant stage of Sri Rama is called Baala Kaanda; Right from the idea of Sri Dasaratha and its planning on Sri Rama Pattaabhishekam, the immediate aftermath, consequently Sri Rama's exile to forests and then the Paaduka Pattabhishekam - all these incidents are clubbed in the Ayodhya Kanda; The life in the forests, killing of cruel demons and then abducting of Sri Seetha and the death of Jatayu - brings the Aranyakanda. Then comes the friendship of Sugreeva, killing of Vaali, keeping Sugreeva as the head of kingdom Kishkinda - is called Kishkinda kaanda. Entire episode explaining the war between Ravana and Sri Rama, ultimate killing of Raavana and making Vibhishana as the King of Lanka - is called Yuddha Kanda.

Though all these chapters were named based on the situation and theme of the episodes, the fifth one "Sundarakanda" name is something extraordinary and do have possible inner meanings in naming that chapter as SUNDARA (beautiful) Kaanda (Chapter). The axiom of naming it as Sundara from the beauty of every part of the episode by Maharshi Valmiki and his sweet writing is utmost beautiful. In this episode, the flow of language with its elegance and sound is really divine. Here, in accordance with the reference to the context, all rasas including Srungara (Vipralambha) are inundated and worshiped by every Hindu. Seetha’s face was like the full moon; her eyebrows were beautiful; her breasts were lovely and full. With her radiance that lady banished the darkness from all directions. Her hair was jet black; her lips like Bimba fruit. Her waist was lovely, and her posture was perfect. Her eyes were like lotus petals, and she looked like Rathi, wife of Manmatha, god of love. That lovely woman—as cherished all living things as the radiance of the full moon---was seated on the ground like an ascetic woman practicing austerity. Sighing constantly, that timorous woman resembled a daughter-in-law of a serpent lord. By virtue of the vast net of sorrow, spread over her, her radiance was dimmed, like that of a flame of

tire obscured by a shroud of smoke. She was like a blurred memory or a fortune lost. She was like faith lost or hope dashed; like success undermined by catastrophe or intellect dulled. She was like a reputation lost through false rumors. She was distraught at being prevented from rejoining Rama and anguished by her abduction by the rakshasa. That delicate fawn eyed woman was looking about here and there. Her sorrowful face with its black-tipped eyelashes was covered with a flood of tears. She sighed again and again” These passages and

the others leading up to her sudden joy at the sight of Rama’s signet ring indeed the heart of the chapter and epic, and no doubt they account for the enormous esteem in which the former is held. Central though the karunarasa is to the epic and the chapter, it cannot, in keeping with the canons of the alamkarasastra, be unrelieved and it is in aesthetic terms, no doubt in order to provide such relief that the poet has placed his gem of the piteous in a larger setting crafted of an amalgam of the adbhuta, sringara, bhayanaka, vira, and hasya rasas—that is, the expressed in Hanuman’s leap, the description of Ravana’s harem, the threats of the grotesque rakshasa women, Hanuman’s martial exploits, and the comical drunkenness of the monkeys in the clumsy, jarring, or spurious additions to the Sundarakanda, but rather integral narrative, structural, and poetic

elements essential to the architecture of this fascination epic within an epic. Contd . . . 9. With love and regards, Sastry Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. You are managing the group through Grouply.You to individual emails for this group. | Update your Subscription settings1 messages in this conversation, including this one | Add a commentView this message on Grouply so you can rate, tag, bookmark, and see what others think about it. Y! Messenger PC-to-PC calls Call your friends worldwide - free! Curves on A group for women to share & discuss food & weight loss. Check out the Y! Groups blog Stay up to speed on all things Groups!

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