SUNDARAKANDAM-PANACEA FOR PEACEFUL LIFE
Ramayana the Adikavya by sage Valmiki deals with the story of Lord Rama ,an avatar of Sriman Narayanan. Ramavatar does not only carry out the purpose of destroying rakshasas but teaches the essence of ideal living and of human values. A reading of the epic gives lot of benefits to the reader and to those who hear the reading. It will provide prosperity, gnanam.fame ,and a life of peace and happiness. In the words of KAMBAR who wrote the kavyam in tamil, the chanting of RAMA itself will give
NANMAIYUM SELVAMUM NAALUM NALGUMAE
THINMAIYUM PAAVAMUM SIDHAINDU THAEYUMAE
JENMAMUM MARANAMUM INDRI THEERUMAE
IMMMAYAE RAMA ENDRA ERANDU EZHUTHINAAL.
IF that be so what abundant benefits one would get by reading the whole epic?
How Valmiki came to write the kavya: Valmiki was a hunter and one day a group of rishis who met him asked if his relatives who take a share of his prey will also take a share of his sins. But his relatives said it was his duty to feed them and cannot share the sins. Valmiki was upset and as advised by the rishis went on a penance chanting Rama nama. Years went by and an ant hill was built around him. Later he was brought out and the penance made him a sage. He was called Valmiki derived from the word Valmikam meaning anthill. One day he saw a hunter killing one of two love birds and cursed the hunter. Out of his mouth came a poem with sorrowful expressions to suit the sad event. He was surprised of his poetic ability .Narada came before him and asked him to write the story of Rama .And the great epic came out of Valmikis mouth like milk from the cow.
Valmiki wrote the story of Rama in about 24000 slokas spread over six sections –(kandams ) viz. BALA KANDAM,.AYODYA KANDAM, ARANYA KANDAM, KISHKINDA KANDAM, SUNDARA KANDAM, AND YUDDHA KANDAM.
Of these 6 kandams Sundarakandam is considered the most beautiful & special one.
All the benefits one may get by reading the full epic can be derived by reading Sundarakandam alone. One may ask what is the speciality? The very name itself is special.
All other kandams are named after either the place where Rama lived or an event that took place.
Bala kandam Birth of Rama & brothers & their childhood till Sita kalyanam
Ayodhya kandam Dasarathas plan for Ramas pattabishekam foiled by Kaikeyi. Ramas exile, till padukapattaabishekam by Bharata
Aranya kandam Rama Lakshmana Sita in Dandakaranya forest Surpanakas entry ,Marichan as golden deer removing Rama from the ashram, Ravana taking Sita as captive to Lanka, Jadayu Motcham, Meeting Sugriva, Vali vadham
Sundarakandam Hanuman motivated by Jambavan crosses over the sea to reach Lanka , searches for Sita & finds her in Asokavan surrounded by rakshasis ,stops Sita from suicide attempt & assures her that Rama will invade Lanka , kill Ravana & take her back .He also meets Ravana & asks him to release Sita or face destruction by Rama. When Ravana orders to set fire to his tail Hanuman destroys many places in Lanka with that fire (Lanka dahanam). Hanuman returns to the sea shore & then to meet Rama & Sugreeva to inform his finding Sita etc,
Yudda kandam Narrates the Rama –Ravana uddam ,, Ramas victory Sitas test of fire & Vibhishana pattabishekam return to Ayodya & Rama pattabhishekam.
I t may be that THE NAME OF Sundarakandam itself is special. In fact this section is a sorrowful one with Sita suffering the separation from Rama & Ravana threatening to kill her if she does not yield to his wishes , suicide attempt by sita & so on. But the descriptions of the happenings, of Lanka, of Ravana, Mandothari & other rakshasis, the sea , the palace, the pushpaka vimanam ,Asokavan, the fire are so beautiful .A poet observes SUNDAREY SUNDARO RAMA SUNDAREY SUNDAREE KATHA
SUNDAREY SUNDAREE SITA SUNDAREY SUNDARAM VANAM
SUNDAREY SUNDARAM KAVYAM SUNDAREY SUNDARO KAPI
SUNDAREY SUNDARAM MANTHRAM SUNDAREY KIM NA SUNDARAM r
Rama is most beautiful story is most beautiful
Sita is most beautiful asokavanam is most beautiful
Kavyam is most beautiful vanaras are most beautiful
Manthras here are most beautiful which is not beautiful here?
It is said Valmiki wanted to name the kandam as HANUMAN kandam but knowing this Hanuman met him & asked him not to use his name when the story is about his master Srirama.
However Hanuman himself was affectionately called Sundara by his mother Anjanadevi & hence the name indirectly glorifies his services to Rama.
It is in this kanda that the agonies of all come to an end and the hero of this chapter is Hanuman Rama has no direct role to play & is spoken of in one chapter (35) where Hanuman narrates the story of Rama to Sita..
Now to Sundarakandam parayanam: It is said by rishis and sages that all benefits of reading Ramayana will be obtained by reading Sundarakandam as the kandam contains the complete story of Rama & tells what will be the ending also. It has 68 chapters & 2885 slokas.
HOW TO DO THE PARAYANA: various methods are indicated like reading 7 times @ 7chapters daily/ read 9chapters a day & complete in 8 days etc .Taking time available & to have a peaceful.& concentrated reading the best method would be to READ ONE CHAPTER A DAY & COMPLETE ‘PL NOTE THE PATTABHISHEKAM CHAPTER IN YUDDAKANDAM SHOULD ALSO BE READ IN THE TO COMPLETE THE PARAYANAM.
OFFERINGS AS NEIVEDYAM: Daily boiled milk with sugar & on completion day Sakkarai pongal/ panagam /vadai with milk as above (if possible can feed a Brahmin)
Also on completion day do Rama ashtothra puja or recite Rama gayathri as follows:
Dasaraathaya vidhmahe Sita vallabhaya dheemahi thanno rama prachodayath
The parayana will definitely give the reader solace & peace of mind & so can be read even in normal circumstances.With my experience ( have read number of times) I would say if one reads once he would do it again & again .It is not absolutely necessary that u read the Sanskrit version only U can also read the chapter wise tamil translations also’ (lifco. Gita press ,have published such editions).
MAY LORD A BLESS U WITH
