A Brief Introduction to Sundara Kānd
Sundara-Kānd is the fifth chapter of the epic poetry Rāmāyana written in Sanskrit language by Rishi (saint) Vālmiki. Sundar Kand is considered as the essence of Rāmāyāna.
Saint Tulsidās ji in the 15th century AD rewrote the Rāmāyana in Awadhi language, a language that was spoken by the common man and named the granth (book) as Rāmacharitamānas. He retained the names of the chapters from Rāmāyana, with the fifth chapter called as Sundar Kānd.
In Hinduism, reciting of “Sundara-Kānd” is considered as one of the most fruitful prayers on an auspicious day, especially to the people who has their main deity as Lord Rāma.
The word Sundar / Suṃdara in Awadhi language means beautiful, and the word Kānd means part, section or chapter. Sundar Kand, means the most beautiful of the sections / chapters of the Rāmcharitamanas.
In brief, Sundara Kānd is that part of the Rāmāyan story where Hanumānji is sent to Lankā by Lord Rāma to find out the whereabouts of Sitā mātā, Lord Rāma’s consort, who has been kidnapped by Rāvanā, the demon king. Sundara Kānd has total sixty verses in Ramacharitamānas to describe the story.
About This Article
I have only been recently introduced to Sundara Kānda. There are many passages/verses in Sundar Kānd that are my personal favourites. I will try and list some of them over here.
Personal Favourites:
1. Being Dutiful
Rāma says to Vibhishan that, you live day and night in the midst of evil-minded people. I wonder how you are able to maintain your piety, my friend, I know all your ways: you are a past master in correct behaviour and are averse to wrong-doing. It is much better to live in hell, dear Vibhisana; but may Providence never place us in the company of the wicked.
खल मंडलीं बसहु दिनु राती। सखा धरम निबहइ केहि भाँती।।
मैं जानउँ तुम्हारि सब रीती। अति नय निपुन न भाव अनीती।।
बरु भल बास नरक कर ताता। दुष्ट संग जनि देइ बिधाता।।
khala maṃḍalīṃ basahu dinu rātī. sakhā dharama nibahai kēhi bhāomtī..
maiṃ jānauom tumhāri saba rītī. ati naya nipuna na bhāva anītī..
baru bhala bāsa naraka kara tātā. duṣṭa saṃga jani dēi bidhātā.. [5.46]
Learning: By choosing the right route, one can stay good even in the presence of evil individuals..
2. Addressing People and Being Respectful to Everyone
Hanumān ji addresses himself as a messenger of lord Rāma and calls Sita mātā as his mother, which makes her calm and opens the door of trust between the two.
राम दूत मैं मातु जानकी। सत्य सपथ करुनानिधान की।।
rāma dūta maiṃ mātu jānakī. satya sapatha karunānidhāna kī.. [5.13]
Learning: This demonstrates that the type of relationship one wishes to establish depends on how they address the other person, i.e., treating them with respect and decency on occasion will assist rebuild trust.
3. Following Orders
Hanumān ji assures Sitā mātā by saying that he has been sent by Śri Rāmā to convey that the Lord will come to save Her. Hanumān ji also says that he can take Sitā mātā along but because he doesn’t have such orders from his Lord, he will not be able to act. This is an amazing account of the story. The entire war between Rāvanā and Lord Rāmā could have been avoided but Hanuman ji chooses to follow the order of his lord with an acceptance that the lord would have chosen the path for a better outcome.
अबहिं मातु मैं जाउँ लवाई। प्रभु आयसु नहिं राम दोहाई।।
abahiṃ mātu maiṃ jāuom lavāī. prabhu āyasu nahiṃ rāma dōhāī..[5.15]
Learning: Observe your guru’s instructions; you might not be aware of a better result.
4. Self Introduction and Purpose
If I am allowed to take away only one lesson from Sundara Kānd then it would be this one.
In the following verse Hanumān ji says, Hey Rāvana, the one who gave you the power to conquer the entire creation, and whose spouse has been stolen away by you. Know that I am His messenger.
जाके बल लवलेस तें जितेहु चराचर झारि।
तासु दूत मैं जा करि हरि आनेहु प्रिय नारि।।
jākē bala lavalēsa tēṃ jitēhu carācara jhāri.
tāsu dūta maiṃ jā kari hari ānēhu priya nāri [5.21]
Learning: When Hanuman ji introduces himself, he first praises the glories of his master and then names himself a servant of His Lord, Śri Rāma. I think this incredible. We always introduce ourselves with our own brilliance and accomplishments, but we never correlate our work or role with a cause, if any.
Operating in this manner can bring transformational and positive changes to our life.
5. Self-Understanding and The Qualities of a Sādhu
Vibhishan and Trijata are demons, but they are both equivalent to sādhu / sat jeeva.
Śri Rāma describes four qualities that makes a human, a sādhu i.e., a good human. One who worships good qualities (sa-guna) or Rāma, one who is always working for the benefit of others (para-hita), one who lives righteously (nīti), and the one who is devoted to the feet of the Brāhmanas (dvija) are dear to Me as life. On the basis of these four, Rāma calls Vibhishan as sādhu.
सगुन उपासक परहित निरत नीति दृढ़ नेम।
ते नर प्रान समान मम जिन्ह कें द्विज पद प्रेम।।48।।
saguna upāsaka parahita nirata nīti dṛḍha nēma.
tē nara prāna samāna mama jinha kēṃ dvija pada prēma..[5.48]
Learning: What others think of us is irrelevant; what matters is who we are within.
6. The Principle of Non-Violence and Self-Defence
On the lesson of non-violence, Hanumān ji completely violates that principle and beats Rāvānā’s soldiers.
कछु मारेसि कछु मर्देसि कछु मिलएसि धरि धूरि।
कछु पुनि जाइ पुकारे प्रभु मर्कट बल भूरि।।18।।
kachu mārēsi kachu mardēsi kachu milaēsi dhari dhūri.
kachu puni jāi pukārē prabhu markaṭa bala bhūri..[5.18]
However, he later explains to Rāvanā that he beat his soldiers in self-defense and did not attack them first. He only hurt the people who attacked him.
जिन्ह मोहि मारा ते मैं मारे।
jinha mōhi mārā tē maiṃ mārē. [5.22]
Again, this is a crucial lesson. Nonviolence is a fine thing to follow, but only to some extent. In Sundara Kānd, Lord Rama instructs Śri Laxman ji to get His bow and arrow, this is to dry up the ocean with His fury.
Learning: Pleading humbly before an idiot, friendship with a rogue, inculcating liberality on a born miser, talking wisdom to one steeped in worldliness, glorifying dispassion before a man of excessive greed, a lecture on mindcontrol to a bad-tempered man and a discourse on the exploits of Śri Hari to a person full of lust are as futile as sowing seeds in a barren land.
ममता रत सन ग्यान कहानी। अति लोभी सन बिरति बखानी।।
क्रोधिहि सम कामिहि हरि कथा। ऊसर बीज बएँ फल जथा।।
mamatā rata sana gyāna kahānī. ati lōbhī sana birati bakhānī..
krōdhihi sama kāmihi hari kathā. ūsara bīja baēom phala jathā..[5.58]
7. Accepting Advice and Being in the Right Company
Hanumān ji gets the wisdom from Jambavant and Vibhishan. Jambavant shows on how to cross the ocean and Visbhishan shows where Sitā mātā has been imprisioned. Whereas Rāvanā too has wise company e.g., his wife Mandodari, his brother Vibhishan, his grand-father muni pulasti, etc. They all says to Rāvānā to return Sitā ji back to lord Rāma, but he does not listen to any of them.
Learning: Finally, this is possibly the most significant lesson. It is about being in the presence of knowledgeable individuals. At the end of the day, we are humans who are prone to making mistakes, and it will be the wise individuals, teachers, families, and friends that surround us who will assist us in avoiding a mess or a life of wrongdoing. The trick is to be in the company of intelligent people while also being open and listening to their advise.
There are many more and I will definitely keep them adding here to build the list but for me the above came as enlightening and they are great messages that can help me/us build our lives in a righteous manner.
Have you read Sundara Kānd? What have been your favourite verses, and why?
Bhavin Shukla 
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