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SrI Raama Jayam
 
RaamAya RaamabhadrAya RaamachandrAya vEdhasE
RaghunATAya NaaTAya SeethAyA: PathayE nama:
 
Dear Raama BhakthAs:
 
Sundara KaaNDam has 2874 slOkams housed in 68 Sargams.
With the 121 slOkmas of  PattAbhishEka Sargam , the nine days"
PaarAyaNam of Sundara KaaNDam comes to 2995 slOkams
of the set of  the total 24,000 slOkmas of SrImath RaamAyaNam
of Sage ValmIki ( 12.48% of the total).
 
For us to plan our PaarAyaNam time schedules ,
here is the breakdown by the number of slOkams
for the nine days:
 
First Day: Sargams 1-5 : 375 SlOkams
 
Second Day: Sargams 6-15: 440 SlOkams
 
Third Day: Sargams 16-20 : 154 SlOkmas
 
Fourth Day : Sargams 21-26 : 216 SlOkmas
 
Fifth Day : Sargams 27-33 ; 201 SlOkams
 
Sixth Day : Sargams 34-40 : 390 SlOkams
 
Seventh Day: Sargams 385 SlOkmas
 
Eighth Day : Sargams : 53-60 : 460 SlOkams
 
Ninth Day: Sargams 61-68 :374 ( 253 SlOkams + 121 PattAbhishEka SlOkams)
 
Please pace yourself for Days 1, 2 , 6 , 7 , 8 and 9 , when the slOkams to be
recited are more than Three Hundred and Fifty .
 
Observations from Today's PaarAyaNam ( Sargams 1-5)
********************************************************************
Reflections on Sargam 1:
*******************************
At the end of KishkindhA kaaNDam , the King of Bears ,
JaambhavAn reminded AnjanEyar about His prowess and that cheered
the mind of HanUmAn to engage in the mighty  jump over the ocean
to search for SithA Devi in LankApuri.
 
The first slOkam of Sunndara KaaNDam starts therefore with the word :
"TathO " . That means , thereafter . HanUmAn was now all set to start on
His jump over the broad & deep ocean , which many could not even
dream about attempting. Sage ValmIki describes this effort of HanUmAn
as " Dhushkaram and Nishprathidhvandvam " ( Unattainable by others and
matchless).
 
The Preparations of HanUmAn
**************************************
HanUmAn arrived on top of MahEndhra Parvatham , offered His salutations to
the DevAs , His Father ( Vaayu BhagavAn) for success in the Raama Kaayam .
He grew now in to a gigantic proportion , planted His feet and hands firmly on
the mountain to push against it to gain velocity and momentum. Many slOkams
of this sargam describe this gigantic effort of HanUmAn in preparing
for the leap over the ocean and its impact on the residents of the mountain
(Trees , animals , GandharvAs , VidhyAdharAs , Maharishis ) . HanumAn's
tail was lifted up like a victory post for the mission that He was undertaking.
The winds generated from HanUmAn's supersonic speed agitated the waters
of the ocean and made the denizens of the ocean terror-stricken.
 
Hospitality offered by MainAka Mountain
************************************************ 
As HanUmAn rode the sky , the King of Oceans asked the golden peaked
MainAka Parvatham to come out of the Ocean and offer hospitality to
HanUmAn on his behalf to show his respect for Lord Raamachandra
and His messenger . HanUmAn could not spare even a moment to tarry 
and to accept the offered hospitality ; He thanked MainAka mountain
and  Samudra Raajan , recieved their benedictions and continued with
His leap over the wide ocean.
 
Naaga MaathA Surasa Devi's testing
*********************************************
The next incident during this heroic leap was the interference by Naaga MaathA ,
Surasai , who was goaded by the DeavAs , GandharvAs , SiddhAs and Sages.
Latter group wanted to know more about the power of HanUmAn . Surasai took on
a gigantic form and demanded that HanUman was ordained as her food and therefore
He should enter her cavernous mouth . HanUmAn explained to her that He was
on the mission to find SitA PirAtti for His Lord and promised Surasai that He will
fulfill her wish on the return journey . She would not listen . Hence , HanUmAn
shrank His body to the size of a thumb , entered Surasai's  mouth and came out of that
open mouth instantly. On exit , HanUmAn pointed out that He had fulfilled her wish
and therefore He felt free to continue His Journey without interruption. Surasai was
very pleased with HanUmAn and blessed Him to be victorious in His mission
to help SrI Raaamachandran:
 
" ArTasiddhyai HarisrEshta gaccha Soumya YaTA Sukham
  SamAnAya VaidEheem RaaghavENa MahAthmanA "
  -- Sundara KaaNDam : 1.170
 
(Meaning): Oh the Lofty One among the VaanarAs ! Please proceed with
comfort to continue Your journey and become victorious in the mission
for Lord Raamachandra. Please succeed in Your efforts and unite VaidEhi
with Her dear Lord !
 
Upadhravam by Simhikai
*******************************
The last incident during the leap over the ocean was by a Raakshasi
by the name of Simhikai , who had the power to catch one by grabbing one's
shadow and pull the person towards her so that she can eat them as her food.
She saw the mighty long shadow of HanUmAn on the waters of the Ocean and
grabbed it to slow HanUmAn and began to pull Him towards her . HanUmAn
slowed down , jumped in to her mouth and tore her heart and destroyed her .
 
The denizens of the sky , who witnessed HanUmAn's valour , sagacity 
praised Him this way through a famous slOkam dealing with Raaja Nethi :
 
Yasya thvEthAni ChathvAri VaanarEndhra YaTA tava
Dhruthi-dhrushtimathir-dhAkshyam  Svakarmasu na seedhathi
--Sundara KaaNDam: 1.198
 
(Meaning): Oh the preeminent One among VaanarAs ! Whenever the four
attributes of resoluteness(dhruthti)  , farsight ( dheerga dhrushti) ,
intellect and analytical skills ( Mathi) and dextrity in execution
( DhAkshyam) are present together in one , then he will never fail
in his endeavours .  
 
Arrival at LankA
*********************
As He approached LankA' sshores , HanUmAn shrank His gigantic
body and lowered His speed to escape detection by the RaakshasAs
of LankApuri. He landed on the peak of Lambha parvatham . He had
His first glimpse of the rich city of LankA , which resembled the capitol
of Indhran , the city of AmarAvathi.
 
2. SECOND SARGAM: LANKAA PRAVESAM
******************************************************
There are 58 slOkams in this Sargam .Here HanUmAn visualizes
LankA as a city in the sky (Puram aakasagam ) .This city was constructed
by the architect of the DevAs , ViswakarmA for KubhEran before and
appropriated by RaavaNan later .It had mighty defenses and was well protected
by the RaakshasAs. HanUmAn decided that He had to take a subtle
form to cheat the RaakshasAs to accomplish the mission of freedom of
movement inside the city to search for SithA PirAtti.He decided to enter
the city after sun set and shrank His size to that of a cat to escape detection
by the well armed guards of RaavaNa .
 
THIRD SARGAM : VICTORY OVER LANKAA DEVI 
************************************************************
This sargam has 50 slOkams. HanUmAn arrived at the ramparts
of the city.The presiding deity of the city , LankA Devi detected
this stranger in  her city .As adhishtAna dEvathai with responsibility
for the defense of the city , she challenged the small sized HanUmAn
and warned Him that He can not enter LankA . HanUmAn responded
that He had come to experience the beauty of the city of LankA and
its immeasaurable wealth . Once again LankA Devi said that HanUmAn
can not enter unless He defeated her first.She hit HanUmAn to stop Him.
The surprised and angry HanUmAn used His left fist to knock her off
her feet and did not use too much power since she was a woman. 
The humiliated LankA Devi got up , hailed HanUmAn and revealed
that the time had come for the death of RaavaNa and the destruction of
his city due to his evil deed of stealing SithA PirAtti . LankA Devi
gave HanumAn now the total freedom of access to the city of LankA
to accomplish His goals of finding Jaanaki .
 
FOURTH SARGAM: ROAMING IN THE CITY( LANKAAPURI PARIBRAHAMANAM)
*************************************************************************************************
This sargam has 30 slOkams. After LankA dEvi's permission ,
HanUmAn entered the city gate. He put His left foot first as
is done , when one enters the house of one's enemy .It was
equivalent to putting one's foot on the head of the enemy .HanUmAn
moved from house to house undetected looking for SitA PirAtti.
He arrived ultimately at the inner chambers of RaavaNan .
 
FIFTH SARGAM:  CONTINUING SEARCH
**************************************************
After all these extensive searches , HanUmAn did not have
any  success in finding SithA Devi (SeethAm apasyan manujEswarasya
Raamasya pathneem vadhathAm varasya) . HanUmAn became
depressed because of His lack of  success inspite of the enormous
effort he had put in  . He felt like a dullard and was overcome
with sorrow ( BhabhUva dukkhAbhihathascchirasya plavangamO
mandha ivAchirasya).
 
The slOkams of this sargam are beautiful from a poetic point of view .
With the blessings of Brahma Devan and His consort , Saraswathi ,
the Goddess of Learning , Sage ValmIki's poetry reached new heights .
The rhyming became superb throughout this sargam and the slOkams are
most  pleasing to recite . Here is an example  , where the rhyming is focused
on the word " rEkhAm" :
 
avyaktha-rEkhAmiva chandra-rEkhAm
  pAmsu-pradhigdhAmiva hEma rEkhAm
kshatha-prarooDamiva BhANa-rEkhAm
  vAyu-prapannAmiva mEgha-rEkhAm
---Sundara KaaNDam: 5 . 26
 
Here noble SithA PirAtti's helpless and Her pitiful status as
a prisoner of RaavaNan is imagined with intense emotions
by HanUmAn. He says : She would be like the rays of Moon ,
which are not seen clearly (avyaktha chandra rEkhA ) ;
She would be like a dust-covered golden rod , whose full
beauty idoes not become explicit ; She would be like an arrow
that has entered inside a wound that is already there; She would be
like a cloud that is being scattered by a fierce wind (Vaayu-prabhinna
mEga rEkhA ). Heights of despondency of HanUmAn over
His difficulties in finding SithA PirAtti in LankA are described here. 
 
SrImath Azhagiya Singar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam ,
Raama DhAsan , Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan 

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