| <!-- @page { margin: 2cm } P { margin-bottom: | | | | man but in an Astral form, the Astral counterpart of |
| 0.21cm } --> | | | | the physical body of man. The Mynāka mount |
| The great Hanumān dominates the whole Kānda, | | | | coming in the way of Hanumān is symbolic of the |
| except a few Sargās at the end. Since | | | | Brahmagrandhi in the Kundalini Yōga. (These Astral |
| "Rāmayana" is the story of Rāma, it is not | | | | nets are psychic forces tied up or concentrated and |
| probable, that the poet would choose the name of any | | | | are situated along the Astral counter part of the spinal |
| Kānda, after any other personage, since the name | | | | column). This Bahmagrandhi nourishes the student of |
| of every Kānda bears and has close nexus with, the | | | | Yōga. That is exactly what Mynāka intended to do |
| name of the activity or the name of the place of | | | | for Hanumān. Goddess Surasa might stand for |
| activity of the supreme hero, Rāma. Then how | | | | Vishnugrandhi. It tests the students' capacity and eggs |
| came this Kānda to be called Sundarā Kānda, | | | | him on the spiritual path Simhika, the Ogress, is |
| without detracting from Rāma's eminence ?! | | | | obviously Rudragrandhi. It prevents the student from |
| Bhagawān Vālmeeki, created a powerful mantra, | | | | further practice or even destroys him when he is |
| which is a garland of 27 (an auspicious number 1 | | | | wantonly guilty of a grave lapse, or sinister motives or |
| 4x108) names of the exploits and the high qualities of | | | | becomes a demon in the making, our to vitiate the |
| the head and heart of Hanumān, which is known as | | | | dharma and all of such ugly features in his practices |
| Sundarā Hanumān mantra and he flowered forth | | | | requiring to be nipped in the bred. The micro cosmic |
| from this Kānda. Rāma also has a claim to this | | | | yōgic features in man, are more sacrosanct |
| epithet Sundarā, (beautiful). Thus serving both ways | | | | thereafter, the Rudra Grandhi being near the final goal |
| this Kānda is called Sundarā Kānda. In this | | | | of the 1000 petalled lotus in the brain, in the Astral form. |
| Kānda only, all the great exploits are Hanumān's | | | | In the "Divine Comedy" of Dante, even the great Latin |
| exclusively. In the next Kānda (Yuddha Kānda) he | | | | poet Virgil was denied entrance into "heaven", under |
| shared the laurels with the other mighty monkey-chiefs, | | | | the new dispensation after the "Advent of Christ". The |
| except in the two amazing deeds of bringing the | | | | Sundara Hanumān (beautiful in every aspect and |
| mountain having the life saving herbs for Lakshmana. It | | | | beauty being truth and dharma) passed through this |
| is claimed and proved true that by a devout reading of | | | | Rudra Grandhi Simhika and had the beatific vision of |
| this Kānda, one gets all his reasonable desires fulfilled | | | | that supreme Gāyatri Dēvi (represented by Sita) in |
| by the grace of Lord Hanumān. Again this Kānda | | | | the thousand petalled lotus in the brain (occult aspect). |
| contains many splendid descriptions of various objects | | | | The lotus rises magnificently over the miry waters. The |
| the ocean, the sky, the city of Lanka, its gardens and | | | | Gāyatri Dēvi (the Goddess-Mother) is seated in the |
| the superb description, of Moon light, of the pathos of | | | | 1000 petalled lotus in the brain which is worse than |
| Sita Dēvi's form and situation in superb abstract | | | | mire, with all kinds of hellish thoughts. Sita Dēvi was |
| similar and of the most beautiful physical features of | | | | also like that Gāyatri Dēvi. Kālidas says of Sita in |
| Rāma, in their most ideal aspects (as if the poet was | | | | the midst of fiends as 'being a life-saving herb, |
| writing the Sāmudrika sāstra), of the splendid | | | | surrounded by poisonous creepers'. |
| Rāvana's features and his court, of the terrible fights | | | | Again the seer-poet, Vālmeeki, uses two similes in |
| of Hanumān and of the hideous beauty of the great | | | | this connection. One says that Hanumān shed his |
| fire of Lanka and so on. Thus this Kānda fully | | | | colossal form to resume his small form, like Mahā |
| deserves its title Sundarā Kānda, which is more | | | | Vishnu, after pushing Bali down into Pātāla Lōka, |
| appropriate than any other title. The Kānda, by itself, | | | | resuming is Incarnate form of Vāmana. This might be |
| appears as a Kāvya, by its varied sentiments, | | | | a mere figure of speech But the other simile which |
| (Rasās) in various situations created by this mighty | | | | says that Hanumān resumed his original form (small) |
| poet in various meters (as scholars say). Again, there | | | | like a realized soul who knowing the truth about the |
| is a Slōka, said to be sung at the time of the | | | | self (Brahman), sheds his delusions and misconceptions |
| marriage of Lord Hanumān with Suvarchala Dēvi, | | | | about the human body and the spirit (soul) this simile is |
| the daughter of Sun-God. It says that Hanumān is | | | | certainly the suggestion about the Kundalini (Gāyatri) |
| capable of assuming any form (Kāmaroopi) and in | | | | and Prānāyāma Yōga. The summum bonum |
| whatever from he assumes he is Sundarā (very | | | | of these occult Vidyās is this knowledge (realization) |
| beautiful). He is beautiful as a bachelor (at the first | | | | of the self (soul) - the knowledge that all "beings" are |
| meeting with Rāma), as a house holder, as a | | | | perishable and the "soul" is imperishable and pervades |
| Vānaprastha hermit (third order of life) as Yati | | | | the "body" the form of matter, the ignorant persons |
| (wandering monk), as a very old person (with Bheema | | | | thinking that soul (spirit) is subject to change and |
| in Mahābhārata), as a young person, or as a boy, | | | | destruction - a mere delusion that even persons, |
| or as a simpleton (a dark horse by curse), or in a very | | | | striving spiritually, but not sublimated, are apt to |
| small form (in Lanka, while searching for the Dēvi | | | | experience. Thus the "true self of man is the "soul" and |
| Sita) or in his cosmic form; and he is most beautiful in | | | | not the "matter" "the body" which it (soul) pervades. |
| the three worlds, even though he is born as a monkey. | | | | The "holy Gīta" says of one more divine entity, |
| ….............................................................. | | | | calling it the super soul (the super-spirit - purushottama), |
| It seems this Kānda, more than the other | | | | which pervades both the "perishable beings" in the |
| Kāndās, lends itself to allegoricala, philosophical | | | | form of hunger, thirst, Prana Apāna etc., to sustain |
| thoughts by the scholars. Further the words and | | | | "those beings" and also the soul (the spirit). Hence, he is |
| phrases used by this great poet occur in the | | | | called the "super-soul". Thus the great poet has |
| sāstrās dealing with some occult disciplines, though | | | | suggested the "Gāyatri Vidya" in this Kānda |
| they seemingly describe the attempts of the great | | | | (Sundara). As a matter of fact, the whole of |
| Hanumān to ready himself for his great flight. A great | | | | "Rāmāyana" of Vālmeeki, is a subtle exposition |
| critic sees in it a brief exposition of the most difficult | | | | of the great Gāyatri Mahāmantra. For every |
| and sacred and esoteric Kundalini Yōga (activating | | | | thousand Slōkas, there is one mystic varna of |
| the dormant primordial cosmic energy - "serpent | | | | Gāyatri, Its 24 varnas covering the 24000 Slōkas. |
| power" located in the person, in the plexus, (in Astral | | | | Kānda-wise the varnas, from Tat to Yāt are 3 (in |
| plane only) in the region where the legs commence). | | | | 1st Kānda), 4 (in 2nd), 2, 2, 3, 6 and 4 (7th Kanda) |
| When it (Kundalini) in activated by thus Yōga | | | | total 24 in number. Again, in my little opinion, 'Tat |
| (discipline), It is said to "wake up" and pass up through | | | | Savituhu' signifies (Tat = Parabrahma; Savituhu, the |
| the Sushumna Nādi (an Astral nerve along the spine) | | | | Adityaha behind the visible Sun) that great God (Tat) is |
| through the higher "chakras" and finally reaches the | | | | born as Rāma in the Solar Dynasty. This is Bala |
| thousand petalled chakra or Padma in the brain. (The | | | | Kānda. Rāma, showed himself to be the most |
| holy union, resulting in samādhi, the super conscious | | | | perfect and adorable being by his virtues, signified by |
| state where mental modifications cease to exist. | | | | वरेण्यं in Ayōdhya Kānda. In |
| When this Kundalini is travelling up, the sādhaka will | | | | Aranya and Kishkindha Kāndas, Rāma is |
| be having mystic experiences and great celestials will | | | | Bhargaha, with splendour of God Rudra, destroying the |
| be coming into his mental vision. That is what the great | | | | Janasthāna garrison of Rāvana and killing Vāli |
| Yōgi Hanumān had got. The great poet, thus | | | | and in Sundara Kānda he is Bhargaha, through his |
| symbolically suggests this Kundalini Yōga, by double | | | | brotherly counterpart, Hanumān (almost alter-ego) |
| meaning words, as the critic claims. He bases his | | | | and ob viously Bhargaha, in Yuddha Kānda. Rāma |
| opinion on the fact, among other things, that, throughout | | | | is 'Devasya Dheemahee'- a worshippable great God, |
| this Kānda, only two crucial names Hanumān and | | | | throughout all the Kāndās. Being a God and by |
| Marutatmaja of Hanumān occur, the former | | | | virtue of his God-Head only, Rāma redeemed |
| signifying Yogi and the latter, Praanaayama the very | | | | Ahalya, Kabandha, Virādha from their curses. At the |
| basis of Kundalini Yōga. Again, this Kānda begins | | | | great fire-ordeal of Sita, all the Gods appeared and |
| with ततोरावण नतायः: | | | | worshipped Rāma as the great God |
| - the first letter Tat is obviously the first sacred letter | | | | "त्वं यज्ञः, |
| (वर्ण) of the holy Gāyatri mantra, the | | | | त्वम् वषट्कारः, |
| mother of seven crores of Mahā mantrās. Thus | | | | त्वं ॐकारः" etc., all being the |
| this Kānda speaks of two occult disciplines- | | | | aspects of Gāyatri. Further, on Rāma's mere |
| Gāyatri and Kundalini Yōga - an additional reason | | | | asking, God Indra, restored to life all the monkeys, killed |
| for this Kānda being named Sundarā Kānda. The | | | | in the battle. Then the last portion (the third "feet") of |
| prophetic dream of Trijata, is obviously the mystical | | | | Gāyatri – 'Dhiyoyonah Prachodayaat' |
| exposition of Mahā Gāyatri mantra . In mantra | | | | May he inspire our intellect (or thoughts) is illustrated |
| sāstra, Rāma is Gāyatri Dēvi (Lalithāmbika) | | | | throughout the epic and more so in the seventh |
| and Lord Krishna is said to be Syāmala Dēvi. The | | | | Kānda (Uttara Kānda) by his exploits in peace-time |
| full Gāyatri mantra, with the 7, instead of the 3 | | | | and his exemplary conduct throughout the epic. Again |
| Vyāhrutis (bhU, bhuvaha,) and its head (apo Jyoti | | | | Gāyatri and the Vēdās followed Rāma to the |
| etc.,) is called praanaayama mantra. | | | | river Sarayu on his departure to his Abode of |
| ….................................... | | | | Vaīkuntha. Again it is inconceivable that the reading |
| The poets say of Hanumān, assuming many | | | | of the life history of any human being, however great |
| beautiful forms, in his flight and adventures, an additional | | | | he might be, will confer spiritual merit, beyond some |
| reason for this Kānda being called Sundara Kānda. | | | | enlightenment. But the great Vālmeeki, with raised |
| For instance before Surasa there is the beauty of his | | | | hands, declares "Rāmāyana" to be so potent both |
| utter humility and devotion and before Simhika, the | | | | materially and spiritually. Thus the "Sundara Kānda" |
| beauty of his ferocity. Taking the cue from the great | | | | (even the whole of Rāmāyana) is a subtle |
| critic, who spelt the esoteric Kundalini (serpent power) | | | | exposition of Gāyatri and other esoteric Vidyās. |
| Yōga, I offer my little thoughts as follows. | | | | Extracted and abridged from: Valmiki Ramayana, |
| It is universally recognized in all religions, that them | | | | Commentary by L. |
| macrocosm has its reflection in the microcosm inside | | | | |