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Srimath RaamAyaNam : Sundara KaaNDam , First day of Navaaham: Some reflections

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Sadagopan • April 4, 2000 


Dear BhakthAs : With the proper AarAdhanam ,
the 375  slOkams assigned for the first day 
was recited this morning . As Sriman Anbil Raamaswamy 
pointed out,the first sargam is one of the longest 
and consists of 210 slOkams . The paarAyaNa sampradhAyam 
is to recite the first five chapters today :

Sargam 1: Saagara Langhanam /Jumping over the Ocean
          by HanumAn
Sargam 2: LankA pravEsa/Entry in to LankA City
Sargam 3: LankAdhidEvathA vijaya/Conquest over 
          the Woman (LankA Devi ), the protector
          of the City
Sargam 4: LankApuri ParibrahamNam/Roaming around 
          the city of LankA by HanumAn
Sargam 5: Bhavana Vijaya/Searching for SitA Devi
          in the houses of LankA by HanumAn .

We have a total of 2,813 verses in the Sundara
KaaNDam housed in 68 sargams(Chapters). Thus we 
have another 2438 SlOkams to recite in the remaining
eight days until Sri Raama Navami day ( April 12,2000).

Srimath RaamAyaNam was composed by the Adhi Kavi
VaalmIki and has 24,000 slOkams . He taught it to 
Lava and Kusa in his hermitage so that they can 
sing it in front of their father , Sri RaamachandrA . 
It took Lava and KusA 32 days to sing the entire
Srimath RaamAyaNam in the hall , where Lord RaamA
was performing AsvamEdha Yaagam . On the 16th day,
Lava and Kusa completed the singing up to KishkindA KaaNdam
and started singing the first three sargams of Sundara
KaaNDam (the beautiful section) and continued
on with the rest of Sundara KaaNDam, Yuddha
KaaNDam and the Utthara KaaNDam during the remainig
16 days  at the court of RaamA . 

One of the traditional verses explains why this 
KaaNDam is named Sundara KaaNDam :

Sundare Sundaree LankA Sundare Sundaree kathA
Sundare Sundaree SeethA Sundare kim na Sundaram ?

(Meaning ): In the Sundara KaaNDam , LankA is 
beautiful, the story of AnjanEyar crossing 
the ocean and finding SethA is beautiful, 
SeethA PirAtti Herself is beautiful. Is there
any thing that is not beautiful in Sundara KaaNDam ?
No .Every thing is beautiful in Sundara KaaNDam .

The auspicious message that Hanumaan brought 
from his visit to LankA to gladden the heart 
of Sri Raamachandran forms the core of this
Sundara KaaNDam :

Sundare Sundareem SeethAm akshatAm MaaruthEr mukhAth
srutvaa Hrushtas tataivaastu sa Raama: satatam hridhi

(Meaning):In Sundara KaaNDam , Lord RaamA became
joyous on hearing about the safe existence of
His beautiful wife in LankA .May that happy 
RaamachandrA stay always in my heart ! 

The architectonics of Sundara KaaNDam is as follows:

1. The Feat of HanumAn jumping over the Ocean
   to reach LankA ( Chapter 1)
2. The Beauty of LankA as a city , HaunmAn's 
   victory over the LankA's guardian ,search for SeethA
   everywhere , description of RaavaNA's palace,
   dejection on seeing the suffering SeethA at AshOka
   Vanam (Chapters 2-15)
3. HanumAn witnessing the mistreatment of SeethA
   by Her guards and RaavaNA, SeethA's attempt to
   committ suicide , the signs of good omens 
   for SeethA PirAtti ( Chapters 16-29)
4. HanumAn's heroic deeds in LankA (Chapters 41-55)
5. HanumAn's triumphant return from LankA after
   conversing with SeethA and consoling Her and
   his discussions with the VaanarAs on ground 
   about his viist to LankA(Chapters 56-64)
6. Briefing RaamA about the safe existence of SeethA
   PirAtti in LankA by HanUmAn and the narration of
   the other details related to his visit to LankA 
   (Chapters 65-68).

We will enjoy the rest of Sundara KaaNDam
paarAyaNam in the coming eight days leading upto
Sri Raama Navami.

Sri Raamachandra ParabrahmaNE Nama:
Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan

P.S: As an update on your responses to adiyEn's
appeal for support for the two Kaimkaryams , it 
is my pleasure to let you Know that 31 BhakthAs 
have come forward to pledge $3,885 of the needed 
$5,500 .We have to raise another $1,615 . Sixteen
more BhakthAs contributing $100 each will put us
over the top . Those , who have pledged are also 
requested to send their checks to adiyEn or 
Dr.M.A.Alwar at your earliest convenience 
before the day of Sri Raama Navami( April 12)
to get the Kaimkaryams started .
Our addresses are:

V.Sadagopan ,                    Dr.M.A.Alwar
Apt 6B-1, Scarborough Manor,     142(Upstairs) College Road
Scarborough , NY 10510           KR Mohalla 
                                 Mysore 570024
                                 Karnataka State

Thanks to you all for your valued participation
in these two Kaimkaryams 
V.Sadagopan
http://www.geocities.com/irscd

           


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