Valmiki’s Ramayana, consisting of 24000 verses, is one of the most famous epics in the world’s literature. Apart from its literary grandeur, it is also looked upon by the Hindus as a holy text. Of the six sections or Kandas of the Ramayana, the present volume comprises the fifth, known as the Sundarakandam. Consisting as it does of 2885 Sanskrit verses, the Sundarakandam deals with the heroic exploits of Hanuman in one day and night, during which he crossed over to Lanka, discovered Sita, inflicted crushing defeat on Rakshasa forces, set fire to Lanka and returned to the southern shore of the Indian continent to convey the news of Sita’s discovery to Rama at Kishkindha. Devotee-scholars of India who equate the whole of the Ramayana with the Veda, consider the Sundara-kandam as its Upanishad, the essential portion. Its study is considered equal to the study of the whole Ramayana. Pious Hindus attach great psychic potency to this Text, and use it for ceremonial recitation for the attainment of various worldly blessings also.
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