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The Sundara Kanda forms the heart of Valmiki's Ramayana and consists of a detailed, vivid account of Hanuman's adventures. After learning about Sita, Hanuman assumes a gargantuan form and makes a colossal leap across the ocean to Lanka. Here, Hanuman explores the demon's city and spies on Ravana. He locates Sita in Ashoka grove, who is wooed and threatened by Ravana and his rakshasis to marry Ravana. He reassures her, giving Rama's signet ring as a sign of good faith. He offers to carry Sita back to Rama; however she refuses, reluctant to allow herself to be touched by a male other than her husband. She says that Rama himself must come and avenge the insult of her abduction.
Hanuman then wreaks havoc in Lanka by destroying trees and buildings, and killing Ravana's warriors. He allows himself to be captured and produced before Ravana. He gives a bold lecture to Ravana to release Sita. He is condemned and his tail is set on fire, but he escapes his bonds and, leaping from roof to roof, sets fire to Ravana's citadel and makes the giant leap back from the island. The joyous search party returns to Kishkindha with the news.

According to traditional folklore Ramayana text has 24000 Slokas corresponding to the 24 syllables of Gayatri mantra. The first Sloka of Sundarakanda has the twelfth syllable of the twenty four syllables of the Gayatri mantra, placing Sundarakanda in a way at the virtual centre or the heart of Ramayana Sundarakanda is probably the most widely read part of Ramayana and carries a widely known verse about itself saying

सुंदरे सुंदरो रामा
सुंदरे सुंदरःकपिः
सुंदरे सुंदरी सीता
सुंदरे किं न सुंदरम्

In Sundarakanda Rama is beautiful, Sita is beautiful, Hunuman is beautiful,. What is not beautiful in Sundarakanda?

I am thankful to the website www.valmikiramayana.net which provided English translation for some of the Slokas. To read the English translation swipe up or down to replace the Hindi or Sanskrit verses. Jai Sri Ram. Jai Hanumaan.

Prabhu-Stuti