Kishkindha Kanda
Council of War of the Vanaras
A stone bas-relief at Banteay Srei in Cambodia depicts the combat
between Vali and Sugriva (middle). To the right, Rama fires his
bow. To the left, Vali lies dying.
Kishkindha Kanda is set in the ape (Vanara) citadel Kishkindha.
Rama and Lakshmana meet Hanuman, the biggest devotee of Rama,
greatest of ape heroes and an adherent of Sugriva, the banished
pretender to the throne of Kishkindha. Rama befriends Sugriva and
helps him by killing his elder brother Vali thus regaining the
kingdom of Kishkindha, in exchange for helping Rama to recover
Sita. However Sugriva soon forgets his promise and spends his time
in enjoying his powers. The clever former ape queen Tara (wife of
Vali) calmly intervenes to prevent an enraged Lakshmana from
destroying the ape citadel. She then eloquently convinces Sugriva to
honour his pledge. Sugriva then sends search parties to the four
corners of the earth, only to return without success from north, east
and west. The southern search party under the leadership
of Angada and Hanuman learns from a vulture
named Sampati (elder brother of Jatayu), that Sita was taken to
Lanka.
Sundara Kanda
Main article: Sundara Kanda
Ravana is meeting Sita at Ashokavana. Hanuman is seen on the tree.
Sundara Kand forms the heart of Valmiki's Ramyana 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 sea to Lanka. On the way he meets with
many challenges like facing a Gandharva kanya who comes in the
form of a demon to test his abilities. He encounters a mountain
named Mainakudu who offers Hanuman assistance and offers him
rest. Hanuman refuses because there is little time remaining to
complete the search for Sita.
After entering into Lanka, he finds a demon, Lankini, who protects
all of Lanka. Hanuman fights with her and subjugates her in order
to get into Lanka. In the process Lankini, who had an earlier
vision/warning from the gods that the end of Lanka nears if
someone defeats Lankini. Here, Hanuman explores the demons'
kingdom and spies on Ravana. He locates Sita in Ashoka grove,
where she is being wooed and threatened by Ravana and his
rakshasis to marry Ravana. Hanuman reassures Sita, giving Ram's
signet ring as a sign of good faith. He offers to carry Sita back to
Ram; however, she refuses and says that it is not the dharma,
stating that Ramyana will not have significance if Hanuman carries
her to Rama – "When Rama is not there Ravana carried Sita
forcibly and when Ravana was not there, Hanuman carried Sita
back to Ram". 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 delivered to 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.
Yuddha Kanda
The Battle at Lanka, Ramyana by Sahibdin. It depicts the monkey
army of the protagonist Rama (top left, blue figure) fighting Ravana
—the demon-king of the Lanka—to save Ram's kidnapped wife,
Sita. The painting depicts multiple events in the battle against the
three-headed demon general Trisiras, in bottom left. Trisiras is
beheaded by Hanuman, the monkey-companion of Rama.
Also known as Lanka Kanda, this book describes the war between
the army of Rama and the army of Ravana. Having received
Hanuman's report on Sita, Rama and Lakshmana proceed with
their allies towards the shore of the southern sea. There they are
joined by Ravana's renegade brother Vibhishana. The apes
named Nala and Nila construct a floating bridge (known as Rama
Setu)[22] across the sea, using stones that floated on water because
they had Ram's name written on them. The princes and their army
cross over to Lanka. A lengthy war ensues. During a battle,
Ravana's son Indrajit hurls a powerful weapon at Lakshmana, who
is badly wounded. So Hanuman assumes a gigantic form and flies
from Lanka to the Himalayas. Upon reaching Mount Sumeru,
Hanuman was unable to identify the herb that could cure
Lakshmana and so decided to bring the entire mountain back to
Lanka. Eventually, the war ends when Rama kills Ravana. Rama
then installs Vibhishana on the throne of Lanka.
On meeting Sita, Rama asks her to undergo an Agni Pariksha (test
of fire) to prove her chastity, as he wants to get rid of the rumors
surrounding her purity. When Sita plunges into the sacrificial
fire, Agni, lord of fire raises Sita, unharmed, to the throne, attesting
to her innocence. The episode of Agni Pariksha varies in the versions
of Ramayana by Valmiki and Tulsidas.
In Tulsidas's Ramacharitamanas, Sita was under the protection of
Agni (see Maya Sita) so it was necessary to bring her out before
reuniting with Rama.
