|| Sri Ram Jeyram Jay Jay Ram ||

Chapter – 1 – Sundara Kandam

Hanuman meets Devi Surasa and Mount Mainaka/The destruction of Simhika/Chayagrahin

Shantham  Shashvatham Aprameyam Anagham Nirvana Shanthipradham| Bhrama Shambhu Phaneendhra Sevyam Anisham Vedanthavedhyam Vibhum | Ramakhyam Jagadheeshwaram Suragurum Mayamanushyam Harim | Vandhe Aham Karunakaram  Raghuvaram  Bhoopala Choodamanim ||

Nanya Spruha Raghupathe Hridhayeasmadheeye  Sathyam Vadhami Cha Bhavanakhilantharathma | Bhakthim Prayashcha Raghupungava Nirbharam Me Kamadhidhosharahitham Kuru Manasam Cha ||

Athulitha Baladhamam Hemashailabha Dheham | Dhanujavanakrishanum Gnaninam Agraganyam | Sakala Gunanidhanam Vanaranam Adheesham | Raghupathi Priyabhaktham Vathajatham Namami||

I shall meditate upon the supreme Lord Rama/  Raghuvara,  who is precious gem Choodamani of the Bhoopala/Kings, he is serene and eternal, he is not perceivable, he is unblemished, he is the source of Nirvana, he is worshiped by Lord Bhrama, Lord Shambhu, Adhishesha, he is eulogized by Veda and Vedanta, he is the essence of Veda, he is all-pervasive, he is Jagatheeshwara who is the Lord of Universe and its living beings, he is Lord of Lords, he is Karunakara, he represents the precious jewel adorned on the head of Emperors, he is incarnated as Mayamanushya, I shall repeatedly prostrate before that supreme Lord Srihari. Oh! Raghupathe, Oh! Prabho, you are Sarvantharyami, resides as a soul in living beings, kindly bless us with intense devotion and faith at your lotus feet. Oh! Raghukulathilaka, kindly remove the impurities like the Kama, desire, lust, ego, pride, anger, etc. I have no other wish to fulfill.

I shall prostrate before Lord Hanuman who is the son of Lord Vayu and passionate devotee of Raghupathi, he is a storehouse of virtues, prowess, courage, intelligence, and shrewdness, has the complexion of precious yellow metal, like Mount Meru, he resembles the forest fire that destroys the woods like demons, he is foremost among the Gnani/intellectuals/Gnaninam Agraganya, he is the commander of Vanara.

Hanuman felt extremely happy listening to the advice of the elderly Jambavan. Hanuman spoke “Oh! Brothers, continue to live depending on the fruits and fiber roots available, and patiently bear all the troubles till I return after meeting Devi Sita. My heart says we will be successful in our task.” He prostrated before all the Vanaras and Jambavan, contemplated upon the supreme Lord Rama, and headed to his journey. There was a huge hill on the shores of the ocean, he enthusiastically leaped on the top of the mountain, he repeatedly contemplated upon the supreme Lord, and with all his strength took a giant leap across the ocean and elevated to the sky, while doing so, the hilltop crushed under his feet, and he darted like the powerful Astra of Raghupathi to the direction of the city of Lanka. Varuna who was watching the great prowess of Hanuman, the emissary of Rama, instructed Mount Mainaka to receive Hanuman to his abode with great honor. Mount Mainaka approached Hanuman and reverentially greeted and invited him to his abode to remove tiredness of the journey, was amiably refused by Hanuman, and patted Mount Mainaka gently and spoke “Oh! Mainaka, I have decided not to take rest until I accomplish the task of Rama.”

Vayuputhra darted like Garuda on the sky, the deities wanted to test the intelligence and prowess of Hanuman, so they have instructed the mother of serpents Devi Surasa. She assumed the form of a demon and approached Hanuman and spoke “Today deities have sent a meal to me,” Hanuman replied to her “Oh! Devi, I am traveling to carry out the task of Rama, once I accomplish the task, and inform Prabhu about the whereabouts of Devi Sita after that I shall return to your mouth. Oh! Mother, I promise you, kindly let me go.” But Devi Surasa was not willing to the terms of Hanuman, was instructed to open her mouth. She opened her mouth to the length of one Yojana, soon Kapeeshwara doubled his size of appearance. She opened her mouth sixteen Yojana length; soon Vayuputhra increased his size into thirty-two Yojana. In this way, they both have concurrently repeated the sizes of the mouth and size of the body. Suddenly, Surasa widened her mouth to a hundred Yojana, immediately Hanuman assumed a minuscule form and entered her mouth and darted out. He prostrated before Devi Surasa, she spoke “Oh! Hanuman, I was assigned by the deities to test your prowess and shrewdness that I have understood clearly, you are the storehouse of intellect and power, and you will successfully complete the task of Rama.” Thus, Surasa blessed Hanuman and returned to her abode, Hanuman continued his journey towards the opposite shore.

Lord Mahadeva speaks “ Oh! Uma, There was a haughty female demon lived in the ocean, she captures the shadows of the bird and kills them, she is capable to capture anything that creates a shadow on the ocean water, and she freezes their action and eats them. Simhika utilized the same trick to Hanuman; she caught the shadow of Hanuman, thus completely put a halt to his movement. Hanuman gave a hard spank on the female demon and killed her, and continued.  Shortly, he reached on the other side of the ocean, he looked at the beautiful woods, packed with trees and plants loaded with flowers and fruits, there were buzzing noise of the honey bees, there were numerous wild animals and birds crowded in the forest.  He took a giant leap on the hilltop. Oh! Devi, Hanuman performed the fearless task, not because of his power, it was the grace of Prabhu who represents ‘Time’. He stood on the hilltop and closely watched the city of Lanka.”