An Excerpt from the Ramcaritmanas of Tulsidas

Book Five – Sundar Kand

Abstract

This excerpt from Book Five (Sundar Kand) of Tulsidas’s Ramcaritmanas, translated and introduced by Philip Lutgendorf, centers on Hanuman’s journey to Lanka in search of Sita. Lutgendorf’s introduction situates the Ramcaritmanas as a foundational bhakti text in North and Central India, whose devotional appeal and vernacular accessibility often surpass that of its Sanskrit predecessor, Valmiki’s Ramayana. The translation highlights the epic’s layered narration (Shiva–Parvati, Bhushundi–Garuda) and Tulsidas’s poetic craft. The Sundar Kand recounts Hanuman’s ocean-leap, encounters with divine and demonic beings (Surasa, Lankini), his alliance with Vibhishan, his secret audience with the grief-stricken yet steadfast Sita, and his daring confrontation with Ravana. Notably, Hanuman allows himself to be captured to gauge Lanka’s power before setting the city ablaze with his ignited tail. The episode concludes with Hanuman’s heroic return to Rama’s camp, reinforcing his status as the ideal devotee—brave, clever, and wholly consecrated to Rama’s service. This selection illustrates both the devotional intensity and poetic power that make the Sundar Kand the most frequently recited section of the Ramcaritmanas.