Sunderkand (Sundarkand): Lyrics and Meaning
The Sundarkand ("the beautiful book") is the fifth of the seven books of the Ramcharitmanas, the retelling of the Rama story by the poet Tulsidas in Awadhi, an eastern form of Hindi. Tulsidas began the poem in the Samvat year 1631, in the 1570s CE. He calls each book a sopan, a step down into the lake of Rama's deeds.
Awadhi Tulsidas (died 1623), from his Ramcharitmanas
Also spelled: Sundara Kanda.
Start reading: the opening of part 1
The first passages of part 1, “Hanuman crosses the sea and finds Sita”: Shloka 1 to Doha 1.
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Shloka 1
शान्तं शाश्वतमप्रमेयमनघं निर्वाणशान्तिप्रदं
ब्रह्माशम्भुफणीन्द्रसेव्यमनिशं वेदान्तवेद्यं विभुम् ।
रामाख्यं जगदीश्वरं सुरगुरुं मायामनुष्यं हरिं
वन्देऽहं करुणाकरं रघुवरं भूपालचूडामणिम् ॥१॥
Shantam shashvatamaprameyamanagham nirvanashantipradam
Brahmashambhuphanindrasevyamanisham vedantavedyam vibhum
Ramakhyam jagadishvaram suragurum mayamanushyam harim
Vandeham karunakaram raghuvaram bhupalachudamanim
IAST
śāntaṃ śāśvatamaprameyamanaghaṃ nirvāṇaśāntipradaṃ
brahmāśambhuphaṇīndrasevyamaniśaṃ vedāntavedyaṃ vibhum |
rāmākhyaṃ jagadīśvaraṃ suraguruṃ māyāmanuṣyaṃ hariṃ
vande’haṃ karuṇākaraṃ raghuvaraṃ bhūpālacūḍāmaṇim ||1||
ENThe poet bows to Rama, the lord of the world. He calls him peaceful, eternal, beyond measure and without sin; the giver of the peace of nirvana (final freedom); the one whom Brahma, Shambhu (Shiva) and the serpent king (Shesha) serve at all times; the one known through the Vedanta; all-pervading; the teacher of the gods; Hari, who took a human form through his own power (maya); the source of compassion; the best of Raghu's line; and the crown jewel of kings.
हिकवि जगत के स्वामी राम को प्रणाम करते हैं। वे उन्हें शांत, सनातन, अप्रमेय (जिन्हें मापा न जा सके) और निष्पाप कहते हैं; निर्वाण (मोक्ष) की शांति देने वाले; जिनकी सेवा ब्रह्मा, शंभु (शिव) और नागराज (शेष) सदा करते हैं; जो वेदांत से जाने जाते हैं; सर्वव्यापी; देवताओं के गुरु; हरि, जिन्होंने अपनी माया से मनुष्य का रूप लिया; करुणा की खान; रघुकुल में श्रेष्ठ; और राजाओं के मुकुटमणि।
Explanation written for this site and checked against the cited edition. Free to quote with credit.
Edition differences. Another printing or text reads this place differently.
- Word The 1924 Bombay printing reads: शांतं शाश्वतमप्रमेयमनघं गीर्वाणशांतिप्रदं ब्रह्माशंभुफणींद्रसेव्यमनिशं वेदांतवेद्यं विभुम् ॥ रामाख्यं जगदीश्वरं सुरगुरुं मायामनुष्यं हरिं वंदेऽहं करुणाकरं रघुवरं भूपालचूडामणिम् ॥१॥ गीर्वाणशांतिप्रदं ('giving peace to the gods') for निर्वाणशान्तिप्रदं; anusvara for the class nasal throughout (शांतं, शंभु, फणींद्र, वेदांत, वंदे). Leaf n721 (p. [648], unnumbered).
I adore, under his name Rama, the passionless, the eternal, the immeasurable, the sinless; the bestower of the peace of final emancipation; the lord, whom Bráhma, Sambhu, and the Serpent-king incessantly worship; the theme of the Vedánta; the sovereign of the universe; the preceptor of the gods; Hari in the delusive form of man: the All-merciful; the princely son of Raghu; the jewel of kings.
Shloka 2
नान्या स्पृहा रघुपते हृदयेऽस्मदीये सत्यं वदामि च भवानखिलान्तरात्मा
भक्तिं प्रयच्छ रघुपुङ्गव निर्भरां मे कामादिदोषरहितं कुरु मानसं च ॥२॥
Nanya spriha raghupate hridayesmadiye satyam vadami cha bhavanakhilantaratma
Bhaktim prayachchha raghupungava nirbharam me kamadidosharahitam kuru manasam cha
IAST
nānyā spṛhā raghupate hṛdaye’smadīye satyaṃ vadāmi ca bhavānakhilāntarātmā
bhaktiṃ prayaccha raghupuṅgava nirbharāṃ me kāmādidoṣarahitaṃ kuru mānasaṃ ca ||2||
ENA prayer to Rama (Raghupati). The speaker says that there is no other desire in his heart, that he speaks the truth, and that Rama is the inner self of all beings. He asks Rama, the best of Raghu's line, for full devotion (bhakti), and asks him to make his mind free of desire and the other faults.
हिराम (रघुपति) से प्रार्थना। प्रार्थना करने वाला कहता है कि उसके हृदय में कोई दूसरी इच्छा नहीं है, वह सच कहता है, और राम सब प्राणियों के अंतरात्मा हैं। वह रघुकुल में श्रेष्ठ राम से पूर्ण भक्ति माँगता है, और माँगता है कि वे उसके मन को काम आदि दोषों से मुक्त कर दें।
Edition differences. Another printing or text reads this place differently.
- Spelling The 1924 Bombay printing reads: नान्या स्पृहा रघुपते हृदयेऽस्मदीये सत्यं वदामि च भवानखिलांतरात्मा ॥ भक्तिं प्रयच्छ रघुपुंगव निर्भरां मे कामादिदोषरहितं कुरु मानसं च ॥२॥ Anusvara for the class nasal (अखिलांतरात्मा, रघुपुंगव); otherwise the same. Leaf n721 (p. [648], unnumbered).
O Raghupati, there is no other desire in my soul—I speak the truth and you know all my inmost thoughts—grant me, O Raghu king, a vehement faith, and make my heart clean of lust and every other sin.
Shloka 3
अतुलितबलधामं स्वर्णशैलाभदेहं दनुजवनकृशानुं ज्ञानिनामग्रगण्यम्
सकलगुणनिधानं वानराणामधीशं रघुपतिवरदूतं वातजातं नमामि ॥३॥
Atulitabaladhamam svarnashailabhadeham danujavanakrishanum jnaninamagraganyam
Sakalagunanidhanam vanaranamadhisham raghupativaradutam vatajatam namami
IAST
atulitabaladhāmaṃ svarṇaśailābhadehaṃ danujavanakṛśānuṃ jñānināmagragaṇyam
sakalaguṇanidhānaṃ vānarāṇāmadhīśaṃ raghupativaradūtaṃ vātajātaṃ namāmi ||3||
ENThe poet bows to Hanuman, the son of the Wind. He calls him the home of matchless strength, with a body that shines like a mountain of gold; a fire to the forest of the demons; the first among the wise; the store of all virtues; the lord of the monkeys; and Rama's chosen messenger.
हिकवि पवनपुत्र हनुमान को प्रणाम करते हैं। वे उन्हें अतुलित बल का धाम कहते हैं, जिनका शरीर सोने के पर्वत की तरह चमकता है; राक्षसरूपी वन को जलाने वाली अग्नि; ज्ञानियों में सबसे आगे; सब गुणों के भंडार; वानरों के स्वामी; और राम के श्रेष्ठ दूत।
Edition differences. Another printing or text reads this place differently.
- Punctuation The 1924 Bombay printing reads: अतुलितबलधामं स्वर्णशैलाभदेहं दनुजवनकृशानुं ज्ञानिनामग्रगण्यम् ॥ सकलगुणनिधानं वानराणामधीशं रघुपतिवरदूतं वातजातं नमामि ॥३॥ The same letters; NS prints the four quarters on two lines with ॥ after the first half. Leaf n721 (p. [648], unnumbered).
- Word Today's text from Gita Press, Gorakhpur reads: अतुलितबलधामं हेमशैलाभदेहं दनुजवनकृशानुं ज्ञानिनामग्रगण्यम् । सकलगुणनिधानं वानराणामधीशं रघुपतिप्रियभक्तं वातजातं नमामि ॥३॥ Today's Gita Press text (book 1919, p. 5) reads हेमशैलाभदेहं and रघुपतिप्रियभक्तं. The 1948 Sabha text (p. 381) and the 1924 Bombay printing keep स्वर्णशैलाभदेहं and रघुपतिवरदूतं, so the 1922 reading stays (decision 14: the sources disagree).
I reverence the home of immeasurable strength, with his body resembling a mountain of gold; the fire that consumed the demons as it were the trees of a forest; the first name in the list of the truly wise: the store-house of all good qualities; the monkey chief; Raghupati’s noble messenger, the Son of the Wind.
Chaupai 1
जामवंत के बचन सुहाये । सुनि हनुमंत हृदय अति भाये ॥
तब लगि मोहि परिषेहु तुम्ह भाई । सहि दुख कंद मूल फल खाई ॥१॥
जब लगि आवउँ सीतहि देखी । होइहि काज मोहि हरष बिसेखी ॥
अस कहि नाइ सबन्हि कहुँ माथा । चलेउ हरषि हिय धरि रघुनाथा ॥२॥
सिंधुतीर एक भूधर सुंदर । कौतुक कूदि चढेउ ता ऊपर ॥
बार बार रघुबीर सँभारी । तरकेउ पवनतनय बलभारी ॥३॥
जेहि गिरि चरन देइ हनुमंता । चलेउ सो गा पाताल तुरंता ॥
जिमि अमोघ रघुपति कर बाना । एही भाँति चला हनुमाना ॥४॥
जलनिधि रघु-पति-दूत बिचारी । तैँ मैनाक होहि स्रमहारी ॥५॥
Jamvant ke bachan suhaye, suni hanumant hriday ati bhaye
Tab lagi mohi parishehu tumh bhai, sahi dukh kand mul phal khai
Jab lagi avaun sitahi dekhi, hoihi kaj mohi harash bisekhi
As kahi nai sabanhi kahun matha, chaleu harashi hiy dhari raghunatha
Sindhutir ek bhudhar sundar, kautuk kudi chadheu ta upar
Bar bar raghubir sambhari, tarkeu pavantanay balbhari
Jehi giri charan dei hanumanta, chaleu so ga patal turanta
Jimi amogh raghupati kar bana, ehi bhanti chala hanumana
Jalnidhi raghu-pati-dut bichari, tain mainak hohi sramahari
IAST
jāmavaṃta ke bacana suhāye | suni hanumaṃta hṛdaya ati bhāye ||
taba lagi mohi pariṣehu tumha bhāī | sahi dukha kaṃda mūla phala khāī ||1||
jaba lagi āvaüm̐ sītahi dekhī | hoihi kāja mohi haraṣa bisekhī ||
asa kahi nāi sabanhi kahum̐ māthā | caleu haraṣi hiya dhari raghunāthā ||2||
siṃdhutīra eka bhūdhara suṃdara | kautuka kūdi caḍheu tā ūpara ||
bāra bāra raghubīra sam̐bhārī | tarakeu pavanatanaya balabhārī ||3||
jehi giri carana dei hanumaṃtā | caleu so gā pātāla turaṃtā ||
jimi amogha raghupati kara bānā | ehī bhām̐ti calā hanumānā ||4||
jalanidhi raghu-pati-dūta bicārī | taim̐ maināka hohi sramahārī ||5||
ENHanuman is glad to hear Jambavan's words. He asks the other monkeys to wait for him and bear the hardship, living on roots and fruit, until he comes back after seeing Sita; he says his heart is glad because the task will succeed. He bows to them all and sets out with Rama (Raghunath) in his heart. On the shore there is a fine mountain, and he jumps up on it. Calling Rama to mind again and again, the son of the Wind leaps with all his strength. The mountain he pushes off from sinks at once into the underworld (patal). He flies on like Rama's arrow, which never misses. The Ocean sees that he is Rama's messenger and asks the mountain Mainak to let him rest.
हिजाम्बवान की बातें सुनकर हनुमान प्रसन्न होते हैं। वे दूसरे वानरों से कहते हैं कि कष्ट सहकर, कंद-मूल और फल खाकर, तब तक उनकी राह देखें जब तक वे सीता को देखकर न लौट आएँ; वे कहते हैं कि काम सफल होगा, इससे उनका मन बहुत प्रसन्न है। वे सबको सिर नवाकर, हृदय में राम (रघुनाथ) को रखकर चल पड़ते हैं। समुद्र के किनारे एक सुंदर पर्वत है, वे उस पर कूदकर चढ़ जाते हैं। बार-बार राम का स्मरण करके पवनपुत्र पूरे बल से छलाँग लगाते हैं। जिस पर्वत पर वे पैर रखते हैं, वह तुरंत पाताल में धँस जाता है। वे राम के कभी न चूकने वाले बाण की तरह आगे बढ़ते हैं। समुद्र उन्हें राम का दूत जानकर मैनाक पर्वत से कहता है कि वह उनकी थकान दूर करे।
Edition differences. Another printing or text reads this place differently.
- The printed edition reads: जामवंत के बचन सुहाये । सुनि हनुमंत हृदय अति भाये ॥
तब लगि मोहि परिषेहु तुम्ह भाई । सहि दुख कंद मूल फल खाई ॥१॥
जब लगि आवउँ सीतहि देखी । होइहि काज मोहि हरष बिसेखी ॥
अस कहि नाइ सबन्हि कहुँ माथा । चलेउ हरषि हिय धरि रघुनाथा ॥२॥
सिंधुतीर एक भूधर सुंदर । कौतुक कूदि चढेउ ता ऊपर ॥
बार बार रघुबीर सँभारी । तरकेउ पवनतनय बलभारी ॥३॥
जेहि गिरि चरन देइ हनुमंता । चलेउ सो गा पाताल तुरंता ॥
जिमि अमोघ रघुपति कर बाना । तेही भाँति चला हनुमाना ॥४॥
जलनिधि रघु-पति-दूत बिचारी । तैँ मैनाक होहि स्रमहारी ॥५॥ - Word The 1922 Allahabad (Prayag) printing reads: जिमि अमोघ रघुपति कर बाना । तेही भाँति चला हनुमाना ॥४॥ The 1922 base printing's reading, as printed. The display follows today's common wording here (decision 14): Gita Press and the Sabha's own revised text of 1948 print एही ('in just this way'); the 1922 base prints तेही, the 1924 Bombay printing ताही. The 1948 text lists तेही as a manuscript reading in its footnote.
- Word The 1924 Bombay printing reads: जांबवंतके बचन सुहाये । सुनि हनुमानहृदय अति भाये ॥१॥ तबलगि मोहिं परखिहहु भाई । सहि दुख कंद मूल फल खाई ॥२॥ जबलगि आवौं सीतहिं देषी । होइ काज मन हर्ष विसेषी ॥३॥ अस कहि नाइ सबनकहँ माथा । चलेउ हर्षि हिय धरि रघुनाथा ॥४॥ सिंधुतीर इक सुंदर भूधर । कौतुक कूद चढ़े तेहि ऊपर ॥५॥ बार बार रघुवीर सँभारी । तरकेउ पवनतनय बलभारी ॥६॥ जेहिं गिरि चरन देइ हनुमंता । सो चलिगयउ पताल तुरंता ॥७॥ जिमि अमोघ रघुपतिके बाना । ताही भाँति चला हनुमाना ॥८॥ जलनिधि रघुपतिदूत बिचारी । कह मैनाक होउ स्रमहारी ॥९॥ जांबवंतके; हनुमानहृदय; तबलगि मोहिं परखिहहु भाई (for तब लगि मोहि परिषेहु तुम्ह भाई); आवौं, देषी; होइ काज मन हर्ष (for होइहि काज मोहि हरष); सबनकहँ; सिंधुतीर इक सुंदर भूधर (word order); कूद चढ़े तेहि; रघुवीर; सो चलिगयउ पताल (for चलेउ सो गा पाताल); रघुपतिके; ताही भाँति (for तेही भाँति); कह मैनाक होउ (for तैँ मैनाक होहि). Leaf n722, p. 648.
- Numbering The 1924 Bombay printing reads: ॥१॥ … ॥९॥ The 1924 printing numbers the half-lines (९ in this group) instead of the whole chaupais (५). It does so in every chaupai group of this part (chaupai-2 ॥१२॥, chaupai-3 ॥११॥, chaupai-4 ॥८॥, chaupai-5 ॥९॥, chaupai-6–8 ॥८॥, chaupai-9 ॥९॥, chaupai-10 ॥९॥, chaupai-11 ॥८॥, chaupai-12 ॥१२॥, chaupai-13 ॥११॥). Leaf n722.
- Word Today's text from Gita Press, Gorakhpur reads: यह कहि नाइ सबन्हि कहुँ माथा … एही भाँति चलेउ हनुमाना Today's Gita Press text (p. 6) reads यह कहि and चलेउ हनुमाना. The 1948 Sabha text (p. 381) and the 1924 Bombay printing print अस कहि and चला, so those 1922 readings stay.
On hearing Jámbaván speak so cheerfully, Hanumán was greatly rejoiced at heart. “Wait for me here, my friends, however great your discomfort, with only roots, herbs, and fruits for your food, till I return after seeing Síta; the task is one I am most pleased to undertake.” So saying he bowed his head to them all and went forth with joy, having the image of Raghunáth impressed upon his heart. There was a majestic rock by the seashore; he lightly sprung on to the top of it; then, again and again invoking Raghubír, the Son of the Wind leaped with all his might. The mountain on which he had planted his foot sank down immediately into the depths of hell. Like Ráma’s own unerring shaft, so sped Hanumán on his way. Ocean had regard for Ramá’s envoy and told Maináka to ease his toil.1
Footnotes (the translator’s own) - Mainàka is a rock in the narrow strait between Lankà and the main land. ↩
Doha 1
हनूमान तेहि परसा कर पुनि कीन्ह प्रनाम ॥
रामकाजु कीन्हे बिनु मोहि कहाँ बिस्राम ॥१॥
Hanuman tehi parsa kar puni kinh pranam
Ramkaju kinhe binu mohi kahan bisram
IAST
hanūmāna tehi parasā kara puni kīnha pranāma ||
rāmakāju kīnhe binu mohi kahām̐ bisrāma ||1||
ENHanuman touches Mainak with his hand and bows to him. He says that he cannot rest until he has done Rama's work.
हिहनुमान मैनाक को हाथ से छूकर प्रणाम करते हैं। वे कहते हैं कि राम का काम किए बिना उन्हें विश्राम कहाँ।
Edition differences. Another printing or text reads this place differently.
- Word The 1924 Bombay printing reads: हनूमान तेहिं परसि कर, पुनि तेहिं कीन्ह प्रनाम ॥ रामकाज कीन्हैं बिना, मोहिं कहाँ बिस्राम ॥१॥ तेहिं परसि कर, पुनि तेहिं कीन्ह प्रनाम; रामकाज कीन्हैं बिना (for कीन्हे बिनु). Leaf n722, p. 648.
- Addition The 1924 Bombay printing reads: सो० सिंधुबचन सुनि कान, तुरत उठेउ मैनाक तब ॥ कपिकहँ कीन्ह प्रनाम, पुलकित तनु कर जोरि करि ॥ १ ॥ The 1924 printing has a soratha before doha 1 (leaf n722, p. 648), numbered १ in its own series of sorathas. It is not in the 1922 printing or in Growse.
But Hanumán merely touched him with his hand, then bowed and said, ‘I can stop nowhere till I have done Ráma’s business.’
The Sundarkand in 4 parts
- Part 1: Hanuman crosses the sea and finds Sita
Shloka 1 to Doha 13. 32 passages. - Part 2: The message, the grove and the burning of Lanka
Chaupai 14 to Doha 29. 32 passages. - Part 3: The report to Rama, the march, and Vibhishan's exile
Chaupai 30 to Doha 46. 35 passages. - Part 4: Vibhishan crowned, Ravana's spies and the letter, and the Ocean
Chaupai 47 to Doha 63. 33 passages.
About the Sundarkand
This book is Hanuman's journey. He leaps across the sea to Lanka, finds Sita in Ravana's Ashoka grove and gives her Rama's ring. He destroys the grove, is brought before Ravana, and sets Lanka on fire with his burning tail. He returns with Sita's hair jewel and tells Rama what he saw. Rama marches with the army of monkeys and bears to the shore. Vibhishan, Ravana's brother, advises Ravana to return Sita, is driven out, and takes refuge with Rama. At the end the Ocean shows how the army can cross.
The book opens with three Sanskrit verses. The rest is in Awadhi: groups of chaupais (four-part verses), each closed by a doha (a couplet), with three passages in the longer chhand metre. Our text follows the 1922 printing of the Nagari Pracharini Sabha of Kashi, which numbers 63 dohas (one of them is a soratha, a doha with its halves reversed). In 30 words, where a present-day printing and the Sabha's own revised text of 1948 agree on another word, the text shows that word and gives the 1922 reading as a variant. The 1924 Bombay printing also counts 63 dohas. F. S. Growse's English translation counts 60, because it joins three pairs of dohas (39–40, 50–51 and 58–59); each doha shows both numbers. Beside the Awadhi are Growse's prose translation, unchanged, and our own plain explanation in English and Hindi.
Explanation written for this site and checked against the cited edition. Free to quote with credit.
How to say it
Awadhi is spoken like Hindi: a final short "a" is usually silent (Hanumān, not Hanumāna), though singers sometimes sound it to fit the metre. The three opening shlokas are Sanskrit, where every vowel is sounded, including a final short "a". The IAST line writes every vowel as spelled.
Related
Source and licence
- Dated witness
- Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas, edited from old manuscripts by five members of the Kashi Nagari Pracharini Sabha, with the commentary of Shyam Sundar Das; second printing (Shyam Sundar Das, Sudhakar Dvivedi (Mahamahopadhyaya), Shyam Sundar Das (Shyamsundardas), Radhakrishnadas (Babu Radhakrishna Das), Amir Singh (Babu Amir Singh), Kartik Prasad Khatri (Babu Kartikprasad), Indian Press, Ltd., Allahabad (Prayag), 1922). Public domain. Used only to date the text. The Devanagari on this page is a reading text and is not copied from this printing.
- Translation
- The Rámáyana of Tulsi Dás, translated from the original Hindi by F. S. Growse; sixth edition, revised and corrected (Frederic Salmon Growse, Ram Narain Lal, Allahabad, 1914). Public domain. Shown verbatim, as printed.
- Common wording
- In this text, 27 words follow today's common wording, checked against Gita Press, Gorakhpur and Nagari Pracharini Sabha, Kashi.
- Our explanation
- Explanation written for this site from the sources listed here, and checked against the cited edition. It is not a translation and not the only way to read the text. Free to quote with credit.
- Checked
- Checked against the cited edition, October 27, 2026.