Kishkinda Kandam
Kishkinda Kandam is about how Rama met Hanuman and Sugreeva and killed Sugreeva’s brother Vali.
While Rama and Lakshmana were walking towards the Rishyamooka mountain, they saw the beautiful lake Pampa. They stopped there to take a bath and then kept going towards Rishyamooka.
From the top of the mountain, Sugreeva, the head of the monkeys, saw Rama and Lakshamana with their bows and arrows and asked Hanuman to go and find out who they were.
Hanuman, disguised as a young holy man, went down the mountain. Hanuman spoke to the two men and asked them who they were and why they were wandering in the forest.
Rama replied, “I am the son of King Dasaratha, my name is Rama, and this is my brother Lakshmana. I was sent by my father to stay in the Dandaka forest, and my wife Sita and my brother came with me.”
“But while we were staying here, some Rakshasa took my wife and now we are trying to find her. Do you know who I am now, Hanuman?”
Hanuman was surprised, and said, “How do you know my name, My Lord?” to which Rama replied, “I can see that shining necklace you are wearing around your neck.”
Lakshmana was confused and thought, “I can’t see anything,” but Hanuman was full of joy, knowing that Vishnu himself was standing in front of him, and said, “Only my Lord could see that necklace,” and changed back into a Vanara.
“It is really you my Lord! I am Hanuman, a minister to the King of the monkeys, Sugreeva,” said Hanuman. “Sugreeva’s brother Vali forced Sugreeva from our Kingdom of Kishkinda. From then on we have been hiding on this mountain. I am the son of Vayu, the wind, and Anjana is my mother.”
Rama asked Hanuman to take him to Sugreeva. Hanuman carried Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders up the mountain to Sugreeva.
Sugreeva met Rama and Lakshmana with his ministers and they all became friends. Lakshmana told Sugreeva all about Rama and Sita. Sugreeva promised, “I will help you to find Sita and destroy your enemies.”
Then Sugreeva told Rama and Lakshmana why he was hiding on the mountain. “One day an asura came to Kishkinda and challenged my brother Vali. They both fought in a cave and I stood outside for a month waiting for Vali to come out.
After a while I saw lots of blood and I thought Vali was dead. I closed the cave with a huge rock so that the asura couldn’t come out, and went back to Kishkinda.
Then the people of Kishkinda decided to make me the king. Suddenly one day, Vali came back and he thought I stole the kingdom from him. He chased me out and stole my wife.
I have been living on this mountain since then, afraid that one day he will find me and kill me.”
Rama became very sad hearing Sugreeva’s story and said he would help to kill Vali so that Sugreeva could go back to Kishkinda.
Sugreeva was scared that Vali would be too strong for Rama, so Rama decided to show his skill with a bow and arrow. Rama shot an arrow through seven giant trees, then the arrow went through a mountain, and through the earth and came back to Rama’s quiver.
Sugreeva was astonished and overjoyed, and he immediately went to challenge Vali to a fight. Vali had a special power that no one could beat him in a fight if they challenged him face to face. So Rama decided to hide in the trees and wait for a chance to shoot Vali without being seen.
When Sugreeva and Vali started to fight, they looked exactly the same and Rama couldn’t tell the difference between them. Sugreeva got hurt badly and came back to Rama. He asked, “Why didn’t you shoot the arrow?”
Rama said, “I couldn’t tell the difference between you, but please wear this garland of flowers so that I will know you in the fight.”
Sugreeva wore the garland and then challenged Vali again. Vali was surprised that Sugreeva had come back. Sugreeva’s wife Tara warned Vali not to go back to fight Sugreeva. “He must have some strong friend helping him if he is coming back so quickly.”
But Vali told her not to be scared, and went back to fight Sugreeva. This time Rama could easily see Vali, and when the fight started, Rama shot an arrow straight through Vali’s heart.
Then Rama came out from his hiding place and Vali saw him and said, “Why did you hide and shoot me? That was not fair.”
Rama said, “It had to be done this way, because you stole Sugreeva’s wife sneakily, so I had to shoot you sneakily.”
Vali died and his son Angada was made the crown prince. Sugreeva was made the King of the Vanaras. Sugreeva went to live in Kishkinda with his wife Tara, and he was very happy.
The rainy season came and Rama and Lakshmana had to wait on Rishyamooka until the rain stopped before they could start the search for Sita. Hanuman stayed with Rama.
Meanwhile, Sugreeva and the Vanaras had a great time celebrating in Kishkinda, with lots of special food and drinks, parties, and singing and dancing. When the rainy season stopped, Hanuman went to Sugreeva and said, “Rama helped you by killing Vali, but you have forgotten your promise to help him find Sita. Even now, he is waiting for news about Sita.”
Sugreeva immediately called all the Vanaras to come to Kishkinda so they could start the search for Sita. Up on Rishyamooka, Rama was very sad, waiting for news, and seeing this, Lakshmana got angry and went to Kishkinda to see Sugreeva.
Sugreeva told Hanuman and Angada to go and calm Lakshmana. Hanuman told Lakshmana that Sugreeva had not forgotten Rama, and that all the Vanaras and their friends the bears were getting ready to search for Sita.
Sugreeva divided the army of monkeys and bears into groups, sending each group in a different direction. Hanuman was part of the group going South. Before Hanuman left, Rama called him and said, “Hanuman, if you should find Sita on your search, please give her this ring of mine. I know you will succeed.”
All the groups began the search for Sita. Hanuman’s group, while searching, became very thirsty in the forest. They could not find any water. Then they saw a cave from which many water birds came out.
The group entered the cave, linking their hands so they would not get lost. They saw a wonderful place in the cave with lots of trees, fruits, and water. They started drinking water and then saw an old holy woman named Swayamprabha.
They told Swayamprabha all about the search for Sita, and all about the story of Rama. Swayamprabha helped the group to some food and water. Then the group went back to their search for Sita and Swayamprabha went to visit Rama to get his blessings.
The search party reached the seashore without finding Sita. Sugreeva had told them to return in one month with news but the time was almost up. They sat on the beach talking to each other about what to do and about all the great things that Rama had done in the forest.
At the seashore a giant eagle named Sampati heard them talking about Rama and Jatayu, so he went to talk to them. “I heard you talking about Rama and my brother Jatayu. With my eagle eyes I can see Sita in a garden in the city of Lanka across this ocean,” said Sampati. “One of you should go across this ocean, find Sita, and then come back across the ocean.”
All the members of Hanuman’s group began talking about who would cross the ocean. Then they realised that only Hanuman could cross the ocean, so Hanuman agreed to go.
Hanuman went to the top of the Mahendra Mountain and grew giant in size and took a great big leap and started crossing the ocean ready to find Sita.
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