Gōswāmī Tulasīdās’ ŚRĪ RĀMA CARITA MĀNASA, Canto 6: Laṅkā-Kāṇḍa

Description

This Volume no. 9 continues with the English narration of the Story of Lord Ram as described in the devotional classic known as ‘Ram Charit Manas’ written by Goswami Tulsidas. In this Book we read in vivid detail the epic War of Lanka that was fought between the armies of Lord Ram and the demon king Ravana in the Treta Yuga, many millenniums ago.
The entire Book ‘Ram Charit Manas’ is divided into 7 Cantos, named Baal Kand, Ayodhya Kand, Aranya Kand, Kishkindha Kand, Sundar Kand, Lanka Kand, and Uttar Kand.
The topics covered in this Canto no. 6 are the following:
After the bridge across the ocean was completed, Lord Ram’s huge army of valiant monkeys and bears landed on the soil of Lanka, the capital of the demon kingdom, and pitched its camp on Mt. Subel.
Attempts to avoid a destructive / ruinous war were made by both the sides: On the demon side it was Mandodari, the wife of the demon king Ravana, who made an earnest plea to her husband to come to his senses, stop hostile attitude towards Lord Ram, and make peace with him by returning Sita. On the other hand, Lord Ram too sent Angad as his peace emissary to the court of Ravana to explore the chance of making peace. But unfortunately both the efforts failed as Ravana was stubborn and under the shadow of death, for he refused to pay heed to voices of sanity.
The epic War of Lanka, famous for its ferocity and magnitude of mayhem, that was fought between the valiant and virtually invincible armies of Lord Ram and the demons led by their king Ravana, started soon thereafter. It lasted for almost ten days, with both sides suffering casualties and the other usual ravages of a war. Even Laxman fell unconscious when he was hit by an arrow shot by Meghanad, son of Ravana, on the 2nd day of the war. Lord Ram sent Hanuman to the northern mountains to bring a medicinal herb which helped to save Laxman’s life
During the course of the fierce battles that ensued, the demon army was gradually decimated; all the great demon warriors died one after another. Kumbhakaran, Ravana’s brother, died fighting Lord Ram on the 3rd day of the war, and Meghanad died fighting Laxman on the 5th day.
Thereafter, it was a direct battle between Lord Ram and Ravana, first between their armies, and in the last and final phase between the two themselves, face-to-face, at the end of which Ravana was slayed by Lord Ram on the 10th day of the epic War of Lanka.
This was followed by the usual grieving, condolence and consolation phase. At last, Vibhishan was appointed as the next king of Lanka, and Sita was reunited with Lord Ram. The Gods prayed to the Lord and thanked him for delivering them from the scourge of the cruel demons led by Ravana. Finally, Lord Ram and his party boarded the airplane known as ‘Pushpak’ to return to Ayodhya.
With this we come to the end of Canto 6, i.e. Lanka Kand of the Book ‘Ram Charit Manas’.
We shall continue with the reading of this magnificent Story in the next and the last Canto no. 7 of Ram Charit Manas, called the Uttar Kand. It describes (a) the coronation of Lord Ram as the King-Emperor of Ayodhya, and then (b) the famous episode of the meeting between Kaagbhusund and Garud, wherein principles of devotion, metaphysics and spiritualism, as well as the path of liberation, deliverance, salvation and emancipation are discussed.

About the Author

Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia left home when he was approximately 29 years of age due to an inner call of his heart that told him to devote his life in the service of his beloved Lord God, Sri Ram. Worldly attractions did not enchant him at all. So, he didn’t marry, and after his father’s death he came and settled permanently in Ayodhya, the holy town in India associated with Lord Ram.
Presently he works as an honorary manager of a world famous Kanak Bhavan Temple at Ayodhya, and spends his time writing in English so that the world can access the wonderful nectar of metaphysical, spiritual and devotional philosophy that is contained in Indian scriptures for which they are so renowned.
His English Books published separately by a reputed publisher of India, the details of whom can be had by contacting the author on his email given below, include: (i) The series on ‘108 Upanishads’ in five volumes having eighteen parts, (ii) Veda Vyas’ ‘Adhyatma Ramayan’ in two parts, (iii) ‘Devi Puran Ramayan’, (iv) Valmiki’s ‘Adbhut Ramayan’, and (v) ‘Biography of Lord Ram’ based on Tulsidas’ books.
Genre of Writing: Spiritualism, Philosophy, Metaphysics, Religious, Devotional and Theological.
The author’s Books are available for order online both in ‘e-book’ format and ‘paper-back book’ format at www.pothi.com (in their ‘ebook’ + ‘paper-back book’ versions).
(A) List of Books that are currently available as mentioned above :-
(A-1) (1) The Chariot of God: Dharma Rath; (2) OM and Naad; (3) YOGA—Its Practice and Philosophy according to the Upanishads; (4) Ram Geeta; (5) The Revelation of Creation—as envisioned in the Upanishads; (6) The Pentagon of Creation: As Expounded in the Upanishads; (7) The Triumvirate of Creation; (8) Maya: The Whirlpool of Delusions in Creation; (9) Surdas-Ram Charitawali; (10-a) The legend of Lord Shiva: Book 1 ‘Lord Shiva’s marriage with Parvati’; (10-b) Book 2 ‘Lord Shiva’s Sacred Hymns’; (10-c) Book 3 ‘Shiva’s different names & their significance, Shiva Puran, Upanishads’; (11) the Mahavakyas of the Upanishads; (13) Lord Ram’s marriage with Sita (based on Tulsidas’ books “Ram Charit Manas”, “Janki Mangal”, “Ram Lala Nahachu” & “Geetawali”, and sage Veda Vyas’ book “Adhyatma Ramayan”; (14) “Anthology of Sacred Hymns, Stotras & Mantras of Lord Ram”; (15) “Vairagya Shatkam” of king-sage Bhartrihari; (16) An Anthology of the Sanyas Upanishads-Parts 1 and 2; (17) “Kaag-Bhusund Ramayan” or the “Aadi Ramayan” based on Tulsidas’ Ram Charit Manas; (18) The Legendary Glory of Hanuman; (19) “Narad Bhakti Sutra”—Aphorisms for Devotion for God and the Principles of Love for the Lord; (20) “Shandilya Bhakti Sutra”—Aphorisms for Devotion for God and the Principles of Love for the Lord according to the illustrious sage Shandilya; (21) “Bhakti Sutra Mala”—A Garland of Spiritual Wisdom in the form of an Anthology of Aphorisms pertaining to Bhakti or devotion, love and affection for Lord God; (22) Glory of Lord Ram’s Holy Name, Sacred Mantras, Stotras & Hymns; (23) Saints and Non-Saints: Their Distinguishing Characters and Qualities; (24) A True Guru (Qualities, Importance and Need of a True Teacher, Preceptor, Guide and Advisor); (25) “Sundar Kand” of Ram Charit Manas; (26) The Story of Ravana and the Epic War of Lanka—Told in Slow Motion (based on, and will have the full relevant Text of, Ram Charit Manas, Adhyatma Ramayan, Anand Ramayan, Geetawali Ramayan, and Kavitawali Ramayan); (27) The Great Ancient Sages, Seers, Saints and Enlightened Kings of India; (28) The Metaphor of the Hansa in the Upanishads: The symbolism of a Grand Swan used to explain the wisdom of spiritual and metaphysical principles by the Upanishads.
(A-2) Goswami Tulsidas Series: (1) ‘Dohawali’; (2) ‘Parvati Mangal’; (3) ‘Kavitawali’; (4) ‘Janki Mangal’; (5) ‘Ram Lala Nahachu’; (6) ‘Geetawali Ramayan’; (7) ‘Vairagya Sandipani’; (8) ‘Vinai Patrika’; (9) ‘Barvai Ramayan’.
(A-3) A full-blown English rendering of Tulsidas’ epic ‘Ram Charit Manas’, otherwise also known as the “Ramayana” according to Goswami Tulsidas. My English version of this Book is comprehensive and an elaborate one, as it runs into many thousands of pages that endeavour to explain each single verse of the Book ‘Ram Charit Manas’ in fine detail from different perspectives, with the aid of explanatory notes and references.
(A-4) Detailed English renderings, with explanatory notes and commentaries of the 108 Upanishads classified according to the Vedic tradition = 6 volumes; 18 parts. [Vol. 1=Rig Veda Upanishads; Vol. 2= Sam Veda Upanishads; Vol. 3= Shukla Yajur Veda Upanishads; Vol. 4= Krishna Yajur Veda Upanishads; Vol. 5= Atharva Veda Upanishads; Vol. 6= Vedanta Concepts explained with specific references to the relevant Upanishads.
(A-5) (i) English rendering of Adbhut Ramayan by sage Valmiki.
(ii) English rendering of Adhyatma Ramayan by sage Veda Vyas.
(iii) English rendering of Devi Puran’s Ramayan by sage Veda Vyas.
(iv) A Divine Biography of Lord Ram & Glory of Lord’s Holy Name.
(B-1) Further, Books listed under A-3, A-4 and A-5 are available in Printed Book format from a reputed Indian Publisher as follows:
Name and contact of Publisher of above Printed Books listed under (B-2):
Chaukhamba Publishing House, Delhi. [Sri Neeraj Gupta.]
Postal Address: 4697/2, Street no. 21-A, (HDFC Bank wali Gali),
Ansari Road, Darayaganj, Delhi—110002.
Phone: Mobile (Neeraj Gupta)—+919811133683
Office: 011-23286537; 011-32996391
Email: chaukhambapublishinghouse@gmail.com
chaukhamba_neerj@yahoo.com
(B-2) The following Books of Goswami Tulsidas listed under A-2—viz. Vinay Patrika, Geetawali Ramayan, Kavitawali Ramayan, Dohawali, Parvati Mangal, Janki Mangal, Vairagya Sandipani, Barvai Ramayan, Ram Lala Nahachu, along with certain other Books (e.g. Upanishads Dedicated to Lord Ram, Shandilya Bhakti Sutra, Narad Bhakti Sutra etc.) are being published by the following Indian Publisher:
Pratibha Prakashan, prop. Sri Radheyshyam Shukla, Delhi.
Address: 7259/23, Ajindra Market, Prem Nagar, Shakti Nagar, Delhi 110007
Mobile: +91-93508 84227;
Landline phone: +91-114708 4852.
Email: pratibhabooks1@gmail.com
Contact details of Ajai Kumar Chhawchharia—
Postal address:-36-A, Rajghat Colony, Parikrama Marg,
P.O.—Ayodhya, Pin—224123, Distt. Ayodhya (Faizabad), U.P. India.
Phone:—(India) +919451290400; +919935613060.
Website: < www.tulsidas-ram-books.weebly.com >
Email of Author: (i) < ajaichhawchharia@gmail.com >
(ii) < ajaikumarbooks@gmail.com >
Archive.org: < https://archive.org/details/@ajai_kumar_chhawchharia >
Facebook ID < www.facebook.com/ajaikumarchhawchharia8 >
Linkedin: < www.linkedin.com/AjaiKumarChhawchharia >
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/991710.Ajai_Kumar_Chhawchharia

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