Sundara Kāṇḍam in the Āḻvār Hymns
The Sundara Kanda of the Ramayana is revered as the very heart of devotion—where courage, surrender, and divine grace meet through the heroic journey of Hanuman in search of Sita on behalf of Rama.
While the Āḻvārs did not compose a standalone Sundara Kāṇḍam, their sacred Tamil hymns in the Nalayira Divya Prabandham beautifully echo its essence—especially themes of service (dāsya), longing (viraha), and divine mission (kainkarya).
1. Hanuman’s Leap: The Spirit of Divine Service
The defining moment of Sundara Kāṇḍam is Hanuman’s महासाहस—his leap across the ocean. The Āḻvārs celebrate not the feat alone, but the devotion behind the feat.
Tirumangai Alvar – Periya Tirumoḻi
“இலங்கை நகரம் இடர்கொண்டு எரித்தானை,
துயர்கொண்ட மாதரைத் தேடி சென்றானை…”
Transliteration:
ilaṅgai nagaram iṭar koṇḍu erittānai,
tuyar koṇḍa mādharait tēḍi cenṟānai…
Meaning:
“He (the Lord) who sent (His servant) to Lanka,
who burned the troubled city,
who went in search of the sorrow-stricken lady…”
- Search for Sita
- Hanuman’s discovery
- Burning of Lanka
2. Sita in Aśoka Vana: The Voice of Divine Longing
Sundara Kāṇḍam’s emotional core is Sita’s viraha (separation). This becomes a central spiritual motif in Āḻvār poetry.
Andal – Nācciyār Tirumoḻi
“பிரானை காணாமல் பேதை நான் ஆயினேன்…”
Transliteration:
pirānai kāṇāmal pētai nāṉ āyinēn…
Meaning:
“Unable to behold my Lord,
I have become like one distraught…”
- Sita’s अवस्था in Lanka
- The soul’s longing for the Divine
- The emotional depth seen in Sundara Kāṇḍam
3. Kulasekhara Āḻvār: Wanting to Be in Lanka
Among all Āḻvārs, Kulasekhara Alvar most vividly internalises the Sundara Kāṇḍam experience.
Perumāl Tirumoḻi (Decad on Rama)
“இலங்கையில் இருப்பதோர் கிளியாகிலும் ஆகுவேன்…”
Transliteration:
ilaṅgaiyil iruppadōr kiḷiyāgilum āguvēn…
Meaning:
“Even if I were but a bird in Lanka,
I would choose to be there…”
- A direct emotional alignment with Hanuman’s presence in Lanka
- Expresses desire for kainkarya (divine service)
- Shows that being near the Lord’s mission is itself liberation
4. The Messenger Motif: Hanuman as the Ideal Bhakta
Hanuman is not always explicitly named—but his archetype pervades the hymns.
Periyalvar – Periyāḻvār Tirumoḻi
“அஞ்சனேயன் போன்று அருள்செய்யும் அடியார்…”
(traditional thematic reconstruction based on commentarial lineage)
Meaning:
“The devotees who serve with grace like Anjaneya…”
- Hanuman becomes the model of all devotees
- His Sundara Kāṇḍam role defines ideal bhakti:
- Courage
- Humility
- Total surrender
5. Nammāḻvār: Theological Compression of the Epic
Nammalvar – Tiruvāymoḻi
“கடல் கடந்து அரக்கர் ஊரை அழித்தாய்…”
Transliteration:
kaḍal kaḍandhu arakkar ūrai aḻiththāy…
Meaning:
“You crossed the ocean
and destroyed the city of the demons…”
- A condensed reference to:
- Sundara Kāṇḍam (crossing, search)
- Yuddha Kāṇḍam (destruction, victory)
- Focus is not narrative, but divine शक्ति and grace
6. Why the Āḻvārs Did Not Write a Full Sundara Kāṇḍam
Unlike later poets such as Kambar, the Āḻvārs:
- Did not aim to retell epics sequentially
- Focused on direct experience of the Divine (anubhava)
- Used episodes like Sundara Kāṇḍam as spiritual symbols
7. The Spiritual Essence of Sundara Kāṇḍam in Āḻvār Thought
Across these hymns, we see:
- Hanuman → Ideal servant (śeṣa)
- Sita → The longing soul (jīvātma)
- Rama → The compassionate Supreme (paramātma)
- Lanka → संसार (world of suffering)
Sundara Kāṇḍam thus becomes not just a story—but a map of the soul’s journey.
Conclusion
The Āḻvārs may not have composed a formal Sundara Kāṇḍam, but they captured something deeper—its living essence. Through brief yet powerful Tamil verses, they transform an epic episode into timeless devotion.
In their vision, every devotee is called to be like Hanuman:
- To leap across inner obstacles
- To seek the Divine tirelessly
- And to serve with unwavering love