Ramayana

The Seven Kandas (Books)

The epic is traditionally divided into several major kāndās (books), which deal chronologically with the major events in the life of Rama. The division into sevenkāndās is as follows:

Kanda/Book | Title | Contents |

1 | Bāla Kāṇḍa(Book of Childhood) | The origins and childhood of Rama, born to king Dasharatha of Ayodhya and destined to fight asuras. Sita's swayamvara and subsequent wedding to Rama. |

2 | Ayodhya Kāṇḍa(Book of Ayodhya) | The preparations for Rama's coronation in the city of Ayodhya, his exile into the forest and the regency of Bharata. |

3 | Araṇya Kāṇḍa(Book of the Forest) | The forest life of Rama with Sita and Lakshmana, his brother. The kidnapping of Sita by the asura king Ravana. |

4 | Kishkindha Kāṇḍa(Book of the Monkey Kingdom) | Rama meets Hanuman and helps destroy the vanara king, Vali, making Vali's younger brother, Sugriva, king of Kishkindhainstead. |

5 | Sundara Kāṇḍa(Book of Beauty) | Detailed accounts of Hanuman's adventures, including his meeting with Sita. Traditionally read first when reading the Ramayana, this book's name derives from the fond name given to Hanuman by his mother. |

6 | Yuddha Kāṇḍa(Book of War, also known asLanka Kanda) | The battle in Lanka between the vanara and the asura armies of Rama and Ravana, respectively. After Ravana is defeated, Sita undergoes the test of fire, completes exile with Rama and they return to Ayodhya to reign over the ideal state. The test of fire or Agni Pareeksha is not part of the original Valmiki Ramayana, most scholars consider it to be a later addition as is the story of Sita's banishment below. |

7 | Uttara Kāṇḍa(Last Book) | The detailed story of Ravana's life, his encounter with Lord Shiva , Vali, Sugreeva's brother and Kartha Veera Arjuna and many others until Shurpanakha's humiliation in the Aranya Khanda is retold by sage Vashishta to Rama and Sita. Rumours of impurity lead to Sita's banishment, during which she gives birth and...