Even though Ramcharit Manas of Goswami Tulsidasi is full of insights and practices that offer effective lessons for living the right way, yet one may find several useful tips in just the Sundarkand. Maybe, this is the reason why it is the one chapter of Ramayan which is most widely read and recited.It encapsulates life skills rather succinctly. Sunderkand is mostly about the exploits of Hanuman and describes his actions and adventures in Lanka during his journey to the kingdom of Ravan to find out the whereabouts of Sita. The chapter elaborately explains his key strengths and the qualities that made him succeed in this all important mission for Lord Ram, his master. It is about his unflinching commitment towards his duty and devotion to Lord Ram. However, Sundar Kand also contains several important lessons that can be learnt to help one face the challenges of life in the course of living. First about his basic traits that helped him carry out his duty diligently and effectively. These can be discussed under one broad construct Vivek for which there is no exact equivalent in English. However,it comprises the following two attributes that modern management theoreticians think are needed for managers to carry out their duties successfully. The first is the IQ or the Intelligence Quotient which is basically the presence of mind that gives the ability to take quick decisions in difficult and ambiguous situations. This is very clearly demonstrated in his encounter with Sursa while trying to cross the sea to reach Lanka.He negotiates very wisely with her and wins her admiration and gets her blessings, too. But the IQ that Hanuman demonstrates is not about the attributes of the mind only. It’s not just the aptitude but also the attitude. Rather, a combination of both the head and the heart.The humility, the patience, the sensitivities, the ability to step into the other person’s shoes. His dialogue with Vibhishan at the latter’s home very clearly shows these qualities.This is what is called EQ or Emotional Quotient, the ability to understand people which is so very important in life. But the Sundar Kand also has many lessons on leadership and strategy.One of the couplets mentions a very crucial lesson on why leaders go wrong. When aides, doctors and teachers don’t give the right feedback either out of fear or to please the king, the end of the empire is imminent. When Ravan was informed that Ram and his army had crossed the sea and was camping on the shore outside Lanka he asked his ministers for advice. Rather than giving the right feedback they pampered him saying that he was invincible. Similarly,there is another instance when Ram was humbly requesting the Sea God to allow his army a hassle free passage to cross and reach Lanka. But when the request goes unheeded for three days Ram tells his brother Laxman to get the bow and arrow as some people don’t understand the language of humility because they are pig headed. Such people only understand the language of force. Ram elaborates this further in the next two couplets by saying that fools do not understand the language of love, nor the crooked deserve love.The miserly cannot be made broad minded and the greedy do not understand the virtues of charity.Sundarkand offers many such pearls of wisdom.
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