Sai message for the day

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In the Ramayana, the role of Hanuman is very prominent. He is the

best example of dasyabhakti, devotion of loyal servant, one of the

nine paths of devotion. We are so fortunate to hear from you about

the devotion of Hanuman. Would you kindly tell us how modern

youngsters can emulate his example?

 

Hanuman is known for physical strength, intelligence, perfect

character and scholarship. Yet, do you know what he said when he

entered the court of Ravana. While introducing himself, he

said, 'dasoham Kosalendrasya, I am a servant of Rama'. The position

of a servant of Rama was a matter of pride and prestige for Hanuman.

 

Rama asked the vanaras as to who among them could cross the ocean and

go in search of Sita. One of them said that he would be able to cross

10 kilometers, another said 40 kilometers and so on but none could

say he could jump s'atayojana, 100 kilometers across the ocean. Then

Rama asked Hanuman, " Can you do it and successfully return after

finding out where Sita is? " Then Hanuman replied, " Yes, I will. " Then

Rama asked, " Hanuman, you have had no experience of jumping across a

vast sea. You have never seen Sita earlier to identify her now. Then

how do you say so confidently that you can cross the mighty ocean in

search of Sita in Lanka, find her and then return? " Hanuman

replied, " Swami! Would you not give me the needed strength,

capacities and abilities to fulfill the mission you have assigned to

me and then command me to fulfill it? With your blessings and

invincible will; wouldn't I accomplish what I am supposed to? " Such

was the intensity of his devotion.

 

Youngsters should follow God's command unhesitatingly. They should

never doubt, question, disobey, or criticise it. Strict obedience to

the divine command is called surrender. When you develop this kind of

surrender to God, you are bound to succeed.

 

While crossing the ocean, Hanuman displayed courage and valour par

excellence due to his deep devotion to Rama. Mount Mainaka prayed to

him to rest on his peak for some time on the way to Lanka. Mainaka

wanted to take this opportunity in order to express his gratitude to

Vayu, the wind God, father of Hanuman, who had saved him earlier. But

Hanuman, politely rejected the offer, telling him that he wouldn't

rest until he had completed the work assigned to him by Rama and that

he would oblige Mainaka on his return from Lanka. He, thus, gave top

priority to Rama's mission.

 

It was the confidence born out of his devotion to Lord Rama that made

him cross a vast ocean. Following His command he won the grace of

Rama. Normally, a monkey is noted for its unsteady and wavering mind,

but by surrendering to Rama, Hanuman's mind became absolutely

steadfast, fixed firmly in devotion to his duty and that is exactly

why he is worshipped today as Hanuman.

 

At the time of his coronation towards the end of the epic, Rama was

distributing gifts to all His subjects. But he did not give any

present to Hanuman. Then Sita softly asked, " Lord! Have you forgotten

Hanuman? How is it that you have not given him any gift? " Then Rama

smiling said, " Sita! It is true. I want you to present him any gift

of your choice " . Then Sita gave Hanuman her own diamond necklace. But

Hanuman started biting every diamond in the necklace, breaking it

off, bringing it close to his ear and then dropping it on the ground.

Watching this, Sita said " What! Hanuman! You have not given up the

habit of a monkey. What are you doing with the diamond necklace I

presented to you? " Then Hanuman said, " Mother! No doubt; you have

given me a most precious diamond necklace, but I want every

individual diamond of the necklace to resonate with the sound of my

Lord Rama's name. So, I am testing every one of the diamonds by

breaking it first keeping it close to my ear to find if the sound of

the Lord's name is heard. I am throwing them out one after another as

I don't hear His name in any of these. " Nothing in this universe is

more precious than the sacred name of God, Rama.

 

The whole assembly was adjourned for the day. Rama was retiring to

his bedroom and Sita was following him. Lo and behold! Hanuman too

was making his way towards the bedroom. Rama then said, " Hey Hanuman!

What are you doing here? " Hanuman said, " Lord! Sita is following you.

So I am also coming to you. " Rama said, " Anjaneya! Look! Sita has

vermilion, on her forehead that qualifies her to get into my

bedroom " . At this, Anjaneya left the place and returned after some

time. He went round all the shops, collected kumkum, applied it all

over his body and returned and stood in front of Rama. He said, " Oh

Lord! Just for the simple reason that Mother Sita has a dot of kumkum

on her forehead, you qualified her to enter your bedroom. Now; here

Look! I have this sindura all over the body. What do you have to say

now? " That was the standard of his devotion and the determination to

be with God always.

 

On another occasion, the three brothers of Rama met, discussed for

some time and distributed among themselves all the duties they had to

do personally in attending on Lord Rama. Hanuman noticed all this and

finding that he was left out with any duties to his lord, he softly

asked them, " Sir! When the lord yawns, there is a need for someone to

click fingers and make a snapping sound befitting His royal status,

we do not know when he would yawn, so I should be with him

throughout " . So, Hanuman had to be in the company of Rama while his

brothers could attend on him according to duties they had taken upon

themselves at different times. Thus, Hanuman was the very

personification of humility, devotion, discipline and surrender.

 

He had all the purity to be with God. He did what he thought and

said. In him there was perfect harmony of thought, word and deed. He

decided to go in search of Sita, he said so, and started at once. His

decision, declaration, and implementation were in total agreement and

unison. This is what is meant by " The proper study of mankind is man. "

 

Manasyekam vacasyekam karmanyekam mahatmanam is the unmistakable

feature of a man of character: unity in thought, words, and deed. But

manassanyat vacassanyat karmanyanyat duratmanam, in a wicked person

there is disharmony. What he thinks, says, and does are never in

agreement with one another.

 

Hanuman said to. Rama on another occasion, " Oh Lord! If I view you as

my `King', I am your `servant'. If I consider myself a `jiva;' an

individual entity, you are my `deva,' God. If I am atma, conscience,

you are `consciousness.' As both of us are only one, aham brahmasmi "

So by embracing dasyabhakti, the path of a loyal servant's devotion

with intense steadfastness, Hanuman passed through these three stages

and ultimately experienced unity with God. When he felt that he was a

servant of Rama the King, he was passing through the state of

dualism. When he found himself as an individual, with Rama as his

God, it expressed qualified nondualism, and finally when he found

unity with God, he experienced non-dualism.

 

In Lanka having entered the palace of Ravana, Hanuman had to see many

a woman fast asleep, as he had to identify only Mother Sita. Such was

his reverence for every woman as if she were his own mother. This was

the crest or crown of his character. Hanuman was the embodiment of

devotion, the personification of humility and the very symbol of

sincerity and obedience. All youngsters today should take him as

their ideal.