Should Someone Feel Guilty About A Supposed High Birth

“By remembering Shri Rama’s holy name, even those who are born into a low caste become worthy of fame, just as the wild trees that line the streets in the heavenly realm are famous throughout the three worlds.” (Dohavali, 16)

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राम नाम सुमिरत सुजस भाजन भए कुजाति |
कुतरूक सुरपुर राजमग लहत भुवन बिख्याति ||

rāma nāma sumirata sujasa bhājana bhae kujāti |
kutarūka surapura rājamaga lahata bhuvana bikhyāti ||

Friend1: I know that we have discussions on how someone of low birth can rise to the status of liberated devotee.

Friend2: It’s just a circumstance, if you think about it. Maybe that person will never be accepted into circles that base their judgment off birth alone, but outside opinion is of no issue. We’re talking about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, here.

Friend1: He is the ultimate arbiter.

Friend2: He can override whatever happens on judgment day, so to speak. Look at the case of Ajamila. The messengers of Yamaraja, the god of justice, arrived to take him away at the time of death. They were intercepted by the messengers of Vishnu, who is the personal side to God.

Friend1: Because Ajamila had uttered the name of Narayana at the time of death. Therefore, he was immune to sinful reaction. There was nothing to judge; Vishnu considered him a devotee.

Friend2: Think of the many past sinful deeds. Poor guy was immersed in papa, though he was originally a brahmana.

Friend1: That is an instance of high birth, followed by a descent into the life of someone of typically low birth, with a conclusion of redemption.

Friend2: Salvation. Liberation. Whatever you want to call it, the fall was only temporary. Thus even if you don’t respect someone of a low birth, kujati, know that they can rise to the top. Goswami Tulsidas compares them to the insignificant trees lining the roads in the heavenly realm.

Friend1: That is interesting.

Friend2: On the morning commute to work, how many trees do we pass on the road?

Friend1: Too many to count.

Friend2: They aren’t even noticed. Yet even the weakest looking trees in the heavenly realm are honored. They are suratarus; they can grant desires. The person who is supposedly of low birth receives a similar elevation. They become highly honored. The reason is association. It matters not from where you came, but to where you are going.

Friend1: Alright, so no argument from me on that point. The principle is clearly understood.

Friend2: Just one further reminder. Think of how prasadam works. This is ordinary food, but because of the association in offering to Vishnu, it becomes sacred. You enjoy bhoga, but you honor prasadam. If food and tracts of land can become sacred due to connection with God the person, then the same is true of people who are connected.

Friend1: Let’s take the opposite condition. We have someone of high birth. Their parents are devotees. The ancestors set up traditions where someone like Shri Hanuman is held in the highest esteem.

Friend2: The dedicated servant to Vishnu’s incarnation of Shri Rama.

Friend1: It is almost like Hanuman watches over the family. The children develop a natural affinity to him because of the songs and stories shared by the parents.

Friend2: That is certainly an auspicious birth.

Friend1: Yes, and so those people are fortunate. They are on the right path. Will they not feel some guilt, though? When interacting with others who are not as fortunate, how to handle the situation?

Friend2: Why is there a “situation”? You can’t treat people with respect? You can’t deal with every person the same, regardless of their birth?

Friend1: I’m not talking ordinary, informal dealings here. What about with friends? You tell your stories about how great childhood was, how awesome a mom you have since she always quoted Goswami Tulsidas. Then your friend doesn’t have similar stories to share. Will they not feel inferior? Is that not putting someone else down for no reason? You see how guilt can arise here?

Friend2: I mean that is one way to look at it. Another viewpoint says that the other friend is just as fortunate. They are connected to the parampara. Perhaps they don’t have similar stories from childhood, but they can start their own disciplic succession.

Friend1: Because they are friends with the devotee.

Friend2: Yes. It’s not like things suddenly stop once you have an auspicious birth. It is not a final destination. There is some responsibility. Share the wisdom of the Vedas with others. Make sure that the tradition continues in the future. Remember that there was activity from past lives which had an influence. No reason to feel guilty, since you probably had so much punya accumulated from work in previous births.

Friend1: Pious deeds.

Friend2: That accumulate sukriti, or good fortune. Use that to benefit others. Then they will become auspicious and help others. Whatever the circumstances of birth, know that connecting with God in consciousness is the best way forward. Stay connected to Him through chanting the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Since childhood towards deities to kneel,

Person of high birth not guilty to feel?

Since friends maybe with same tendency not,

How you then this auspiciousness got?

From good karma and deeds of past,

Now help others in finding the path.

For their own parampara to start,

Wisdom to generations to impart.

What Is Wrong With Service To Man

“O son of Kunti, all that you do, all that you eat, all that you offer and give away, as well as all austerities that you may perform, should be done as an offering unto Me.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.27)

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यत् करोषि यद् अश्नासि
यज् जुहोषि ददासि यत्
यत् तपस्यसि कौन्तेय
तत् कुरुष्व मद्-अर्पणम्

yat karoṣi yad aśnāsi
yaj juhoṣi dadāsi yat
yat tapasyasi kaunteya
tat kuruṣva mad-arpaṇam

Friend1: You’ve heard it many times.

Friend2: What is that?

Friend1: It arrives with a specific attitude. Defensiveness. Though no one is specifically challenging them, they feel they need to retort, to present a counterargument.

Friend2: Who is “they”?

Friend1: The people who push forward this philosophy.

“Service to man is service to God. Be kind to the poor. Elevate the downtrodden. That is more important than opening a temple and worshiping a deity. In fact, without such service the offerings to God are not accepted.”

Friend2: Ah, yes. We certainly do hear this quite often.

Friend1: What is your response?

Friend2: Do I have to give one?

Friend1: Yes.

Friend2: There are so many ways to address this.

Friend1: You mean “refute.”

Friend2: Not necessarily. If I choose the approach of agreement, then I can point to an incident in the Ramayana. Prior to leaving for the forest for fourteen years, Shri Rama explains to His wife Sita Devi that the parents are something like the living deities. If we worship God and godly figures properly, then why not the people who are before us right now?

अस्वाधीनं कथं दैवं प्रकारैरभिराध्यते।
स्वाधीनं समतिक्रम्य मातरं पितरं गुरुम्।।

asvādhīnaṃ kathaṃ daivaṃ prakārairabhirādhyate।
svādhīnaṃ samatikramya mātaraṃ pitaraṃ gurum।।

“How can we worship in various ways the Divine, who is not within our reach, if we neglect mother, father and guru, who are within our reach?” (Lord Rama speaking to Sita Devi, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 30.33)

Friend1: Meaning?

Friend2: You have the opportunity to show your true character. Shri Rama’s father gave the order for the son to leave, to abandon the throne that was rightfully going to be His. Rama obliged. He did not fight. He accepted because there was honor of the father, who was pious in every way.

Friend1: And disobeying that order would be like going against a living deity.

Friend2: Right. Only in special cases do you get reciprocation from the object of worship in the temple. Normally, you realize the benefits in other ways. Most often there is the change in consciousness. Rama did not even need to worship, as He is the Supreme Lord Himself, but He did so to set the proper example.

Friend1: Okay, but what if you wanted to refute the original argument?

Friend2: What exactly is “service to man”? Is it simply giving people food to eat? That is noble, for sure, but what happens if the recipients grow up to be criminals? You are then complicit to some degree.

Friend1: They will say that such service pleases God the most.

Friend2: Actually, that is another flaw in the argument. You have to reference authority. You cannot just make stuff up. Shri Krishna advises Arjuna in the Bhagavad-gita to do everything important in life as an offering to Him. Whatever gets consumed, whatever gets sacrificed, whatever charity is given away, whatever austerities are performed – tat kurushva mad arpanam.

Friend1: Okay, so wouldn’t the person doing “service” to mankind be doing that as an offering to God? Let’s say that I open up a hospital. I name it after an avatara of Vishnu. Is that not an offering?

Friend2: Again, it should be authorized. It should be with the proper consciousness and also the proper understanding of the Almighty. Another person could feel like they are doing service by killing hundreds of people at once. They use the “offering” excuse. Will that work?

Friend1: Of course not.

Friend2: Then? The truth is that worship in the temple, singing songs in glorification, spreading the virtues found in Vedic literature – this is actually the best service to mankind. It brings a lasting benefit to everyone affected. King Parikshit learned he had only seven days to live. He did not spend it eating his favorite dishes. He did not open a hospital. He sat down on the banks of the Yamuna and heard Shrimad Bhagavatam. He did not eat or drink anything. There was austerity. There was charity in giving up the kingdom.

Friend1: You could probably say that he was being selfish. He wasn’t necessarily concerned with others.

Friend2: Yes, and who is expected to be at such a time? Yet look what happened. That decision to hear the glories of Shri Krishna, without cessation, benefitted the entire world both at the time and moving forward. We are still benefitting today through that choice. He performed the best service to man because he followed authority. He did not make up some method of service and then try to invoke God at the tail-end.

In Closing:

Made up service time to spend,

Then invoking God’s name at end.

Argument commonly of this kind,

That superior to deity in mind.

But like Parikshit decision key,

Benefit entire world to see.

That simply glories to hear,

To guru and Krishna coming near.

Mr. Reliable

“O chief of the Vanaras, who can withstand Rama, the destroyer in battle, fixed in determination like the elephants of the quarters of the earth, whose arrows resemble the rays of the sun at the end of a yuga, along with Lakshmana?” (Sita Devi, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 37.65)

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सलक्ष्मणं राघवमाजिमर्दनं दिशागजं मत्तमिव व्यवस्थितम्।
सहेत को वानरमुख्य संयुगे युगान्तसूर्यप्रतिमं शरार्चिषम्।।

salakṣmaṇaṃ rāghavamājimardanaṃ diśāgajaṃ mattamiva vyavasthitam।
saheta ko vānaramukhya saṃyuge yugāntasūryapratimaṃ śarārciṣam।।

It is said that nothing is as forgiving as the earth. It bears such a burden based on the moving population alone. There are also the nonmoving beings, achara, who at the very least add weight to the total. There are earthquakes from time to time, but the earth does not give in. She is a mother who is tremendously forgiving.

या चेयं जगतां माता देवी लोकनमस्कृता।
अस्याश्च चलनं भूमेर्दृश्यते सत्यसंश्रव।।

yā ceyaṃ jagatāṃ mātā devī lokanamaskṛtā।
asyāśca calanaṃ bhūmerdṛśyate satyasaṃśrava।।

“O Lord of Koshala, even the Earth, who is the mother of the world and respected by everyone, suffers distress in the form of earthquakes.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 66.10)

It is easier to have a generally pleasant disposition towards everyone when there isn’t trouble. Yet the earth has to suffer so much, including during times when the sinful, the asuras, rise in strength. Their impious behavior adds to the burden, but again the noted planet in the region of birth and death remains steady.

One of the reasons is that there is support from underneath. The Vedas describe that the four quarters have these amazing elephant-like beings standing in support. This ensures that such a massive collection of matter stays in place, that it does not simply fall out of the sky. These pillar-like elephants can be relied upon. Whether accepted as truth or discounted as mythology, there is no denying that a stabilizing force exists ensuring the proper continuation of life on earth.

As Sita Devi describes in the Ramayana, Shri Rama is the same way on the battlefield. He cannot be moved. The enemy can have many capable fighters attacking simultaneously, but Rama will not budge from His position. This is because the arrows released from His bow are like rays of the sun. An enemy once compared those weapons to heat-seeking missiles, which chase their targets until a strike is realized.

नैव देवा महात्मानो नात्र कार्या विचारणा।
शरा रामेण तूत्सृष्टा रुक्मपुङ्खाः पतत्रिणः।।
सर्पाः पञ्चानना भूत्वा भक्षयन्ति स्म राक्षसान्।
येन येन च गच्छन्ति राक्षसा भयकर्शिताः।
तेन तेन स्म पश्यन्ति राममेवाग्रतः स्थितम्।
इत्थं विनाशितं तेन जनस्थानं तवानघ।।

naiva devā mahātmāno nātra kāryā vicāraṇā।
śarā rāmeṇa tūtsṛṣṭā rukmapuṅkhāḥ patatriṇaḥ।।
sarpāḥ pañcānanā bhūtvā bhakṣayanti sma rākṣasān।
yena yena ca gacchanti rākṣasā bhayakarśitāḥ।
tena tena sma paśyanti rāmamevāgrataḥ sthitam।
itthaṃ vināśitaṃ tena janasthānaṃ tavānagha।।

“Neither the demigods nor any exalted personalities were there helping Rama, for He acted alone. You should not entertain any doubt on this matter. Indeed, Rama shot feathered arrows, plated with gold, which turned into five-headed serpents that devoured all the Rakshasas. The Rakshasas were oppressed with fear, and wherever they went and wherever they turned, they saw Rama in front of them. In this way, O spotless one, have your Rakshasas been destroyed in the forest of Janasthana by Rama.” (Akampana speaking to Ravana, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 31.18-19)

In times of distress it is nice to have reliability. The journey through life is indeed a struggle. At the very minimum there is the influence of time, kala, which guarantees change.

Even if a person is living seemingly worry free, there could be issues for friends and family. One day the father has a health problem. That gets compounded by another, in a series of attacks over the span of a few years. The mother suffers a traumatic event. They can no longer take care of themselves. You need help, as you have other pressing responsibilities on a daily basis.

If someone within the family steps in and helps out, it is a tremendous benefit. This person can be relied upon. They are not phased by danger or uncertainty. They have concern for the future outcomes, but they are not crippled by fear. They cannot be shaken in their resolve.

As Rama is that way on the battlefield, so are His dear servants like Hanuman. In addition to being an individual of extraordinary ability, Hanuman is completely dedicated to the Supreme Lord. He is in constant yoga, though he may not necessarily be found in the seat of meditation. He may be leaping over an ocean, contemplating strategy on how to proceed forward, becoming diminutive in size, or proposing an idea for rescue to a princess in great distress.

Who wouldn’t appreciate such a friend? Moreover, who would ever think of relying on anyone else when Hanuman is there to offer service? It is no wonder that Sita and Rama hold him in such high esteem. He continues in that devotion to this day, and the souls struggling in the material world can count on him to deliver the end result of pure devotion. Just remembering him and honoring bring so much auspiciousness, and he is obliged to stay with those who desire his association. Hanuman is as reliable today as he was when risking everything for the safety of Rama’s wife, who was otherwise suffering so much.

In Closing:

Like elephants at directions four,

Posted holding earth planet for.

A pillar Rama in way the same,

Steady in battle with arrow’s aim.

Extending to servant Hanuman,

Who taking every risk for Bhagavan.

No wonder held in such high esteem,

Dedication to a level never seen.

Three Amazing Things Moms Are Known To Do

“Mother Yashoda was firmly convinced of the Vedic injunctions about the importance of cows and the holy name of Vishnu; therefore she took all shelter in the cows and the name of Vishnu just to protect her child Krishna. She recited all the holy names of Vishnu so that He might save the child.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 1, Ch 6)

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The child is crying in the middle of the night. It won’t go to sleep. The labor was intense enough. What man could survive painful contractions, five to ten minutes apart, straight through for twenty-four hours or more? The experience creates a bond like no other between mother and child.

The mother to the newborn can do amazing things. Change diapers, feed at odd hours, go without sleep, and still maintain the household. They have super-strengths, which are on loan from above. Though the Sanskrit word purusha has one meaning of male, it can also refer to the individual person in general. Their strength, paurusham, comes from a higher source.

रसो ऽहम् अप्सु कौन्तेय
प्रभास्मि शशि-सूर्ययोः
प्रणवः सर्व-वेदेषु
शब्दः खे पौरुषं नृषु

raso 'ham apsu kaunteya
prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ
praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu
śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu

“O son of Kunti [Arjuna], I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.8)

Because of their dedication and sacrifice, the parents are known as the first gurus. These are respected personalities who are also able to teach. Taking a few examples from history documented in Vedic literature we get a glimpse of the amazing things mothers are capable of.

1. Chant the names of Vishnu

Escaping the cycle of birth and death. That is the ultimate destination, and the starting point is inquiry into spiritual matters. Known as brahma-jijnasa, only the human being has this ability. The same animating spark, the particle of spirit, the purusha, can live in different kinds of bodies, which are identified as species.

The human birth should be sujata, auspicious in nature. Yet in the beginning the ability for inquiry into spiritual matters is not there. The child can barely say a word or two, so how will they be able to ask questions on higher topics?

This does not mean that progress cannot be made towards reaching the ultimate destination. The sound of the Almighty is as good as His association. One reason that the bhakti path is supreme is because it lacks limitations. While jnana and vairagya, who are like two sons to Bhakti Devi, the goddess of devotion, can be acquired only after maturation, bhakti is available at all times. Brahma-jijnasa is important, but upasana is paramount. This is coming closer to God the person.

One simple way to bring the child closer to God is to chant His names. Mother Yashoda did this one time for her darling child named Krishna. She recited different names of Vishnu, who is the personal side of the Divine, for protecting her son. The amazing thing is that Krishna is Vishnu Himself. The mother was not aware, but her behavior was exemplary. She knew towards which direction to turn for the ultimate benefit for her dependents.

2. Check the mouth for dirt

A group of parents discuss which stage of childhood is the most difficult to deal with. One person says the first three weeks, since the child needs to eat all the time. This makes sleeping through the night very difficult.

Another parent says the most difficult time is when the child begins to crawl and walk. They require constant supervision, because they will put anything into their mouth. The guardians cannot allow this, for obvious reasons.

Mother Yashoda one time checked Krishna’s mouth for dirt. This was following an accusation made by Krishna’s friends. The reward for this motherly supervision was a vision of the entire universe. She saw something amazing inside the mouth of her son, who then quickly took back the vision, so as to not confuse the mother into His true nature.

3. Give an idea of where to find God

Can any instruction be more important than this? Teaching me to walk, talk, and read helps tremendously, but if sense gratification is the end-goal, then the life closely resembles previous experiences, of which I don’t remember. These were in other kinds of species, where satisfying the senses is the only interest.

If my mother can show me the way towards transcendence, then the debt is impossible to repay. She may tell me that the Ramayana is the most important book to read, that if I want to really know about duty, devotion, honor, piety, the meaning to life, and the way to persevere through the many challenges, the person to understand is Shri Hanuman. My mom tells me to consult the writings and songs of Goswami Tulsidas.

Afterwards, the bliss I feel is incomparable, and I become forever indebted to the person who showed me the way. Though I may not be able to understand the language precisely, my mother helps me again. She understands the verses in their original form, as the language spoken in her family for many generations is quite similar. Her ability to translate for me is something like giving functioning eyes to a blind man. Even that is not an accurate comparison since ordinary vision is defeated in importance by direct association with a saintly figure.

The mother can give hints in an indirect way, also. Dhruva Maharaja was a young child and he was set on revenge. He wanted to get even with his step-mother, who had insulted him. Suniti, the birth-mother, advised Dhruva on where to go for resolution. Vishnu was the person to approach, even if there were material desires. His association is purifying, as He would prove in the later meeting with Dhruva.

In Closing:

Vishnu approach best to choose,

Since material desires to lose.

Association itself to purify,

In surrender solely on Him to rely.

Mother in this way idea can give,

Creating foundation for best way to live.

Wisdom of ages with immeasurable size,

Like to blind man giving eyes.

Five Torture-like Situations That Hanuman Amazingly Endured

“It is said that it is possible for a stronger party to live if they develop enmity with a weaker party. Therefore a weaker man desiring self-preservation should not develop enmity with one who is stronger.” (Hanuman speaking to Angada, Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kand, 54.12)

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विगृह्यासनमप्याहुर्दुर्बलेन बलीयसः।
आत्मरक्षाकरस्तस्मान्न विगृह्णीत दुर्बलः।।

vigṛhyāsanamapyāhurdurbalena balīyasaḥ।
ātmarakṣākarastasmānna vigṛhṇīta durbalaḥ।।

The rising of the sun in the morning is to be celebrated. Not for the renewed opportunity at sense gratification, of pushing the body to the limit, breaking your back, just for experiencing a taste which is something like chewing the chewed.

श्री-प्रह्राद उवाच
मतिर् न कृष्णे परतः स्वतो वा
मिथो ’भिपद्येत गृह-व्रतानाम्
अदान्त-गोभिर् विशतां तमिस्रं
पुनः पुनश् चर्वित-चर्वणानाम्

śrī-prahlāda uvāca
matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā
mitho ’bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām
adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ
punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām

“Prahlada Maharaja replied: Because of their uncontrolled senses, persons too addicted to materialistic life make progress toward hellish conditions and repeatedly chew that which has already been chewed. Their inclinations toward Krishna are never aroused, either by the instructions of others, by their own efforts, or by a combination of both.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 7.5.30)

The next day is an opportunity to again glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead and His associates. Of what other purpose is there to the hands which type, the melodies in composition, and the mouth to sing and speak? Goswami Tulsidas compares the mouth of a person who never speaks the glories of Hari to a snake-hole.

रसना सँआपिनि बदन बिल जे न जपहिं हरिनाम |
तुलसी प्रेम न राम स्ॐ ताहि बिधाता बाम ||

rasanā sam̐āpini badana bila je na japahiṃ harināma |
tulasī prema na rāma soṃ tāhi bidhātā bāma ||

“The tongue is like a snake and the mouth like a snake hole for the person who does not chant the holy names of the Lord. Those who have no love for Shri Rama are understood to be bereft of the creator’s favor, says Tulsi.” (Dohavali, 40)

As a dedicated servant of the Supreme Lord in the incarnation of Shri Rama, Shri Hanuman is an ocean of virtues and good qualities. He is sushila, or gentlemanly in behavior, but also mad as an elephant when the time is proper for defeating enemies to dharma and the righteous way of life.

Known for having crossed the ocean in a single leap and carrying a mountain to rejuvenate a wounded warrior, Hanuman also has strength in determination and perseverance. He is able to endure through situations that to the average person seem like the worst kind of torture.

1. Listening to his friends wanting to give up

Though staying on this earth for thousands of years, Hanuman is best known through incidents documented in Vedic literature, such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas. The Ramayana is the primary source of knowledge, and despite being a lengthy work focusing on the main character of Rama, there is an entire book within dedicated to Hanuman’s brave journey. That book is aptly labeled sundara, which means “beautiful.”

The journey is the culmination of a long, extended mission assigned by Sugriva, the leader of the Vanaras in Kishkindha. The task is to find Sita Devi, who has gone missing. She is Rama’s wife, and Sugriva is now in an alliance with Rama.

The Vanaras, who are monkey-like beings, in large numbers disperse. Hanuman is with one group, and his presence gives the leaders an idea that his group will achieve success, if it should come at all.

After much time passes, there is a problem. The leader of this group, Angada, wants to give up. He doesn’t see any value in returning to Sugriva and reporting failure. He doesn’t see success on the horizon. Hanuman has to endure this insult to Shri Rama. He has to accept the decision, though he strongly disagrees with it. He tries his best to get the leader to change course, employing the strategy of diplomacy known as bheda, which is sowing dissension.

2. Fighting hostile enemies all by yourself

Imagine entering a territory where everyone is hostile toward you. Something like escaping from prison, but in the reverse. Here the people are generally bad in character, as they are Rakshasas, which are like man-eating ogres. Hanuman is the embodiment of good, working for the great purifier, pavitram, Rama. The two don’t mix, so if anyone were to spot Hanuman in Lanka there would be trouble.

Yet he wasn’t afraid. Even if I have expert ability in fighting, I can always be attacked from behind. You can’t fight someone you can’t see. Enough people gang up against me and I won’t be able to properly defend myself.

Hanuman faced something like this and more. There was no fear. He could have escaped from the city unscathed, but he wanted to give the enemies a little taste of what was to come their way upon Rama’s arrival. The son of the wind was fearless because he knew that the cause was right.

3. Witnessing Sita’s distress in the Ashoka grove

Angada’s party ended up moving forward. They were not forced to give up. Was it good fortune? Was it samyoga, something like serendipity? News of Sita’s location came to the group, but just as they were excited to continue, they came upon another obstacle. This was physical in nature. A large ocean, how would they get across?

His memory then jogged by Jambavan, Hanuman expanded his size and cleared the great length with a single leap, a feat for which he is glorified to this day. After searching the city of Lanka undetected, he finally met Sita. He was pleased by the successful end, but also greatly distressed at witnessing her suffering.

Imagine if someone you cared so deeply about ended up in a painful situation through no fault of their own. Would you not get angry? Would you not lose faith in mankind’s ability to be fair and decent? Would you not wonder if the bad guys do really end up winning?

Hanuman endured this distressing vision and continued forward. He did not let the visuals get in the way of the mission of pleasing the Supreme Lord. He respected the opulence and strength concentrated in Lanka, but he was not intimidated by the situation.

4. Staying on earth while everyone dear to him left

The story ended well. Sita reunited with Rama. The good guys won and the bad guys received the deserved punishment. Hanuman’s effort was so much appreciated that he returned to Ayodhya with a triumphant Rama, who then became king.

The Supreme Lord appears and disappears. This is with respect to the personal manifestations only, as the wise understand that God is always around. He is with me in the heart at the moment, and no matter where I go He will stay with me; such is His amazing kindness.

The incarnation is described as avatara, which means “one who descends.” The Rama avatara eventually went back up, to the spiritual world. He took His close associates with Him, but Hanuman stayed behind. The servant who deserved anything he could ask for opted to remain on earth for as long as Rama’s glories continue to be told. This is a blessing for the individual who speaks those glories, as it gives justification for Hanuman to visit.

5. Destroying your own Ramayana

Hearing the glories of Rama and family gives so much pleasure to Hanuman. What better way to remember than writing? Memorialize the events. Take advantage of the eyewitness testimony you can offer. Glorify in a way that speaks from the heart.

After having undertaken such an effort, imagine then destroying your work. On purpose, intentionally, with a level-head. This isn’t the result of a drunken rage or a fit of anger due to an unmet desire.

Rather, Shri Hanuman destroyed his own Ramayana after seeing the despondency caused in the great sage Valmiki. He thought that Hanuman’s telling of the events defeated his own. Hanuman would rather let another devotee thrive than have any role in making them feel inferior.

A great sculptor destroying their cherished piece because it made someone else feel less capable. A notable figure refusing an honor because another worthy person was passed over. Something to never be retrieved, except for the smallest pieces by the poet Kalidasa, Hanuman’s Ramayana is remembered only by the author.

In Closing:

Of difficulty only you can understand,

Since lengthy work of your own hand.

Imagine then destroying in an instant,

When another feeling ability distant.

That inferior, not even to compare,

Hanuman of other’s feelings aware.

Enduring this and other situations so,

Wherever Rama’s glories there to go.

Four Questions The Mature Human Being Should Ask

“The living entity is ignorant of his origin. He does not know why this material world was created, why others are working in this material world and what the ultimate source of this manifestation is. No one knows the answers to these questions, and this is called ignorance. By researching into the origin of life, important scientists are finding some chemical compositions or cellular combinations, but actually no one knows the original source of life within this material world.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 4.25.33 Purport)

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1. What is my origin

I may not be able to trace it out, but at least let me contemplate. This goes beyond the mother and father. Obviously, I entered this world through the womb of the mother. From observing others and studying modern science, I understand that the union of a man and a woman has the opportunity to put a new person on the path to entering this world.

But where was I prior to this birth? Did I exist? If I just came from nothing, does that mean I am nothing? If I learn about my past life, what about before that? Just exactly how many lives have I lived, and was I always a human being?

2. Why was this material world created

The mountains, the skies, the oceans, the hills, the trees, the sun, the moon – so many aspects to nature. Birds fly away from their nest and inherently understand how and where to return. They don’t rely on a navigation app housed on a smartphone. They don’t get directions from other people.

Dogs understand when an intruder is near and can start defending immediately. A cat can chase away a mouse, and a lion scares everyone away in the jungle. The human being is supposedly more intelligent. They can apply discrimination, learn tendencies, conduct studies, develop solutions, and think rationally. Yet they cannot do many of the things the untrained animal is expert at.

Why was all of this created? We know that there had to be a creation. We have yet to see something manifest from nothing. There must have been a time when no creatures were present. It’s like that chicken or the egg question. Going beyond the origin, what is the purpose? Whoever created everything, the original entity, must have had a reason.

3. Why others are working in the material world

We are here and we each have our tendencies, but why? How come I have to go to college, get a job and then start a family? Why do beavers build dams? Why do birds fly south for the winter? Why do large populations tend to form around bodies of water? Why do people feel sad upon death? So much is going on that we take tendencies for granted; there has to be an initial cause.

4. What is the ultimate source of this manifestation

Someone created everything. We can wonder why, but how about finding out who? Is it a person? Is it a bunch of chemicals? That doesn’t seem right, since chemicals reacting requires some kind of external force. Even when human intervention is absent, there is nature making things move. Who is the original mover, so to speak?

…

Speculation can go on, but the truth is that no surveillance footage exists of the beginning of time. Moreover, even if it did there would be several issues, such as verifying authenticity and believing that indeed no other living entities were around.

The best answers come through the Vedic tradition. Not a claim based on sectarian allegiance, the very name means “knowledge.” There is at least an attempt to discuss these issues, to give mankind as much information as they can understand, as time and space are infinite. Who can actually understand infinity properly?

The origin is personal at the full realization. He creates, maintains and destroys effortlessly. He does so to allow individual souls, jivas, to play in a temporary world. Sort of like falling asleep and having a dream, a spark of the spiritual energy, an amsha, spins on the wheel of suffering, enduring the cycle of birth and death known as reincarnation. The different tendencies are due to variety in desire. For every desire there is a corresponding body type; hence variety in species up to 8,400,000 in number.

न त्व् एवाहं जातु नासं
न त्वं नेमे जनाधिपाः
न चैव न भविष्यामः
सर्वे वयम् अतः परम्

na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ
na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ
sarve vayam ataḥ param

“Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.12)

I can trace out many past lives for myself and others, but I will never know the actual origin. This is due to the way time is infinite in both directions, past and future. From the Bhagavad-gita I can confirm that there was never a time that I did not exist. Neither will there be a time when I cease to be.

The full past may never be known with full certainty, but the future can be influenced. Through devotional works, through knowledge combined with renunciation and directed along the bhakti path I can escape the cycle of birth and death for good. The dream comes to an end, and upon waking up I have an eternity of bliss in front of me, spent in the company of the all-attractive one, who is also the origin.

In Closing:

Not just for sense enjoyment task,

For more important questions to ask.

Like what exactly origin of mine,

And from what at beginning of time.

Explain tendencies in others now,

World into manifestation how?

Vedas of all giving picture clearest,

To full understanding nearest.

How To Take Seriously A Story Involving Talking Monkeys And Ten-Headed Kings

“Then the ten-necked one, who was hiding nearby, quickly assumed the form of a wandering mendicant and approached Vaidehi.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 46.2)

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तदासाद्य दशग्रीवः क्षिप्रमन्तरमास्थितः।
अभिचक्राम वैदेहीं परिव्राजकरूपधृक्।।

tadāsādya daśagrīvaḥ kṣipramantaramāsthitaḥ।
abhicakrāma vaidehīṃ parivrājakarūpadhṛk।।

Friend1: Based on the many discussions we’ve had, it would be safe to say that we are fans of the Ramayana.

Friend2: Which one?

Friend1: There is only one, in fact. The Hindi poem of Goswami Tulsidas is actually called Ramacharitamanasa.

Friend2: It was so wonderfully received, so much adored by the general public that people began to informally refer to it as the Ramayana.

Friend1: The Tulsi Ramayana, as opposed to the Valmiki Ramayana.

Friend2: The latter is the original written account of the life and pastimes of Shri Rama.

Friend1: Though the term original doesn’t really apply, since the lila of Bhagavan is as endless as He is.

Friend2: Anadi, without beginning, and ananta, without end.

Friend1: Whichever version you choose, as even Shrimad Bhagavatam has a summary account, we do hold the story in high regard.

Friend2: Yes; definitely. Though it is not a work of fiction. Valmiki did not imagine anything. These are beautiful descriptions of historical events.

Friend1: Put into verses which can be sung.

Friend2: Which are thus easier to remember. You do not need radio technology or smartphones if people can remember what they hear someone singing. They can pass on the same to others.

Friend1: The story then goes viral.

Friend2: Or something simpler, like the Hanuman Chalisa. The saints of the Vedic tradition are so wise in that way.

Friend1: You and I are fans, but let’s talk about getting others involved.

Friend2: Involved in what? Introducing them to the work?

Friend1: Sure. Getting them to have the same level of appreciation. There are so many valuable lessons to take.

Friend2: Absolutely. Recognizing proper family life, duty, honor, betrayal, perseverance, attention to detail, good and evil, the dangers of greed – pretty much every issue that man has dealt with since the beginning of time gets covered.

Friend1: Here is a problem, as I see it. A few of the main characters are not your ordinary human beings. Hanuman is in a monkey-form, though he talks like a normal person. Ravana, the king of Lanka, has ten heads and twenty arms.

Friend2: Don’t forget that the people you mentioned can change their shapes at will, also. Ravana assumed the guise of a parivrajaka mendicant when attempting to deceive Sita Devi in the forest of Dandaka. He was hiding nearby, not showing his true, hideous form. Then he quickly transformed into the vision of a holy man. Hanuman several times became gigantic in size to help in the mission to please Shri Rama, who is Sita’s husband.

Friend1: Yes, and so someone hearing this story for the first time is bound to think it is fiction. A ten-headed guy? There’s no way they will find that believable.

Friend2: They may think that everything needs to be understood for the symbolic significance.

Friend1: Which I know is a mistake. How do we get around the issue?

Friend2: That is why Bhagavad-gita is a better introduction. Ramayana is more for people who are already devoted. Bad people touching the accounts won’t get any benefit. They will then try to cheat others, interpreting according to their faulty worldview.

Friend1: Bhagavad-gita also has the amazing in Krishna showing the virata-rupa, the universal form.

Friend2: Yes, but there are basic principles to understand. The changing of the bodies. The identity of the individual as spirit soul, which is imperishable. The nature of time. How lust and wrath combine to devour a person of an otherwise rational disposition.

Friend1: Listen, I get what you are saying. Read Bhagavad-gita first. Then Shrimad Bhagavatam. Understand this universe and how nature works. Then go to the source. Learn how He creates. Then jump into His lila.

Friend2: Because you will have the proper understanding. If I know that material bodies are nothing more than combinations of the different material elements, then a person having ten-heads is not a big deal. A monkey-like species can surely appear. It is nothing astonishing, considering that the planets stay in orbit, that the sun continues to provide heat and light, and that the seasons arrive on schedule.

Friend1: Okay, but we are in the age of the internet. Anyone can find anything they want in a matter of seconds. If they stumble upon the Ramayana or a discussion about it, won’t they fail to understand properly?

Friend2: Absolutely. There is nothing you can do about that. If a person is sincere in their endeavor, they will get help from the Almighty. He will remove their doubts, just as He did for the bow-warrior named Arjuna. If they are with ill-intent, then they will never understand, even if God appears right in front of their eyes, as He did with Ravana.

In Closing:

Only when sincere effort making,

Bhagavan then impetus taking.

To help complex subject to understand,

Otherwise to reject out of hand.

Like from ten-headed king reading,

Or a talking-monkey over ocean proceeding.

Best with Bhagavad-gita as foundation,

And then to other texts rotation.