Likely Never To See Again

“Looking sideways, up, down and even below, she then saw that Hanuman of inconceivable intelligence, minister to the lord of monkeys, and the son of the wind-god, looking like the rising sun.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 31.19)

sā tiryag ūrdhvam ca tathā api adhastān |
nirīkṣamāṇā tam acintya buddhim |
dadarśa pinga adhipateḥ amātyam |
vāta ātmajam sūryam iva udayastham ||

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In our youth, one way to show our displeasure at someone is to simply not speak to them.

“That’s it. I’m going to give them the silent treatment. What they did was beyond the limit of tolerable acts. It’s like what England did one time to the colonists in America: the Intolerable Acts. I’m not going to speak with them again.”

This choice has a more dramatic effect when we see the recipient on a regular basis. In adulthood the same tactic usually isn’t so effective. You can be giving someone the silent treatment without them ever knowing about it. Indeed, with every person we know, we are destined at one point to never speak with them again. Regardless the situation, whether happy or sad, whether in sight of the person of interest or not, Shri Hanuman and his words remain like the rising sun to again give us hope.

Think of watching a clock ticking down. Perhaps you’re heating something up in the microwave. You look at the minutes and seconds as they wind down. In that instance the time moves slow, but imagine if you were watching the same countdown for your own life. Indeed, we each have one of these clocks and it starts to tick down as soon as we exit the womb. As Lord Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita, one who takes birth must die. Death is the other end to birth, with the lifetime fitting in between.

jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyur

dhruvaṁ janma mṛtasya ca

tasmād aparihārye 'rthe

na tvaṁ śocitum arhasi

“For one who has taken his birth, death is certain; and for one who is dead, birth is certain. Therefore, in the unavoidable discharge of your duty, you should not lament.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.27)

As death is guaranteed, the association of everyone we know will eventually be lost forever. The idea of never speaking to someone again is sure to happen. No matter how wonderful they are, how much they’ve done for us, how dear they remain to us, how long we’ve known them, how good things look at the moment - we are bound to lose their association at some point. Either we will leave first or they will enter the next destination for the soul before us.

Sita Devi appeared to be in a situation where she would never again see her dear husband. She was separated from Him in the Ashoka grove in Lanka. This was not her choice. She did not want to be there. She only thought of when she would see Him again. Her husband, like her, was incredibly sweet, kind, innocent and always attentive to the concerns of others. They were both sinless, and they were undergoing the terrible ordeal of separation due to the wickedness of someone else.

To this blameless lady came Hanuman, who was like a rising sun with his words of nectar. Hanuman was sent by Rama, Sita’s husband, to look for her. He risked everything, including never again seeing his friends in the forest kingdom of Kishkindha. He moved ahead bravely, and from his words directed to Sita we see that his strong familiarity with Rama’s true nature is what guided him. Hanuman knew that work for Rama never goes in vain. He knew that to please Rama and Sita is to make the most of this life.

Hanuman’s words momentarily brought back the association of a loved one. In their earthly pastimes, like everyone else Sita and Rama would eventually have to separate for good. But we know from the Ramayana and other works of Vedic literature that they remain together forever. Rama is God and Sita His eternal consort.

This means that Hanuman can be like the rising sun to anyone. Doing the exact same thing, voicing accurate, beautiful and well-timed words about Rama and His family acts like the rising sun to the living entity otherwise in darkness. Today, tomorrow, or sometime in the future all the attachments we have formed will vanish. This makes our journey through life quite sad, and the only savior is the rising sun of words of the Supreme Lord. He is our friend for this life and beyond. He stays with us as the Supersoul within the heart. He does this whether we ask Him to or not.

In hearing the words that describe Him, we take advantage of that association. That person whom we previously thought to not exist turns out to be our best friend through life. He remains the one to remember at the key moment of death, guaranteeing His association in the next life. And it all happens from words that bring Him to life, words that Hanuman so kindly offered to Sita.

In Closing;

Association we’d like to keep forever,

But destined to see again never.

 

With Supreme Lord it is not so,

Through sound towards Him we go.

 

His message to Sita Devi brought,

By Hanuman, after intelligent thought.

 

With that sound company then to keep,

Fruit of the human existence to reap.

The Rising Sun

“Looking sideways, up, down and even below, she then saw that Hanuman of inconceivable intelligence, minister to the lord of monkeys, and the son of the wind-god, looking like the rising sun.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 31.19)

sā tiryag ūrdhvam ca tathā api adhastān |
nirīkṣamāṇā tam acintya buddhim |
dadarśa pinga adhipateḥ amātyam |
vāta ātmajam sūryam iva udayastham ||

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Shri Hanuman is many things. He is a friend. In fact, he is the best friend you could have. He’s willing to risk his life for you after having only been your friend for a short time. He is a warrior. He can fight the good fight without any fear. He has doubts sometimes, for sure. He is not always certain of which path to take. To clear the uncertainty, he deliberates fully, which shows his intelligence. That intelligence is described here as inconceivable; we can’t really compare it to anything we’ve seen.

Hanuman is also a minister. He gets orders from someone and then follows through on them. He doesn’t need to be told again and again what to do. Using his intelligence he derives the essence of the instructions and then figures out a way for the mission to get completed. Since he has faithfully and successfully carried out many tasks for his minister, he gets a vote of confidence from Shri Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His incarnation as a warrior prince who roamed this earth during the Treta Yuga, or second time period of creation.

“In all respects, the lord of monkeys [Sugriva] is certain about Hanuman's ability to meet the objective, and Hanuman is even more certain of his ability to carry out the work necessary for success.” (Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kand, 44.9)

Hanuman is also a son. He is the offspring of the wind, which is a vital aspect of nature. Disease enters the body when the flow of the wind, or air, gets obstructed. To cure disease means to better allow the air to flow within the body. Perfection of mystic yoga is based on the control of this air. Being the wind-god’s son, it is not surprising that Hanuman would have full mastery over the perfections of yoga. Hence he is also a yogi.

The Ramayana gives us another description for Hanuman. He is like the rising sun. As we live in a world of duality, the rising sun can be either a good thing or a bad thing. If I’m a criminal who waits for the nighttime to commit my unlawful acts, the rising sun is not auspicious for me. On the other hand, if I’m surrounded by unwanted darkness, the rising sun is my savior. The sun gives me hope. Not only does it vanquish the horrible night, but since it is rising it leaves potential for the rest of the day. The setting sun would be helpful too, but since it is on its way down, I know that darkness again is imminent.

In this instance, the rising sun is auspicious for the person in question. This is because she had been surrounded by figurative darkness for a long time. Female ogres of cruel deeds harassed her day and night. She was already married but since they worked for the evil king, they were ordered to try to scare her into changing her mind. This woman refused. Named Sita by her father Janaka, she was known throughout the world for her chastity, for her unflinching vow of devotion to her dear husband, Shri Rama.

Hanuman found her in the Ashoka grove in Lanka. Bearing a message from Rama. he introduced himself by first speaking of Rama’s glories from atop a tree branch. When Sita heard these words, she looked around everywhere. After gazing up, down and sideways she finally spotted Hanuman. To her he looked like the rising sun. This is true because of the darkness of the situation. The ogres lived in the mode of darkness as well. Three modes of nature govern behavior, and the lowest of the low are in darkness, or tamo-guna.

tamas tv ajñāna-jaṁ viddhi

mohanaṁ sarva-dehinām

pramādālasya-nidrābhis

tan nibadhnāti bhārata

“O son of Bharata, the mode of ignorance causes the delusion of all living entities. The result of this mode is madness, indolence and sleep, which bind the conditioned soul.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 14.8)

Hanuman was like a sun on the rise since he was to vanquish that darkness. It cannot survive around him. It cannot survive around Sita, either. She remained in pure goodness and so did Hanuman. His news of Rama was like sunshine in that dark area. And so in any time where there is darkness of ignorance, where the people are lacking knowledge of their true identity as spirit and the ultimate purpose of the human mission, the sound of the description of God which arrives is like the rising sun.

And the more that sun shines, the more the previously dominant darkness stays away. No longer is there fear that the life will go in vain. No longer is there a strong attachment to the temporary, which is always changing and is destined to leave. No longer is there the misery of repeated days of unfulfilled dreams. The sound of the description of God brings eternal hope. Even if the previous day saw joy, the next is not automatically worse. Instead, the happiness is always increasing. Hanuman is indeed the rising sun to dissipate the darkness of Kali Yuga, and from hearing the Ramayana repeatedly the brightness from that sun increases further and further.

In Closing:

Hearing words about Rama a surprise,

Spotted Hanuman looking like sun on the rise.

 

Message of husband to Sita to give,

So that no longer in fear to live.

 

True mission of life we don’t know,

So roaming in darkness we go.

 

Hanuman the same light on us to shine,

For devotion is meant this life of mine.

Who Is Smart

“Looking sideways, up, down and even below, she then saw that Hanuman of inconceivable intelligence, minister to the lord of monkeys, and the son of the wind-god, looking like the rising sun.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 31.19)

sā tiryag ūrdhvam ca tathā api adhastān |
nirīkṣamāṇā tam acintya buddhim |
dadarśa pinga adhipateḥ amātyam |
vāta ātmajam sūryam iva udayastham ||

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What makes a person smart? Have you ever considered this? Perhaps we know a few people who we believe have a higher intelligence than the average person. On what basis do we make this determination? Perhaps they are quick to figure out the proper wiring for connecting the new television set that we purchased. Perhaps they can fix our computer when it starts to malfunction. Maybe they score very high on a standardized exam. This verse from the Ramayana describes a person as having inconceivable intelligence. This means that it is not possible to measure; that’s how smart he is. From the context we see how that intelligence is used and why he earns this unique distinction.

By the way, the person addressed here is in a monkey’s body. According to some theories, the humans evolved from the monkeys. The smartest ones gathering together, generating offspring, leaving a more advanced species in the next generation - the idea is that from something less intelligent you get something more intelligent.

But actually, how are the human beings more intelligent? The monkey does not worry over mortgage payments. It does not lament the breakup of fictional characters on a television show. It does not get angry when someone insults it. In fact, it doesn’t really worry very much. This is the case with most animals. They eat, sleep, mate and defend.

The so-called intelligent human being may be able to solve complex math equations and even deduce that their own death is imminent, but do they know how to make the best use of their life? From their advanced intelligence they find new ways to exploit the material nature, which is meant to be used by all. In previous generations, man could sit down to a meal in peace, holding a conversation with others at the table. Thanks to the work of the smartest among us, now man constantly checks their mobile telephone, incapable of breaking away from it. They have to be warned to not send messages on their phone while driving. Thus through intelligence there is less peace.

Though the person addressed here is in a monkey’s body, he has intelligence which is beyond measure. The context explains the reasoning for this description. Here he is in a foreign territory, but that isn’t so noteworthy. Monkeys are known to jump from tree to tree. The monkey here is on a tree branch, also.

The person here is looking down at a distressed princess. Again, nothing too amazing. If you can climb up a tree, certainly you’d be expected to look down on the people at the ground level from time to time. The person here hid himself. This takes a little more intelligence, but that doesn’t make the monkey noteworthy. Anyone who is in a place they shouldn’t be will try to conceal themselves.

The various aspects to this scene become important once we see the mission assigned to the monkey. That’s right. He wasn’t simply roaming around looking for food. He wasn’t going through a typical monkey day where they steal from others. The monkey named Hanuman leaped across a massive ocean to reach this small garden of Ashoka trees. He was not to be discovered. If others found out, the mission would be jeopardized. There was no book to consult. There was no best-selling author who could guide him on how to reach an island far, far away, enter it, and then find a person who was being hidden from everyone else. There was no smartphone to use for looking up directions. Hanuman had to go it all alone.

Consider also that the reconnaissance wasn’t enough. It takes a smart person to find this missing princess, but then he had to also speak with her. It is after introducing himself in some way that he gets the description of inconceivably intelligent, achintya buddhi. He figured out a way to speak to this princess without startling her. He gave her very important news about her husband, from whom she was separated for a while, against her will. That news made her so happy.

The most intelligent person in the world uses their brain for serving God. They do not work so hard for the sake of science, which is used to explain that of which already enough is known. The lesser intelligent species don’t have science to study, and they seem to survive just fine. Service to God is the boon of the human existence, and only the truly intelligent will take it up. Hanuman of an inconceivable intelligence excels at it; he figures out ways to make God happy every single day.

That intelligence can be our guide as well, showing us the way towards real happiness, which comes only in service to the origin of all things. Sita is His wife in their play on earth, and she is with Him eternally in their spiritual home. Hanuman uses his intelligence for pleasing her, which pleases her dear husband Rama too. And those who please Hanuman get the gift of the light of knowledge to be used in pleasing the same Sita and Rama.

In Closing:

Across ocean a journey unbelievable,

Then showing intelligence inconceivable.

 

In words to Sita Devi sending,

Through sound her broken heart mending.

 

To please Supreme Lord way finding,

Obstacles thrown his way never minding.

 

Hanuman, of great qualities a host,

Pleases Sita and Rama using intelligence the most.

Anusmaranti

“Hearing those words of that monkey, and looking around at all quarters and all regions, Sita was remembering Rama fully and obtained a supreme thrill of delight.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 31.18)

niśamya sītā vacanam kapeśca |
diśaśca sarvāḥ pradiśaśca vīkṣya |
svayam praharṣaṃ paramaṃ jagāma |
sarvātmanā rāmamanusmarantī ||

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How great is Hanuman, you ask? Where does he stand amongst historical figures? Actually, it’s not possible to describe him fully in one lifetime. Though he is single-minded, his glories cover all areas of importance. It would be too simplistic to say that he is a great devotee of the Supreme Lord. It would be almost insulting to remember him only as a very strong individual, capable of lifting mountains. If you were forced to choose one thing to remember about him, you couldn’t go wrong by recalling the time he allowed Sita Devi to remember her dear husband in full.

Anusmaranti - this is the Sanskrit word used in this verse from the Ramayana to give us an indication of what resulted after Hanuman described Shri Rama to the distressed princess in the Ashoka grove in Lanka. Hanuman was not entirely sure who this woman was. He had to base his judgment on outward symptoms. He had not met her previously. Yet the most important people in the world to him were counting on his pattern matching abilities. He was the last man standing in a search that spanned the world and consisted of thousands of eager, loyal and capable warriors.

They were true warriors in that they were fearless. Their only worry was that their leader, Sugriva, would be extremely upset at them for not succeeding. This concern could only be relieved by Hanuman, who was the lone Vanara from the Kishkindha kingdom to make it to where Sita had been taken against her will. By finding Sita and seeing her, he was ready to give a wonderful account of his journey to his friends, once he would see them again.

Before he would return, he was intent on letting Sita know that her husband was looking for her. Thinking that she would have no way of knowing if he was a friend or foe, Hanuman chose the surefire way to accurately reveal one’s character: attempt to describe God. So many ways to describe the infinite there are, so what was Hanuman to do? Well, Sita knew God very intimately in His incarnation of Shri Ramachandra, the eldest son to the king of Ayodhya, Dasharatha.

Hanuman described that Rama to the best of his ability. And how effective were his words? Did he do a good job? Here we get the answer. Sita felt a supreme thrill of delight. This came by remembering Rama in all ways. From birth up until that point in the timeline of Rama’s appearance on earth - Hanuman covered everything beautifully. He allowed for Sita to remember.

The anusmaranti shows that there is a way to have the association of a very dear person without them being nearby. We are greatly saddened by the loss of a loved one. That they have left this world means that we now have a void to fill. Also, it is chilling to think that we will never talk to that person again. We will never again be able to express to them what they mean to us. Death is so final for the living.

From anusmaranti, we can bring back that person’s association. With Rama you have the best person to remember. We think that He is not with us right now, for we lack the vision necessary for perceiving the Divine. We think that we can’t talk to Him and that He can’t hear us, so we lament and instead choose to make gods out of ordinary living entities.

Through a beautiful description of Him, however, we can remember Him in full. And that remembrance brings so much delight that it can’t be measured. In this way we see how great Hanuman is. He leaps over massive oceans for his friends. He uses his mastery over mystic yoga to figure out how to enter an enemy territory unnoticed. He uses his skill in Sanskrit composition and poetry to put together a flawless extemporaneous speech that allows another person to fully remember God.

But most of all he shows that love for Rama is what guides him. And that love is all he needs, which means that the same applies to everyone else. We can make the most of this single life by retrieving the association of our best friend. He is the only well-wisher of every living entity, from the criminals to the saints. He is the supreme enjoyer to all sacrifices and austerities, which means that our best friend should be the beneficiary of our work. And He is the Supreme Lord of everything, all the planets, so we can take comfort knowing that the person who wishes us the best has control over everything; no one surpasses Him in anything.

One way to know His greatness is to observe Hanuman, who brings delight to blameless goddesses like Sita. He brings delight to those who want to remember Rama, who feel as if life is slipping away from them if they don’t get to remember Him on a daily basis. Hanuman allows for that remembrance to happen in full, which means no one can surpass him in kindness.

In Closing:

Association of loved one we’ve lost,

To bring them back would pay any cost.

 

To remember is way one,

Same with Supreme Lord is done.

 

Hanuman told of Rama while in tree to hide,

So Sita remembered though not by His side,

 

Facilitated by Hanuman’s wonderful narration,

Extemporaneous speech of Lord’s glorification.

Dying a Happy Man

“Hearing those words of that monkey, and looking around at all quarters and all regions, Sita was remembering Rama fully and obtained a supreme thrill of delight.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 31.18)

niśamya sītā vacanam kapeśca |
diśaśca sarvāḥ pradiśaśca vīkṣya |
svayam praharṣaṃ paramaṃ jagāma |
sarvātmanā rāmamanusmarantī ||

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If you haven’t figured it out by now, you can’t stay in your present body forever. To let you in on another little secret: you’ve already discarded so many bodies. You’ll never get your youth back. You’ll never again be the same size you were when you first learned to walk. Since you can look back on that time today, it means that whatever it is that defines you does not relate to the body. The event known as death is when you have to give up everything related to this body, including memory. That memory is part of the subtle body consisting of mind, intelligence and false ego. The soul is transcendental to all of this, and so it remains alive after this current body gets left behind for good.

bhūmir āpo 'nalo vāyuḥ

khaṁ mano buddhir eva ca

ahaṅkāra itīyaṁ me

bhinnā prakṛtir aṣṭadhā

“Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego - altogether these eight comprise My separated material energies.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.4)

Since you, I, and everyone else are destined to give up our bodies, what is the best way to live? More specifically, is there one thing that we could accomplish that would allow us to die in peace? The phrase, “Now I can die a happy man,” speaks to this issue. Perhaps if you live long enough to see the birth of your great-grandchildren you will feel as if everything is alright. Perhaps if you met all your financial goals, where you had enough money to support you and your family, you would feel at peace at the time of death. From this verse from the Ramayana, Shri Hanuman again teaches us so much. By this description we see that he has reached the best achievement in life. Indeed, anyone who accomplishes the same can very easily die a happy man. Yet Hanuman continues on, showing that in the highest state of consciousness the activity is endless.

What exactly has he done that is so special? He simply described Rama. He started by describing Rama’s father on earth, King Dasharatha. Why should talking about a king be so important? Hanuman accurately described that famous ruler of Ayodhya appearing in the Ikshvaku dynasty. Though he roamed this earth so many thousands of years ago, Dasharatha led an exemplary life. He fulfilled his commitments to his citizens, his preceptors, the governors of material affairs residing in the heavenly realm, and the forefathers. He did everything with detachment, keeping an eye on everyone’s welfare at the same time.

To that great king appeared a son named Rama. Not an ordinary person with a Sanskrit name that means “the source of all transcendental pleasure,” this was THE Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead in a wonderful incarnation form. So while sitting atop a tree branch, hidden from view in the Ashoka grove, Hanuman described Dasharatha and Rama. Though such an exercise brings so much joy on its own, Hanuman had another purpose. The words were meant to reach the ears of Sita, Rama’s wife.

This verse from the Ramayana says that Sita experienced a supreme thrill of delight. Paramam means “supreme” and praharsham means “supreme joy” or “thrill of delight.” Imagine the happiest moment of your life, when you felt a thrill. Take that moment and then put the adjective “supreme” in front of it and you get an idea of what Sita felt like from hearing Hanuman’s words.

The words didn’t just sound good. It wasn’t like listening to an ordinary song with a nice melody. The words had a specific effect. They allowed Sita to remember Rama in full. Sarvatmana means “in all ways” or “without any reservations.” This is worth mentioning here because the situation was such that remembering anyone dear to Sita was difficult. At the time she was separated from Rama, and not by choice. The evil king of Lanka took her away by force in secret. Seeing that she would not give in to his sexual advances, Ravana ordered his cruelest attendants to harass and threaten Sita day and night.

Remembering Rama fully became viable because Hanuman described Him so well. So he brought Sita supreme delight in a situation where she really needed it. Thus Hanuman’s achievement stands alone. Bringing delight to someone so dear to the Supreme Lord is enough to fulfill life’s mission. Nothing can be done to take away that achievement, and so it is no wonder that Hanuman is so dear to both Sita and Rama.

And yet Hanuman’s work was not done. Though he had already accomplished more than was asked of him, he would continue to work to please Sita and Rama. This means that spiritual life is an endless engagement. It is not a race to the finish, for even meeting the highest objective of pleasing someone so wonderful as Sita does not mean that everything stops. Hanuman allowed Sita to remember Rama, and Valmiki allows us to remember Hanuman. And a saint in the line of spiritual succession allows us to remember Valmiki and other previous saints. The chain continues, with boundless excitement in store for whoever is fortunate enough to lend time to hearing about topics of the Supreme Lord.

In Closing:

Death to happen, my words believe,

So how life’s true mission to achieve?

 

A trick really, no end is meant,

When time in bhakti-yoga spent.

 

Hanuman to Sita bringing supreme thrill,

Thoughts of Rama in her mind to fill.

 

Though highest achievement he got,

In bhakti his work never to stop.

Who Wants To Be Happy

“And she has been found by me, for with respect to her appearance, her complexion, and her beauty she is just as I heard from Rama.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 31.15)

yathā rūpām yathā varṇām yathā lakṣmīm viniścitām ||
aśrauṣam rāghavasya aham sā iyam āsāditā mayā |

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“If you want to be happy, you have to be God conscious.” The Vaishnava, the person who is always thinking of God, offers this instruction. Wherever they are, in whatever situation they find themselves, they can immediately call to mind the wonderful features of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The form conjured up in the mind is identical with the original person. As His attributes are spiritual in nature, the Lord automatically becomes all-pervading. He can appear at any time and to any person. And just as His features give pleasure to the mind of the devotee, so too does the vision of those dear to Him, such as Sita Devi.

“You are following such and such sect. That may work for you, but it won’t for me.” This is the retort of the less intelligent, who understand not the true purpose to the human life. There is a mission, and it is the same for every individual. Just like the founders of a non-profit organization will craft a mission statement to let others know what they are about, about why they are different from a profit venture, the human being distinguishes itself from the other species through the mission of life. This mission is the same for other species as well, but they don’t have the cognitive power to understand.

In this human form of life, the time is ripe for understanding Brahman, which is spirit. You need this understanding to be happy. So in other words, the mission for the human being is to seek out the happiness that has thus far been elusive. The previous birth could have been in a human species as well. This means that the mission wasn’t met before. Never mind, though, as all the mistakes of the past get erased through the spiritual understanding.

“The many past births you spoiled can be rectified right now, today, if you start chanting Shri Rama’s holy name and renounce bad association, says Tulsi.” (Dohavali, 22)

There are different paths for fulfilling the mission. There is jnana, or knowledge acquisition. There is karma, or fruitive work. There is meditational yoga. Each has its strong points, and depending on the nature of the person one path may be ideal while another may not. There is also bhakti, or devotion. Bhakti stands apart because it is the stage of culmination. All others reach bhakti eventually. If you start with bhakti, however, you save a lot of time. You don’t need the qualifications of the other paths, and you don’t have to wait as long for your result.

And what is that result? What can the spiritual understanding do for us? It gives us a divine vision. From that vision we get energized to continue working in bliss. Think of it like getting a boost of energy from the morning bagel with cream cheese. Think of it like waking up refreshed from a long night’s slumber. The soul, the animating force within every living creature, is by nature blissful. It is for this reason that the human being seeks happiness. Eternal bliss only comes in devotion, or bhakti, and in the advanced stage there is never exhaustion. The enthusiasm to serve continues.

Case in point Shri Hanuman. He is always in bhakti-yoga, always linked to the supreme consciousness. He does not require rehabilitation. He does not need to have his mind made right. If we disagree with a particular political party, and if we are a person of influence, that party may send leaders to visit us to get us to change our mind. They will try every which way to convince us that we are wrong. Such are the ways of the material world that what we think is right isn’t always, and what so many others say to be true may not be so.

In spiritual life, the truth of the supremacy, kindness, and unmatched opulences of the Supreme Lord remains valid at all times. Denial of the fact means falling into the material ocean, the land of duality. Shri Hanuman knows God. He knows Him because he has met Him. Hanuman met Him in the Kishkindha forest. Immediately, Hanuman took up devotion. He accepted Rama as His guru, which is in fact the Lord’s position. He is the param-guru, the supreme teacher from whom all other spiritual teachers get their shakti, or potency.

The param-guru Rama told Hanuman about Sita, who is Rama’s wife. He told Hanuman what to look for when conducting the search for her, a search in which many other eager servants were also involved. In this verse from the Ramayana, Hanuman says that the woman in the Ashoka grove is the very Sita for whom he has been searching. Hanuman knows this because her beauty, complexion and overall appearance are just as Rama described.

In the same way, know that the benefits of devotional service are just as the Vaishnava describes. There is happiness in serving the Supreme Lord. It is true, despite what we may think at the outset. Hanuman worked very hard, and in the end he found Sita. He maintained faith in Rama’s words despite every obstacle thrown his way. The Vaishnava’s words are originally Rama’s, just presented in a specific way to suit the time and circumstance. So when the guru asks us to always chant the holy names, we can take it with confidence that the practice will benefit us. We will fulfill the mission of life through the sound of the holy mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Features of lady completion to spell,

Just as to him Shri Rama did tell.

 

Like words from Supreme Lord true,

To bring success also instruction of guru.

 

Though at first see the end we can’t,

Still advised for holy names to chant.

 

Like when Hanuman Rama’s wife seeing,

Devotee in bhakti always happy being.

Trusting the Guru’s Words

“And she has been found by me, for with respect to her appearance, her complexion, and her beauty she is just as I heard from Rama.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 31.15)

yathā rūpām yathā varṇām yathā lakṣmīm viniścitām ||
aśrauṣam rāghavasya aham sā iyam āsāditā mayā |

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In the Vedic tradition of spirituality, you don’t realize God all by yourself. It’s not like you get a divine revelation and then after that share with the world what you saw. For the truly serious transcendentalist, who is looking to fulfill the mission of a human existence, the immediate goal is not even to just have this vision of the divine. The preferred method is to act in a way that the Supreme Lord will notice you and from there shower His mercy upon you.

How do you determine the proper way to act? Is it discovered through contemplation? Does it come in a dream? Actually, everything gets passed on by the guru, or spiritual master. If he is bona fide and if you have trust in him, everything will work out eventually. Even if you’re not so convinced in the beginning, if you maintain faith in the guru’s words, you’ll eventually receive the benefit. The above referenced verse from the Ramayana is proof of this.

Here Shri Hanuman reveals how he has concluded that the beautiful woman seen below him from the tree is indeed the beloved wife of Shri Rama. She is Sita Devi, the daughter of King Janaka who received her name due to the unique circumstances of her birth. She emerged from the ground, and so Janaka named her Sita. She is also known by the name Janaki because of her father.

Hanuman was sent to find her. She had gone missing. Hanuman did not know what she looked like. He had never met her before. He accepted the mission from Sugriva, the monkey-king who was working on behalf of Rama, the prince from Ayodhya. Rama was thus the guru in this situation. He explained to Hanuman the features of Sita. He explained her golden complexion, her loveliness, and her beauty and opulences.

Hanuman took the information that Rama gave him and used it to make a pattern match. He could not know for sure whether this person was indeed Sita, for he had yet to speak to her. These words were uttered within her audible range, meaning that these were the first words coming from Hanuman to Sita. If this woman wasn’t Rama’s wife, Hanuman would be wasting his efforts. He would be risking getting caught as well, for he was in an enemy territory at the time. The people of Lanka wouldn’t take too kindly to having one of Rama’s messengers enter their city uninvited.

The trust in Rama’s words was there, so Hanuman knew that this woman was Sita, that the mission reached a successful end. Hanuman is a liberated soul who is always engaged in devotional service. Therefore he will always trust in Rama’s words. The conditioned souls, who unfortunately travel through the cycle of birth and death for a seemingly indefinite period of time, rarely get the chance to hear from one of Rama’s messengers, let alone act on the advice they give.

manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu

kaścid yatati siddhaye

yatatām api siddhānāṁ

kaścin māṁ vetti tattvataḥ

“Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.3)

The guru who is a true representative of Shri Rama or one of His incarnations, including His original form of Krishna, advises the sincere student to always be conscious of God.

“Think of Him. This is your main goal. Whatever you can do to make that happen, do it. Whatever gets in the way of your thinking, try to remove it from your daily life.”

These are the guiding principles, but the guru gives still further information, helpful hints. They say to always chant the holy names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

“Make a routine out of this. Get a japa mala, or string of beads, and chant the mantra repeatedly, going around those beads. Go around at least sixteen times a day.”

The doubting soul may not initially understand the purpose to this routine.

“What is repeating a mantra going to do for me? Why not just really concentrate and chant the mantra one time? Wouldn’t that be better than acting like a robot?”

The guru also advises to refrain from meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex. They say to offer food to the Supreme Lord and to describe His glories to whomever you meet.

The recommendations may not make sense in the beginning, but one who faithfully acts on such instruction will get the benefit in the end. Hanuman acted on Rama’s words and he was rewarded with the sight of Sita, who is the most beautiful woman to have ever graced this earth. His work didn’t stop there, as he continued to serve both Sita and Rama, making him boundlessly happy in the process. In the same way the soul who follows bhakti-yoga, having full faith in the representative of the Lord, who enthusiastically serves both Sita and Rama in the model of Hanuman, will eventually see God and understand Him with firm conviction.

In Closing:

The beautiful princess he could see,

Hanuman while perched on a tree.

 

Since Rama’s words to trust,

This woman is Sita, it must.

 

In guru have faith the same,

And daily chant holy name.

 

Success to come your way,

Soon enough, if not today.

Vegavan

“By the words of Sampati, I swiftly leapt across the ocean, extending one hundred yojanas, for the sake of this wide-eyed lady.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 31.14)

aham sampātivacanācchatayojanamāyatam ||
asyā hetorviśālākṣyāḥ sāgaraṃ vegavān plutaḥ |

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Shri Hanuman is dear to Sita and Rama for so many reasons. There is his kindness. He is always looking out for their welfare. There is his compassion. If he sees either one of them in distress, he too feels distress. There is his intelligence. He uses his sharp mind for devising schemes to please them. He uses his brain to find ways out of difficult situations, those which hamper his ability to serve them. Another reason he is dear to them is that he does not waste a single moment in service. He is never idle due to laziness. On the contrary, he is always alert, moving swiftly to wherever he is needed.

“Oh, sure. No problem. I’ll take care of it. Let me get back home first and then I’ll look into it. Don’t worry.” We have likely uttered these words many times when asked for a favor. We mean it when we promise to do something, but if we know that the job isn’t that difficult, we’ll put it off until later. Who wants another task to complete in an already jam-packed schedule? Who wants to be burdened with another responsibility when so many others are higher in priority at the moment?

This procrastination increases the odds of completely forgetting about the task. Then the person who asked will have to remind us of it later on. They will not take too kindly to our forgetfulness, for it shows a lack of respect. There is a hint of dishonesty as well, as we promised them that we would take care of things. We didn’t tell them the truth; we didn’t warn them that we’d forget about the request a few minutes after promising to complete it.

A group of forest dwellers many thousands of years ago received an assignment of utmost urgency. They were told to scour the earth in search of a missing princess. These forest dwellers were monkey-like, and they had a unique ability to assume any shape they desired. Think of it like losing or gaining weight in a matter of seconds instead of days. Think of it like putting on a costume without having to go to the store to purchase clothes.

They carried out the mission since it was assigned by the king of forest dwellers, Sugriva. But there was little success. Despite their enthusiasm in the mission and their ability to range about, they could not find the princess. Shri Hanuman did not lose faith, however. Upon hearing the valuable intelligence offered by the bird named Sampati, Hanuman leapt across the ocean. The distance crossed was one hundred yojanas, or roughly eight hundred miles. Hanuman did this for the sake of the wide-eyed Sita, the wife of Shri Rama. Sugriva was Rama’s friend, and so the mission he assigned was for Rama’s benefit.

In this verse from the Ramayana, Hanuman describes how he came to Lanka, the place at which he presently sits. These words are directed to Sita, who is hearing of Hanuman and the forest-dwellers in Kishkindha for the first time. Hanuman uses the word vegavan, which means very swift. This is how he leapt across the ocean. He covered eight hundred miles very quickly. There was no time for rest. He was offered a resting place by the mountain named Mainaka. Hanuman accepted the kind gesture by simply touching his hand to the mountain peak instead of stopping.

“O Sita, see the golden lord of mountains [Mainaka], which is golden-peaked and which rose up, piercing the ocean, to provide rest to Hanuman.” (Lord Rama speaking to Sita Devi, Valmiki Ramayana, Yuddha Kand, 123.18)

Imagine a total stranger doing such a thing for you. They have never met you. They don’t know much about you. They just know that your spouse is a wonderful person. From that splendid character they judge that you are worthy of whatever risk is necessary for rescue. It is difficult for us to imagine this situation, but this is precisely what occurred with Shri Hanuman. He faced many obstacles, and he didn’t have anyone guiding him along the way. He gathered information here and there, but there was no guarantee of success. Still, he maintained his vegavan attribute. He knew that time was of the essence, and so he did not waste a single moment.

In the same way, for the human being time is extremely valuable, especially as it relates to meeting the mission of life. In so many previous lifetimes there was plenty of time for sleep, food, sex life, and general idleness. The human being is advised to wake up, jiva jago, as Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says, and reclaim their constitutional engagement of devotional service. One who acts swiftly in serving the Supreme Lord becomes dear to Shri Hanuman, who is always dear to Sita and Rama.

In Closing:

All attributes in service to use,

For Hanuman not a moment to lose.

 

Despite obstacles many and risky,

Coursed through sky reaching Lanka swiftly.

 

All done for Sita and Rama’s sake,

And for Sugriva successful mission to make.

 

Time now for living entity to go with speed,

Waking to spiritual life following Vegavan’s lead.

Not a Sour Grapes Renunciation

“Having killed Vali, then Rama, a conqueror of others’ cities, gave away that kingdom of monkeys to the very powerful Sugriva.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 31.12)

tataḥ sa vālinam htvā rāmaḥ parapuranjayaḥ ||
prāyacchatkapirājyam tatsugrīvāya mahābalaḥ |

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In the Vishnu Purana, Parashara Muni gives a nice definition for Bhagavan, or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. God is great, we know. But when we don’t know exactly what greatness entails, it is tempting to assign the status of “divine” to an ordinary person. Upon reading the ancient Sanskrit texts of India, at first glance it may seem like this was done with historical personalities such as Rama and Krishna. From taking stock of Parashara Muni’s description, however, we see that there is evidence to the claim that Rama is the Supreme Lord.

“Full wealth, strength, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation - these are the six opulences of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Vishnu Purana 6.5.47)

The word “bhagavan” means one who possesses all fortunes, or opulences. It is possible to enumerate those opulences. God is all beautiful, all powerful, all knowledgeable, all wealthy and all famous. These should make sense to us. If someone is God, they must have the most money. No one can be richer than God, for whatever commodity a currency is based on originally belongs to the Supreme Lord. And of course God is the most famous. Everyone knows Him. To create on such a grand scale, God would have to be the most knowledgeable. To hold up every planet in its orbit means that the supreme controller has the most power. The beauty of this creation shows the creative mind of God. His handiwork is one way to appreciate His own beauty, but also there is the form of the Supreme Lord which is the best sight for the eyes to rest upon.

There is a sixth opulence. We might not think of this one right away. It is renunciation. No one is more renounced than God. In illusion we think that it is a good thing to have an attachment to a spouse. “Find the person of your dreams and fall in love together. Formally take vows in front of your friends and family and in this way ride off into the sunset.” But in fact that sunset is not always so pleasant. When there is strong attachment, there is a higher chance for anger. From anger you eventually lose intelligence. Lost intelligence is not a good thing, and in this case it is rooted in attachment.

krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ

sammohāt smṛti-vibhramaḥ

smṛti-bhraṁśād buddhi-nāśo

buddhi-nāśāt praṇaśyati

“From anger, delusion arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When memory is bewildered, intelligence is lost, and when intelligence is lost, one falls down again into the material pool.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.63)

Renunciation is an opulence because it is not easily acquired and also because it benefits the person who has it. The golfer must be renounced enough from the outcome to continue on after playing a bad hole. The family man should be renounced enough to not continue purchasing so many items that he doesn’t need. The children should be renounced enough to maintain focus on their studies, which are more important than their toys.

Only God is the most renounced. In the material world we can assess any opulence. We can measure to see which person has more or less. Renunciation cannot be complete in the living entity, who is never God, because they don’t have the most to be renounced. Consider it in these terms: if I don’t have something, it is easy for me to live without it. My renunciation isn’t as strong in this instance. If I’ve never been wealthy, it is easier for me to go without so many objects in my life. If I’ve never had interactions with the opposite sex, it makes sense that I can go my whole life remaining celibate. It is for this reason that aspiring transcendentalists are advised to give up the four pillars of sinful life as soon as possible. If you’ve never had association with gambling, meat eating, intoxication or illicit sex, you are very fortunate. You will have an easier time living without these things in adulthood.

God’s renunciation is the greatest since He has the most to start with. In this verse from the Ramayana, Shri Hanuman gives us an example of this fact. Hanuman explains that Shri Rama, the Supreme Lord in a beautiful incarnation of a seemingly human form which roamed this earth millions of years ago, is the conqueror of others’ cities. If you think you are set in your position, that no one can attack you, that no one can take away what you have, know that God can do it in an instant. He doesn’t even have to work directly. He can use His indirect force of time, which is known to devour all.

prahlādaś cāsmi daityānāṁ

kālaḥ kalayatām aham

mṛgāṇāṁ ca mṛgendro 'haṁ

vainateyaś ca pakṣiṇām

“Among the Daitya demons I am the devoted Prahlada; among subduers I am time; among the beasts I am the lion, and among birds I am Garuda, the feathered carrier of Vishnu.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 10.30)

As a warrior prince having grown up in Ayodhya, Rama is capable of conquering any other city using His bow and arrows. Hanuman mentions this trait for two reasons. One is that it is fact. Two is that the person hearing these words is Rama’s wife, who at the time is in distress. She is separated from Rama due to the cruel deeds of the king of Lanka, Ravana. The evil king thought that he was safe, that no one could conquer his city. Hanuman here says otherwise, in the process alleviating some of the concerns Sita may have.

To give proof to the claim, Hanuman mentions how Rama conquered the monkey kingdom by slaying the powerful Vali in battle. This occurred after Sita was taken away from Rama’s side in secret in the Dandaka forest. Keeping in mind that God is the most renounced, Hanuman mentions that Rama gave away that kingdom of monkeys to Sugriva, who is a great soul and a very powerful person himself. This means that Rama gives away the greatest kingdoms after easily conquering them. He has no use for them. He is not after stealing anyone’s property, though everything originally belongs to Him. He is not after hogging any glory for Himself.

These words from Hanuman also foreshadow the fate of Lanka. Rama will conquer that city as well. Keeping with His renunciation, He will give it away to another great soul, Ravana’s younger brother Vibhishana. This is Rama’s kindness. He seeks not anyone’s property. He is pleased when kingdoms are governed by pious souls, who keep Him at the forefront of their consciousness. Though Rama is the most renounced, He never abandons those dear to Him. For this reason, the most renounced souls of this world maintain an attachment to Him, always chanting His names: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

With six opulences, including most renounced,

Bhagavan with all quantities pronounced.

 

Easily any kingdom can conquer,

And then to devoted soul to offer.

 

Like with victory over Vali with bow commanding,

Kingdom of monkeys to Sugriva then handing.

 

Lanka soon to have identical fate too,

For His devotees anything Rama will do.

Rama’s Friends

“Along the path towards finding the irreproachable and goddess-like Sita, in the forest that Rama met the monkey named Sugriva, who became His friend.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 31.11)

sa mārgamāṇastām devīm rāmaḥ sītāmannditām ||
āsasāda vane mitram sugrīvam nāma vānaram |

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You can tell a lot about a person based on their friends. With whom do they spend their time? What sort of people do they value? If they surround themselves with liars, cheats and thieves, it means that likely they are of the same character. If they choose to be with men and women of the saintly character, they are probably of the same nature, or at least striving to be. The Supreme Lord is unique in that He is tied to every single individual. Thus He can find friends anywhere, and due to their relationship to Him, such individuals automatically assume a high stature.

There is a nice verse in the Bhagavad-gita which describes how consciousness spreads throughout the body. Shri Krishna, who is the same Rama but in His original form, says that just as the single sun illuminates the entire universe, so the individual spirit soul gives life to the entire body. We can think of it like the electricity that goes into the home. From a single source everything gets lit. The light in the upstairs bedroom and the light in the living room have their own switches. One can be turned off and another on. They are independent in this sense, but they get their energy from the same source. In the same way, the entire body, which has various components, gets its life from the soul. Without the soul, nothing in the body works.

“The consciousness of the living entity, although qualitatively one with the supreme consciousness, is not supreme because the consciousness of one particular body does not share that of another body. But the Supersoul, which is situated in all bodies as the friend of the individual soul, is conscious of all bodies.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Bhagavad-gita, 13.34 Purport)

This truth informs us that the soul is very powerful, but it is still not the most powerful. That is because the vital force within one body is not the vital force within another. My consciousness is different from your consciousness. This is not the case with the supreme consciousness, which belongs to God. He is in my body as well as yours. In fact, we are expansions from Him, which means that He is actually the life of all that lives. He is conscious of both my activities and yours.

Since He is the supreme consciousness, God is automatically everyone’s best friend. How good a friend is He? No matter how we treat Him, He will stay with us. Sure, if we behave badly, through the laws of the material nature that He creates we get cast into the lower species. Even with this descent the Lord still accompanies us. The supreme consciousness never leaves us; we only forget about it due to our misdeeds.

The concept of the supreme consciousness is the theoretical way to understand how God is everyone’s best friend. The historical accounts of His many activities on this earth give the tangible proof to the fact. God can make friends with anyone. Sita Devi, the wife of the Lord in His incarnation as Shri Rama, knows this very well. While she was residing in the forest of Dandaka with her husband, the evil King of Lanka, Ravana, stole her away in secret. While God is everyone’s friend, Ravana was pretty much everyone’s enemy. Even his friends were only there for convenience’s sake; he liked them because of what they could do for him.

As Ravana was taking Sita back to Lanka via the aerial route, he was initially interrupted by a vulture named Jatayu. This bird was a friend to Rama. A vulture is not considered an auspicious creature, but this soul was very pious and held affection for Rama. Sita already knew Rama’s nature, and in Jatayu she once again saw how God has friends from all walks of life.

Therefore it wasn’t surprising to her later when she heard that Rama made friends with a monkey named Sugriva. This occurred after Sita vanished from sight in the forest. Rama met Sugriva while looking for her. Sita did not know this previously; here she is learning of the fact from Hanuman. This description sets the table for understanding how Hanuman, who is also a monkey, is Rama’s friend as well.

If Rama makes friends with all sorts of creatures, from human beings to animals, why wouldn’t one desire to be His friend? Rama does not discriminate, as the less intelligent religiously minded sometimes do. He does not consider one person to be higher and another to be lower based simply on their bodily appearance. He knows that each individual is eligible for the highest achievement in life, residence in the supreme abode. A desire alone sparks the journey towards that residence.

A simple act in friendship reveals the presence of that desire. Sugriva and Hanuman were Rama’s friends, and today they have a very high stature. Sita too is a blameless divine lady. In fact, anyone associated with Rama in friendship has a high stature, making Rama the true touchstone. The most fallen can turn into the most respected through affection for Him, which is shown through remembering Him and saying His names with love: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

From creatures large and small,

Rama can make friends with them all.

 

Doesn’t matter from where they came,

Like Jatayu and monkey Sugriva named.

 

One an inauspicious vulture,

A forest dwelling monkey the other.

 

Supreme consciousness, Rama to discriminate not,

From sincere desire alone best friend you’ve got.