Not Fooling Anyone

“How shall I today see in my path that weak, helpless woman who was overwhelmed by the strength of that vile creature of wicked deeds, whose beautifully adorned exterior masks his harshness? (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 13.69)

kṣudreṇa pāpena nṛśamsa karmaṇā |
sudāruṇa alānkṛta veṣa dhāriṇā |
bala abhibhūtā abalā tapasvinī |
katham nu me dṛṣṭa pathe adya sā bhavet ||

“You can put on all the jewelry you want, but you’re still not fooling me. A golden helmet, valuable earrings hanging off your many ears, the jewels around your neck and arms, exquisite weaponry and a wonderful chariot may be able to fool you into thinking that you are somebody, but to me you’re just a vile creature with no moral standing whatsoever, a pathetic person who had to mask his true figure in order to steal away another man’s wife, resorting to trickery instead of invoking the fighting prowess you so proudly boast of.” The grim-visaged ruler of Lanka was a nefarious character, not worthy of respect from anyone, including Hanuman. The dependable, noble, perseverant, kind and ever-dedicated messenger from Kishkindha was ready to find Sita Devi, for his hard work was due to pay off eventually. In thinking of the beloved princess’ wonderful qualities, Hanuman couldn’t help but also remember how she ended up in such a terrible condition.

Hanuman was in Lanka to look for Sita Devi, Lord Rama’s wife. One of the more important moments from the Ramayana, which is Rama’s life and pastimes put into poetry form in the Sanskrit language, Hanuman was about to meet success in his mission. Nothing was given to Hanuman in this endeavor; he earned his rightful place in this historic moment. He did gather some intelligence relating to where Sita had been taken, but this was like telling someone that the person you are looking for lives in the United States. A geographical area that large isn’t much of a clue to the seeker, so they must make use of their searching abilities to find success.

To add further difficulty, there was no government department to greet Hanuman kindly. Instead, the residents of Lanka were under the rule of their leader, Ravana, who was endowed with every ignoble quality. He was keeping Sita hidden away in an Ashoka grove so that no one would find her. He was also always fearful of enemies coming to attack him. He was especially afraid of Lord Rama arriving. Only the foolish would view the Supreme Lord and His emissaries as enemies, but this was Ravana’s sad condition. The lord of creatures, the fountainhead of all energies, had descended to earth to grace those with a pure vision with the chance to see and hear about God.

On the flip side, those who are driven by sensual pursuits, so much so that their good judgment remains tucked away behind their sinful desires, not only cannot recognize God, but they actually take religious principles, the guidelines that help mankind to attain the proper end, to be impediments in their path towards happiness. Sita and Rama were peacefully residing in the Dandaka forest, not bothering anyone. They were members of the royal community in Ayodhya, but they had given everything up in favor of honoring a promise made by Rama’s father, King Dasharatha, to his youngest wife Kaikeyi.

Thieves typically have a motive. Theft involves taking something that you want, that which doesn’t belong to you. Rama, His younger brother Lakshmana, and Sita were living in a forest hut that Lakshmana had built. What could any person want from them? Ravana, though possessing immense opulence in his own kingdom, nevertheless found something to try to steal. From the accounts of historic events found in scripture, so many life lessons can be learned. The symbolism isn’t there on purpose, but it just becomes obvious to notice based on the workings of man. The general course of events in the present time carries the same symbolism, but it is more difficult to recognize. With the Supreme Lord and His specific activities, the events are arranged accordingly so that both pleasure and lessons can be derived from the actions of the main characters.

If acquiring material wealth, which includes real opulence like gold and exquisite jewelry, and sensual delights, such as animal flesh, flowing wine and endless sex life, was the real aim of life, Ravana would have had no reason to bother anyone. In today’s world, his Lanka would be the place to visit, a heaven on earth place for those who enjoy the fast paced life of casino cities. There was no shortage of any material amenity in Lanka; Ravana himself was getting drunk on a regular basis. What need, therefore, did the king of Lanka have for flying to the remote forest of Dandaka and bothering people who were living the vanaprastha lifestyle.

In the Vedic tradition, every injunction is meant to further the goal of pure God consciousness. When this mindset is present at the end of life, the living being has essentially reached full maturity. Notice that the maturation does not have anything to do with the body. There is no such thing as having a proper age for making the most out of life, nor is there any requirement relating to bodily possessions, familial relationships, or the performance of specific activities. The doctor is mature when they get a medical license, the lawyer when they graduate and pass the bar examination, the star athlete when they receive entry into their professional league of choice, etc. In this way we see that a state of maturation typically comes about from the achievement of a goal, something that is done through action.

Consciousness, however, is not dependent on anything, including knowledge and renunciation. Though acquiring knowledge about God and renouncing those things which keep the mind from thinking rationally can help in eventually tasting the fruit of existence, the final state of enlightenment is never dependent on any single object or process. If it were, then the activities themselves would take on a superior importance. If activities became strictly important, then certain manifestations of matter would become superior as well.

“Actually, the cultivation of knowledge or renunciation, which are favorable for achieving a footing in Krishna consciousness, may be accepted in the beginning, but ultimately they may also come to be rejected, for devotional service is dependent on nothing other than the sentiment or desire for such service.” (Shrila Prabhupada, The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 14)

Matter is an inferior energy, having no intrinsic relation to the spirit soul. Matter can help the soul, as the conditioned living entity resides in a home that is composed of the material elements, but this doesn’t mean that matter ever becomes a superior force. Since matter is inferior, no manifestation of it can ever become a prerequisite for reaching spiritual maturity.

What does this all mean exactly? In the larger scheme, there is no such thing as good or bad. The effects of time take away accumulated gains and miserable conditions. Progress and detriment, however, can play a vital role. This is where the aim of life comes into focus. The Vedas provide guidelines for human behavior so that progress towards the ultimate goal can steadily continue. The procedures themselves are not superior, as someone can reach the state of pure God consciousness very quickly through fortunate encounters and the grace of the Lord Himself, or it can take them many lifetimes within a human form of body even after following all the guidelines before achieving perfection.

To help in reaching the end of pure God consciousness, the timespan within the human life is divided into four periods. First there is student life, then married life, then the first stage of renunciation, followed by full and complete renunciation from material attachment. The third stage is known as vanaprastha, which means living a life in the forest. In vanaprastha one can take their spouse with them, as being married for so long naturally creates some type of attachment. There is, however, no obligation to work or support a family. Work generally exists for economic reasons, to ensure that the home is properly maintained and that nice food can be eaten and guests can be welcomed hospitably.

In vanaprastha the requirements of home aren’t there, as one can live in a simple hut or underneath a tree and eat the berries that nature gives. You can bathe in nearby rivers, and you can find clothing through simple garb like deerskin. Sita and Rama, though married and still rather young, briefly took to the third varna quite early in life, though they were not specifically after self-realization. The purpose of knowing your constitutional position is applicable only to those who can be illusioned by the external energy of matter. Rama is the internal energy of God, the same Supreme Lord that everyone else worships, ignores or hates. Sita is His immediate energy expansion, the pleasure potency. Therefore they can never come under the sway of the material energy, which operates only on the marginal potency expansions, i.e. we living entities. The marginal position comes from the fact that the living entities can choose to be under the control of either maya or Parabrahman. Maya is illusion, or that which is not Brahman, and Parabrahman is God.

In this particular situation we have two different lifestyles in two completely different places. One side is the fast-paced city life of Lanka, where material amenities abound. The other side is the quiet forest of Dandaka, where the residents don’t have any money, valuables, or sensual delights. The group in the latter situation is living the simple life out of respect for their elders. This is something Ravana couldn’t understand. He thought that Rama was a poor person unable to maintain even His claim to the kingdom of Ayodhya. Therefore, what could Sita want with Him? It is believed that a woman is attracted to beauty, strength, confidence, and fighting prowess after all, so once Sita would see Ravana and his amazing features, she would surely give up Rama’s association.

This again proves the intellectual inferiority of the gross materialists. The swans like Sita and Rama and their devotees actually understand every viewpoint. They are familiar with pious principles and the need for them, and they are also acquainted with the ways of material existence and why someone would surrender to them. On the other hand, the crows like Ravana only pay scant attention to their way of life, and they don’t have a clue as to why anyone would follow piety. Lacking authorized information about the differences between matter and spirit, such fools concoct theories as to why people accept religion. They reach a consensus conclusion that the pious only follow such principles because they are failures in material life. “They don’t have the ability to emerge victorious, so they worship an invisible God to remedy their pitiful situation.”

Ravana, for all his pomp, didn’t approach Sita in his original guise when he hatched up the scheme to take her. If women were so captivated by his opulence, why would he hide his figure? He knew he had no chance of winning Sita over on his own, especially when Rama was still by her side. Therefore he created a ruse which temporarily lured Rama away from the couple’s cottage. He then approached Sita in the guise of a mendicant, showing that he had no scruples whatsoever. After Sita let her guard down, Ravana revealed his true form and then forcibly took her back to Lanka, where he would try to win her over but fail miserably.

Hanuman remembered that beloved daughter of Janaka prior to entering the Ashoka grove, the one place in Lanka he had yet to search. He was anxious to meet Sita, for that is the nature of the saints. The person who was acting in Rama’s interest was desperate to have a meeting with the person who had captivated Rama’s heart, who was so devoted to Him that no one could believe her level of dedication. Sita wasn’t the ruler of a giant kingdom, nor was she openly inviting others to come and take benedictions from her, yet Hanuman wanted to see her all the same. For the saintly class, material opulence and dry renunciation are taken to be on an equal level, for in either case the aim is to remain connected with God, at least in consciousness. Whether Sita and Rama lived in the opulent kingdom of Ayodhya or in the quiet forest of Dandaka, Hanuman eagerly anticipated meeting them.

Hanuman did not like that Sita was alone in Lanka. Such a wonderful person didn’t deserve the treatment she got, so Hanuman was anxious to show her that a friend had come bearing good news, that Rama and the rest of the monkey army back in Kishkindha were ready to arrive and rescue her. Hanuman, though in the form of a monkey, which is known for stealing food and other items without any shame, was endowed with every divine quality. He had no need for self-realization, for he was acting out God consciousness on the biggest stage. His inner emotions are provided to the listener of the Ramayana to give pleasure to those looking to find maturity in life, those who want to reach the state of pure God consciousness so that the association with matter that has gone on since time immemorial can finally end.

Just as Hanuman gave relief to Sita by eventually meeting her, hearing of his exploits gives hope to the sincere souls looking to stay on the divine path. In the present age of Kali, the entire world is like the hedonistic paradise of Lanka, with the swans like Sita difficult to find. Therefore the sound vibrations passed down by the Vedas, including those in the sacred maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, are the most potent weapons of attack against maya. These sounds can penetrate any space, regardless of how unfavorable the circumstances may seem. Hanuman showed his brilliance in Lanka by finding Sita and then setting fire to the city on his way out. He would later return with Rama and the Vanaras to remove Ravana’s influence. Sita would be rescued and all would end well. Hanuman worried over how to find success in his mission, but because he saw everything properly, his meeting with Sita was never in doubt. Those who keep the vision of Rama’s greatest servant always in their mind will similarly be assured of seeing success in their spiritual pursuits.

In Closing:

Of his fighting prowess Ravana very proud,

But his ornaments only to act as a shroud.

 

Really a vile and despicable creature inside,

In a city full of sin and vice did he reside.

 

He forcibly took innocent Sita there,

Female ogres ordered to daily give her scare.

 

Sita, Rama and Lakshmana made wilderness their home,

Not bothering anyone, should have been left alone.

 

Thus to meet Sita Shri Hanuman very anxious,

Allayed her fears by presenting Rama’s ring precious.

A Flawless Face

“Oh, when shall I see that noble lady’s flawless face, with its raised nose, white teeth, pristine smile, eyes like lotus petals, and which resembles the lord of stars, the bright moon?” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 13.68)

tad unnasam pāṇḍura dantam avraṇam |
śuci smitam padma palāśa locanam |
drakṣye tad āryā vadanam kadā nv aham |
prasanna tārā adhipa tulya darśanam ||

A killer smile, a sleek figure, an enchanting countenance – these things can be quite harmful to one who is trying to control their senses. One who is sober, or dhira, cannot be distracted from his assigned duties in life despite any impediment. Yet the man vying for supremacy in spiritual efforts, for overcoming the influence of the senses that have led him astray for far too long, can best be attacked by the sight of a beautiful woman, who can lure him into the depths of danger. In this respect, the eyes of the more renounced spiritualists steer clear of women, even if the women potentially being viewed pose no threat. In the spiritual world, however, such rules don’t apply. With the most beautiful woman, her vision is always appreciated, beneficial, and never harmful to one’s spiritual aspirations. The wise eagerly anticipate that meeting with her and take any and all risk to ensure that the successful outcome arrives before their very eyes, that they drink the sweet nectar that is the beautiful spiritual form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead’s eternal consort, Sita Devi.

One person saw her, however, and didn’t seem to gain any benefit. The king of Lanka during a particular period of time in the Treta Yuga took Sita way from the side of her husband through a nefarious plot. Sita is the energy of God, the purified form of it. She doesn’t know any other business except loving her husband. As a divine personality, she can grant benedictions to others, such as by expanding herself in the form of opulence and wealth, but these valuables have an ideal use. Just as a currency may be traded for goods and services in a specific country, the notes printed up by the goddess of fortune and distributed to those she favors are meant to be cashed in for service to her husband, the Supreme Lord Himself, who roamed the earth during Ravana’s time in the guise of a warrior prince named Rama. Not any ordinary prince mind you; this was the most beautiful and the handsomest man in the world, who also happened to be the most capable bow warrior.

When the wonderful benedictions given by Sita Devi are used for other purposes, those that lack a relation to Rama’s pleasure, they can cause great harm to the person having temporary possession of them. Imagine having a car battery and installing it incorrectly in the car. There can be both sparks and an explosion when the battery is put in the wrong way. Imagine having scissors, a key, or some other metallic object and deciding to stick it into an electrical socket. These actions seem silly, but then so is taking the opulence provided by the goddess of fortune and using it for any purpose besides devotional service, the real occupational duty of the soul.

Ravana tried to use Sita Devi for his own pleasure. He didn’t have the courage to fight Rama one on one to win her hand. He knew from the words of Akampana, one of his fiendish contemporaries, that Rama would smoke him in battle in an instant. Therefore he approached Sita in a false guise and then forcefully took her back to his island kingdom of Lanka. He got to see her in person, marvel at her beauty, and personally give himself over to her. Yet she rejected him outright, as she has no desire to be with any man except Rama. Ravana was anxious to see Sita and he got his desire fulfilled. Yet his vision was clouded, and this flaw would cause him to act in the wrong way. When something is done improperly, there are negative consequences; otherwise where does the incorrectness come into play?

In Ravana’s case, the punishment would come in two stages. First there was the visit by Hanuman, Rama’s messenger. Lord Rama, the prince of Ayodhya and all-knowing Supreme Lord, could have found Sita Himself, but then what work would have been left for others? If one person in the company took on all the tasks, what would the other employees do? In the business environment, it’s difficult for one man to do everything, but we know by the wonders of this creation that the Supreme Lord can do whatever He wants. Through His energies the large land masses known as planets float in the air without any machine to prop them up. The material elements operate seemingly like clockwork, which is again instituted by the Supreme Lord and His energies. Therefore finding Sita would have been no problem for Rama.

Hanuman and the Vanaras residing in Kishkindha were very eager to please the Supreme Lord; so they were given opportunities for service. Hanuman was the most eager, so he was provided the most difficult task. One who can complete the toughest mission under very difficult conditions earns even more fame with their success. The obstacles faced by Hanuman were unimaginable, so much so that they tax the brain of the person who hears about them. He had to deal with people obstructing his path, the fact that the enemy territory was infested with ogres given to sinful behavior, and his own mental demons. Doubt can get the better of even the most confident person, especially when the time factor is considered. A person can be dexterous and resourceful, but if they start running out of time to finish their task, their abilities get neutralized. You can have the best quarterback in the world with the ball in his hands, but if there is little time left on the clock, there is not much he can do to help his team win.

Hanuman had to deal with the time factor in relation to Sita’s well-being. If she was in Lanka as had been previously learned, then surely Ravana was waiting to kill her. If Hanuman failed to find Sita, what would he tell his friends back home? How could he look Rama in the face? Hanuman had no reason to lament or be disappointed, for just getting to Lanka and searching the area unnoticed were amazing feats in their own right. But he is never focused on temporary accomplishments or patting himself on the back. The mission that would please Rama was not successfully complete yet, so that’s all he was worried about.

Finally, Hanuman decided to search the one place he hadn’t entered yet: a nearby Ashoka grove. Just prior to entering it, he offered prayers to Sita, Rama and Lakshmana, the Lord’s younger brother. He also asked the many divine figures in the heavenly realm to be favorable upon him. In the above referenced verse we see him asking the question to himself of when he will finally see Sita. He lists her specific qualities as a reminder of why she is so brilliant. He also reveals his eagerness to have the divine vision of such a wonderful person, who had no flaws whatsoever.

Today, we know from Hanuman’s stature that his eagerness to see Sita, a beautiful woman even by the material estimation, was not harmful, but for Ravana it was. Ravana eventually lost everything because of his desire to see Sita, while Hanuman gained eternal fame and adoration from pious people looking to remain committed to the path of bhakti-yoga. In the Vedic tradition, it is emphatically stressed that a man should look upon every woman except his wife as his own mother. This way the urges for sex are curbed and the proper respect is given to females. Regardless of how the female behaves, whether she is married or unmarried, young or old, the same respectful treatment should be offered.

This guiding principle reveals the difference in outcomes. Hanuman saw Sita properly, even though he had never met her before. He eagerly anticipated being graced with the presence of Rama’s wife, but Hanuman had no desire to enjoy Sita in the way that Ravana did. Rather, anyone who sees the beautiful princess of Videha, the beloved daughter of Maharaja Janaka, and worships her in the proper mood can be granted only benedictions in life. Hanuman’s eagerness would pay off, as he would later beat down every opposing force that came his way.

In his initial meeting with Sita, whom he would finally find in the Ashoka wood almost emaciated due to the pain of separation from Rama, there would be some difficulties to overcome. Hanuman was so anxious to defeat Ravana and make Rama happy that he suggested to Sita that she come back to Kishkindha with him. Hearing this, Sita practically insulted Hanuman by saying that his monkey nature must have been coming out, for how could he suggest such a ridiculous thing like carrying her on his back? Hanuman felt a little hurt, but he did not get angry nor did his love for Sita diminish. Sita’s reservation related entirely to her love for Rama. She did not want to touch another man again. She was forced to by Ravana, but her vow was to always be devoted to Rama in every act. Moreover, she did not want her husband’s reputation sullied by the fact that someone else had to come and rescue His wife.

The admonition was harmless, and Sita would be so pleased by Hanuman and his bravery that she would shower him with so many gifts, benedictions that continue to arrive to this day. On his way out of Lanka to return to Rama, Hanuman would be bound up and have his tail set on fire by Ravana. While being paraded around the city in this way, Sita saw Hanuman and immediately prayed that the fire would feel as cool as ice for him. Of course who can ever deny the requests of Rama’s wife, who has more accumulated pious deeds than anyone else? Hanuman, not feeling the pain of the fire anymore, freed himself from the shackles and then proceeded to use his fiery tail to burn Lanka. This was how Ravana’s first punishment for having taken Sita arrived.

Ravana’s ultimate reward would be delivered by Rama Himself, who would shoot the arrows that would take his life. Thus Ravana’s lusty desires led to his eventual demise, whereas Hanuman’s pure desires relating to Sita brought him eternal fame. To this day, Sita ensures that Hanuman has whatever he needs to continue his devotional practices. He daily sings the glories of Sita and Rama, and we daily remember and honor Hanuman, who keeps the divine couple safely within his heart. He had the sight of Sita that he wanted so badly, and everything favorable came about in his life because of that eagerness. Anyone who is similarly eager to see Hanuman and remember his bravery, courage, honor, dedication to piety, and perseverance in pleasing Rama will meet with auspiciousness in both this life and the next.

In Closing:

Hanuman was full of eagerness,

To see Sita, she of face flawless.

 

Her countenance resembled the moon that is bright,

Lotus-petal eyes and white teeth made for brilliant sight.

 

Taking Sita, Ravana did something very unwise,

Through Hanuman and Rama, to find ultimate demise.

 

Hanuman had similar desire but it was pure,

So for benedictions he was assured.

 

Sita’s prayer to fix his burning tail,

Her gifts to devotees never fail.

May Everyone Help Me

“May Varuna, who holds the noose in his hands, and Soma, Aditi, the great-souls the Ashvins, all the Maruts, all creatures, the Lord of all creatures [Vishnu], and other unseen beings along the path, grant me success.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 13.66-67)

varuṇaḥ pāśa hastaḥ ca soma ādityai tathaiva ca |
aśvinau ca mahātmānau marutaḥ sarva eva ca ||
siddhim sarvāṇi bhūtāni bhūtānām caiva yaḥ prabhuḥ |
dāsyanti mama ye ca anye adṛṣṭāḥ pathi gocarāḥ ||

Shri Hanuman asks that whatever elements he encounters in his next, most important, part of his search for the princess of Videha, they all be favorable upon him. Inherently understanding that even the sun and the wind have controllers, Hanuman asks that these higher powers grant him favor, that they allow him to be successful in his mission. In general, these elements are neutral, spreading their mercy to everyone. If one person should ask for a benediction, their gift might interfere with someone else’s desires. As material desires cannot be qualitatively compared, it is difficult to receive real favor from any of the material elements. Moreover, what we may think is favorable today ends up being to our detriment later on. Yet Hanuman’s propitiation wasn’t like this. It was free of defects.

If we incorporate the many truths of the material and spiritual natures provided to us by the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, we can better understand Hanuman’s request. An expanded version of the same prayer would be something like, “Will all the material elements and their controllers be favorable upon me? You work at the direction of the Supreme Lord Vishnu, who has kindly descended to earth in the human form of Lord Rama. For God there is no such thing as a material form, for His energies work at His direction. Since I am acting to please that very Rama by looking for His beloved wife, who was taken away from His side through no fault of her own, I am essentially using Rama’s material elements for His benefit. Therefore there is nothing to be gained by me personally. I simply ask the controlling deities, who are deserving of every honor and respect, to help me in my mission to please Rama, who is everyone’s father, the lord of all creatures.”

Hanuman’s mention of the personalities in his prayer shows that he was keenly aware of the many different elements of material nature and what he would encounter in the next part of his search. He was in the enemy territory of Lanka looking for Sita, Rama’s beloved wife. Lanka’s king, Ravana, had taken her away in secret, without Rama around to protect her. Therefore this king was worthy of punishment by death, something Hanuman was more than capable of delivering. Yet his mission only called for finding Sita and returning the information of her whereabouts to Rama, who was waiting back at the headquarters in Kishkindha. Hanuman was part of a clan of monkeys known as Vanaras who were headed by Sugriva. It was Sugriva who had ordered his soldiers to scour the earth to look for Sita, but only Hanuman was capable of making it to Lanka where it was later learned Sita was.

Thus far, Hanuman had made use of practically every mental and physical ability imaginable. He was by himself in a majestic city in a monkey form. Obviously he would stand out to the residents, especially since they were alert to foreign intruders who might be looking for Sita. Hanuman used his strengths in mysticism to diminish his size to the point that no one would notice him. This was a physical ability, but he would need his mental wherewithal to withstand the many scenes of hedonism and extreme material enjoyment he would see later on.

Staying focused on the task, Hanuman then had to deal with his mental demons, which were persuading him to give up. He hadn’t seen Sita yet, even after all his effort had been expended, so maybe she was no longer alive. Maybe Ravana killed her. How could he then return to Rama with such depressing information? Perhaps it would be better to just give up and not fight on. Ultimately, he decided that while his vital breath was still with him, he at least had the opportunity to please Rama. If Sita wasn’t alive, he would bring Ravana back to Kishkindha for Rama to take care of. In this way there was always an option for pleasing the Supreme Lord.

Noticing an Ashoka grove that he had yet to search, Hanuman mentally entered it, deciphering what the proper plan of action would be. Keeping his contracted size, Hanuman then offered prayers to Sita, Rama and Lakshmana, followed by prayers to the demigods, or devas. It seems a little like mythology that a monkey would sit there and pray to gods of fire and wind, but it is not out of the realm of possibility that there would be deities controlling the more potent forces of nature. If there is a God, why can’t there be deputies operating under His direction? So many people subscribe to the notion of angels, ghosts, aliens, etc., so why can’t there be controlling authorities in charge of the elements?

“The demigods, being pleased by sacrifices, will also please you; thus nourishing one another, there will reign general prosperity for all.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.11)

Rather than mentally speculate on the issue, we can take it on the authority of Hanuman that these personalities exist. In addition, in the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna, the same Shri Rama but in a different outward manifestation, explains the position of the devas and what their duties are. Therefore the wise never think that everything is under their control. We may be independent in our choice of action, but the results can be affected by outside forces. We may wish to play a game outside on a particular day, but if there is a rainstorm or a hurricane, what can be done? Hanuman was entering a grove guarded by vile creatures, who were essentially accomplices in Ravana’s horrible act of taking away another’s wife and keeping her away from her husband. Knowing what he was up against, Hanuman, keeping his humble attitude, asked for the favor of the higher authorities.

And what could they do but agree to help? Hanuman is worshipable even to them, for he is engaged so purely in Rama’s service that his example is honored, remembered, praised and cherished to this very day. He is the emblem of devotion in the proper mood, so any chance the devas could get to help him would only be to their benefit. Hanuman would find Sita and then play a vital role in her eventual rescue. Sita, Rama and Lakshmana favor him all the time, for he only asks to be able to sing their glories on a daily basis. As this requires some material elements, those in charge of the required forces ensure that everything is favorable for Hanuman and his devotion. The same occupational duty of devotion is there for all of us, except it may take many lifetimes in a human form of body to realize it, let alone attain success in it. By remembering Hanuman, not only is the path to success easier to find, but there is so much happiness and joy in the heart accumulated along the way.

Question: Why didn’t Hanuman pray to just Rama and Sita?

Hanuman did initially pray to Rama, Lakshmana and Sita, so he didn’t need anyone else’s help. It is said in the Bhagavad-gita that only those who are less intelligent take full shelter of the demigods and worship them for personal rewards. This point is easy to misunderstand, so Hanuman’s example shows the proper way for this worship to take place. If the shelter of the sun-god or the moon-god is my ultimate source of happiness, my rewards will be limited. For instance, wishing for obstacles in my path to be removed is nice, for Lord Ganesha will certainly grant this reward, but what if my path involves something nefarious, something not good for me? What if my objective is to take away another person’s wife, like Ravana did? What if my desire is to enjoy intoxication without end? What if my path is to kill innocent animals and eat their flesh?

Hanuman’s objective was to find Sita, which had nothing to do with his personal enjoyment. He was acting in devotion, so he didn’t need anyone else’s benedictions. He asked for them nonetheless to show proper respect to the devas, who are exalted living entities. Their aid would actually purify them. If I have the ability to spend thousands of dollars on something, depending on how I spend that money, I will generate a certain reaction. The three kinds of charity are explained in the Bhagavad-gita, showing that not all gifts are the same. For instance, giving money to the person who will use it to get drunk or buy drugs is obviously a kind of charity that is detrimental.

“And charity performed at an improper place and time and given to unworthy persons without respect and with contempt is charity in the mode of ignorance.”  (Lord Krishna, Bg. 17.22)

In general, the demigods are charitable in a way that can be beneficial to everyone. The devas are not affected by the reactions because their duty is to provide rewards in this manner. Why God would sanction this is pretty easy to understand. If someone wants to remain separated from devotional service, any reward or punishment they receive in the material world is essentially on the same level. By worshiping the demigods, a person at least advances to the state of consciousness where they have some religious awareness, albeit an immature one.

But when the demigods give benedictions used for bhakti-yoga, their fame increases. Lord Brahma’s weapon would be used by Lord Rama in His battle to kill Ravana. So many arrows were fired by Rama, but it wasn’t until Brahma’s weapon was used that Ravana ultimately died. Brahma’s weapons have been used by demons as well, but when they are used by the Supreme Lord, Brahma’s fame increases exponentially. The utilization of his gifts in this way makes Brahma happy as well, for the demigods are always on the side of Vishnu, or God.

Hanuman always behaves properly, regardless of the situation. He doesn’t need to ask anyone for help, but he does so out of respect, to set a good example. He is the strongest person but he never thinks he is better than anyone else. At the same time, his extreme humility does not hinder his exercise of devotion. If need be, Hanuman will go into an enemy territory and defeat whoever comes in his way, despite his overall nature of kindness and compassion. If one invokes the name of Hanuman, the savior who continues to rescue the fallen souls day after day, Rama’s dearmost servant will help them defeat their mental demons obstructing their devotional efforts.

In Closing:

Deities over elements have control,

Power to influence outcomes they hold.

 

Hanuman, to them with full humility prayed,

To help him find where Rama’s wife Sita stayed.

 

Varuna, the moon, the sun, and all creatures too,

Lord Vishnu, all unseen deities and the Ashvins two.

 

Sparkling is Hanuman’s physical ability,

But in attitude he retains full humility.

 

Sita and Rama and deities always to help him,

Success in devotion when Hanuman’s favor you win.

Honor From The Most Honorable

“May the glorious Brahma, the self-create, and the deities – including Agni, Vayu, and Indra, who is the wielder of the thunderbolt and who is addressed by many names – grant me success.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 13.65)

brahmā svayambhūr bhagavān devāḥ caiva diśantu me |
siddhim agniḥ ca vāyuḥ ca puru hūtaḥ ca vajradhṛt ||

Though a deva is a divine figure, they are still considered an embodied being, so they must live within a specific form for a set period of time. While this may seem like a good thing, just imagine staying within your present state for billions of years. Oh, by the way, after these billions of years have passed, you have lived just one day. This is the case with Lord Brahma, the self-create. He is described as such because he does not have a normal set of parents. He took birth from the stem coming from the lotus-like navel of Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Lord, the lord of all creatures. The devas are in a tough position because they are allowed to grant material benedictions, but in order to remain in their post, they have to step down from the platform of pure devotion, where one has no care other than to worship the Supreme Lord and think of His glories. Yet in certain circumstances, the devas get special favor. If the most exalted of personalities come to ask you for something, though you are granting benedictions to them, the benefit is actually to you, for you have the pleasure of accepting honor from the most honorable.

Seems like a play on words, but the prayer of Shri Hanuman quoted above gives an example of the concept. Demigod worship wasn’t required for Hanuman. Not that he was above anyone else in his mind, but Hanuman was working directly for the lord of all creatures, the source of all men, Narayana. The person known as God has many different names in the Vedic tradition. We can refer to the Supreme Lord as God, offer up a prayer, and hope that He hears us, or we can take the option of knowing His many forms and names, contemplating upon them, and thus adjusting our activities so that those visions always stay within the mind.

The latter option is known as bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, and it is the summit of existence. The activity is considered the highest because what can be better than connecting with God through consciousness? Consciousness reveals the presence of the soul, and its proper conditioning unlocks the door to happiness that can be instantiated anywhere. Think of the portable video game system or the special features on your smartphone. These come in handy when you are in situations where you can’t have fun. Say, for instance, you’re in a doctor’s office waiting for your appointment. Rather than sit in the waiting room bored watching some television program that you can’t stand, you can take out your cell phone and start doing a variety of things. Perhaps read a book, check your email, play a game, watch a movie, or talk to your friends. With the advanced technology, pretty much anything you could do in more pleasurable situations can be done within even the most boring room.

The consciousness is the friend that follows us wherever we go. The downside is that if we are not properly situated in thought, we can be miserable at every second. Imagine being in the company of your friends and family and all you’re thinking about is that one task that has kept you up late at night. Worries and fears can be so debilitating that there are so many phobias identified by psychologists. If the fear rules the consciousness, then no matter what the external circumstances, the individual will be unhappy.

Bhakti-yoga is meant for conditioning the consciousness to bring pleasure to the individual at any place and at any stage in life. If you’re feeling sad, just tap into the divine consciousness by regularly chanting the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. Find your Vishnu form of choice and remember His features. For Shri Hanuman, he got the opportunity to directly serve Vishnu’s warrior incarnation of Lord Rama, the handsome and pious prince of Ayodhya, the husband of Sita Devi and the elder brother of Lakshmana. Rama was the delight of Mother Kausalya and King Dasharatha, the cherished treasure for the attentive eyes of the innocent residents of Ayodhya, and the savior of fallen souls. His name is even more powerful than His personal self, as the name has liberated countless ascetics since time immemorial. The name is so powerful that it can turn a drug-like plant into a sacred tulasi plant. The name can turn the crow-like living entity accustomed to rummaging through garbage into a swan-like saint who only accepts the pleasurable lotus flowers for association.

“There is a proverb in Sanskrit which says, ‘Disappointment gives rise to the greatest satisfaction.’ In other words, when one’s sentiment or ambition becomes too great and is not fulfilled until after seemingly hopeless tribulation, that is taken as the greatest satisfaction.” (Shrila Prabhupada, The Nectar of Devotion, Ch 31)

It is said that the sweetness of victory is enhanced when there was failure previously, when it looked like things weren’t going to work out. This also applies to the bhakti realm, for if we can remember God after having forgotten him temporarily or after having been attacked by outside forces, the sweetness of that vision and the delightfulness of that sound vibrating within the mind can be relished so much that we’ll look back at the life-changing moment fondly.

Hanuman found himself in a distressful situation in Lanka, the home of the Rakshasa king named Ravana. Lord Rama, the same Narayana but in a seemingly ordinary human form, descended to earth to do away with this ruler, for he had been harassing the saintly class for too long. By harass we mean kill and then eat. Ravana took the bait in the form of Sita, Rama’s wife. He took her away from Rama’s side and tried to win her over. This gave Rama the excuse He desired to take on Ravana in a fair fight. Ravana could never win Sita over nor could he defeat Rama in battle. Therefore his fate was sealed as soon as he took Sita away from the Dandaka forest through a backhanded plot.

To increase Hanuman’s glory, to allow countless generations to bask in the wonderful vision of a powerful monkey lovingly engaged in devotion, through Sugriva Rama sent the king’s chief minister to scour the earth for Sita’s whereabouts. Sugriva was the king of monkeys in Kishkindha, and he had thousands of monkeys working under him. They were all sent to look for Sita, but it was thought that only Hanuman would be capable of success.

This premonition would prove correct, but a few times it looked like success wouldn’t come. Hanuman made it to Lanka all by himself, and he managed to search through the city and palaces unnoticed. But he could not find Sita. Almost surrendering to the depression of failure, Hanuman picked himself up and decided to continue on. He would search the nearby Ashoka wood, a grove of trees that he had yet to look through. Prior to entering it, he mentally pictured what it would be like. He told himself that he would worship the many devas in charge of the material creation. When it came time to offer the prayers, he first paid obeisance to Rama, Lakshmana and Sita. The primary benediction the trio offers is devotion, the ability to think of God and His closest energy expansions. Hanuman was engaged in a mission to please them, so he had no reason to explicitly ask for their favor, but he did so anyway because that is how he starts all of his difficult tasks.

“Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 7.23)

After propitiating God, His wife and His younger brother, Hanuman offered prayers to the important demigods so that they would favor him. In the Bhagavad-gita, a treatise on spirituality delivered by the same Rama but in His form of Krishna, it is said that men of lesser intelligence worship the demigods. This is because if we had the choice of a consciousness permanently focused on God or a reward that was only temporarily manifest, only the unintelligent would choose in favor of the latter. Indeed, only those who don’t know about bhakti [devotion], the ability to condition consciousness properly, and the true fruit of existence will consider paltry rewards to be superior.

So does this incident say that Hanuman is unintelligent? What could he want from the demigods anyway? Ravana himself had received many of his boons from Lord Brahma, except he used them for evil instead of good. In this way we see that Hanuman’s offering of worship actually was for the benefit of the devas. To this day no one is more honored and celebrated than Shri Hanuman. He is not God, but in a lot of ways he is given better treatment, placed on a higher pedestal. This is Shri Rama’s mercy. The good leader takes the arrows, as the subordinates will complain about the conditions imposed by the head. The Supreme Lord is used to accepting both praise and ridicule, but for His dearest servants He takes extra steps to glorify them and elevate their stature.

Hanuman’s ability to fight with full dedication to meet someone he had never met shows that he was the purest of the pure. A servant in the form of a monkey, who is more humble than the grass, whose strength surpasses that of any fighter this world has ever known, was honoring the devas like Lord Brahma, Lord Indra, and other personalities regularly offered respect from both spiritualist and materialist alike. This was a great honor bestowed upon the devas, for they had Rama’s dearest servant showing them respect.

And what choice did the devas have? They grant benedictions to even the sinful, provided the worship is performed properly. How then could they deny Hanuman, a person acting in their favor? Rama is Vishnu, who is the savior of the demigods, the person who always favors the devoted when they are persecuted by the non-devoted. Ravana was the terror of the world, so powerful that he had immunity in battle against the devas.

The gods would be favorable upon Hanuman several times during both his search for Sita and his subsequent return to Kishkindha. Sita was in this grove, and after finding her Hanuman would have to battle many Rakshasas on his way out. Hanuman would show further honor to Lord Brahma when a specific weapon was shot at him. This weapon bound up its intended target and it was previously given to the perpetrator by Brahma himself. Hanuman had the ability to counteract the weapon, but then that would make Brahma a liar. Rather than dishonor Brahma, Hanuman allowed himself to be bound up. Ravana then took this opportunity to light Hanuman’s tail on fire and parade him around the city to humiliate him.

Sita Devi, having just met Hanuman, saw what was going on and became very distressed. The wife of Rama, the goddess of fortune, the person who needs nothing in life because of her association with God, asked the god of fire, Agni, to not burn Hanuman’s tail, to allow the fire to feel as cool as ice for Rama’s servant. Though Sita asked nicely, this was more or less a command, as the devas have such high esteem for her that whatever she wants she gets. Thus the fire immediately became cool, and Hanuman knew that it must have been the work of Rama’s wife. Taking advantage of the benediction, he freed himself, expanded his size, and then used his massive burning tail to devastate Ravana’s city.

Going into the nearby ocean to put out the fire on his tail, Hanuman then used the wind to leap back to where he had come from. In this way the devas were always favorable upon Hanuman, and they were honored by him in so many ways. One who follows bhakti understands the big picture, where the different grades of living entities fit in. Hanuman honored the demigods out of respect for them, and they were thus obliged to grant his requests. How can Hanuman ever fail in pleasing the Supreme Lord? His efforts are sincere, he is never haughty, and he never fails to show respect to those who are deserving of it. In a similar manner, those who show respect to Hanuman, who ask him to remain in their thoughts so that his wonderful qualities and character can be remembered through any situation, will never be out of favor with the Supreme Lord.

In Closing:

Mission’s critical moment in front of him lay,

So for devas’ favor Hanuman did pray.

 

Material rewards to worshipers they grant,

Though life’s highest reward alone give they can’t.

 

Thus Lord says that worship do only the less intelligent,

For honor to demigods upon rewards contingent.

 

Hanuman to please Supreme Lord Rama aspired,

Thus attention to devas for him not required.

 

Still honor he did show, victory to achieve,

In his sterling example we can always believe.

Cannot Do It Alone

“I have contracted this body of mine for Rama’s interest and for avoiding Ravana. May all the devas along with the rishis confer success upon me.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 13.64)

samkṣipto ayam mayā ātmā ca rāma arthe rāvaṇasya ca |
siddhim me samvidhāsyanti devāḥ sarṣi gaṇāḥ tv iha ||

Only the person with a poor fund of knowledge thinks that there is no God, from whom the entire material existence has sprung. The same person who thinks that they just emerged out of the womb of their mother through random action takes the belief in God to be childish play, like putting faith in Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy. The gifts of nature are meant to be exploited in a manner seen fit by the person who has developed their system of regulation from their own whims, through their own personal observations. But since the universe has been in existence for billions of years, what can any one person ever experience that could be of significant enough value to be used as a valid system of maintenance? The wise understand that there is a God, and they also know how to please Him. Since His existence is real, the saintly class follows pious behavior aimed at pleasing the fountainhead of all energies. Though they encounter many successes and develop glorious features, they never forget God. They also remember to invoke the names and seek the blessings of those who are similarly engaged, who stay connected with God through consciousness.

What is the difference between behaving piously with regard to the standards of spiritual life and following a system of maintenance crafted through your own mind? The mentally concocted system is limited. Use the recipe to see how this works. One person created a particular food dish through experiment, and they liked what the outcome was. To repeat the same outcome in the future, and to also show others how to create the same dish, a recipe is written and passed on. By following the recipe in your cooking, you are essentially following a system of maintenance. A scriptural work may be thousands of years old and contain information vital for the soul’s future well being, but in the end it is just a series of law codes, guidelines for behavior that aim to further a position.

Following the recipe can bring success, but the scope of the affected outcome is very limited. Food is just there to keep the vital force within the body after all, so how much can we really gain from a recipe? Expand the same principle out to a larger scale, like to a governing document for a nation, and you’re still limited in your scope of applicability. This is because the human being cannot possibly see all that there is to see. Moreover, automatically he is limited in his brain power due to the fact that he has no memory of past lives. Where the individual spirit soul was prior to attaining consciousness in this life is a giant mystery that cannot be deciphered with certainty, for there are no documented sense perceptions linking the individual in their previous lives to their current form.

Notice that the limitation comes from the time that consciousness is somewhat developed in the present life and not from the time of birth. This is because we have no memory of all of our experiences during this lifetime, though we know they took place based on the authority of our parents, the people who did have a developed consciousness at a time when we lacked one. Again, we know with almost certainty that we took birth from a womb, for that is how everyone else seems to enter this world. Sense perceptions are never one hundred percent accurate after all. Do we remember what we wore to school or work one year ago to the date? As things are easily forgotten, even personal experience is not perfect as an authority source.

Systems of maintenance that come from only sense perceptions will thus be limited in their effectiveness. Also, what if someone is not interested in the particular area that the guidelines cover? A recipe used to create a fancy dish is applicable to a person who likes to cook or to someone who likes to eat that dish, but if I am satisfied by eating fruits that fall off of trees, I have no use for that recipe. This isn’t even a deficiency on my part, as I will never require such recipes. I will have nothing to gain by reading those guidelines.

The Vedic scriptures are not limited like this because they come directly from God. Therefore they have applicability to every single person, even if they don’t know it. I may be familiar with the Constitution of the United States of America, but this doesn’t mean that I can gain anything tangible from it. Depending on my goals and desires, I will focus on guidelines specific to my field of interest. As the Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, deal with the soul, its position with respect to the material and spiritual energies, how it travels through different bodies in what is known as reincarnation, how it is related to the Supreme Soul, or God, and how it can gain release from the cycle of birth and death, the information presented is applicable to every living entity.

With the Vedas, a person may be unfamiliar with the specific tenets, the purposes behind the guidelines, and why they even exist, but they can still derive a benefit from following the instructions. It’s similar to how children are benefitted by begrudgingly going along with the wishes of the parents. “Go to sleep on time. Eat your dinner. Do your homework. Clear the table. Take out the garbage.” These commands are followed reluctantly, but they deliver future benefits to the child.

The adult human being is infinitely less mature than the Supreme Lord, who never suffers degradation of consciousness. Not only is He fully alert to His own dealings, but as the all-pervading Supersoul, He witnesses every activity past, present and future. Along with witnessing, He is an expert journalist, capable of recalling every single event within a second. Past, present and future are relative concepts to the living entity travelling through different body types. In addition, each person’s past, present and future don’t correspond with another person’s. My son’s past involved my future life at one point. My son will think of his birth as part of his distant past, but to me his birth was a future event eagerly anticipated. The afterlife will also one day become the past life for every individual soul. The present birth was the future life for the soul that left its previous body.

“The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life from one body to another as the air carries aromas.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.8)

With such limitations inherited at the time of birth, only a fool would think that he is the sole commander of his fortunes. Yet this is precisely what happens when one suffers from the fever of material existence. As more success is achieved, the tendency is for the false ego to further inflate. Yet from following the example of one notable personality, just by studying his behavior, his activities and his thought processes, we can see that no matter how successful we are, the final goal, the mission in life, must always be kept in front as the target. In addition, the successes we achieve are due to the favor of the Supreme Person and those who propitiate Him.

The personality we speak of is Shri Hanuman, who was a long time ago tasked with finding a missing princess within an enemy territory. In a typical reconnaissance mission, you have some intelligence about where the person is being held and how to infiltrate the area. You also have people helping you out, backing you up in case there are attacks made. Hanuman had no such luxuries. He did acquire the information that this princess was staying on a remote island called Lanka, which was ruled over by the vilest creatures in the world, those who had no understanding of a Supreme Controller.

To make the task even more difficult and to further enhance Hanuman’s glory at the same time, no one in Hanuman’s party of Vanaras was capable of reaching this island except Hanuman. This meant that the eager warrior would have to go it alone, fight the giant fight, persevere without anyone there to support him. Fight on he would, and eventually he would search through all of Lanka for the princess, who couldn’t be found. This search was by no means easy. Hanuman had to rely on his physical strength, mental sharpness, mastery of yoga, and keen insight with respect to time and circumstance in order to continue his search without being noticed by anyone.

Despite his amazing efforts, Hanuman thought that he hadn’t done anything. Lord Rama, the incarnation of Godhead as a warrior prince, was the interested party in this scenario. It was His wife, Sita Devi, whom Hanuman was looking for. Hanuman was not concerned with padding his résumé, looking good to others, or pumping himself up over his feats of strength. He thought that he was the biggest failure, so much so that he seriously contemplated ending his life and not returning to Kishkindha, where Rama and the leader of monkeys, Sugriva, were anxiously awaiting news on the search.

Only because of his love for Rama did Hanuman forge ahead. There was one area where he had yet to search, a grove of Ashoka trees. He first mentally entered this area to survey the scene, to measure what he would be up against. A wise military commander forms an initial strategy by becoming familiar with the field of battle. He will later shift gears if he needs to, but going in unprepared is not an option. Hanuman similarly wanted to know what he would face inside this garden, which was guarded by many Rakshasas.

In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, we see Hanuman stating the obvious fact that he had contracted his size for Rama’s interest and for staying unrecognized by the Rakshasas, who were headed by Ravana. This Ravana was the one who had taken Sita away from Rama’s side in a most cowardly way. These events took place during the Treta Yuga, the second time period of creation. Therefore the fighting class was very chivalrous; they typically did not flee from battle nor did they take anyone away without winning a fight first. Ravana, however, was so afraid of Rama that he took Sita away by creating a distraction that temporarily diverted Rama away from Sita’s side. Hanuman knew all of this, so he was not expecting any decency from Ravana or his counterparts.

By clandestinely contracting his size, the spy is essentially following duplicity. They are entering someone else’s land illegally and not putting up a fair fight. But Hanuman’s task was to please Rama by finding Sita, therefore he would do whatever it took to get that job done. Contracting his size was in line with dharma, though it is not mentioned anywhere in the scriptures. Bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is the highest occupational duty because it corresponds directly with the soul’s loving propensity, which is its foremost characteristic. Bhakti is meant for God, as love’s ideal exercise occurs when the target beneficiary of action is the Supreme Lord in His personal form. The atheists also worship God, but they indirectly worship Him by giving allegiance to dull matter and the senses. Therefore the result of their worship, further association with matter, is substandard.

Hanuman also humbly prays that the devas and the rishis be favorable to him. This is a little strange because Hanuman was in the middle of doing something the gods and the saints would glorify for all of time. He was their role model, for rare it is to get the chance to serve God directly, especially in the heroic manner that Hanuman had. Nevertheless, Hanuman was never puffed up. He never considered himself the source of his extraordinary abilities or the results that followed from their exercise. The devas, or demigods, are in charge of the material creation, where they deliver rewards to their worshipers. The devas are the worshipable objects for those who are somewhat pious but still not interested in bhakti, or connecting with God in His original form of Bhagavan. The rishis, or saints, are those who worship God through their thoughts, words and deeds.

Hanuman was acting in Rama’s interests, so the devas and the rishis had to be favorable upon him. The gods and the saints are the Supreme Lord’s glorifiers, so if they see someone else acting in the Lord’s interests, they do whatever they can to help them succeed, especially when asked to do so. The demigods grant benedictions to even the most sinful people, such as Ravana, when their motives have nothing to do with bhakti. If someone as kind and pure-hearted as Hanuman were to ask for help, how could they not help him? He wasn’t asking for a personal benediction either. He just wanted Rama to be pleased, which would come through success in the mission.

In this way Hanuman showed the proper way to respect and honor the demigods and saints. They are very powerful personalities, and their true potency lies in their ability to help the struggling soul succeed in their devotional efforts. Goswami Tulsidas, a famous Vaishnava poet who followed the mood of devotion shown by Hanuman, followed similar behavior by beseeching the gods and the saints for their favor when writing his poems glorifying Lord Rama. Tulsidas made sure to honor Lord Ganesha at the start of his works, for that is the standard etiquette in Vedic rituals. Yet he never asked Lord Ganesha for personal benedictions, just the ability to have Sita and Rama always reside in his heart. Just as the gods and the saints had no choice but to favor Hanuman in his work in Lanka, they are compelled to help any sincere soul looking for success in the path of bhakti.

Not surprisingly, Hanuman would succeed. The difficulties he encountered and the natural humility he possessed didn’t stop him from fighting with full force. His mental sharpness was as amazing as his physical strength, for they were both dovetailed with the mission of pleasing Rama. Just as he always acts to put a smile on the face of Sita and Rama, they are always thrilled at just thinking of Hanuman and remembering his bravery. All would end well, with Sita being rescued and Ravana being defeated, due in no small part to Ramadutta, Shri Hanuman, the Supreme Lord’s most capable messenger.

In Closing:

Through practice your skills do you hone,

But never think that results come on their own.

 

For outcomes higher powers must play a hand,

They control elements, bring rain to the land.

 

But Hanuman from others help doesn’t need,

For Shri Rama’s direct commands he does heed.

 

Nevertheless, Hanuman saints he does honor,

In carrying out devotion, asks for their favor.

 

For avoiding Ravana and meeting Rama’s interest,

He contracted his form, would pass the toughest test.

Carrier of the Holy Name

“Surely this Ashoka grove, which is filled with many trees, must be guarded by many Rakshasas, as it is carefully tended to and purified in every possible way. And the guards there must protect the trees, and the all-pervading deity, the wind, does not blow there.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 13.62-63)

dhruvam tu rakṣo bahulā bhaviṣyati vana ākulā |
aśoka vanikā cintyā sarva saṃskāra saṃskṛtā ||
rakṣiṇaḥ ca atra vihitā nūnam rakṣanti pādapān |
bhagavān api sarva ātmā na atikṣobham pravāyati ||

Whether or not he did it intentionally, Ravana kept Sita Devi in a sacred place, one unlike any other inside of Lanka. While the rest of the town was adorned with gold, jewels and crystals, Sita’s surroundings were pristine, thoroughly cultivated, sacred and well-guarded. The trees were so aligned and protected that not even the wind could blow there violently. That being the case, how could the wind’s son, Shri Hanuman, enter that place and find the most beautiful woman in the world, who was waiting for news of her husband, to know whether or not He was going to come and rescue her and whether He was feeling the pain of separation from her? Despite the impediments and the restriction placed on the wind, Rama’s messenger, Ramadutta, would find a crafty way to enter not only the Ashoka garden, but also Sita’s heart.

Imagine being stuck in a place where you have nothing to do except count the seconds until the inevitable end of everything. Worse than being held in a prison, Sita was constantly harassed, day after day, by people ordered to make her stay in this grove a living hell. What had she done to deserve this? Up until this time she was respected by everyone. A man takes his pride from his manhood – his ability to protect his dependents, to brave through tough times and to show strength when it is difficult. A woman gets her standing from her chastity – the fact that she doesn’t give out her love easily. Take away a man’s manhood and you take away his essence, and take away a woman’s chastity and her reputation is ruined.

Sita was known as the most chaste woman in the world; therefore she automatically earned the highest respect. Moreover, her husband was famous as the manliest fighter, a person capable of defending any person who sought His protection. He has actually maintained this characteristic since the beginning of time and still does to this day. The mere utterance of His name delivers countless more individuals than does His personal self. In fact, Sita’s ability to remain alive while held against her will in Lanka shows the power of the holy name.

How does this work exactly? The Supreme Lord is known by His attributes; otherwise He is not distinguished from any other person. Since the entire creation falls under His purview, into the definition of “God”, it is tempting to think that God is attributeless. “He must be without a form because only those things which are subordinate to material nature undergo change. If God creates nature, He must not ever change. Therefore His form must be nonexistent, i.e. He must be formless.”

This is surely one way to look at God. Take every single activity, motion of nature, event in life, and just abstract out to the largest scale and you get “the creation”. Since this giant neural network of cause and effect is guided by intelligence, there must be someone pushing the buttons, someone who is the source of that intelligence. Without knowing this person’s features, the abstract understanding remains the height of realization. The Vedas refer to the abstract, all-pervading Absolute Truth as Brahman. Brahman is everything. He is the living entities as well, who are struggling hard with the material nature. Even matter is from Brahman, but it is a different kind of energy, an inferior one to be more precise. The living entities that are Brahman are superior. The wise take to studying the scriptures that detail the differences between the two energies and make themselves familiar with Brahman in the process.

Yet, just as the light of the sun does not give us the complete picture of the sun itself, the entire creation as a whole, the light of Brahman, does not provide the necessary insight into the fountainhead of all energies, the Supreme Lord. While Brahman is impersonal, the Lord takes on personal traits, spiritual qualities belonging to forms known as avataras, to show us what Brahman actually looks like. Brahman is actually subordinate to Parabrahman, which is the title reserved specifically for God. The spiritual attributes of the formed incarnations show that Parabrahman is the most renounced, the wealthiest, the strongest, the wisest, the most famous and the most beautiful.

In His avatara as Lord Rama, God graced a select few individuals with His sweet smile, His dedication to piety, and His promise of protection. In the Vedic system the husband’s duty is to protect the wife, who operates under his direction. Rama was perfect in this regard, as Sita always felt safe in His company. Even when Rama was sent away from His kingdom of Ayodhya, Sita did not find the pleasure of life in the palaces preferable to Rama’s company in the forest. She felt safer with her husband by her side.

Therefore it was a little disconcerting when Sita was taken away by Ravana, the Rakshasa king of Lanka. Not that Rama failed to defend against Ravana, the ogre didn’t even mount an attack against Rama. Rather, he took Sita away in secret, while Rama temporarily wasn’t by her side. Through the divine will, the need for bringing about Ravana’s end, Rama purposefully limited His display of opulence.

The holy name, however, is never limited. Sita kept reciting it while in Lanka, so she was able to think of her husband, keeping Him by her side even though He was far, far away. Ravana tried to win her over but to no avail. She was not budging from her dedication to chastity. She would not even look at the vile creature who already had hundreds of the most beautiful princesses as queens. The holy name thus proved many thousands of years ago during Sita’s time to be most powerful, and it is just as powerful today. Shri Hanuman even used it to succeed in his mission to find Sita.

Lord Rama, being the most knowledgeable, could have located Sita Himself, but the wiser thing to do was to allow those eager to serve Him the chance to take up the cause. The living entities are mini-gods, so they have some independence in their exercise of freedom. Brahman is transcendental to matter; hence there is no reason to be subjected to the threefold miseries. The pains inflicted by natural forces, the influence of other living entities, and the workings of the body and mind have no bearing on the qualities of Brahman. Nevertheless, the conditioned living entities struggle very hard with material nature; a fact we’re reminded of by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita.

“The living entities in this conditioned world are My eternal, fragmental parts. Due to conditioned life, they are struggling very hard with the six senses, which include the mind.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 15.7)

Krishna is the same Rama but in a different outward, spiritual manifestation. Lord Krishna is considered the original Personality of Godhead, the origin of Parabrahman. His face is full of sweetness, as are His words. The living entities struggle with material nature, but when they find their occupational duty of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, the same material elements become favorable. This was quite evident with Shri Hanuman, who found himself placed smack dab in the middle of a supremely difficult mission.

While a band of monkeys took up the task of finding Sita, only Hanuman from that group made it to Lanka, for no one else could leap across the massive ocean separating the island from the mainland. How did Ravana bring Sita back there then? He had an aerial car that previously belonged to his brother Kuvera. Ravana used it to fly around and terrorize people. Hanuman had to find Sita all by himself, without anyone around to help. After overcoming many obstacles, including a doubtful mind fearing the worst outcome, Hanuman was on the precipice of finding King Janaka’s daughter, though he didn’t know it.

In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, Hanuman is thinking over what he will find in the Ashoka wood, the one place in Lanka he had yet to search. Having mentally entered the area, he started surveying the scene and going over what he should expect. The place would be sacred and guarded by Rakshasas. It would be so well-protected that the wind wouldn’t blow there. Thus Hanuman would have to contract his form, something he was more than capable of doing. He did not want to get noticed by the Rakshasas, because that might jeopardize the success of the mission.

The fact that the wind wasn’t blowing there violently was another impediment to deal with. On the strength of the wind Hanuman was able to leap across the ocean and make it to Lanka. The wind, or air, is actually the vital force to sustain life within all of us. One who can learn to control the vital breaths within the body can find good health and the ability to survive through duress. Therefore it shouldn’t surprise us that the ancient yoga practice of pranayama is very popular today.

Hanuman, however, didn’t require violent wind to find Sita. He was determined to please Rama, to keep the smile on the face of the jewel of the Raghu dynasty no matter what. Using his keen intelligence, he would find his way into the woods unnoticed. He would meet with Sita and give her news about Rama. Along with regular chanting of the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, hearing about God and His activities is the best medicine for the mind and the heart. In this respect, Hanuman gave tremendous transcendental healing satisfaction to Sita, who loved to hear about her husband and how He was doing. Hanuman would return later to Lanka, but this time with the full army of monkeys commanded by Sugriva. Rama and His younger brother Lakshmana would be there too, ready to rid the world of Ravana.

Hanuman’s determination played a vital role in the eventual victory, and his presence continues to be felt today. Chanting the name of Rama brings with it the vision of Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman. Rama may have personally defeated Ravana, but His name is what carried Hanuman into Lanka and helped him defeat the elements obstructing his path. Rama’s name helped Sita remain alive while in a perilous condition, and it continues to deliver the souls struggling with the pangs of Kali Yuga, the present age of quarrel and hypocrisy. Therefore the holy name and its many carriers are the only life raft for the souls looking for true enlightenment and lasting happiness. As Hanuman is one who cherishes the holy name and keeps it with him at all times, he is supremely worshipable.

In Closing:

Sita, in a tough situation she did find,

Harassed by vile witches, troubled she was in mind.

 

She did nothing wrong in life, her husband she missed,

Repeating His holy name her only solace.

 

Hanuman, Ashoka wood ready to enter,

But first conditions in mind he did ponder.

 

Trees to be guarded by Rakshasas full of sin,

So aligned that to enter difficult for even the wind.

 

Hanuman’s determination the Rakshasas to beat,

In his heart, Sita, Rama and Lakshmana take their seat.

His Next Move

“Having mentally entered the all-auspicious Ashoka wood, that monkey, the son of the wind-god, pondered what he should do next.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 13.61)

sa gatvā manasā pūrvam aśoka vanikām śubhām |
uttaram cintayām āsa vānaro māruta ātmajaḥ ||

It’s time to start the task that you put off for long enough. The procrastination related to the difficulty of the job. If you do a cursory review of previously completed tasks, you’ll notice that successful outcomes require a lot of work, some of which is not easy to perform. The entire collection of tasks necessary for completion thus presents a challenging obstacle for both the body and the mind. Therefore prior to the commencement of the latest project, a little thought is given on how to succeed, how to find the outcome that you desire. If your heart is situated in the right place, if you seek the benedictions of the right people, and if you are following an authorized system of activity, then no matter how difficult the task, your initial sincerity will take you across the finish line. This was the case with Shri Hanuman prior to entry into the Ashoka wood, a place he had yet to search.

Hanuman was wise enough to recollect past experiences and use that information to feed his mental computer, which in turn would spit out a possible course of action to follow. He had searched through an entire city unnoticed. Could we ever imagine such a thing? A surveyor’s job is to, not surprisingly, survey. To be effective at this job, the spotlight from the eyes must shine on practically everything. “Hey, don’t look now, but that guy is looking at you.”, is likely what our friend would tell us if one of these surveyors should happen to be in our range, if they are looking at us to find what they are searching after. Indeed, the more people and things you can look at, the better your chances are of finding what you’re looking for.

Yet Hanuman made his observations without being noticed. His natural form didn’t blend in well with the area either. In fact, just the opposite was the case. The area he was searching was populated by ogres, vile creatures given to the worst type of activity. They took after their leader, whose name was Ravana, meaning one with a terrorizing roar. This name was kindly bestowed upon him by Lord Shiva, the destroyer of creation, one of the principle deities of the Vedic tradition. When granted benedictions by Lord Brahma, the creator, the vile creature with ten heads took a tour of the world and fought any person he thought was a threat. Known as Dashagriva for his strange figure, he tried to bother Mahadeva during his meditation. Lord Shiva is always meditating on the lotus feet of Lord Vishnu, who is the maintainer and also the fountainhead of all forms of Godhead, the Supreme Lord who has four arms and is opulently adorned. Vishnu is the face to the abstract concept of God, a real person from whom all men emanate; hence one of His many names is Narayana.

Narayana has many other forms, of which Lord Rama is one. Lord Shiva meditates on Vishnu’s form of Rama by repeating the name over and over again. Krishna, the all-attractive youth with two hands holding a flute and wearing a peacock feather in His hair is the same Rama but in a different form, thus anyone who chants the sacred maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, follows a system of religious practice authorized by Lord Shiva himself. If the name of Rama, which is non-different from the Lord and His wonderful form that holds a bow and arrow in His hands and is always smiling, is good enough for Mahadeva, then it should be good enough for anyone else. The holy name is the secret ingredient in fruitful worship; its recitation simultaneously brings cognizance of God’s other features.

In an immature state, the worshiper thinks that God is formless, or nirguna Brahman, the all-pervading spirit that lacks personal features. Brahman understanding is the equivalent of abstracting everything. To see how this works, let’s take something as simple as a party. At a party you have guests, entertainment, food and a location, a place where the event is held. Within the festive gathering there is so much variety. There are different conversations, food items, activities, visions, etc. As you abstract one piece after another, you eventually have the entire concept of a party. For instance, if you see two people talking to one another, they are having a conversation. Then the same concept of a conversation can be applied to other people talking to one another at the party. If one person is eating pizza and another ice cream, both activities can be abstracted to the singular concept of eating. Keep zooming out in this way and you eventually get the full concept of a party, which incorporates all of the variety.

In a similar exercise, if you were to abstract every aspect of creation, including both the material and the spiritual, you would get Brahman. Through this method the neophyte thinks that everything is God, including themselves. “God is just a definition, not something with any personal features; God is the complete whole.” While the definition of God certainly includes everything, this doesn’t mean that we can just pick up a rock off the ground and say that we have found God. Our arms and legs are part of the definition of our current existence, but they do not identify us. The all-pervading presence of the Supreme Lord is just one aspect of His inconceivable self.

Then there are the incarnations, the personal aspects of the Lord possessing variety. These personalities have visually identifiable attributes, and they also perform specific activities through interaction with fortunate living entities. The Supreme Lord is known as Bhagavan because He is the most fortunate. Anyone who gets to interact with Bhagavan through a transcendental mellow, or rasa, is similarly fortunate. Bhagavan, in His different avataras, and also in His original form, for others draws out the transcendental features that are otherwise difficult to notice. Bhagavan is the same Brahman but in a more complete definition, one that is distinct and identifiable.

The holy name is so powerful that it brings cognizance of both the impersonal and personal features of the Lord. Chanting the names of Krishna and Rama over and over again can give a vision of the form that is otherwise taken to be impersonal. At the same time, the holy name can liberate even those who never get to personally meet the avataras or the original Bhagavan. For instance, Rama roamed the earth during the Treta Yuga, an ancient time period, and interacted with a select few individuals, of which Hanuman was one. Similarly, Lord Krishna gave certain members of society a chance to see His beautiful face and take comfort in His unflinching protection. Yet the powerful holy name can also deliver anyone today, a time when the Lord’s personal presence is seemingly absent from the world. Therefore the holy name is the most superior aspect of the Lord, as it automatically allows for interaction with the other features. Lord Shiva knows this very well. That is why he constantly chants Rama’s name.

Dashagriva, on the other hand, had no interest in pleasing Vishnu, chanting His name, or worshiping Him. With his new powers he tried to disrupt Mahadeva’s meditation, but this failed. Lord Shiva responded by putting Dashagriva into so much pain by crushing his fingers that the Rakshasa started screaming for mercy. Seeing his contrition and also hearing the ridiculously awful sound, Lord Shiva then named him Ravana. Since Ravana didn’t interact with Lord Shiva in the proper way, this meeting and subsequent devotion offered did not alter his consciousness for the better. Rather, he decided to take Rama’s wife Sita Devi and try to enjoy her for himself.

It was to find Sita that Hanuman was in Lanka, for no one was really sure where she was or if she was still alive. As boastful of his prowess as Ravana was, he didn’t dare fight Rama one-on-one for Sita’s hand. Instead, he took her away while Rama temporarily wasn’t by her side. Hanuman was so eager to offer service to God that he was given the benediction of finding Sita. He thus found himself in Lanka all alone, with no one to help him. He amazingly took on a diminutive stature and looked through the different palaces, roads, bridges, and city streets for a bewailing princess. His failure in this regard almost got the better of him, as he seriously contemplated quitting and just ending his life.

Remembering Rama and his love for Him, Hanuman chose to fight on. Now he had this nearby grove that he hadn’t looked through yet. Prior to going in, he thought of saluting the principle deities of the material creation, and then he actually invoked the names of Sita, Rama and Lakshmana, who is Rama’s younger brother. Then Hanuman prayed to the other gods, as if to show everyone else the proper way to worship. The demigods, or devas, operate under the direction of the Supreme Lord, so they can never be considered equal to Bhagavan. When the gifts distributed by the demigods are used to please Bhagavan, the worship is fruitful. Hanuman was only interested in finding Sita, so he was not after a personal reward. He was hoping that every higher authority would be favorable upon him and allow him to succeed in putting a smile on Rama’s face.

Hanuman first mentally entered the Ashoka wood because he needed to think things over. What a daunting task lay ahead of him. There were so many trees that the wind hardly blew there. This presented a disadvantage. Hanuman had used the aid of the wind, which is managed by his father Vayu, to leap across the massive ocean that separated land from the island of Lanka. Not only would the trees inhibit his ability to swiftly course through the area, there would be many Rakshasas guarding the place as well. He thus knew that this would likely be the most difficult place in Lanka to search. His intuition was correct, for Sita was being held in this area. She was the real jewel of Lanka, but since Ravana did not have a rightful claim to her, she had to be kept hidden, remaining a secret to everyone. She refused to give in to Ravana, so she was kept in an isolated area.

The daunting tasks that we take on are completed by first focusing on smaller issues, taking one day at a time and one step at a time. Lay down each brick until you finally get the housing structure that you want. For a computer programmer, write down each algorithm and function and work on each individual module until you have all the code necessary to run your program. For the student, follow along with each homework assignment, studying gradually the entire scope of the course until you are familiar with the material that will be presented on the exams.

Hanuman was ready to follow this same tact, but he still prayed for good fortune from those who manage the outcomes to events. The human being is a god in the sense that he has control over his actions, but the results are certainly out of his hands. The ability in man is God, a fact so nicely pointed out by Krishna in the Bhagavad-gita. The choice in the exercise of that ability is up to the individual. Hanuman was choosing in favor of serving Sita and Rama, so they would never let him down. Such a humble soul, Hanuman was never proud of his abilities. Instead, he always thought that he wasn’t doing enough and that he couldn’t complete what was assigned to him. Because of this attitude, his faith in Sita and Rama, and his request for kindness from the higher authorities, his difficult task in the Ashoka garden would be completed successfully, with Sita being rescued later on by Rama and the massive monkey army headed by Sugriva, whose minister was Hanuman.

In the most difficult mission facing the human being, to realize the potential for the purification of consciousness, the collection of tasks may be difficult to complete, but by taking one day at a time, following a routine in bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, one can steadily make progress towards full God consciousness, which is required at the time of death in order to secure liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Just as Sita, Rama and Lakshmana were favorable to Hanuman during his devotional acts, Hanuman is kind to those who request his help in maintaining their link to the spiritual world. Just thinking of Hanuman is an auspicious activity, one that brings so many spiritual merits. He is the hero of the Ramayana’s Sundara Kanda, the book of beauty. Though he is in a monkey form, the love he has for God runs through every fiber of his being, making his vision one pleasing to the eye.

In Closing:

Hanuman, endowed with so many skills,

Beautiful devotion his heart fills.

 

To search for Sita he and his monkeys were sent,

At last stage, mentally into Ashoka wood he went.

 

If he’d find success he did previously wonder,

Now his next move in wooded area he pondered.

 

Hanuman’s success guaranteed by higher authority,

For though fully capable, unmatched was his humility.

 

In daunting task, in mind Hanuman always see,

He’ll help you, from shackles of fear be free.

My Mind Is Elsewhere

“Having offered his obeisances to them, including Sugriva, the son of the wind-god surveyed all the directions and then mentally headed towards the Ashoka grove.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 13.60)

sa tebhyaḥ tu namaḥ kṛtvā sugrīvāya ca mārutiḥ  |
diśaḥ sarvāḥ samālokya aśoka vanikām prati ||

The journey through life consists of a repetition of questions and answers. This holds true in other species as well, for we can hear the birds in the morning chirping to one another. One bird asks the question, and the rest chime in with their answers. The human being follows this pattern throughout life, especially during the needed maturation period from childhood to youth. Indeed, the purpose of reading books is to have questions answered, as the more information is gathered, the more questions arise. Coupled with this is the collection of data and the processing of it using the mental computer. Through memory, one can actually go back to different situations and almost place themselves into areas from which they are physically separated. If this can be done going backwards in time, it can also be done going forwards, as was shown by Shri Hanuman.

How can we mentally move somewhere we have never been? It shouldn’t be that difficult to do. After all, in the past we ended up places that were new to us. For instance, say that one of our good friends moved. He used to live in one apartment, and now he lives somewhere else. We were used to driving to the old place. We knew the directions, where to park, and how to exit without a problem. Now there is some trepidation about the new place. Not only do we have to find it, but we have to figure out where to park, something which can be difficult when the location is in a metropolitan area. So the first time we arrive at this place is a new experience for us, providing new information and mental pictures that can be stored within the mind. Pretty soon, after a few trips, the travel becomes much easier. In fact, it becomes as easy as the travel to the previous home, the old destination that was visited frequently.

This comparison provides valuable insight. The next time we have to travel to some place new, we can revisit the experience of travelling to the new apartment of our friend as a reference tool. This will especially help us if the new place is also in a metropolitan area. There are other advantages to using this technique as well. The past experience in the mind may be blurry and not remembered perfectly. To mentally picture our future endeavor, we can place pretty much anything into the scene. Pretend that you are in a specific place with surroundings that can be anything you choose.

Why would this even be necessary? Why waste time pretending like this? The reason is to practice dealing with the unexpected. Athletes use similar techniques, especially when they are nervous. The human being’s tendency is towards inertia, for that involves the least effort. Quitting, failing, and focusing on the negative are very easy things to do. People don’t get rich writing books about how to fail, how to give up in life. Rather, the self-help books that find new ways to stress positive thinking fly off the shelves. The bold leaders who found success are worth hearing from, not those who wilted under the pressure.

The most positive picture is that of a successful outcome. Since success doesn’t come easy, when simulating future experiences, it is best to have as many pressure points as possible. For the golfer, the mock situation could be one where he has to drain a lengthy putt just to maintain par. In a golf tournament based on stroke play, the winner is determined by whoever has the least amount of strokes. On each hole the aim is to get your ball to fall into the cup that can be situated hundreds of yards away from the tee. The player that can do this in the least amount of strokes is obviously superior. There are eighteen holes on the course, so the cumulative stroke totals are used to determine the winner.

To make it easier to gauge your progress, to see how well or poorly you are doing in the round, each hole has a suggested stroke amount, which is known as par. On a par 4, for instance, it is assumed that the average player will put the ball into the cup after 4 strokes. Making par is important because it shows that you are at least not performing poorly. If you shoot under par, you are essentially giving yourself a credit, building up a lead. The reverse is true if you shoot over par; you fall behind.

The long putt to make birdie, which is one stroke less than par, carries less pressure than the par putt because a birdie is typically not expected. The par at least keeps you in line with expectations. Therefore if you can imagine yourself in a pressure situation where you have to make a long putt to save par, you can somewhat simulate what the pressure will feel like in a real situation. If you can envision a successful outcome in this difficult circumstance, your ability to succeed in the real life situation will increase.

A long time back, a warrior was given the herculean task of infiltrating an enemy land and finding a princess who had gone missing. He had never met her before, so he couldn’t go by past experience to recognize her. Moreover, he had never battled an entire army of the strongest fighters in the world all by himself. Why would someone be given such a task if it was so difficult? The difficulty in the mission would actually enhance this fighter’s fame for all of time. And since he possessed such endearing qualities, he was completely deserving of the fame and adulation that would subsequently follow.

This warrior would first show off his physical strength by leaping off of a high mountaintop and landing on the other side of a massive ocean. Along the way, his path was obstructed several times, but he used his mental wits combined with his physical gifts to overcome the obstacles. As a good golfer can master both the long and short game, this warrior would also show in the enemy territory of Lanka his ability to conquer small spaces. To reach this island, where it was believed the missing princess had been taken, the warrior in question became massive in size and leaped across an ocean. Now, to look for the princess without being noticed, he shrunk his stature and began roaming the land in that tiny form.

Such amazing displays of dexterity earned this person world renown, and yet there was still a problem. After searching practically every inch of space, he did not find the princess. In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, we see that he is not ready to give up. The techniques he used to conquer the mental demons of doubt and trepidation are slightly revealed above. There was one place that he hadn’t searched yet: a park full of Ashoka trees. He wasn’t about to enter this place without thinking first, though. To do this, he mentally placed himself inside of the garden, accounting for all the possible outcomes.

What outcomes could there be? For starters, if this princess was being held in this area, she obviously would be guarded. The princess was taken away from the side of her religiously wedded husband, so whoever took her didn’t want her to be found. The fighter couldn’t just infiltrate this area without paying heed to the circumstances. The spy also happened to be a forest dweller, so he was accustomed to roaming the woods and jumping from tree to tree. He thus had no problem mentally entering a wooded area and placing every type of potential obstacle in front of him.

Despite his amazing abilities, this brave warrior was not so brash as to think he could just find success on his own. The foolish philosophers, misguided scientists and mental speculators look at the visible manifestations before them and think that they just came to be on their own. “Jobs are created automatically, heat and rain come on their own, and so do the various species.” Because of this viewpoint these variables are taken for granted, with the future aim focused on how to manipulate these aspects of life in favor of furthering a desired outcome. The wise, however, realize that there is an initial cause to everything. The job comes about through a desire for profit, the heat and rain from the controllers of nature, and the many species from the workings of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes.

This means that no outcome can just happen on its own. It’s very easy to get deceived in this area. For instance, if I want to say something, I simply speak and the audible words come out. I think that I am the cause of the released sounds, but in actuality so many other things had to happen for a successful outcome to arrive. From the time that I decided to speak to when the words actually came out, any force of nature could have attacked me. In addition, some disease could have affected my throat to prevent the words from releasing. While we naturally attribute the bad fortune to ill luck, we know that nothing happens without a cause. Therefore there is no such thing as luck; everything is managed by action and reaction, which is more technically known as the law of karma.

This fighter therefore saluted the principle deities of the world, which are spelled out nicely in the Vedic tradition. He also saluted the missing princess’ husband, who was Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord roaming the earth in the guise of a warrior prince. The dedicated warrior in Lanka then saluted Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana and also Rama’s wife, Sita Devi, whom he was searching for. He also honored the principle deities of the creation, asking for their blessings so that they would help him in finding Sita.

This courageous servant was none other than Shri Hanuman, who is famous today for his dedication in devotional service to God. His mental entry into the Ashoka wood allowed him to prepare for meeting Sita, as it only built up his anticipation to see the beautiful princess. She is the goddess of fortune herself, so she distributes the unimaginably large wealth possessed by her husband to those who are deserving of it, to those who know how to properly utilize it.

Wealth is not harmful as long as it is used to please the Supreme Lord. Hanuman was wealthy in abilities; he made use of every ounce of opulence he had by directing it towards Rama’s pleasure. He would go on to successfully find Sita and play an integral role in her eventual rescue. Since that time, he continues to use the practice of taking his mind elsewhere, except instead of travelling to the Ashoka wood he directs the mind to always gaze upon the beautiful form of Sita and Rama, who together with Lakshmana are the support of the sincere devotees well aware of life’s true mission, that of becoming God conscious.

In Closing:

Travel to future place within the mind,

So that knowledge of situation to find.

 

With this method the pitfalls you can detect,

Have better understanding of what to expect.

 

Many experiences stored in memory thus far,

So imagining future shouldn’t be that hard.

 

Upon the precipice of victory Hanuman stood,

Decided that he’d mentally enter Ashoka wood.

 

As forest-dweller familiar with what he’d see,

Finding Sita, Supreme Lord Rama he’d please.

Together Always

“I offer my obeisances to Shri Rama, along with Lakshmana and the divine lady, the daughter of King Janaka. I offer my obeisances to Rudra, Indra, Yama, and Anila, the deity of the wind. I offer my obeisances to the moon, the sun, and the wind-gods.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 13.59)

namo astu rāmāya salakṣmaṇāya |
devyai ca tasyai janaka ātmajāyai |
namo astu rudra indra yama anilebhyo |
namo astu candra arka marud gaṇebhyaḥ ||

This verse provides a glimpse into the famous Rama Darbar, a collection of four primary worshipable figures of the Vedic tradition. God is a singular entity, so worship of Him is typically done in a one-to-one connection, or at least this is man’s tendency. But those who are familiar with the Lord and His multifarious energies keep His entourage with Him in their minds, maintaining the family-like atmosphere that exists in the spiritual kingdom. That direct energy accompanies the original divine being during His performances in the material land, where He acts in plays that follow scripts written to perfection. The energy of God is like the trailing light of the sun, which follows it in its path through the sky. The energy is actually not different from the energetic; therefore the wise invoke God and His expansions in the same breath, keeping them together within their vision.

What is so special about the Rama Darbar? Why is Lord Rama alongside others? Rama is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His spiritual manifestation as a warrior prince. A spiritual manifestation is different from a material one because the collection of elements is not inhibiting nor is it separate from the person directing things. The wheels on the bus go round and round, but they can also be replaced. The removed wheel doesn’t have any bearing on the other collection of elements that makes up the bus; hence it has a separate existence. With the Supreme Lord, however, His bodily features are tied to Him intrinsically. The material elements are inhibiting only for those who are not as potent as God, for beings who are subject to the forces of the land devoid of God’s personal influence.

The Rama Darbar features the prince of the Raghu dynasty, Lord Rama, accompanied by His closest associates. He is the first person invoked by Shri Hanuman in the above quoted verse. The faithful warrior was on a reconnaissance mission, and though he contemplated quitting after having not been successful despite so much effort, he nevertheless decided to forge ahead. There was one area in the enemy land that he had infiltrated that he had yet to search. Just prior to this, Hanuman told himself that he would worship several exalted divine figures who manage the material creation, such as the deities of the wind and the physicians of the heavenly planets. That these personalities should exist isn’t that surprising, as the gross collection of material elements needs a guiding force, intelligent life forces to ensure that the distribution of rewards and punishments is both timely and fair.

In this particular case, Hanuman is following through with his invocation. He was tasked with finding a missing princess, so rather than assume he could do everything on his own, the humble warrior invoked the names of his beloved worshipable figures, those he was dedicating his work to. Every activity has a beneficiary, even if it is not readily identified within the consciousness. The majority of the time that beneficiary is the individual, but in Hanuman’s case it was Rama, or God. Hanuman didn’t need to invoke the Lord’s name, as he was already acting under His direction. But Hanuman always likes to remember Shri Rama no matter what he is doing. If he should fail in his task to find the missing princess, Hanuman would at least get the benefit of invoking Rama’s name.

Why is it beneficial to remember the name? The holy name carries with it the potency of the Supreme Spirit. Just as the living entity cannot be divorced of its identity with Brahman, or pure spirit, the Supreme Lord is not different from His name. The fact that we see a difference indicates that we are subordinate to God. The name is the lifeline for the surrendered souls, a way to remain connected to their beloved, even if He is seemingly not with them in person.

Recitation of the holy name also keeps God and His divine qualities within memory. In times of trouble, the mind will take shelter of pleasant things, those experiences and people which are known to provide comfort. As no one is more powerful and capable of rescuing fallen souls than God, remembering Him is the most worthwhile activity. Through thick and thin, happiness and sadness, buying and selling, rising and falling, remembering God is never a wasted effort. Hanuman knew this very well, so he first invoked Rama’s name.

Of course, Hanuman remembered Lakshmana as well. Two-for-one, you get one you automatically get the other. Lakshmana is Rama’s younger brother and he never leaves the Lord’s side. Not a nagging sibling by any stretch, Lakshmana takes it upon himself to be his brother’s protector. Rama is older, thus it is His dharma, or occupational duty, to provide protection to His younger siblings. This fact makes Lakshmana’s attitude all the more endearing. He is not required to offer any service to Rama in the mood that he does, but he doesn’t care about the mundane rules of society. Lakshmana’s only dharma in life is service to Rama, and whatever he needs to do to keep that service going he will follow. Rama, for His part, loves Lakshmana just as much; therefore the two are inseparable.

Hanuman had the good fortune of meeting both of them, and even carrying them on his shoulders. This all occurred in a very short meeting when Rama was looking for Sita Devi, His wife who had gone missing while the couple was residing in the forest of Dandaka. Hanuman lived with Sugriva and his kingdom of monkeys in Kishkindha. An odd alliance was thus formed, with Sugriva agreeing to help Rama find Sita. Not surprisingly, the same messenger who brokered that deal would be handed the burden of success in the mission. Hanuman found his way into Lanka, where it was learned Sita had been taken. Yet when he really needed help in the mission, he remembered Rama and invoked His name.

By first remembering Rama and Lakshmana, we get the first two pieces of the Rama Darbar. Next, Hanuman remembered Sita Devi, the person he was looking for. It is a little ironic that he would invoke her name, for she was thought to be in a distressful situation. Typically, you invoke the name of someone who is powerful and capable of granting boons in order to find success. If you need help, why would you think of someone who is in trouble? This shows that Hanuman knew Sita’s divine nature and her unmatched brilliance in qualitative makeup. She is described here as the daughter of King Janaka, who was one of the most respected kings in the world at that time. This meant that Sita was the king of queens, the best of all ladies. She could grant any boon to anyone, and she would especially favor those who were serving her husband.

Hanuman was strictly engaged in bhakti-yoga, or devotional service. Yoga doesn’t necessarily have to involve meditation or the practice of gymnastics exercises. Yoga is the linking of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul, or God’s expansion residing within the heart. Therefore whatever steps can be taken to form and maintain that link fall under the umbrella of bhakti-yoga. Though Hanuman was searching for Sita in a foreign land, he was immersed in bhakti because he remembered Rama and His associates all the time. Just this verse from the Ramayana alone shows how captivated by divine love Hanuman was.

Hanuman also gives reverence to Lord Shiva, Lord Indra, Lord Yama, the wind-god, the sun, the moon, and the many other deities in charge of the wind. Lord Shiva is Rama’s faithful devotee who is also charged with destroying the creation. Lord Indra is the king of the heavenly realm and he controls the rain. Lord Yama is the god of justice, who hands out punishment to those deserving of it. The wind-god is actually Hanuman’s father, and he plays an important role in ensuring that the life airs are intact. The other deities of the wind are similarly important, thus Hanuman called upon them.

Each of these deities had specific relevance to the present situation. Lord Shiva was the worshipable figure for Ravana, the king of Lanka who had taken Sita away while Rama was temporarily not by her side. Though Lord Shiva grants material benedictions to anyone who pleases him properly, he is completely devoted to Rama. Hence there was no question as to whose side Lord Shiva was on. He was more than willing to help Hanuman in his mission. Lord Indra similarly was not rooting for Ravana, a demon who had terrorized both Indra and the other demigods. Lord Yama was invoked to ensure that Ravana would get the punishment that was due him for having taken the religiously wedded wife of another man. The sun and the moon are powerful entities who serve the Supreme Lord, so their influence could also be helpful. The wind-gods would help Hanuman succeed in his mission by allowing him to course through the town unnoticed, granting him the ability to dodge the attacks of the Rakshasas inhabiting the land.

The fourth piece of the Rama Darbar is Hanuman himself, who is always seen kneeling before Sita, Rama and Lakshmana and offering his obeisances. In one sense the scene from the above referenced quote can be considered the very first instance of the Rama Darbar. Mentally, Hanuman had the other three people standing before him, and he was offering his respects to them prior to undertaking his mission. Not surprisingly, this would be the last step Hanuman would need to find Sita. Finally entering the Ashoka wood, Hanuman would find the missing princess and set the wheels in motion for her rescue.

Hanuman is the dearest associate of Shri Rama and His family. Worshiping Hanuman is never futile because he brings Sita, Rama and Lakshmana with him. They are always within his consciousness, so anyone who is familiar with Hanuman and his qualities can’t help but find the association of Rama and His beloved younger brother and His famed wife, the beautiful daughter of King Janaka. The four of them always remain together, at least in spirit, so anyone who remembers them will similarly meet success in their devotional efforts.

In Closing:

If you are in moment of divine reflection,

Offer mind to the most sacred collection.

 

Four people who are beautiful in their character,

Auspiciousness to their devotees they offer.

 

Lord Rama, devoted son of wind god first remembering,

The prince of Raghu clan, son of Dasharatha the king.

 

Hanuman then remembered Lakshmana the brother,

And wife Sita Devi, King Janaka’s splendid daughter.

 

Shiva, Indra, Yama, and deities of wind offered respect,

With such support, success for Hanuman we should always expect.

Getting Back Up

“Having thus reflected for a moment, his senses bound up in anxiety, Hanuman, the mighty-armed son of the wind-god, arose.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 13.58)

sa muhūrtam iva dhyātvā cintā vigrathita indriyaḥ ||
udatiṣṭhan mahā bāhur hanūmān māruta ātmajaḥ |

Did they really think they were going to win? The forces of maya have drowned many an intelligent man in a sea of sorrow, ruining his chances of ever finding true happiness that is the result of applying real intelligence. The feeble man, thrust into an ocean of misery where the slightest loss causes a breakdown in mental faculties, a respite from the journey onwards towards ultimate success, can be debilitated by the effects of the nature around him. But this couldn’t happen to the most courageous warrior of all-time, a person fighting for the interests of the controller of maya. Though the mental demons seemed to almost bring him down, this brave fighter eventually got up, more enthusiastic than ever about success.

What are these forces of nature of which we speak? Doesn’t everything operate on its own, in an impersonal manner? For instance, if we get hit by a severe weather event, like a hurricane, doesn’t the destructive path of the storm not choose favorites? These questions actually show a level of wisdom only available to the human species. The animals cannot make these inquiries, as they are too bothered by the devices of the senses that look for immediate satisfaction. Try to tell a dog to sit down and wait until the time is right to bark and eat, and you will have a very difficult time. Maybe through sensory training the behavior can be altered, but you can’t go much beyond that. You can’t explain “why” patience is required to a dog.

The human being can gather sense perceptions and keep them recorded in an internal memory bank. More than just a storehouse of information to be queried, patterns of events can be recognized, with their effects noted down. For instance, if day after day I go out into the blazing sun and notice that my body starts to sweat and my skin starts to bake, eventually I can realize that the sun is the cause of those effects. Therefore using the collected experimental data, I can change my behavior so that these unwanted results don’t occur again. Prevention of pain and injury is the primary benefit to acquiring information about the external world.

Through a deeper study, we see that the vital parts of the world don’t seem to have any bias or prejudice. The same blazing sun gives life to the plants, which in turn keep everyone alive. Even the most voracious meat eaters, those who enjoy visiting restaurants where the waiters walk to each table with a giant cooked carcass ready to be chopped up and distributed onto the plates of the patrons, rely on plant life to remain alive. The animals they eat need grass and vegetables. The sun plays an integral role in the maintenance of the animal community as well.

Once we see that nature and its influence have results that fall into duality, we can take that information in one of two ways. One way is to follow the atheistic tendency, wherein we just accept nature as a constant factor and then try to work within its boundaries to find our own successful end. A duality means that the results are neither universally favorable nor unfavorable. The sun example can be used, but so can pretty much anything else. If I am ecstatic about landing a new job, the result seems favorable, for it means that I will have something to do and a steady source of income. At the same time, if the job causes tremendous stress which yields health problems, the sudden fortunate event turns out to be unfavorable in the long run. The event itself had nothing to do with favorable or unfavorable, just the temporary reactions accepted by the affected person fell in both directions.

The mode of thinking where nature is considered impersonal and not having a cause is essentially an atheistic one, where there is no supreme controller identified. In the odd case that the force is recognized, then maybe you just need to accept His presence through a formal acknowledgment and then return to your activities, which basically deny His existence anyway. When nature is accepted to be an impersonal force not having an original cause, every person essentially makes their own rules. What determines this system of right and wrong? Obviously, whatever end is required. For instance, if my goal is to accumulate lots of money and live the lavish lifestyle, whatever steps I can take to reach that end form my occupational duty, or my religion per se.

To the sober person, this attitude is riddled with flaws. For starters, just at the local level the objectives are always changing. One day my outlook on life can be that I need to enjoy as much as possible, while later on my objective may be to donate as much money as possible to other people. With different objectives come different rule-sets, i.e. different religions. Now take this same variety and apply it to every single living entity following the atheistic model and what you get is a giant clash of interests. With competing interests, you get competition. With competition you get temporary victories and losses. With losses you get anger, which results in further strife; hence the constant quarrel and hypocrisy that goes on. How can one person be immoral if they are simply trying to further their personal interest? Why is lying, cheating, or stealing bad if the aim of life is to try to exploit nature’s resources as much as possible?

These competing interests are best illustrated in governments, especially those run on a democratic system. Democracy is preferred to dictatorship because of the insulation it provides from one person running amuck with bad policy. At the same time, the flaw in democracy is that you get relative morality. It may be immoral to go up to your neighbor and take their money out of their wallet and use it for your personal interest, but if you can get a majority vote in Congress to do practically the same thing, the activity becomes legal. If one person is receiving benefits from the government, if they are given preferences in life, then everyone else has a similar right. Therefore the struggle is not over what the duty of the government should be, but rather who should be benefitted and who shouldn’t. We already know that the largest governing body known to the people working under this system, Mother Nature, doesn’t play favorites, so why should the smaller governments?

The wise person, who receives training from someone who has seen the light themselves, understands the real position of material nature, that it is simply one of the expansions of energy coming from the Supreme Lord. Not only is this person understood to be God, but He has personal features and characteristics. These personal qualities are used for His own pleasure, and their identification serves to enhance the existence of the living being struggling between personal objectives. The only reason there can be multiple systems of maintenance, or multiple religions, is because the desired objectives fail to provide the real fruit of existence. If we taste the reason for our being, then we will want to repeat that taste over and over again instead of jumping from one venture to another.

What is that fruit of existence? And how can we taste it? Not surprisingly, the ultimate mission in life is to become God conscious. More importantly, once God is properly identified, the living being can interact with Him through various transcendental mellows, thus basking in His association. The first issue is that material nature exists to inhibit the knowledge gathering capabilities of the conditioned living beings. Just by the fact that a living entity needs to gather knowledge indicates that they are flawed, that they are inferior to God. Moreover, since they have to overcome forces which are instituted to be inhibiting towards realization of God, you see just how difficult the struggle in material life is.

If God is so wonderful, why would He erect these barriers? Why would He create this material nature that is full of duality? The reason known to the Vedic seers, those who follow the ancient system of spirituality which reveals and discusses the real set of religious principles, or dharma, is that the living beings, the separated expansions of God, wanted to be illusioned. Why would anyone ever want to be put into ignorance? One way to explain this is to think of the experience we have when watching movies, television shows and plays. The whole point is to be entertained, and if we were consciously aware of the fact that what we were watching was a performance scripted to perfection, the enjoyment wouldn’t be the same. On the other hand, if we forced ourselves to forget that what we were watching was fake, we could immerse ourselves in the performance and thus enjoy the show.

The material nature is the largest stage, where the allure is the forgetfulness of God and the ability to think oneself to be the supreme enjoyer. Obviously the tastes resulting from these pursuits are limited at best, and they carry many defects. Just the fact that good and bad are both relative shows that the enjoyment under illusion in the material nature is severely limited. This also means that material nature, though operating impersonally, has a negative influence on every single person, even the richest and most successful person. The person who has no God consciousness can never be in an auspicious condition, because they are always in the dark about their real existence. In addition, once the time of death arrives, they return to the ocean of nescience and repeat the cycle of pursuit for enjoyment again.

“Those who are envious and mischievous, who are the lowest among men, are cast by Me into the ocean of material existence, into various demoniac species of life.”  (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 16.19)

The sincere souls fortunate enough to have contact with a spiritual master, or guru, who knows the personal nature of God and the reason for the material existence can receive direct instructions to help transcend the effects of nature and rise to a position of enlightenment. The even more fortunate souls get God’s personal association and the ability to carry out His orders. This was the benediction granted to Hanuman, though at times it seemed like he was handed a burden more than anything.

The Personality of Godhead descended to earth in His spiritual manifestation as a warrior prince named Rama. The task handed to the great servant of God, Shri Hanuman, was to find Rama’s wife, Sita Devi, who had gone missing. The task was actually handed out to many able-bodied warriors, but Hanuman was the one most enthusiastic for it. Also, the place where Sita actually was could only be reached by Hanuman.

There were many obstacles along the way, but Hanuman eventually made it to the island where Sita was being held captive. Thus far no sweat, as Hanuman still had a chance for success. Yet he searched and he searched and he still couldn’t find her. This is where it appeared that the influence of material nature started to have an effect on him. Hanuman was keenly aware of the limits of time and space, and now the seed of doubt crept into his mind. What if Sita wasn’t alive? What would happen if Hanuman returned to Rama’s camp and informed Him that he had failed in the mission? Hanuman hadn’t done anything wrong, but he thought he had. Therefore he was in tremendous mental distress.

The distress was actually not needed, because whatever events occurred were the result of divine intervention anyway, as Rama is not affected by material nature and neither are those intimately tied to Him in consciousness. Nevertheless, Hanuman temporarily suffered, for his love for Rama was so strong. In devotional service, or bhakti-yoga, there is no such thing as defeat, even if there are temporary setbacks. This fact is validated in the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, where we see Hanuman rising up after having been overcome by anxiety. He was so worried about what to do, about how to please Rama, that he couldn’t decide what step to take next.

This doubt is material nature’s gift to the soul not in God consciousness. Hanuman always thinks of Rama and His welfare, therefore he could never be defeated by his mental demons. Remembering Rama and His interests, Hanuman arose and decided to fight on. He would rather die trying than give up the fight. He found a nearby Ashoka wood that hadn’t been searched yet. He would look through that area for Sita. If he didn’t find her, he’d defeat all the enemies that lived on this island, including its leader Ravana, who had taken Sita away in the first place. Redemption came for Hanuman in the form of a renewed enthusiasm to please his beloved, the creator of material nature. The victory would taste extremely sweet, as Hanuman would finally find Sita and then return to Rama with information of her whereabouts. All would end well, with material nature being defeated by Rama’s most ardent supporter. That pillar of strength, Shri Hanuman, rescues countless fallen souls through his example and his blessings bestowed upon those who try to love Rama and find the welcoming arms of the spiritual world.

In Closing:

To disturb Hanuman nature did choose,

Did she really think that he would lose?

 

Hanuman victory in the end would see,

In devotional service never a defeat.

 

The ocean of suffering makes the future scary,

Through the ups and downs only temporary.

 

Devotee sees clearly the bigger picture,

Following guru’s instruction success assured.

 

Hanuman, eventually Rama’s wife to see,

Full of valor, honor, courage and devotion is he.