If At First You Don’t Succeed

“Indeed, perseverance is what always propels one to pursue all profitable objects. It makes the actions it inspires in living beings successful.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 12.11)

anirvedo hi satatam sarva artheṣu pravartakaḥ |
karoti saphalam jantoḥ karma yac ca karoti saḥ ||

Hanuman is such a humble soul that he has no idea that through his own actions he gives proof to the age-old adages about perseverance and fortitude. When we are in a troublesome situation, a calming technique is to take shelter of past incidents involving people who had to struggle. “Hey, if other people got through similar circumstances, then maybe I can as well.” The most frustrating aspect to a particular task is lack of progress, the fear that success will never arrive. When that fear arises, it helps to look back to examples of past figures who persevered through difficulty, who fought the hard way and eventually got what they wanted. Hanuman, reminding himself of the benefits that come from perseverance, would himself set about creating a wonderful example for millions of people, spanning countless future generations, to follow. That example reveals yet another reason why his glories continue to be sung, honored and remembered.

The difficulty of a task and the fear of what might result with failure take away rational thought. In every aspect of adult life there is some sort of fear, as this is ingrained into the mature human being. Even the animals have fear, along with desires to eat, sleep and mate. With the human being lacking full knowledge of the spirit soul and its relationship to the Supreme Lord, fearing can reach a new height. The fear easiest to identify is that of dying. Lord Rama, the Supreme Lord in His form as the two-armed warrior prince of Ayodhya, notes in the Ramayana that for the mature human being there is no other fear except death.

“Just as the ripened fruit has no other fear than falling, the man who has taken birth has no other fear than death.” (Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Ayodhya Kand, 105.17)

The comparison Shri Rama makes is to the ripened fruit. The fruit starts off as nothing but a tiny seed within a larger plant. Through the gifts of nature and the influence of time, gradually the seed matures into a full blown fruit. Maturity takes a while, so there must be good fortune for the fruit to reach ripeness. Any of the inhibiting influences of material nature can take effect at any second. The Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, group miseries into three categories. There are those inflicted by the heavenly forces, acts of God if you will. These miseries include hurricanes, tornadoes, and just about any general unpleasant weather event. Then there are the punishing influences of other living entities, those who infringe upon others’ natural rights. These people may also harm us with their insulting words aimed at breaking our resolve.

Last but not least, there are the miseries inflicted by the body and mind. These can include diseases and also fearing. The mature fruit does not have the advanced consciousness to fear, but once it reaches its peak development, its destiny is to fall off the plant and get eaten. It has nothing else to wait for. Similarly, the human being matured through the various stages of life, after acquiring so many objects relating to the senses and forging so many relationships, has nothing left to do but die.

“As the embodied soul continually passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. The self-realized soul is not bewildered by such a change.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.13)

As the body was at one time accepted, a sober person can realize that it must also be renounced. In this sense there is nothing to fear, but the forces of material nature are such that fear nevertheless takes over. From the fear of death come all other types of worries and concerns. For young children, there is a fear of not performing well in school. In our youth particularly, in every year of school we were afraid of being left back, forced to repeat the same grade. We even had a recurring dream where we regularly skipped a particular class, only to have a final exam forced upon us at the end of the year that we weren’t prepared for. This isn’t an uncommon dream, as the fear of failing in the classroom is quite widespread.

As one gets older, the fears turn toward the safety and security of family members and occupation. Since fear of failure is so common, and since frustration is found at every corner of the material existence, young children are given lessons on perseverance. Famous fables relay the importance of sticking with a task and seeing it through to completion. Sayings like, “early to bed, early to rise”, “the early bird gets the worm”, and “put your nose to the grindstone” reinforce the need for regulation and dedication in attaining a beneficial end.

In the sports world there are so many instances of athletes overcoming obstacles and defying the odds through perseverance. When a famous athlete fails on the big stage, the impulse reaction for the fans and sportswriters is to label that person a bum. “Oh, they choked. They can’t win the big one. Perhaps they will never win. They will stay a failure forever.” Driving these fatalistic predictions is fear, the thought of what would happen should such and such player or team never achieve their desired end.

Those who do overcome obstacles and finally achieve the victory that everyone thought was impossible become almost folklore. Their stories are honored and remembered for many years, as everyone takes comfort in their triumph over inner demons. The more stories there are like this, the more people will have faith in their abilities and the benefit of fighting through adversity.

When you throw spirituality into the mix, the benefits of perseverance take on a divine nature. What does this mean exactly? Just as the human being is destined to renounce his body, or die, the rewards accumulated that relate to the enjoyment within that body are also short-lived. Perseverance in running the race can bring victory, a trophy indicating an achievement. Fighting through the difficulties in school can result in a degree, and fortitude at work can make others happy, but all of these things will be given up along with the body at the time of death.

The spirit soul, on the other hand, continues its existence. Like a natural acrobat, a space traveller not requiring any rocket ship or spacesuit, the soul jumps from one body type to another through what is known as reincarnation, or the transmigration of the soul. But this cycle does not have to continue perpetually. One who has their consciousness properly situated before renouncing their body does not have to take birth again. As soon as birth ceases, so does death. When death is stopped, the most inhibiting fear, the root of all other worries, is eliminated for good.

“And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.” (Lord Krishna, Bg. 8.5)

How do we know that a specific type of consciousness can stop death? Aside from the fact that Lord Krishna – the same Shri Rama who appeared on earth some five thousand years ago and delivered the Bhagavad-gita on a battlefield – clearly says so, we know from our own experiences that consciousness can alter future fate. Taking shelter of perseverance is an act of the consciousness, for there is no physical work involved in generating motivation. The physical work itself can only harm motivation or cause doubts within the mind. It is through rational thought that situations become favorable or unfavorable. The fruitive worker driven by sense desires looks at the scorching sun as the cause of pain and discomfort, while the yogi who limits their food intake and sleeping sees the sun as the giver of life, a direct manifestation of the Supreme Lord.

Depending on consciousness, even defeat and frustration can be handled as favorable conditions. We can take the example of Shri Hanuman to see how this works. During Rama’s time on earth many thousands of years ago, His wife Sita Devi was taken away from His side while the couple was residing in the forest of Dandaka with Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana. Hanuman, a Vanara warrior, a forest dweller residing with others of his kind in Kishkindha, made his way to the enemy territory of Lanka to find Sita. His mission was to find her, though he had never seen her before, and give to her Rama’s ring. The Rakshasa king Ravana had brought Sita back to Lanka against her will, so Rama wanted to give the princess an indication that He was indeed searching for her and dedicated to her rescue.

Hanuman didn’t have fears over death. He is an eternally liberated soul, which means that material nature can’t affect him. His consciousness is properly situated, so his mind is always connected to God. Even still, this doesn’t mean that defeat and frustration, and even fear, become totally absent. Rather, they just take on a different nature; their influence is different. The same goes with the invocation of perseverance, as using fortitude in bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, brings the highest benefit.

After searching long and hard, Hanuman had yet to find Sita. It just didn’t seem fair. He had braved so many elements to reach Lanka. No one had before done what he did, so there was no comparing his activities to anyone else’s. Nevertheless, the mission still wasn’t complete. After clandestinely searching through Lanka for Sita, Hanuman still didn’t see her. The fear in his mind now related to Rama and the monkeys in Sugriva’s army. Sugriva was the king of the Vanaras in Kishkindha, and it was at his command that the monkeys were dispatched to search for Sita.

The monkeys searched valiantly, and at one point it looked like they wouldn’t succeed. Hanuman remembered his friends and what they had been through together. The last thing he wanted to do was return to them a failure. He couldn’t bear to see the look of disappointment and sadness in their faces. He didn’t want to return to Kishkindha and meet Sugriva’s wrath, for nothing makes a ruler angrier than learning that his subjects disobeyed his orders. Sugriva told the monkeys to find Sita or face severe punishment. Hanuman also didn’t want to disappoint Rama, who was showing signs of suffering from separation from His wife.

Before moving forward, Hanuman decided to think things over. In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, he reminds himself of a few adages relating to perseverance. Tireless determination, indefatigability, leads a person to their profitable end. This makes sense, for if you don’t really want something, you won’t be willing to put in the work to see the successful outcome. Hanuman wanted to find Sita more than anything, so motivation was there. He remembered that when there is desire, strong motivation, the chances for success will greatly increase.

The famous saying, “God helps those who help themselves”, applies nicely to this situation. It is actually most appropriate with Hanuman because he was involved in a mission seeking to please God. In cases not relating to the Supreme, the saying doesn’t really apply. For instance, if our perseverance is dedicated towards procuring liquor and beer to get intoxicated, why would the Lord help us? If our desire is to perpetrate some horrible deed, something against the law, surely the divine forces will not provide any aid.

In fact, any activity performed for our personal benefit does not catch the Lord’s eye in the least. There is really no such thing as good or bad when it comes to the body that is destined for destruction. There is only favorable and unfavorable with respect to the advancement of consciousness. Hanuman was engaged in the constitutional activity of bhakti; therefore for him there was all sorts of aid from the Supreme Lord. The motivation itself, his strong perseverance, was enough to forever endear him to Sita and Rama.

Not surprisingly, Hanuman would end up succeeding in his mission. While taking shelter of a truth of life known to the wise, he ended up giving countless generations a real-life example of those principles put to use. As our mission in life is to become God conscious, the best way to adapt to every circumstance is to regularly chant the Lord’s names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. In the pursuit of spiritual perfection, there will be many obstacles and moments of despair, but by remembering Hanuman and his perseverance, our chances for success will greatly increase.

In Closing:

Tendency to fear will always be there,

Thought of losing everything causes scare.

For mature fruit no fear but to fall,

For adult human tolling bell death’s call.

Perseverance in worker thus praised,

Famed is champion with victory’s arms raised.

Hanuman knew that perseverance guided will,

Brings fruit to those who through trouble stand still.

Success when from fortitude action springs,

Lesson of Hanuman insight brings.

Perseverance

“Perseverance is the root of good fortune. Perseverance leads to supreme happiness. Therefore I will search again, in those areas where I have not searched already.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 12.10)

anirvedaḥ śriyo mūlam anirvedaḥ param sukham |
bhūyas tāvad viceṣyāmi na yatra vicayaḥ kṛtaḥ ||

Who is sweeter than Hanuman? Though known for his supreme prowess, his ability to ward off the staunchest enemies, his knack for changing his shape to match the situation, and his undying devotion to Lord Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hanuman’s level of affection and concern for his dear friends is also impossible to measure. He never wants anything for himself, though he is deserving of the whole world. He is praised and honored daily by millions, but he only takes that as a sign of the greatness of the person he serves and thinks about every day. Whatever mood we find ourselves in, if we simply remember Hanuman, the quality of his heart and who resides there eternally, how can dejection and sadness stay for long? Shri Rama’s messenger searches through thick and thin, the darkness and the light, and among friend and foe alike to shine the torchlight of devotion, the divine vision of his smiling and soothing face, onto those who are deserving of it.

In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, Hanuman is turning around his depressing thoughts and channeling them towards excitement, anticipation and confidence in battle. His mission was simple: find the missing princess of Videha, Lord Rama’s wife. Since these events transpired during the Treta Yuga, the second time period of creation, even the monkey species roaming the earth was advanced to some degree. They befriended the jewel of the Raghu dynasty, who was roaming the forests at the time due to family troubles at home. When Rama’s wife went missing, the Lord and His younger brother befriended the monkey-king Sugriva residing in Kishkindha. The meeting took place because of Hanuman, who is the best messenger anyone could ask for.

“O sinless one, certainly how can any king accomplish his objectives if he doesn’t have such a messenger working for him?” (Lord Rama speaking to Lakshmana about Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kand, 3.34)

Shri Rama correctly noted to Lakshmana upon first meeting Hanuman that no king could ever get his business accomplished without having a messenger like Hanuman. As Rama is Himself a king – the king of the universe – for tending to business He also uses Hanuman. Therefore no one was a better candidate for finding Sita and returning the information of her whereabouts. As a parent if you give an important task to your child, they will usually be enthusiastic to work. The adult has responsibilities and other things they would rather be doing, but the child looks for any opportunity to take on something important, to act like a grown up.

Though Hanuman was in an adult monkey body, he nevertheless took on the mission with the enthusiasm of the most sincere child. His love for Rama was pure, and that’s all he needed for success. Yet even with his excitement and fervent desire to succeed, there were troubles encountered. Upon reaching the enemy territory of Lanka, where it was heard that Sita had been taken, Hanuman searched and searched. He went through apartment after apartment, room after room, but Sita he could not find. He discovered seemingly everything else in Lanka, including the beautiful women married to the king Ravana, the leader of the Rakshasa clan.

Rakshasas are human-like creatures given to sinful activity, with the most notable repugnant behavior being their eating of human flesh. Indulgence in wine and women rounds out the picture, so we can just imagine what kind of place Hanuman entered. Hanuman is fixed in righteousness, or siddha. He has no blemishes in his character, and yet he found himself in “sin city” forced to look at things he didn’t want to see. He was able to properly justify to himself the gazing upon women who were wives of another man, but his resolve started to crack as more time went by without finding Sita.

In the situation of the above referenced verse, Hanuman is thinking that Sita must have perished, that she couldn’t be in Lanka. “I’ve looked everywhere in this place. There isn’t one inch of space that I haven’t uncovered. She must not be here. I couldn’t blame her either, as she probably quit her body upon looking at the ghoulish creatures that live here and their horrible behavior. She is the embodiment of chastity and virtue, so how could she possibly survive for long without Rama by her side?”

Hanuman’s premonition was well founded, but now he had to figure out what that predicament would cause. If Sita was in fact not in Lanka, if Ravana had maybe killed her, what would Hanuman say when he returned to the monkey camp? This is where his true kindness and undying love for Rama and the Lord’s friends was again exhibited. Hanuman thought of what everyone would say, how Sugriva would become angry that the mission he assigned to the monkeys on behalf of Rama was not complete. Hanuman thought of his monkey friends, with whom he had persevered through a long search, who had given him the encouragement to leap over the massive ocean that separated Lanka from the mainland. After what they had been through, how could Hanuman return as a failure? He couldn’t bear to face his friends and see the dejection on their faces. He was fine with having failed himself, for Hanuman is never concerned over his stature or fame. But he never does anything that will cause harm to his friends.

Past military leaders and war heroes have uttered phrases which are today famous declarations of dedication and resolve. “Give me liberty or give me death” and “I have not yet begun to fight” embody the chivalrous spirit of the dedicated warrior. Yet long before these phrases were uttered, many thousands of years ago, before the modern incarnation of organized military conflict, Hanuman reminded himself of the importance of perseverance, giving himself a small pep talk in the process. Hanuman rightly concluded that perseverance is the source of good fortune, that it brings supreme happiness.

The opposite of perseverance is weakness in resolve, giving up rather quickly. It is much easier to give up when there is no enthusiasm in the task to begin with, when the reward is not worth the effort. For Hanuman such issues were not present. He took the task assigned to him by Rama as his life and soul, and he knew that finding Sita would be the greatest reward anyone could ask for. Therefore he rightly concluded that perseverance in this case would lead to good fortune. Sita Devi resides eternally in the spiritual sky as the goddess of fortune, so anyone who is fortunate enough to please her by dedicating their life to serving her husband, God, will always be in her good graces.

Perseverance also brings supreme happiness. If we don’t put in our best effort and fail in a task, there will be so much regret later on. “I really wish I would have tried harder. I wish I had given it my all. Maybe then the outcome could have been different.” In many instances, even if there isn’t ultimate victory, if the perseverance is still there then there is every reason to be proud. Hanuman would find supreme happiness by remaining dedicated in his service to Rama. He would eventually find Sita, and all would end well.

Who among us hasn’t tasted defeat? Who among us hasn’t searched for something or someone repeatedly, only to have failed? The genesis of the material creation is the flawed search for happiness in the absence of God’s association. The search can go on and on, even in planets outside of earth, for that elusive happiness, but it will never be found. The only path towards lasting happiness is spiritual life, and more specifically the discipline of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service.

Chanting the holy names of the Lord, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, is the most auspicious activity because it keeps the mind engaged in Truth, the consciousness focused on an area where God eternally resides. Though the Lord is everything, He is not personally present within every sphere. Rather, He lives in the hearts of those who regularly chant His names and delight in descriptions of His pastimes and glories. Those who reproduce the sound vibrations of Krishna and Rama, two wonderful names describing the Supreme Lord’s transcendental body and limitless attributes of opulence, find the Lord with them at all times.

In the path of bhakti-yoga, which leads to emancipation, there may arise difficulties. “I’ve been chanting for so long and I don’t feel anything. I’ve looked here and there and still I don’t realize God.” But as Hanuman says, perseverance leads to good fortune, to supreme happiness. If after chanting so much and abstaining from the four pillars of sinful life [meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex], we still don’t feel that God is with us, the solution is not to abandon our dedication and return to association with maya, or material nature. Maya has already been searched thoroughly to no avail in both this lifetime and many previous ones as well.

Faced with the possibility of failure, Hanuman decided to renew his search, to go places where he had not gone before. When we have momentary lapses of judgment and feelings of dejection in our devotional efforts, the key is to delve even deeper into spiritual life, to uncover those practices that we have yet to take up. We can chant more rounds, read more books, visit more temples, or simply hear more about the Lord from people who love him, who follow in Hanuman’s footsteps by dedicating their life and soul to pleasing the Supreme Lord. Just as Hanuman was eventually successful, the weary soldier trying to win the war against the material nature that inhibits his spiritual growth too will ultimately prevail.

Who can be more concerned over the welfare of their friends and family than Hanuman? The answer is “no one”. Therefore anyone who has a sincere desire to connect with God through bhakti will surely catch Hanuman’s eye. He will be concerned about their welfare to the same level as if they were a family member. This shows one of the many reasons why Hanuman is so passionately worshiped, honored, adored, and remembered by followers of the Vedic tradition. Hanuman casts a shadow that is impossible to break out of for those following the path of divine love. By using that shadow for comfort, as relief from the intense heat of material existence, the chances for success in life’s mission increase all the more.

Who can better deal with the distresses that come with temporary failure than Hanuman? After all he had been through, it would have been understandable if he would have quit, thrown in the towel, and decided to return home. Yet that wasn’t an option for him. He’d rather fight every single Rakshasa in Lanka and punish them for whatever they had done to Sita than return home without news of the whereabouts of the princess. His supreme wisdom borne of his devotion to Rama kept him going, giving him the fortitude necessary to remain calm in the face of major duress.

Seeing Hanuman’s thoughts and level of dedication, we can’t help but be touched by them. Since the events of the Ramayana took place so long ago and describe attributes and creatures not seen on the earth today, it is very easy to discount the whole poem as being mythology. Yet the wonderful dedication of Hanuman and his very character alone prove that Rama can be none other than the Supreme Lord, whom the entire creation is given to worship and honor. Where Shri Rama finds people like Hanuman to serve Him is a mystery. Even Lord Brahma, the creator, is enamored by Hanuman’s exhibition of divine love, for who could ever imagine a creature like him roaming the earth? The mystery of Hanuman’s character and immeasurable devotion is known only to the Lord, who always has the best friends and well-wishers. Should we one day be fortunate enough to consider ourselves among that illustrious group of souls, our existence will have proved fruitful.

In Closing:

To keep firm resolve under duress,

Is what can lead to success.

To the task at hand keep focus in,

Perseverance leads to good fortune.

These postulates Hanuman himself did remind,

So that he wouldn’t fail in Sita to find.

Because his character is kind and sweet,

Victory he’d ultimately meet.

He gives the lesson for us to follow,

In sadness and failure don’t wallow.

Have perseverance in your bhakti practice,

To always remember Hanuman your mind insist.

Beyond Complacency

“Thus I have with a pure mind searched the entire inside of Ravana’s apartment. Yet I still do not see Sita.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.44)

tad idam mārgitam tāvat śuddhena manasā mayā ||
rāvaṇa antaḥ puram sarvam dṛśyate na ca jānakī |

A new life starts with tremendous potential, as it is a fresh chance to seek out daily pleasures. No knowledge of death, sadness, temporary manifestations of matter, or even what a birth is; just a clean slate. Gradually, however, through maturation, the pile of stale and old, “been there-done that” experiences increases. Thus new engagements have to be found. Yet no matter how many new experiences are uncovered, there is failure and dejection at every step, as nothing seems to last forever. The person knowing the ultimate objective in life, however, is perseverant and sticks with the proper course no matter what. Despite the effort they have put in already and the troubles they have overcome, should they remain unsuccessful they don’t abandon hope and deem the mission unworthy of completion. On the contrary, the nature of the reward is so sublime that there is no choice but to fight on.

In the typical stint within a particular form of body, where enjoyments are sought through contact with matter, the perceived pinnacle achievement is to reach a point where there is a steady supply of material amenities. This usually comes about during adulthood, when a steady occupation is landed. All past effort is meant to culminate in this achievement, which then allows for family life to slowly solidify. Yet we know from the behavior of adults that finding material comforts is actually not the crowning accomplishment, the end to effort being expended. The spirit soul, the energetic spark within the body, must continually act; it never stops functioning for even a moment.

How do we know this? We can look to sleep as an example. Rest and relaxation are the antithesis of compulsory action. We sleep so that we can gain relief from the daily pressures and find a state of being where we don’t have to do anything. Yet the mind continues to operate during periods of rest, so much so that the dreams we have at night can cause intense emotions. If not even a sleeping state can stop desire and the pursuit of happiness, how will any amount of sense gratification?

When we speak of sense gratification we refer to the stimulation of the sense organs, such as the tongue, genitals, eyes, ears, etc. An astute observer may question how any activity can be beyond such distinctions. If we use the senses to interact with nature, how can any activities exist which don’t involve such interaction? As the soul is the spark for action, each individual is beyond the sense organs and the objects with which they interact. We know that our desires change drastically over the course of a lifetime, as how we view different objects of the phenomenal world also changes. During youth, there is no thought given to sexual relations, but in adulthood these urges are so strong that they can lead to misery and heartache.

Despite the changing viewpoints, the individual’s identity remains the same. Therefore we can conclude that the soul transcends whatever sense perceptions are made. As the soul’s satisfaction is what really matters, it is not surprising therefore to see people who are approaching the middle part of their material existence get depressed, dejected and bewildered by the monotonous routine of everyday life. “Is this all there is? You grow up, get a job, start a family, and then just wait for death?“ This attitude helps explain the impulse purchases of muscle cars and motorcycles, and risky behavior like climbing a mountain and jumping out of an airplane. Something needs to be done to break the routine, to inject a spark into life.

On the opposite side of material existence is the pursuit for higher knowledge, wisdom that alters activities so that the soul can find satisfaction. As there is no such thing as a utopia, there is sometimes frustration, dejection, monotony, defeat, sadness, pain, misery and despair in even the highest pursuit known as bhakti-yoga, or devotional service. Though this sounds bad, it actually isn’t. The more one encounters these pains in their pursuit for true enlightenment, the greater the reward they will see at the end. And unlike the rewards previously sought after, this gift will keep on giving, like a wish-fulfilling tree that never runs out of fruits.

Shri Hanuman, a divine figure of the Vedic tradition, was tasked with finding Sita Devi, the wife of Lord Rama. Sita, Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman are worshiped by millions around the world in the Rama Darbar picture. In short, Rama is God and Hanuman is His dear servant. Rama is not a Hindu God. He is the same Supreme Lord that everyone worships, ignores, or strongly envies. During Rama’s time on earth, Hanuman was not involved in sensual pursuits. His kind lived in the forest of Kishkindha, so there was no need to worry about finding lodging, clothing, or food. The monkeys during the Treta Yuga, the second time period of creation, were more civilized than they are today. They were humanoids in a sense, but they were still less civilized than ordinary human beings.

Since Hanuman had every necessity of life, what need did he have to take up service to Rama? This is often the question pondered by the wealthy and those who don’t understand the purpose to spiritual life. “They must worship God because they have nothing. Otherwise, what is the point to religion? I never worshiped anyone and I’m doing just fine.” The pains encountered by the materially successful are the most glaring indication of the paltriness of the rewards available to those who are not God conscious. Hanuman too had everything he needed in life, but the wise never mistake the ability to remain complacent for the panacea of existence.

Hanuman was eager to serve Rama. Any task the Lord would give him, Hanuman would do. As if to correspond with his eagerness and supreme skill set, Hanuman was given the task of locating Sita, Rama’s wife who had gone missing. In his subsequent search, Hanuman would not have anything come easily. Nothing would be handed to him. If we feel pity for someone who is struggling in life or having a difficult time achieving their objectives, we may lend them assistance as a way to make ourselves feel better. With Hanuman, the situation seemed almost reversed. His mission was the most important, and yet no one was really helping him. He was only meeting obstacles at every turn.

First, there was the geographic hurdle to overcome. The place where Sita had been taken, the island kingdom of Lanka, was situated far away from any mainland. The monkeys in Hanuman’s search party were strong, powerful and intelligent, but none of them could leap over the ocean and reach Lanka. Only Hanuman could make the leap. Thus at the most critical stage of the mission, Hanuman had to go it alone. His aerial path was then impeded several times. The material nature acts in this way. If someone abandons their pursuit of increasing sense gratification, the wardens of the state, the entities in charge of providing every illusory enjoyment, ask, “Where are you going my dear friend? Don’t you want to continue enjoying all that material life has to offer?”

In Hanuman’s case, the opposition was a little more fierce. He was flat out told that he could not cross certain boundaries. If he did, he would die. Attachment to the swinging pendulum of acceptance and rejection is destroyed by one who takes to bhakti-yoga, and since no one is stronger than Hanuman, these impeding forces did not stand a chance against him. He finally made it to the shores of Lanka after much effort.

The hard part was over then, right? He did the unthinkable by leaping across the ocean, now he could just find Sita and declare victory? Actually, his difficulties were only beginning. Now that he was in Lanka, he had to rummage through a city which did not welcome his presence. Lanka was ruled by Rakshasas, who are human-like creatures given to sinful behavior. More than just meat eaters, they are human eaters. In Lanka their king Ravana could consume unthinkable amounts of wine with his ten heads. His ten sets of arms could fill his many mouths with loads of cooked meats as well.

Such a pure and devoted soul as Hanuman did not belong in Lanka, especially since he was Rama’s messenger. Imagine going to some place where everyone hates you and wants to kill you upon first sight. Who would want to enter such an area? But Hanuman was given the task for a reason; he was capable of handling the thwarting elements. Taking on a diminutive stature, Hanuman carefully coursed through the extremely opulent city. Yet Sita he found not.

Hanuman’s hope was renewed when he stumbled upon Ravana’s palace, the most important of the many well-built structures in Lanka. There were beautiful women inside this palace, so Hanuman was excited that perhaps the most beautiful woman in the world, Sita Devi, would be among them. Sadly, she was not, though in the process Hanuman laid his eyes upon scenes that shouldn’t be viewed. Some women were drunk, some sleeping, and others not wearing very much clothing.

At this point, even the most adamant fighter would give way to frustration and dejection. After working so hard, after overcoming the greatest obstacles known to man, there still wasn’t success. To make matters worse, Hanuman was fearful that he had just committed a sin by gazing upon the wives of another man. In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, we see him rationally assessing the situation and rightly concluding that he had no other choice but to search in this way. After all, one searches for women amongst other women, not in a group of deer. There was no sin because Hanuman’s thoughts did not deviate. He was only concerned with finding Sita and making Rama happy.

With material life there will be frustration at every step, as the very meaning of maya is “that which is not.” When objects are divorced of their relationship to the Supreme Lord, they can never provide full satisfaction. On the other hand, someone as divine and pure as Sita Devi can keep one’s fire of devotion well lit when remembered on a regular basis. The difficulties faced by Hanuman in his search for Sita have never been encountered by anyone on this earth. He did not deserve any of the resulting frustration, for if life were fair, Sita’s location would have been revealed to him right away.

But Hanuman’s perseverance would pay off, as he would finally find Sita. Unlike with rewards not related to God, the fruit of the eyes that was the vision of Sita only led to more benefits afterwards for Hanuman. His devotion to Rama increased with every success, including his finding of Sita. Though the obstacles encountered would not cease after this triumph, the eventual victory of Rama and the rescue of Sita would occur nonetheless. To this day Hanuman’s level of devotion only increases. Lest we think he is poor or lacking in enjoyment, Sita Devi has vowed to meet all of Hanuman’s basic necessities in life for all of time. Therefore he is never in need of anything. As his main business is to regularly chant Rama’s names and think of His glorious activities now documented in the famous Ramayana, whatever resources are required to make that business profitable are kindly provided by the goddess of fortune herself, Sita Devi.

The mature human being immersed in material life is on a search similar to Hanuman’s except that the temporary triumphs aren’t really victories at all. On the other hand, even the distresses and failures in devotional life end up being beneficial. Therefore when presented with the choice as to whether to continue material pursuits or turn towards God, the correct decision shouldn’t be very difficult to decipher. By regularly chanting the Lord’s names, such as those found in the maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, the search for God can be undertaken in earnest, with steady progress made with each successive day. With the passing of time, the Supreme Lord reveals Himself more and more, making every day better than the previous one.

In Closing:

In material life struggle under duress,

So that eventually you’ll find success.

To have amenities in steady supply,

Is reason why hard in work we try.

Yet no happiness in remaining complacent,

Must find joy of which there is no equivalent.

No utopia, even in bhakti pain,

Fear of failure, that happiness will wane.

Divine vision keeps the proper goal in mind,

So that the ultimate reward spirit soul can find.

In Lanka, Hanuman looked and he looked,

For Sita, vision of Ravana’s queens he took.

Yet failure only made him in mission stronger,

Reaching ashoka grove, search he had to no longer.

Pattern Recognition

“One looks for a being amongst those of its own kind. One does not look for a lost woman amongst female deer.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.43)

yasya sattvasya yā yoniḥ tasyām tat parimārgyate ||
na śakyam pramadā naṣṭā mṛgīṣu parimārgitum |

Shri Hanuman here unknowingly provides further evidence of his kindness, compassion and dedication to virtue. Though he never needs to justify his behavior to anyone, he nevertheless feels remorse for having gazed upon the beautiful wives of another man while they were sleeping and in an intimate setting. Normally, such behavior would constitute sin, as the act would have a negative impact on the mind. The results of a sinful activity must bear fruit; otherwise there is no purpose to categorizing behavior as sinful or pious. But since Hanuman’s mind is never diverted from his self-assigned mission of pleasing the Supreme Lord, there is no chance of any sinful reaction coming upon him. Nevertheless, to let future generations know exactly why he was able to transcend the punishing influences of prohibited activities, Hanuman reveals some of his thoughts, his reasons for searching through the inner apartments of the Rakshasa king Ravana. Though in his thoughts he is referencing the search for Sita Devi, the princess of Videha and wife of Lord Rama, the instruction he provides also applies to other kinds of searches, such as looking for a spiritual master, a person to dispel the illusion and doubt that eventually arise for the bewildered soul trapped in a cycle of enjoyment and renunciation, happiness and sadness, and birth and death.

How was Hanuman able to travel through the enemy territory of Lanka unscathed, both physically and mentally? Lord Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead who had descended to earth in the guise of a warrior prince, was living peacefully in the forest of Dandaka. This famous forest, which is located in the section of land today known as India, was quiet, peaceful and conducive to the performance of sacrifices and rituals. A long time back, one of the first kings to appear on earth, Maharaja Ikshvaku, had a son named Danda, which is a Sanskrit word that means “rod” or “punishment”. A king is required to administer justice to those who violate the laws of the state. Therefore they periodically must use “danda” as a means of ensuring law and order in society.

Danda was given charge of a territory of land, which after a sequence of events instigated by a transgression on his part was entirely burned up. After the area was vacated, it became a hotspot for ascetics looking for peace and quiet from the city life. Since it was previously ruled over by the king Danda, the area became known as Dandaka. While on earth, Shri Rama was living in Dandaka for a brief period of time with His wife Sita Devi and younger brother Lakshmana. Who would ever think of bothering such nice people not doing harm to anyone?

In another part of the world, the Rakshasa king Ravana was consumed by passion, as his life revolved around meat-eating, intoxication and illicit sex. Hearing of a beautiful princess residing in the Dandaka forest, Ravana had to have her. Though he couldn’t defeat Rama in a one-on-one battle, Ravana was not deterred. He hatched up a scheme whereby Rama and Lakshmana were temporarily lured away from their cottage, allowing Sita to be taken without a fight. To find Sita afterwards, Rama enlisted the help of a band of forest dwellers residing in Kishkindha. Their most capable and devoted warrior was Shri Hanuman, who eventually made his way into Ravana’s home in Lanka.

There were some issues for Hanuman, though. It was not as if he was given a map with the treasure distinctly marked. Rather, all he had to go by was that Sita was Rama’s wife. From this information, from her link to the Supreme Lord, Hanuman could understand that she was the most beautiful princess in the world. Her family lineage was also brilliant. Though she had no biological father or mother, Sita was raised by the famous King Janaka of Mithila. His city of Janakpur is so respected and revered that it’s considered a tilaka, or sacred mark, on the earth. For the Vaishnava, a devotee of God in His personal form, the tilaka mark on the head serves as a reminder that they are a servant of the Supreme Lord. The tilaka is a paste that is typically made out of some type of sacred powder, sandalwood pulp from an important area relating to Vishnu. For Janaka’s kingdom to be described as a tilaka shows just how sacred the land ruled over by the famous king was.

Hanuman knew that Sita had to be the most beautiful woman in the world; otherwise how could she be worthy of having Rama as a husband? Shri Rama and Sita Devi live forever in each other’s company in the spiritual world, so why should they not be married while journeying through the manifested world? Hanuman also knew that she would not be in a very good situation in Lanka. Anyone who devotes their life and soul to God’s interests feels the separation from Him at every moment. What then to speak of someone as kind and sweet as Sita, who had spent many years directly serving the Lord as His wife?

To find Sita inside of a city filled with opulence and beautiful women, Hanuman had to search everywhere. This included the inner apartments of the ruler of the land, Ravana. What Hanuman saw in the royal palace cannot really be compared to anything seen today. Perhaps the night clubs and bars are similar, but the level of beauty of Ravana’s wives and the opulence found within the rooms are not seen today. These women were exquisite in every way; they looked like they had descended from the heavenly realm.

After seeing these women, Hanuman felt bad. If a woman is married, her beauty and attractive glances are meant solely for her husband’s enjoyment. If another man looks at such women, their lusty desires will increase. This is what happened with Ravana, who didn’t even have to see Sita to have his desires fired up. But what could Hanuman do? Finding Sita was more important for him than abiding by rules and dictates of religion. He noticed that his mind had not deviated from the task at hand even after seeing such beautiful women. Therefore there was not any sin involved, as his consciousness remained completely pure.

In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, we see a nice comparison made by Hanuman that gives further evidence that his behavior in Lanka was indeed pious. If we are looking for a particular type of living entity, we look for them amongst members of the same species. No one looks for a woman amidst a pack of female deer. Therefore, for Hanuman to find Sita, he had to look at other women as well. With every object he was gazing upon in Lanka, Hanuman had to make the quickest mental assessment to see whether or not the object in question was Sita. His eyes were the equivalent of a scanning system that had to do pattern recognition in an instant. There are many scanning machines today that can be fed documents with text in them, with the machine deciphering the actual characters on the page. For this optical character recognition to work, the machine must look for different words and letters and then compare them to the known alphabet. The scanning system is not interested in those things which are not words, such as images, drawings and color markings. For Hanuman to find Sita, he had to look at women and then make the comparison. What would the use be in searching in other areas where the objects in question were already known to not be women?

To take a further lesson from the incident, when looking for spiritual enlightenment, the proper areas must be searched. If I am having trouble dealing with death, the temporary nature of happiness and enjoyment, and the repetition of the days and weeks, will I find what I’m looking for in a bottle of whiskey? Will the night club have the answers to life’s questions? What about the sporting venue or the gambling table? Does one go looking for spiritualists, transcendentalists and teachers of supreme knowledge in such areas?

“Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized soul can impart knowledge unto you because he has seen the truth.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.34)

To find the eternal truths of life, one must approach someone who is practicing the principles of real religion. In the Bhagavad-gita, Lord Krishna, the same Shri Rama appearing on earth many thousands of years later, advises His cousin and friend Arjuna to approach a spiritual master, or guru, and learn the truth from him. What’s ironic is that this instruction was part of a series of instructions given to Arjuna by Krishna. The Lord was in essence acting as Arjuna’s spiritual master. Despite His personal presence, approaching a bona fide guru in some way or another is so important that Krishna made sure to mention it to Arjuna.

But how do we know where to find a spiritual master? How do we decipher who is legitimate and who is a pretender? Just as Sita had to be found by searching amongst women, the guru must be located amongst those practicing religion. The mind is incapable of deciphering the highest truths of life on its own. This should make sense after all, for the mind cannot get its arms around the concepts of time and space. Just sit down for a minute and try to comprehend the infinite nature of time, how it has no beginning and no end. Religion in the Vedic definition is known as sanatana-dharma, or the occupational duty of man which has no beginning and no end. Again, try to think about the bounds of space. At what point do you reach the end of space? Our rooms may be marked off by the position of the walls, but we know that these have no bearing on space itself. The total space of the universe is incomprehensible.

Though Hanuman never openly seeks the role of someone’s teacher on high subject matters, he is as bona fide an authority figure on spirituality as you can get. Just as one of the signs Hanuman would use to recognize Sita was her devotion to Rama, the surefire way to know whether a spiritualist is a bona fide guru is to see if their behavior follows Hanuman’s? Do they spend all of their time thinking about how to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead? Do they always sing His glories and chant His names, such as those found in the famous maha-mantra, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”? Are they concerned about whether or not they are behaving piously, even though they are actually above having to abide by the rules and dictates of religion? Are they dejected when they feel they have failed the Supreme Lord and do they feel elated when they think they have made Him happy? Have they surrendered body, mind and speech to God and His interests?

These symptoms are all present in Hanuman, and they are found in other devotees to some degree or another as well. Though the world may seem to be filled with many Ravanas today, by using the knowledge we have of Hanuman and other celebrated personalities very dear to Shri Rama, we can search amongst spiritualists and run our internal pattern recognition program. Though it may take a while, the link to the spiritual world, the boatman who can carry us across the ocean of nescience to the spiritual land, will eventually be found. Sita would be located by Hanuman, and he would be forever glorified for his perseverance and dedication in serving the lotus feet of the Supreme Lord. Those who follow Hanuman’s example and dedicate their lives to serving the servant of the servant of the servant of God, up to even ten times removed in terms of servants, can teach others the valuable information they are looking for.

In Closing:

For particular entity trying to find,

Will look amongst species of the same kind.

Looking for woman amongst does,

Foolishness of seeker it shows.

These things to Hanuman were known,

But felt bad after Ravana’s wives shown.

Yet lesson from his thoughts can be taken away,

On how to find guru we’re shown the way.

Look for devotee amongst other practitioners,

Where can be found of the holy name chanters.

To find teacher who relishes bhakti’s taste,

To look in bars and night clubs a waste.

Hanuman shows the behavior that we need to see,

Those following his mood bona fide will be.

Among Their Own

“I certainly could not have searched for Vaidehi [Sita] anywhere else. When searching, one always looks for women in those places where other women are.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.42)

na anyatra hi mayā śakyā vaidehī parimārgitum ||
striyo hi strīṣu dśyante sadā samparimārgaṇe |

In the drive to uphold righteousness, to ensure that the bad guys are taken care of and to root out the evil elements of society, the authority figures must infiltrate areas they otherwise would not frequent. Nevertheless, this doesn’t make them sinful, for they are just doing their job. Without brave fighters around to carry out the tasks others are not willing to do, how would criminals ever be caught and how would justice ever be served? To carry out the mission of the Supreme Person, Shri Hanuman is always willing to take every risk, even if by his behavior he brings for himself ignominy and invites scorn from the less intelligent. On the surface, gazing at other beautiful women in the inner sanctums of the bedroom with their husbands is considered a grievous transgression of propriety. But Hanuman had a higher purpose to fulfill, so he wasn’t going to let mundane rules and regulations prevent him from finding the most beautiful woman in the world, Sita Devi, the beloved wife of Lord Rama, who had been taken away from the side of her husband.

The need to sometimes bend the rules or ignore them outright shouldn’t be that difficult to understand. On the busy highways and streets, there are signs and traffic signals that tell motorists when to stop and where they are allowed to drive their vehicles legally. One of the most obvious signs of regulation is the lane marker, especially that which separates the two directions of traffic. On one side, cars are travelling in one direction, and on the other they are going in the opposing direction. Without a lane marker to divide the two sets of traffic, there would be collisions and a dangerous situation at every moment.

The lane marker indicates that no one should cross the specific line unless it is legal to do so, such as with a turn into a driveway. The reason for the restriction is that violating the lane boundaries would result in a dangerous condition. But what if you’re on a small street and there is a large vehicle parked on the other side of the lane marker, the side adjacent to the curb. This is especially common during the daytime because of the mail delivery and sanitation trucks travelling from house to house. Let’s say that we’re driving in our lane on an American road, obeying the laws, when all of a sudden there is a mail truck to our right side. We now have a choice. Either continue forward in our lane and hit the mail truck with our car, or veer left and violate the lane boundary in the middle to avoid hitting the mail truck.

The right choice is rather obvious. Hitting the mail truck is not an option, for the whole point of having traffic laws is to avoid striking another vehicle. The lane boundary in the middle can be temporarily violated if it is safe to do so. This simple examples shows us that the rules are not absolute; rather, they are to be understood in the proper context. The ultimate objective of safe driving and prevention of collision and injury is what should steer the driver’s decision making. If a driver were to hit the mail truck and then use the excuse, “Well, I didn’t want to cross the center line”, they wouldn’t get much sympathy from anyone else.

In every field of activity there are certain unwanted aspects. For a firefighter, running into a burning building to save occupants isn’t necessarily eagerly anticipated. For the average person, as soon as there is a fire they must evacuate the building immediately. The fireman has the exact opposite responsibility; his job is to go into dangerous situations and save people. In a similar manner, the doctor in the emergency room is expected to treat even the most gruesome injuries. He does not have the leeway to faint at the sight of blood. For non-medical professionals, the gruesome images are too much to take and should thus be avoided.

Along the same lines, police officers, detectives and investigative reporters find their way into areas frequented by criminals in order to get their investigations completed. Sometimes they have to go undercover and pretend to be one of the criminals, while other times they must immerse themselves in the underground culture to get a feel for what is going on [think of the famous Fletch movies]. A criminal will be amongst other criminals after all, so the investigator has no choice but to associate with the bad elements in order to find the person they are looking for.

A long time ago, Shri Hanuman, in his search for the princess of Videha, had to cast his glance upon the most beautiful women in the world who were not married to him or associated to him in any way. Sita required finding because she was taken away against her will by the Rakshasa king Ravana. She was kidnapped through a ruse, with her husband Lord Rama lured away from her side temporarily. Ravana lived far away on an island so opulent that the floors of the buildings were inlaid with crystal. Though Sita never gave in to Ravana’s advances, the king still had plenty of other women around with which to enjoy. Hanuman got to see Ravana’s playboy lifestyle firsthand in his search for Sita in Lanka.

In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, we see Hanuman thinking over the potential transgression of having looked at another person’s wives. In the Vedic tradition, such peeping is considered sinful, for it has a negative influence on the consciousness. The marriage institution was put into place by God to allow for spiritual advancement coupled with simultaneous controlling of the sense urges. The more we force ourselves to do things that are good for us that we may not like, such as austerity, charity, sacrifice and regulation, the more advanced we become in terms of consciousness. If there is no regulation in sex life, which results from the strongest sense urges, the human being is no different from a dog or pig. Who would ever think of imitating a dog? Who would ever want to be like a pig? Rather, the animals, if they had real intelligence, would want to model their behavior after mature human beings.

The greatest benefit of the human birth is the ability to think rationally and control urges that dominate the lifestyle of an animal. The penchant for illicit sex is very strong, so the recommendations of spiritual life are there to help curb its influence. The marriage institution allows for sex life in a regulated manner, keeping the sense urges in check. Every other sinful activity is related to illicit sex and its increase in frequency. Hanuman was not married to these women, so he had no reason to look at them. They were inside their husband’s palace enjoying in different ways, so they didn’t even know that somebody was watching them.

But Hanuman is not an ordinary worker. He is not interested in advancing in consciousness or controlling sense urges. Rather, these things take care of themselves through his allegiance to Lord Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead roaming the earth at the time in the guise of a warrior prince. Just as the driver’s objective is to avoid collisions on the road while travelling, the worker steadily engaged in bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, is only interested in pleasing their beloved lord of their life breath, or prana-natha. Should there come a circumstance where sinful activity is unavoidable, the devotee will not hesitate to carry out their actions.

This was the situation Hanuman found himself in. As he so accurately points out, to find a woman one must search amongst other women; otherwise how would the search ever be successful? If Hanuman didn’t look inside Ravana’s apartment, his search would be limited. His mission was not to abide by rules of piety and virtue aimed at developing consciousness. His consciousness was already purified, so he had no reason to give deference to rules and regulations. In reality, any activity Hanuman adopts in his service to Rama is the very definition of virtue. If he had avoided searching through Ravana’s palace out of fear of committing sin, he would have actually been worthy of derision.

Despite his exalted status, Hanuman is so humble and kind that he is always attentive to piety and sin. If he is known to be Rama’s devotee, he would want to show that he has a good character by always upholding righteousness and treading the virtuous path. Others would look to him as an authority figure after all, so if he were to throw the rules by the wayside without cause, others would have an easy excuse to follow suit. His ability to gaze upon other women and not be affected in consciousness is not easily acquired. Therefore his actions should always be appreciated but never imitated, for the common man is not so strong.

Lord Chaitanya, the preacher incarnation of Godhead who travelled extensively throughout India some five hundred years ago, once had an incident where one of His associates fell prey to the advances of a woman. Lord Chaitanya was a sannyasi at the time, so aside from being renounced from worldly life, there was a self-imposed restriction barring association with women. A brahmana sannyasi is the most respected member of society due to his unique status. Therefore if he associates with women, he loses his reputation and is taken less seriously when he preaches about the glories of bhakti-yoga. Even though this associate was in the company of the most exalted sannyasi, Lord Chaitanya, he still became victim to the temptations of illicit sex life. Therefore Lord Chaitanya had to abandon his company.

Hanuman’s search through Ravana’s palace was not sinful because there was no detrimental effect to the mind. The intent going in was not malicious either. We see that the laws of the government take intent into account when judging a person’s actions. For instance, if someone is struck with a vehicle accidentally, there are no criminal charges filed. However, if there was an intent to injure, the same act can lead to jail time. Similarly, if there is no intent to alter the mind, to be lured into sense gratification or commit a sinful act, and there is every attempt made to carry out the Supreme Lord’s business through the righteous path, even something as sinful as gazing upon other beautiful women while in their inner apartments carries no negative consequences.

“Even if one commits the most abominable actions, if he is engaged in devotional service, he is to be considered saintly because he is properly situated.”  (Lord Krishna, Bg. 9.30)

Hanuman’s activities only bring positive consequences to whoever hears of them. His steadiness of mind while in a distressful situation further substantiates his stature as Rama’s greatest devotee, a person truly worthy of worship. A sweetheart like Hanuman is one of a kind; scour the earth for someone like him and you’ll be searching forever. It is not surprising, therefore, to learn that Hanuman would eventually find Sita, after all his troubles and struggles within his mind. While looking at others’ wives may be frowned upon, looking at the beautiful princess of Videha with the proper mood brings the greatest benefit. Hanuman met Sita and temporarily allayed her fears about her immediate future. He gave her Rama’s ring indicating an authenticity of purpose. He would later return with Rama and the army of monkeys residing in Kishkindha to do away with Ravana once and for all.

To please Rama, Hanuman is ready to risk sinful behavior and public scorn. He is only interested in the opinion that Shri Rama and His close associates have of him. And to try to measure their love for Hanuman would be a silly task, as there has yet to be found a quantitative measurement that can accurately weigh the strong affection that Sita, Rama and Lakshmana feel towards Hanuman. The reward for his bravery in the most daunting mission and his dedication to the ultimate righteousness, God consciousness, was the ability to worship and think of Rama every single day for the rest of his life. Just thinking about Hanuman worshiping Rama brings so much auspiciousness. If we can remember Hanuman’s dedication and highest virtue, our time in this troublesome land will be well spent.

In Closing:

While in Lanka carrying out his mission,

Hanuman only thought of task he was given.

To find a woman, among other women he had to see,

Though from this chance of committing sin there would be.

Never mind, for what else could he do?

To objective of finding Sita he remained true.

Rules are always meant for fulfilling higher purpose,

Therefore sometimes specific rules one must transgress.

For Hanuman, all of his acts are auspicious.

Because of loving God he is always conscious.

A Monkey’s Mind

“It is certainly the mind that is instrumental in causing the senses to act in ways that lead to either auspicious or inauspicious conditions. And my mind right now is positively situated.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.41)

mano hi hetuḥ sarveṣām indriyāṇām pravartate ||
śubha aśubhāsv avasthāsu tac ca me suvyavasthitam |

“So, you’re telling me that a monkey can talk? He and his other monkey friends travelled around the earth looking for a princess who was taken away by a guy with ten heads? Then eventually they talked to a bird who told them where she was? After that the lead monkey expanded his size and jumped from a mountain peak and crossed over the ocean? This same monkey then changed to a small size to search through the streets and inner palaces of the city for the princess? Obviously these are just mythological stories meant to enliven the spirit, to keep those desperate for an escape from the doldrums of everyday life hopeful of a brighter future. We see such amazing things portrayed in film all the time, so the events from the Ramayana sound like they are an ancient time’s version of fables and stories.”

Such a line of thinking seems plausible enough, except for the fact that nowhere do the authors of the famous Vedic texts say that any of the important events they document and discuss are made up or exaggerated. Every verse is presented in carefully composed Sanskrit, a language reserved for the highest class of men. While the feats of strength bordering on the amazing seem easy to dismiss as mythology, the high philosophical points presented by the relevant characters are not. Rather, their words of wisdom are unparalleled in their brilliance, as they cannot be found in any other scriptural tradition. The thoughts of Hanuman referenced above serve as a reminder of this fact.

The same monkey who expanded his size and leaped across the ocean is herein providing the real meaning to piety and sin, auspiciousness and inauspiciousness. The basic sins are easy to identify. Don’t covet your neighbor’s wife, don’t kill innocent people, and don’t steal. Piety is the opposite of sin – respect other people, tell the truth, and believe in God. But what is the purpose to piety and sin? Moreover, isn’t it sometimes a good thing to tell a lie? If someone attacks us or our family, should we not use violence to protect ourselves and our loved ones? If we don’t, aren’t we committing sin by shirking our duties?

Piety and sin are certainly more complex than their surfaces reveal. The living entity is himself complex, for he lives in a form that is like a bubble. This comparison to the bubble is also provided by that same amazing monkey, who is famed throughout the world as Hanuman, the eternal servant of Lord Rama. The monkey-god, as he’s known to those unfamiliar with his true superior standing, not only performs amazing feats in his quest to please his beloved Rama, but he also provides pearls of wisdom that can be appreciated by the highest class of scholars. A mythological character could never be so wise, nor could he have such a profound influence on people’s lives many millions of years into the future.

The knowledge of the spirit soul, its constitutional position, its travels through various body types, and what it needs to find the most auspicious condition is found only in the Vedic tradition, of which the Ramayana is part. Sublime wisdom is available to you should you decide it is worth your time to try to learn. You can even take your pick when deciding how you want to absorb the information. You can go for the Vedanta-sutras and Upanishads to learn about the high concepts of spirituality through short and concise verses which can be contemplated upon for years on end. Or, you can follow the pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead described in texts like the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranas to learn the same information through stories describing historical incidents.

If God decides to act, His actions won’t be ordinary. The behavior of His dearest associates will not resemble anything normal either. Add to the mix that the events of the Ramayana took place so long ago, when man and every other species were more pure in their existence, and you have descriptions that are difficult to accept as fact. Nevertheless, just from hearing them with an open mind, not only can you associate with exciting adventure stories, but you can also get sublime wisdom that uncovers the meaning of life and how to fulfill it.

"Whom are you lamenting for when you yourself are pitiable? Why do you pity the poor when you yourself have now been made poor? While in this body that is like a bubble, how can anyone look at anyone else as being worthy of lamentation?" (Hanuman speaking to Tara, Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kand, 21.3)

The spirit soul is the essence of identity, and the body types it occupies can be likened to bubbles that don’t remain in existence for very long. When we see bubbles in the air, we know that they can dissipate pretty quickly. The term “quickly” references a relative measurement of time. For instance, to a human being that can live upwards of one hundred years, one second is very quick, as it is insignificant compared to the large timeline representing their lifetime. On the other hand, for a living being that doesn’t live very long, say for maybe a day, one second is very significant. It is not quick at all, but rather represents a significant portion of their duration of existence.

The bodies of living beings are likened to bubbles because, in the grand scheme of things, even someone who lives for one hundred years only occupies but a blip on the complete timeline of the creation. And living for one hundred years is a rare occurrence today, as the body can perish at any moment, even if we make the best attempt to protect it. The spirit soul is thus given more importance in the Vedic tradition, as it exists beyond the temporary manifestations. If we don’t want to believe in reincarnation, which is just a fact of spiritual science, we can understand the same effects by studying the changes of our own body. Do we mourn over the fact that our childhood body is now dead? Take a look at old pictures of yourself if you have them. Perhaps as a child your parents took you to a photo session in a store, where you were dressed up nicely and placed in front of fake scenery to have pictures taken. Perhaps you were even seated next to your brother and sister, thus giving your parents a nice memory of your childhood forms.

When you get older, you realize that you’ll never get that moment back. You will never be in a child’s body again, no matter how hard you try and how strongly you want it. Is it wise to lament this loss? Since you still have your identity, as you are able to consciously contemplate the fact that your body has changed, there is little reason to lament. You still exist, even though you’re now occupying a completely different form. Therefore that childhood form was like a bubble, as it was gradually destroyed over the course of time.

From the sober man’s realization of the changing body comes a pursuit for a higher end. Instead of worrying about a form that constantly changes, why not take the time to understand the essence of identity and what can be done to find a permanent auspicious condition? This is where piety and sin come into play. Pious acts are those which gradually bring one closer to their constitutional position, whereas sin brings temporary negative conditions that keep one further immersed in the consciousness tied to the body.

We can understand these facts from explicit Vedic instruction presented by a spiritual master and also from the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, which invites us into Hanuman’s thought processes during a difficult moment in his journey in Lanka. Lord Rama, the Supreme Soul, the one person whose body and soul are always identical, descended to earth to enact sweet pastimes and give the sincere souls a chance to glance at Him, to see what their constitutional position could bring them. Hanuman played an integral role in helping Rama, for the Lord enjoys associating with those eager to offer service. If you’re the Supreme Lord, what can anyone offer you anyway? If you have everything, what can people do beyond offering respect from afar? As there is not much pleasure derived from this type of association, Shri Rama creates circumstances that allow for the devotional spirit to bloom in full, keeping the spirit soul occupied in its constitutional engagement.

Hanuman was in Lanka to find Sita Devi, Rama’s wife who was taken away from His side through backhanded means by the King of Lanka, Ravana. Since Hanuman was looking for a woman, he obviously had to place his glance upon as many women as he could, for how else would he properly identify Rama’s wife? The downside to this was that Hanuman risked looking at women that were married to someone else. Indeed, he would have to gaze upon them while they were enjoying in various ways inside of their bedrooms. Hence the chance of sin increased, something with which Hanuman was not comfortable.

In the above referenced verse, Hanuman is mulling the serious matter over. He has just looked at many of Ravana’s queens while they were in their apartment, but he notices that his mind has not been altered. From this moment of contemplation the famous monkey-god reveals the true meaning behind piety and sin, which lead to auspicious and inauspicious conditions. It is the mind which influences the senses to act in ways that lead to the various conditions. For instance, the person sentenced to prison for many years for having killed an innocent person was instigated to act based on the desires of the mind. If the mind had been properly situated, he would not have found the inauspicious future condition of prison life.

Since Hanuman’s mind was properly situated even after having seen Ravana’s wives, it meant that he had not committed sin. Does this mean that as long as we don’t feel bad afterwards, we can do horrible things like kill people and steal? The conditioning of the consciousness is what matters most, not necessarily if we feel remorse or not. By remarking that his mind was still in an auspicious condition, Hanuman was saying that he was still committed to the righteous path of trying to find Sita. Work done for God is known as bhakti, or divine love. Bhakti is above the temporary conditions brought about by mundane piety and sin, for loving devotion to the Lord is the soul’s constitutional business. Bhakti-yoga can continue uninterrupted and unmotivated for life after life; thereby making it the most unique occupation.

A person who commits sins like killing and stealing without discrimination shows that their mind is tied to the body, which is temporary. A properly situated mind understands the temporary nature of material affairs and thus does not unnecessarily impede the evolutionary progression of other living entities. And neither do they take property that belongs to others, for only a miser operates under the mentality of enjoying as much as they can within their short lifetime. Someone who knows that everything belongs to God is happy with their allotment in life, taking others’ property to be off limits, for they are rewards given by God for others to enjoy.

Though outwardly what Hanuman did was considered a sin, since he was not tied to bodily consciousness at all, since he was properly situated in mind, he was not tainted. The so-called sin had no effect on him. The reaction from his act was like a bite coming from a snake with no fangs. It was like a pin prick that the body couldn’t feel. Indeed, just the fact that Hanuman knew about the source of piety and sin and how the mind is the real determining factor shows that he could not possibly be tainted by his actions. One who knows the position of the spirit soul and how it is transcendental to matter can never kill anyone or cause harm, for they act under the direction of the highest authority figure.

“O Partha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, unborn, eternal and immutable, kill anyone or cause anyone to kill?” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.21)

Hanuman would also later on engage in violence in Lanka, killing many of Ravana’s soldiers. He was not interested in violence, but since he was in an enemy territory belonging to a ruler who had perpetrated the worst crime, Hanuman was not attached to a bogus system of blanket nonviolence either. When searching out the most auspicious condition of pleasing the Supreme Lord, trying to remain connected with Him in consciousness, sometimes outwardly sinful acts even turn out to be pious. While Hanuman’s looking at other women shouldn’t be imitated, his dedication in his search for Sita shows that everything he did in Lanka was pious.

While he resembles a mythological character to those who don’t know any better, to the sincere soul looking to rekindle their constitutional engagement, Hanuman and his actions are a delight, creating an ocean of nectar that can be enjoyed repeatedly. Though he knows that he is above sin and piety, Hanuman is still conscious of the righteous path, keeping it always in mind. For his dedication, Sita and Rama would be extremely pleased, and they would reward him with their presence in his heart for all of time. Hanuman is so glorious that an entire section of the Ramayana, the Sundara-kanda, is dedicated to his exploits. Since he works for Rama and always thinks of Him, there is no difference between the effectiveness of hearing the Sundara-kanda and hearing any of the other sections. That hero among monkeys continues to save countless souls by the example he set many thousands of years ago, when he displayed both physical and mental excellence. While for the less informed his feats of strength may be too amazing to accept as real, what’s even more unreal is his undying devotion to Sita and Rama. Through his example, Hanuman proves that both God and the reward that comes to those who love the Lord through bhakti-yoga are real.

In Closing:

Thinking Hanuman is a myth is a mistake,

None of his thoughts, words, or deeds are fake.

That his forms and feats are amazing we don’t deny,

Bounds of logic and experience they defy.

Even though in the form of a monkey,

Travelled to Lanka to look for Sita did he.

Can try to dismiss his form but words you cannot,

Unmatched wisdom of the Vedas he has got.

Do you think fake monkey could know about piety and sin,

And how to practice devotion, love of God to win?

From Hanuman take proof of God’s existence,

Trust in his example, give up your resistance.

The Determining Factor

“It is certainly the mind that is instrumental in causing the senses to act in ways that lead to either auspicious or inauspicious conditions. And my mind right now is positively situated.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.41)

mano hi hetuḥ sarveṣām indriyāṇām pravartate ||
śubha aśubhāsv avasthāsu tac ca me suvyavasthitam |

Shri Hanuman, the heroic Vanara warrior, a person whose vision is always a sight for sore eyes, the ones grown weary through repetition of happiness and sadness, loss and gain, and joy and dejection felt in the many days spent on earth, is incapable of sin. Not even a hint of impropriety can be found in him. Lest we think this is just hyperbole or flattering words offered by his admirers, Hanuman’s very activities substantiate his superior stature. His mind concentrates on only one thing: how to please his beloved Shri Rama. Though Lord Rama is the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the avatara of a warrior prince, Hanuman looks well past this high status. Rather, he loves Rama purely, without motive. This love extends to anyone else who loves Rama, including the Lord’s beloved wife Sita Devi. Through his travels and activities undertaken out of duty, Hanuman never forgets the one person who gives him more pleasure than anyone else. Though he is sometimes unwittingly forced to follow behavior that hints at impropriety, since his consciousness is always fixed in righteousness, on the supreme objective, Hanuman is never tainted with sin.

While in the enemy grounds of Lanka, Hanuman had no reason to obey any standard law codes. The king of the city, Ravana, had unjustly taken the beloved wife of another man while she was residing in the forest. Sita Devi, the daughter of King Janaka, had such a high character that her marriage was arranged through a svayamvara, or self-choice ceremony. The festivities involved a bow-lifting contest, with the winner gaining Sita’s hand in marriage. In this way Shri Rama, the leader of the Raghu dynasty, the eldest son of Maharaja Dasharatha of Ayodhya, proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that only He was worthy of having Sita as a life companion. Though these events took place in the earthly realm, the divine couple remains forever in each other’s company in the spiritual world. As Goswami Tulsidas so nicely puts it, even Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Parvati marvel at Sita’s character, chastity and devotion to Rama.

Ravana, though, was not so concerned with rules of righteousness. At the time of birth, the otherwise pure soul is enveloped by a gross covering that constantly demands attention through sense pleasures. Therefore from the very beginning of life one who can harness the immense potency for action concomitant with an existence and control the sense urges will find success and happiness. Though the sense urges for eating sumptuous foods, seeing beautiful women, touching nice fabrics, smelling pleasing fragrances, and hearing melodious songs constantly flow in like the waves of an ocean, it is the mind that can control all of them. Therefore, depending on how the mind is situated, one’s desires and activities will follow either piety or sin, leading to auspiciousness or inauspiciousness.

With Ravana, the sense urges were never controlled, as his mind was only interested in eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Though he had so many beautiful princesses as wives and an opulent kingdom, still his mind was intent on sin. He could not control his sexual urges. When he heard of the most beautiful woman residing in the forest of Dandaka, he had to have her. Never mind that she was married to the one man capable of lifting the illustrious bow of Lord Shiva during the contest in Janaka’s kingdom. Never mind that Rama could soundly defeat any person in battle. Indeed, He had defeated and killed 14,000 of Ravana’s own men, his best fighters. Intent on having Sita, Ravana created a ruse that temporarily lured Rama away from her side, paving the way for the demon to come in and take the princess back to Lanka.

Rama was intent on getting Sita back, but first he had to learn where she was. For this task, the faithful Hanuman was sent to scour the earth. Millions of other monkeys acting under the direction of the monkey-king Sugriva accompanied him. Hanuman eventually made his way into Lanka alone, for none of the other monkeys could cross over the massive ocean that separated Lanka from land. While in the city, Hanuman searched the different palaces for the most beautiful princess in the world. Though he had never seen Sita up to this point, he knew some of her distinguishing features. Aside from being supremely beautiful, she would surely be in a distressed condition, as there was no chance of her being happy without Rama by her side.

Hanuman’s mission was to find Sita. His task was not to abide by regulative principles, attend a church a certain number of times per day, avoid telling lies, or recite a prayer a specific number of times. All hope for Sita’s rescue initially rested with him, for he was the most capable of the Vanara warriors. Aside from his physical dexterity and mental acuity, Hanuman was also the most devoted to Rama. This, more than anything else, made him supremely qualified to search for Sita amidst one of the most sinful lands in the world at the time.

Hanuman had to do whatever he could to find Sita. Unfortunately, this meant searching through Ravana’s exquisite palace, which was full of the most beautiful women in the world enjoying in different ways. Some of them were sleeping and others were enjoying wine, while others weren’t fully dressed. Hanuman could have closed his eyes and not looked, but then how would he have found Sita? Under normal circumstances, it is sinful to carefully gaze upon another man’s wife, especially when she is in a vulnerable position. But what could Hanuman do? Could he just say, “Okay, this is sinful; I’m going to turn back. Or, let me just call Sita’s name and see if she hears me.”? Obviously he couldn’t do the latter because that would give away his presence to the enemy Ravana. Hanuman had to find Sita without being noticed by anyone else.

In the discharge of duties it is understandable to get frustrated from time to time. If we have a major project due at work, sometimes it seems like everyone is just getting in our way and that nothing is going right. In the struggle for existence, adversity is the name of the game, especially for one who has an important task to complete. In Hanuman’s case, we see that almost everything was against him. He had to find a princess he had never seen before, avoid frightening her with his presence, and also make sure that no one there saw him. If any of these conditions weren’t met, the entire mission could fail. As if he needed further complexity, Hanuman now had to look at scantily clad women against his will. Hanuman is forever virtuous, so he doesn’t even like to think about doing anything sinful. Though we may not perpetrate a horrible deed, just contemplating it is harmful enough for our psyche.

In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, we gain insight into Hanuman’s thought processes as he mulled the matter of looking at Ravana’s wives over in his mind. Hanuman knew that the act itself was sinful, but he was surprised that his mind hadn’t been altered in any way. Viewing pornography or harboring lusty feelings for wives of other men is sinful because of the effect it has on consciousness. The underlying aim is to satisfy lusty desires, which feed the hankering for illicit sex life. The Vedas consider any type of sex life outside the bounds of marriage and for purposes other than procreation to be sinful. This stipulation is there because of the negative effects had on consciousness. Of all the sense urges, the desires for sex are the most difficult to control; thus they act as the strongest inhibiting force towards true enlightenment.

Hanuman, despite seeing what he saw, did not have his consciousness altered. If anything, he became even more determined to find Sita. This gives us yet another reminder of how his greatness knows no limits. He saw beautiful, attractive women, and yet he had no desire to talk to them, find out their names, play jokes on them, get them to smile at him, or have any other type of personal interaction. If anything, Hanuman thought, “These women are beautiful, but they are nothing like Sita. She would never be in such a place, for she can never deviate from worshiping Rama for even a moment. For this she is ever worshipable. I pray for the day when I can have the darshana of her lotus feet.”

Hanuman would not have to wait much longer, as this brief reflection further strengthened his resolve. As he so nicely reveals from his thoughts, there are a variety of acts that lead to auspicious and inauspicious conditions, but it is the disposition of the mind which truly determines the effect of an activity. Sin is just any behavior that has a negative reaction, something unwanted. Piety is the opposite; those actions that have positive consequences. Sometimes piety and sin both exist within one activity. For instance, if we take out a loan to attend college, the pious act of attending school will ideally lead to a positive consequence of a degree and the landing of a good job. The sin in taking the loan leads to the burden of debt that will pile up after graduation. When student loans are forgiven, essentially the negative reactions to the original activity are removed.

In the larger scheme of things, when we take sin and piety on a more abstract level, if something has a negative consequence on our consciousness, it can be considered sinful. Conversely, those behaviors which have a positive influence on our mindset will be considered pious. In this age there is no more pious a behavior than the regular chanting of the holy names of the Lord, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. This is the cornerstone practice of the ancient art of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service. Along with a steady routine in chanting, if the four most dangerous sinful activities of illicit sex, gambling, intoxication and meat eating are avoided, there is every chance of a successful outcome to life. The purely God conscious soul reaps the highest reward from their temporary stay in a material body by ascending to the spiritual sky after death.

Since Hanuman’s mind is always fixed in worship of Sita and Rama, it is impossible for his consciousness to be negatively affected through any activity. Rather, he is so amazing that even apparently sinful behavior increases his resolve in devotional service. Therefore, along with chanting and following regulative principles, anyone who is fortunate enough to even say Hanuman’s name just once gains immeasurable spiritual merits. What then to speak of those who regularly remember Hanuman, his unflinching devotion to Rama, his determination to find Sita, his swatting aside of the temporary doubts and fears that arose in his mind about success, and his dedication to piety even when it wasn’t required? Based on what Ravana had done, Hanuman had every right to destroy the city of Lanka, but he wouldn’t take that step unless it was necessary. He was only interested in finding Sita, and he tried his best to stay on the righteous path during this search. Since his mind was steady in yoga, always connected in consciousness to the Supreme Lord, his success would eventually come. And all the while his worthiness of worship and the magnitude of his divine attributes would only increase.

In Closing:

Good and bad states through actions find,

But these driven by senses instigated by mind.

Thus real importance is mind’s situation,

Tells if one is in good or bad condition.

Hanuman saw women but on mind no effect,

On the worthiness of action did he reflect.

Thus sin on Hanuman can never touch,

Because he loves Shri Rama so much.

Through his actions real virtue he teaches,

The heart of devotee his influence reaches.

Assessing Sin

“Though all of these unsuspecting wives of Ravana were seen by me, my mind has not been disturbed even a little.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.40)

kāmam dṛṣṭvā mayā sarvā viśvastā rāvaṇa striyaḥ ||

na tu me manasaḥ kimcid vaikṛtyam upapadyate |

Despite the best efforts taken to safeguard against grievously transgressing the established codes of conduct, there are times when there is just no way out of committing sinful acts. Though the pious never seek such opportunities, when they find themselves in the wrong situations, they keep their minds steady, thus showing that what would be considered sin under normal circumstances actually maintains the path of virtue for them. Shri Hanuman found himself in this type of situation while roaming through the royal palaces in Lanka. He was searching for a missing princess, and since he didn’t know what she looked like, he had to place his gaze upon many beautiful women, who did not suspect that other men would be looking at them.

The unscrupulous “Peeping Tom” is considered a pervert, a person bereft of morals who takes delight in looking at other women while they are changing clothes or wearing next to nothing. Such an act is a violation of privacy and also sinful by any standard estimation. After all, the women don’t know that others are looking at them, and if they did, they wouldn’t show off what the peeper was looking for. Shri Hanuman, for his part, had no desire to look at any of these women. His eyes were fixed on a search mission, to find a beautiful princess who had been taken away from the side of her husband. If he had to risk committing even the most sinful act to find this beloved woman, the mother of the universe, the wife of Lord Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hanuman would not hesitate in moving forward.

Despite his staunch faith in the mission presented to him, which was to find Sita’s whereabouts and return that information to Rama and the monkeys living in the Kishkindha forest, Hanuman still shows from the above referenced verse from the Ramayana that he is very conscious of piety and sin. The righteous always try to stay on the path of dharma, which as a word can mean religiosity or the general law codes of spirituality aimed at maintaining the essential characteristic of the soul. The soul has intrinsic properties which are not reflected in the features of the outer coverings assumed. An animal may take to activities that human beings would never consider adopting, and a human being may take up sinful activities, but the soul itself is always pure. The soul is knowledgeable, eternal, blissful and most importantly, a servant of God.

Following dharma brings the soul’s properties to the forefront, which at the same time curbs the influence of the external senses that inhibit the free flow of transcendental love. Therefore, when determining whether an activity falls under sin or piety, the resultant effect of the act should be juxtaposed with the ultimate mission in life, that of becoming purely God conscious by the time of death. One who knows the properties of the soul, how it never takes birth and never dies, how it remains in existence throughout the various changes of the body, including the complete change at the time of death, can never commit sin. Even if they were to kill someone else, since they know dharma and abide by it, since they know that the soul never dies, they don’t actually kill.

“O Partha, how can a person who knows that the soul is indestructible, unborn, eternal and immutable, kill anyone or cause anyone to kill?” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 2.21)

This point was stressed by Lord Krishna, the Supreme Godhead and non-different form of Lord Rama, around five thousand years ago on the Battlefield of Kurukshetra. On the eve of a great war, the leading fighter for the Pandavas, the side Krishna favored, became hesitant to fight. It was expected that Arjuna, known for his excellent fighting prowess, would dominate the other side in battle. The Kurus, the opposing army, previously unjustly usurped a kingdom that belonged to the Pandavas. Therefore Arjuna had every right to fight fiercely for securing a victorious outcome.

Yet he was a little hesitant. He understood that the primary fruit of victory would be a kingdom, something he didn’t want very badly. Moreover, he didn’t want to have to kill his cousins, teacher, and elder family members fighting for the opposing army to gain that kingdom. He rather would have seen them remain alive, while he lived a life of destitution, begging for food. Such sentiments revealed Arjuna’s kind character, but Krishna did not consider this display of affection to be very wise.

Who was correct, Krishna or Arjuna? While the sentiments were indeed noble, Arjuna’s behavior was actually against piety. How can killing others be considered pious? Lord Krishna settled these doubts in Arjuna’s mind by reminding him of the eternal existence of the soul and how no one actually ever dies. If no one dies, then why the need to kill or fight in a war? While the soul never dies, it can get placed into up to 8,400,000 different body types that roam the phenomenal world. For the human species, there are occupational duties tied to the qualities of the body type assumed at the time of birth. Arjuna was part of the warrior class, so his duty was to uphold righteousness in the face of even the strongest opposition. The Kurus had violated piety by wrongly taking a kingdom; therefore it was Arjuna’s duty to punish them, to remedy the situation.

Arjuna’s hesitancy to fight rooted in concern for the bodily welfare of the opposing members indicated a temporary lack of God consciousness. While he was worried for their wellbeing, he had no reason to be. Whether he fought or not, the souls of the fighting members would always remain in existence. But if Arjuna didn’t fight, he would not only be shirking his obligations to society, but he would also be giving in to ignorance and illusion borne of contact with material nature. As Krishna’s friend, Arjuna was above all this. Krishna persuaded him into fighting on religious grounds, on performing his duties with detachment, not being concerned with the result. Since he fought valiantly and under the proper mindset, even his killing was in line with piety.

Hanuman was in a similar circumstance. Just as Arjuna was ordered to fight by Krishna, Hanuman was given the task of finding Sita by Rama Himself. Many years prior to Krishna and Arjuna’s talk on that famous day on the battlefield, the same Supreme Lord came to earth in the guise of a warrior prince. His wife, not surprisingly, was the most beautiful woman in the world, the embodiment of chastity and virtue, Sita Devi. The most foolish miscreant, a person operating completely under the bodily consciousness, desired to have Sita so much that he stole her away from Rama through a ruse while the couple was living in the forest of Dandaka. Rather than find Sita herself, Rama allowed others to take up the search, giving them a chance to directly offer service to the Supreme Lord, whom everyone is searching after. The ignorant man looks for God through his sensual enjoyments, the king through his power and kingdom, the yogi through his meditation, the mental speculator through his study of Vedanta, and the fruitive worker through his hard labor. But only the bhaktas know where God is, and once they find Him they never give up His service.

The first part of Hanuman’s journey involved many hurdles and obstacles, but very few questions relating to piety and sin. He had to strike a female Rakshasa once, which he felt bad over, but she was blocking his way into Lanka, the enemy territory where Ravana had taken Sita. Hanuman’s search for Sita in Lanka was when things got tricky. When Hanuman roamed through Ravana’s majestic palace, he saw things no one in this world has ever seen. There were so many beautiful women, all elegantly dressed and enjoying various amorous pastimes. Since he entered the palace at night, Hanuman saw that the women were in garbs conducive to enjoying conjugal affairs. Some of them were so drunk that they had passed out in different places, with some using musical instruments for their pillows.

Hanuman even saw Ravana in the palace, passed out from a night of hard drinking. Being privy to such impure sights, Hanuman considered his avowed deference to dharma. Just as Arjuna was beyond sin because Krishna was always with him, Hanuman never had a chance of getting off the path of virtue, for he kept Rama and His mission always within his heart. Nevertheless, Hanuman felt bad for having seen women that weren’t his wife dressed in such a way.

Though initially feeling remorse, Hanuman stopped for a moment and thought the matter over. From the above referenced verse we see that he realized that even though he saw such beautiful women, his mind had not been altered. Rather, he was even more focused on finding Sita. This one incident reveals so much about the nature of piety and sin. Sinful activities are labeled as such because of the effect they have on the consciousness, which is the determining factor of the future fortunes of the soul. The consciousness of the living entity at the time of death is measured by higher authorities, who then determine what type of body is given in the next life. If the mind is always thinking about women, wine, eating meat, or gambling, the next birth will involve a life where such delights are readily available.

These enjoyments are not in line with the soul’s properties, for that is why they are referred to as maya, or that which is not personally God. The soul is eternally a servant of God, so whatever steps can be taken to reawaken that dormant consciousness and keep it in an active state represent piety, and anything which keeps the cloud of nescience firmly hovering around the otherwise pure consciousness gets tagged as sin.

Does this mean that we can risk seeing naked women and drinking wine as long as our mind doesn’t get affected? Can we just kill anyone we want to if we are happy about it later on? The rules and regulations are put into place for a reason. Sinful acts are enumerated so that we know which activities will be most detrimental on our progressive march towards a purified consciousness. Therefore the four regulative principles of avoiding meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex should be followed, for addiction to any of these behaviors equates to a declared allegiance to maya. Surrender to maya brings negative consequences too many to count.

As far as piety goes, no practice is more recommended than the chanting of the holy names, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”. More effective than working, studying high philosophy, and even sitting in yoga postures for hours on end, the chanting of the holy names directly tackles the conditioned consciousness and gradually brings it to the spiritual realm. The secret in chanting is that hearing takes place as well. We may study the differences between matter and spirit and what really goes into sin and piety, but it is much easier to absorb these concepts when we hear the holy name or about devotee’s experiences and thoughts. Hearing about Hanuman’s consciousness in Lanka and how it wasn’t affected after unwittingly gazing upon a scene out of a brothel is very heartwarming and can only help in the purification of consciousness.

Piety brings one closer to God, and there can be nothing more pious than thinking about Hanuman and hearing about his wonderful activities. Irrespective of the engagement, sin can never touch Hanuman. Nevertheless, he is always concerned about pleasing Rama and remaining in the proper mindset. For this concern his glories and worthiness of worship never diminish. His dedication to Rama and pleasing Him would eventually lead him to Sita, a woman whose vision purifies the heart, for she is directly associated with Rama. Devotees like Hanuman always prefer to envision Sita and Rama together, and because of the risks he took and the bravery he showed, Hanuman played a pivotal role in reuniting them. Ever since that time they have taken up residence in his heart and in the hearts of countless other devotees. Sin can never touch he who realizes the presence of the divine couple and hears and chants their names at all hours of the day.

In Closing:

Sleeping wives of Ravana Hanuman gazed upon,

Knew that normally such an act is wrong.

Yet what could he do, Sita Devi had to see,

Which meant eyes must move, even on those asleep.

Yet from path of righteousness he never swerves,

Even seeing other women not his mind disturbs.

What looked like sin really was not,

Path of righteousness he always trots.

Gambling, meat eating, illicit sex are sin’s primary host

But effect on the mind is what really matters most.

From changing of mind every behavior do you assess,

If making you forget God, that shortcoming do you address.

Just chant the holy name to avoid taking chances,

Sweet felicity for him who upon God’s face glances.

Purifying Through Presence

“My having glanced at the wives of others sleeping in their home will certainly do a great harm to my virtue.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.37)

para dāra avarodhasya prasuptasya nirīkṣaṇam ||
idam khalu mama atyartham dharma lopam kariṣyati |

After his eyes travelled everywhere around the room, seeing the ins and outs of the palace, placing his glance upon the most beautiful women in the world Shri Hanuman caught himself for a second. “What I am doing is surely sinful. I should not be looking at another man’s wife while she is sleeping. Yet what can I do? I’m looking for someone who was taken away from her husband, and my duty is to search every single inch of space in this horrible land ruled by the cruelest of ogres.” Ironically enough, to the leader his lifestyle wasn’t bad at all. Indeed, to many who take sense gratification to be the ultimate aim in life, the lifestyle found within the inner apartments of the king of Rakshasas in Lanka would have to be considered a paradise. Women, wine and meat were in abundance, so much so that the body could not handle so much enjoyment and simultaneously fend off the urge to sleep. Yet to Hanuman none of these allures were palatable. He was looking for the purest of the pure, Sita Devi, the wife of Lord Rama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Though the two divine figures, Sita and Hanuman, were worthy of living in pure conditions, their very presence in the most sinful of places would eventually lead to its purification as well.

If we see a homeless person sprawled out on the street with an empty bottle of whiskey beside them, it’s natural for feelings of pity to come over us. After all, only someone with a serious drinking problem who has major issues with depression, anxiety or mental stability would become so intoxicated that they would call the street their home. Even amongst people who hold steady jobs, having an addiction to intoxication is always a cause for concern. The drunkard is not looked upon too well, as their internal cleanliness is destroyed through their unsavory habit.

With Ravana, he seemingly had everything going for him – thousands of the most beautiful women in the world as wives, material opulence that couldn’t be accurately measured, and a fighting ability so strong that the entire world feared him. He had the animal activities of eating, sleeping, mating and defending well accounted for. If an animal can take care of these four activities without a problem, it can live comfortably. But the human beings, as an advanced species, are meant to transcend these activities, with Ravana’s dedication to sinful life proving this fact. Though he had every enjoyment imaginable at his fingertips, Ravana essentially lived the life of a drunkard.

Was Ravana asleep on the floor? Was he homeless? How was his lifestyle harmed by his dedication to drinking wine and eating meat? When Hanuman went to Lanka, he saw that Ravana’s palaces and community resembled those found in the heavenly realm. Hanuman, though in a monkey form, was sent to Lanka to search for Sita Devi, whom Ravana had taken away from the side of her husband. Though he had won the hand of many princesses through victories in fair fights with powerful kings, Ravana knew he couldn’t get Sita that way. She was married to the most powerful bow warrior of the time, Shri Rama, who happened to be living in the forest of Dandaka for a short period of time.

Though he had ten arms and the boon granted to him that no celestial creature could destroy him in battle, Ravana still used a backhanded method to take Sita away. When Rama learned that she was missing, He frantically searched the forest for her whereabouts, eventually forming an alliance with the king of monkeys, Sugriva, who then dispatched his massive monkey army to look for Sita around the world. Hanuman was the most capable of the members of the search party, so the burden of finding Sita would eventually fall on him. Learning that she was staying on a distant island called Lanka, Hanuman did what was necessary to make the journey.

Hanuman knew that Sita was in Lanka, but that was the extent of the information provided to him. He had actually never met her, so he had to search every inch of space in Lanka and then rely on his knowledge of Shri Rama to decipher who Sita was. Hanuman knew that Rama was the very life and soul of all human beings, the knower of the self. Rama was God Himself appearing in a transcendental form capable of accepting worship from those willing to offer it. For Sita to be His wife, she must have been endowed with every virtue imaginable, divine qualities not found in any other woman. Her foremost characteristic would have to be her devotion to Rama, which would mean that she would be the saddest person in Lanka. Attachment to God results in extreme distress and sadness when separated from the Lord’s company, especially when Rama happens to be your husband.

Hanuman, assuming a diminutive stature to remain unseen, searched through Lanka, eventually making his way into Ravana’s giant palace, with its many inner chambers. What Hanuman saw was incomparable in its beauty. There were so many beautiful women inside, enjoying in various ways. These were not low class women, for they looked like they had taken birth from gods and other celestial figures. He saw that most of them were drunk, passed out from a night of enjoying with their husband, Ravana. Hanuman saw the king of Rakshasas himself passed out, also from drinking and enjoying. There were empty and full glasses of wine everywhere, with the finest meats seasoned to perfection laid out as well.

Though on the outside conditions appeared opulent, Ravana’s life was really no different from that of a drunkard, someone to be pitied. The Vedas, the ancient scriptures of India, consider the human form of life to be the most auspicious because of the potential for acquiring the highest type of knowledge. Children and adults don’t find the same activities enjoyable because in the adult the level of consciousness has evolved. You can’t put on a children’s television show or movie in front of an adult and have them enjoy it as much as a child will.

With that advanced consciousness comes a new set of corresponding activities. Yet when the adult is not trained properly, not given the proper education on spiritual matters, the activities they will take up will fail to match up with the full potential for maturity accompanying a human birth. The human brain is so advanced that it can realize the impending arrival of death and how temporary life is. The mind can understand that the seasons come and go on their own and that happiness and distress occur as regularly as the rising and setting of the sun. Armed with this information, one can travel down one of two avenues.

Based on what Hanuman saw in Lanka, Ravana obviously chose the wrong path. His method of enjoyment was really no different from that of a person wasting away their life through despair or depression. If there is sadness, is the proper remedy intoxication, overeating, or oversleeping? Obviously not, as these activities do nothing to uplift one’s spirits. Similarly, when there is knowledge of impending death, of the mortality of man, the answer is not to indulge the senses even more, to revert to a less intelligent mindset just to find enjoyment. There is one simple way to make the same activities from childhood enjoyable again: revert back to the intelligence of a child. What easier way is there to devolve in consciousness then to become inebriated through drinking, overeating and excessive indulgence in sex life?

In this way we see that Ravana’s life in Lanka was to be pitied. Ironically enough, the king thought that Rama was the poverty stricken person, someone not wise enough to realize what was important in life. Rama was known as the most capable warrior, yet somehow He was roaming the forests for fourteen years. The king of Ayodhya, Maharaja Dasharatha, Rama’s father, ordered his son to leave the kingdom and not return for fourteen years. To Ravana, Rama’s acceptance of this edict did not make sense. “If He’s so strong, why didn’t He just overtake the kingdom for Himself? Why on earth would He choose life as a hermit in a place amidst animals instead of the regal lifestyle? Obviously He mustn’t be very strong. He doesn’t deserve His wife either, for a woman should be with a strong man capable of providing everything for her.”

What Ravana didn’t know was that Rama was Lord Vishnu, the four-handed form of the Absolute Truth residing in the spiritual sky of Vaikuntha. At the behest of the heavenly figures, Vishnu came to earth to do away with Ravana. Vishnu is known as being atmarama, or self-satisfied. Therefore Rama didn’t need anything, including a kingdom. Sita was with Him in the forest at her insistence. She too didn’t require wine, meat, or opulent jewelry. Her wealth was her devotion to her husband, and she refused to allow Him to suffer alone in a forest. Rama’s younger brother Lakshmana also felt the same way towards Rama, so he came along for the journey too.

The other path in life that all of us have the option of choosing is that of dharma, or religiosity. Dharma is the set of law codes instituted by Vishnu at the beginning of time. More than just a way to regulate activity and keep one from committing sin, dharma is meant to bring the foremost characteristic of the soul to the forefront of consciousness. Though there are temporary changes of the outer covering – from boyhood to youth, from youth to old age – the essence of life does not get affected. Even death has no bearing on the spirit soul. Only the sober man can understand these truths and know what to do with them.

By following dharma, the properties of spirit rise to a fully active state. By nature the spirit soul is knowledgeable, blissful and eternal. When encased in a body composed of the three modes of material nature, these three properties manifest in perverted ways. Eternality is forgotten, so it results only in the constant changing of bodies. Knowledge is used to find further sensual delights, things already available to even the most ignorant animal. And the blissful propensity manifests through service offered to every person and thing except God. Though the soul can take on bodies which are ever changing, its original position is that of servant of Krishna, or God. jivera svarupa haya nitya-krishna-dasa, as Lord Chaitanya so nicely says.

Following dharma allows one to reassume their svarupa. Therefore following principles of virtue is very important. Sita, Rama and Lakshmana had no requirement to follow dharma, but they did so to set a good example. Though the rules and regulations can sometimes conflict, when the ultimate goal of having an attachment to God is kept in mind, the proper course of action can always be deciphered. Rama followed dharma by ensuring that His father’s promise to the youngest queen Kaikeyi was not violated. Dasharatha had promised the queen any two boons of her choosing. It was actually her request that Rama leave the kingdom; so to ensure that Dasharatha wouldn’t be made out to be a liar, Rama agreed to leave.

Similarly, Sita and Lakshmana were following dharma by always staying by Rama’s side and seeing to His pleasure. They never wanted anything from Rama; rather, they were always looking to offer something to Him. The same went for Hanuman, who was not in Lanka on any personal business. He had no hankering for travel or for seeing beautiful women. He was in Lanka strictly to do his master’s business, but he nevertheless kept religious principles always in mind. He knew that it wasn’t wise to see others’ wives in vulnerable situations where they were scantily dressed. But what could he do? He even risked sin to ensure that Rama’s interests would be met. In this regard there was no possibility of Hanuman ever deviating from the path of dharma.

On the one hand you have Sita and Hanuman, two divine figures pure in every way, and on the other you have Ravana and his life of debauchery. Obviously the two sides don’t mix, but Sita and Hanuman found themselves inside of Ravana’s kingdom. In the meeting of these forces, the side abiding by dharma would win. Not only would they emerge unscathed, but their presence in Lanka would also indirectly purify Ravana. The saints go to where the sinners are, so Hanuman’s presence in Lanka brought the king of Rakshasas direct audience with the most worshipable and honorable person to have ever roamed this earth, Shri Rama. Sita was the catalyst for Ravana’s purification, Hanuman would keep the ball rolling, and Rama would provide the ultimate end through His arrows shot into the demon’s stomach, ending his life and granting him liberation. Anyone who is directly killed by the Supreme Lord is delivered of their sinful reactions and promised an end to rebirth. Similarly, anyone who hears about Hanuman’s exploits, his dedication to virtue, and his undying devotion to Sita, Rama and Lakshmana with sincerity will be purified and eventually find their original position as servant of God. Hanuman’s presence, either in person or through the words and songs describing his glories, is always purifying, even to those who don’t know it.

In Closing:

Ravana, in opulent kingdom thought he had it all,

Unaware that coming soon was his downfall.

Of inviting sin Hanuman not fond,

Yet wives of others his eyes gazed upon.

Felt remorse for this transgression of dharma,

Accidentally seeing life devoted to kama.

The drunkard through habits life does waste away,

Though a king, Ravana’s life going the same way.

Knowledge of impending death leaves us with choice,

To follow path of sin or in talks of God rejoice.

Ravana followed sin, but through saints was saved,

Sita there and across ocean Hanuman braved.

Saints travel to where the sinners are,

Stand out there like a visible scar.

Sita, Rama, Lakshmana and Hanuman are forever dear,

To the devotees, who see with divine vision so clear.

Associated Risks

“My having glanced at the wives of others sleeping in their home will certainly do a great harm to my virtue.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.37)

para dāra avarodhasya prasuptasya nirīkṣaṇam ||
idam khalu mama atyartham dharma lopam kariṣyati |

Celibacy and sobriety of thought, two vital components in making progress in life’s most important mission, are difficult to maintain in the face of visual distractions that come at every turn, wherever one looks, even if they don’t mean to be searching for unwanted sights. Nevertheless, in the Vedic tradition, the ancient system of spirituality instituted at the beginning of time by Lord Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there is heavy emphasis placed on the need to restrict both illicit sex and intoxication. Indeed, if we were to look around us and analyze major problems, we’d see that illicit sex is most commonly the root cause. The very existence of the phenomenal world, which guarantees heartache and separation pains with the arrival of each new temporary reward, continues on specifically because of the desire to enjoy sex life that bears no relation to spirituality. One who even looks at another woman that is not his wife does tremendous harm to his spiritual merits. One person in particular had no choice but to gaze upon others’ wives. Since he was engaged in the most sublime mission, he was able to maintain his clarity of thought, all the while becoming even more committed to pleasing the beloved lord of his life breath, Lord Rama.

What does the Vedic restriction on sex life actually involve? And is it meant to just be a punishment for sinners? If that’s the case, aren’t many people today considered sinners? To understand the restriction, one must first juxtapose it with the aim of human life. The spirit soul is the identity within any life form, large or small, human or nonhuman. Different desires cause a variety in species, with some being intelligent and others being rather stupid. What we consider to be stupid is just an intelligence that has yet to fully develop, a consciousness driven solely by sense desires. The hog is considered an ignorant animal because it will eat its own stool and have sex with its own relatives without any qualms. An unintelligent person is likened to an ass, because the animal itself takes on loads of gear on its back simply for the paltry enjoyment of a few blades of grass. The grass is already available to the ass even if it shouldn’t listen to the commands of its master. A human being who operates without intelligence is likened to the ass that doesn’t know any better.

Real intelligence comes when the individual can ask the question, “Who am I?” When the guaranteed nature of birth, death, old age and disease are noted and analyzed, the human mind can reach the higher stages of thought. “Why do I have to take birth? Why must I die? Why do I even exist?” The Vedas provide many answers, both short and detailed, to satisfy the inquisitive mind. The short answer to the question of identity is that the spirit soul is a part and parcel of God, who, among many other things, is the ultimate reservoir of pleasure. As pleasure is the guiding force to activity, operating in God’s interests would then have to be the most worthwhile activity. The mature human being no longer engages in childish activities because they don’t provide any pleasure. Similarly, the most developed consciousness finds the ultimate reservoir of pleasure and remains attached to His interests through every thought, word and deed.

The influence of the senses can be very detrimental. The mature human being has advanced past the stage in life where everything is driven by sense desires. The mature adult knows how to limit food intake, regulate sleeping habits, and refrain from harmful behavior. Again, these regulations are accepted with a purpose, to actually increase enjoyment in the future. Similarly, the Vedic restrictions placed on sex life are there to provide a future benefit. The unintelligent act simply off of their sense demands, so conversely, the intelligent act only off of their soul’s demands. The soul and the material senses are strange bedfellows made to cohabitate due to the initial seed of desire for material enjoyment.

As long as sense demands man the helm and steer the ship, there is no chance of finding the reservoir of pleasure, whose form and beauty are so amazing that His most potent name is Krishna, which means all-attractive. As He is not lacking anything in the pleasure department, the same Krishna is also referred to as Rama, for He gives transcendental pleasure to whoever associates with Him. The urges for sex life and intoxication are driven by maya, which lacks Krishna’s personal presence. Maya is illusion, something that promises one thing but delivers something completely different.

The Vedic regulation is that one only indulge in sex life to procreate. Any other type of sex is considered sinful. By sinful we mean an act that is guaranteed to provide a future detriment. In this case the primary negative consequence is the further thickening of the cloud of nescience enveloping the otherwise pure soul situated within the heart. To realize God’s blissful nature and the need for accepting His service, a clear head is required, one which isn’t a slave to impulses instigated by maya. When the individual is given to illicit sex life, to cavorting with people they are not married to, there is every chance of fall down.

If we look around us, the major scandals we see revolve around sex life. One congressman is texting pictures of his nether region to women not his wife; another man is engaging in illicit affairs with other men; a man is cheating on his wife; a female teacher is seducing her young male students; a priest is molesting young children, etc. When sex life is not controlled, the results can be disastrous, even to those who are not explicitly seeking spiritual merits.

For these reasons the Vedic regulations on sex life are very strict. During ancient times when adherence to Vedic principles was high, men and women were never allowed to freely intermingle, and every woman except the wife would be addressed as “mother” by a man. A wife would only decorate herself nicely for the pleasure of her husband; otherwise what need would there be to look exceptionally attractive? The strippers in the night clubs dress attractively to please other men, but the men aren’t allowed to do anything beyond seeing. Thus there is really no purpose to the attractive attire.

The restrictions on male-female relations may seem antiquated and outdated today, but what do people lacking God consciousness know anyway? The Vedic prescriptions have passed all quality control tests and they needn’t be apologized for. While the modern practices seem to be more evolved, all they do is create more trouble. The age old question of, “Can a guy and a girl just be friends?” is answered with an emphatic “No” by the shastras. Sex life is the root cause for the material existence and the fueling of reincarnation, so how on earth is it expected to be controlled when one is constantly in the company of members of the opposite sex? The sex drive is especially strong in men, as it is typically easier for an innocent woman to view other men in her life as being platonic friends.

The Vedic regulations were weighing heavily on the mind of one of the most celebrated divine figures in history as he made his way through enemy territory. The same reservoir of pleasure meant to be the object of penance, sacrifice, charity and austerity descended to earth in a beautiful human form many years back. Known as Lord Rama, this prince of the Raghu dynasty was the same Supreme Personality of Godhead, but appearing in a spiritual form that allowed others to get a glimpse of what God looks like, what pleases Him, and what His nature is like. To provide real opportunities for service beyond simple adoration, Rama created situations where He could use some help. The most important of these situations related to the rescue of His wife, Sita Devi, who had been taken to the island kingdom of Lanka.

For the initial reconnaissance mission, Shri Hanuman, soon to be Rama’s most faithful servant, stepped up to the plate. Hanuman is an eternally liberated figure, forever devoted to God, but during Rama’s time on earth, he had not yet met the lord of his life. This fateful meeting would take place in Kishkindha, shortly after Sita had been taken away behind Rama’s back. Upon meeting Rama and His younger brother Lakshmana, Hanuman knew that he had found the person he would dedicate the rest of his life to. Though all of the monkeys living under the rule of Sugriva in Kishkindha were tasked with finding Sita, only Hanuman was capable of making it to the enemy city of Lanka, which was situated far away from the mainland.

Just getting to Lanka was a struggle, but now the real difficulties were starting for Hanuman. He was all alone in enemy territory; no one around to help him or guide his activities. All he had was his fervent desire to please Rama and his extraordinary skills given to him by the higher authorities. He was not known for having exceptional scholarship, expertise in yoga, or material wealth. Nevertheless, he could make use of the highest intellect and every mystic perfection, or siddhi, when the situation called for it. Taking shelter of his tools, Hanuman scoured through the city of Lanka in a very tiny form. Several times he felt dejected over not having found Sita, whom he had never met. He knew that she would stand out, though, for Rama’s wife must be the most beautiful woman in the world who would be tremendously aggrieved upon separation from her Lord.

Hanuman finally made his way into the palace of the king of the Rakshasas, Ravana, who had taken Sita. Just as Hanuman is forever in the light of pure goodness, Ravana and the grossly sinful perpetually remain in darkness. What Hanuman saw in Ravana’s place was incomparable in beauty and also in dedication to the mode of ignorance, the lowest of the material modes of nature. The animal kingdom is considered to live in ignorance since it lacks the ability to think beyond the sense urges.

What Hanuman saw in this palace reserved for drinking was astounding. He saw beautiful woman after beautiful woman sprawled out in all sorts of positions. They had been drinking all night, and due to their inebriation they had passed out here and there. Some were too affected by drink to even make it into bed, so they fell asleep clutching various musical instruments. Some were so drunk that they didn’t even know who or what they were holding onto while sleeping. Every kind of animal flesh was laid out elegantly across the different rooms. Ravana, as a Rakshasa, had a voracious appetite for meat, as he even ate human flesh on a regular basis. The palace was not lacking anything in terms of meat. The various kinds of food were seasoned very nicely and just ready to be enjoyed. The increased appetites caused by the intoxicating beverages consumed made the meat eating even more enjoyable.

Seeing so many women asleep, with some even touching one another, Hanuman had to step back for a minute. He knew that he shouldn’t be gazing at them, for it is considered sinful to look at another man’s wife, especially while she is sleeping. These women weren’t wearing much either, and they were in vulnerable states. Any normal person would have become mentally agitated, thrown off of their righteous path, but not Hanuman. He is so kind, sweet, and pious that he even felt bad for having seen all of this.

And what could he do? Hanuman was not in Lanka of his own accord. He was looking for Sita, and even if he had to risk sin to find her, he would not stop. One can’t help but be inspired by Hanuman’s example. In the modern age especially the temptations of illicit sex are everywhere. It is practically impossible to avoid seeing beautiful women, some scantily clad and some not, unless one hides in a cave or gets locked up in a room. Despite the inauspicious conditions, if we can remain dedicated to the path of bhakti-yoga, or devotional service, and chant, “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare”, there is every chance at success in spiritual pursuits.

Hanuman would forge ahead and continue his search for Rama’s wife. There exists no sin in Hanuman, as his mind can never deviate from the divine consciousness. He is always connected with Sita, Rama and Lakshmana in thought, word and deed. Therefore he was able to brush aside these unwanted visions and keep his eyes fixed on the prize. He would indeed find Sita, and eventually all would end well. The deity form of the Lord, which resides in the temple or the home, can be gazed upon every single day, giving the eyes something pleasant to look at. And the mind can always remember Hanuman and his dedication to Rama. These two practices can keep us on the righteous path and help us to avoid the pitfalls of sinful life.

In Closing:

Urges for sex most difficult to control,

Of otherwise sane man do they grab hold.

In every which direction is one led astray,

Just like the boat by wind carried away.

Thus Vedas on sex do provide limits,

So that no cap will be on soul’s happiness.

Call mother to all women except the wife,

In this way restricted will be sex life.

No worry about sin or future pain,

From penance for the Lord comes real gain.

Yet Hanuman in Lanka saw so much,

Women affected by liquor’s touch.

They were married and seen while vulnerable,

Yet Hanuman still of sin not capable.

Felt bad rules of propriety transgressing,

Yet on the march for Sita he kept progressing.

Who is greater than Hanuman who takes all risk?

The chance to please Sita and Rama he’ll never miss.