Bits of life

J-14 words-1800

ape men regarding the search efforts for Sita. He also told him that Rama would not hesitate in using the sharp arrow at Sugriva, which he used against Vaali and had sent him to his death. He stated that the way Vaali departed was still open.

Sugriva was taken aback at the harsh words of Lakshmana. He kept silent. But his minister Hanuman replied that Sugriva had already called his forces together to send them in all four directions. Then Lakshmana felt repentant at his own harshness to Sugriva and felt sorry for that. He immediately went to Rama and apologized for his indulgent mood which continued till late. Rama embraced him and treated him like a close friend. Together they started discussing their strategy for the search mission. Sugriva said that he called all his forces and they were waiting for his command to go on search for Sita. This was crucial because as a leader Sugriva prepared himself to address the ape soldiers. He stood on a raised platform and told his men that they should be eternally grateful for Rama for restoring their kingdom and dignity. As their king he had promised Rama that he would look for his wife Sita and restore her to him. The mighty ape army assembled before the cave where Rama and Sugriva were holding a meeting help Rama in finding out the whereabouts of Sita.

Then Sugriva commanded different generals of his army to take northerly, westerly and eastern routes. Then he turned to Hanuman and commanded him to take the southerly direction with some experienced ape leaders like Jambavanta. He also told them to reach a mighty mountain called Mahendragiri and fly to an island named Lanka, four hundred miles away and there they should search for Sita.

Then Hanuman went to Rama to take his leave. Rama bade him farewell wishing him success. He gave him his signet ring with his name written on it. He asked Hanuman to show it to Sita, when he found her so she would believe him and would feel happy to meet the messenger from her husband Sree Rama. Anjaneya (this is another name of Hanuman. It means the son of Anjani), took it with reverence and kept it carefully with himself.

On the following day at dawn, Sugriva’s forces departed for their search mission. Hanuman led his soldiers in a southerly direction as ordered by the ape king himself. After walking for miles through the thick and thin of the forests and climbing ranges and crossing rivers they came upon a path that led them to underground. Then after walking a little more distance, they reached a clearing. It was beautiful and scenic. It had plenty of clear and crystal white drinking water and abundance of fruit. The ape men were extremely hungry and thirsty. They were excited to stop by and eat and drink. To slake their thirst and satisfy their hunger they wanted to advance toward the fruit and water. But Jambavanta, the wise soldier had asked them to wait a little longer to know who exactly was the owner of this place and whether it was good or not to eat without knowing the reason for this place to be so plentiful. As they were wondering what to do, they saw a woman sage and stopped by her to advance any further into her garden. Then through her spiritual vision, she came to know the names of the apes, such as Hanuman, Angad, Neel, Nal and Jambavanta. Then she invited them to take the plenty and satisfy their hunger and thirst.

But before that as asked by Hanuman, she told them that her name was Swayamprabha and that she was the daughter of the mighty mountain Meru. Then she asked them to go and quench their hunger and thirst with delicious fruit and delightful water of the spring.

After the ape soldiers had eaten and drunk to their satisfaction, Swayamprabha told them that this wonderful garden was built by Maya, the demon king. He used his magical powers to construct this place with golden decorations. Once he desired a celestial beauty named Hema. The lord of the deities, Indra, got angry with him and chased him away.

Swayamprabha further elaborated,
“O the best of ape men, afterwards Brahma gave this celestial garden to Hema. And Hema entrusted me with this wonderful garden and appointed me as its defender. None can enter this place. Even if someone entered he or she wouldn’t be alive.”

Later, Hanuman, Jambavanta and the rest of the ape men were ready to go to the seashore on the south. They thanked the lady of the secret garden and as they started leaving, she blessed them and wished them success. She said they would definitely be successful in getting their job done because they were going on the work of the truthful Rama, the best of Raghu dynasty. Then Hanuman asked Swayamprabha the way to the shore of the south sea. She offered to take them there herself. She asked them to close their eyes and with the help of her spiritual power, all of them found themselves standing on the shore of the south sea. Then she vanished bidding them good bye. Now the ape men and their chiefs looked at the vast ocean and were losing heart thinking of how to cross the sea that looked almost endless. They were wondering as to how to cross it and go to the other side.

Then they talked among themselves as to who could be the most powerful of them to fly the sea and reach Lanka. Then they decided that Hanuman, the son of wind alone could do this herculean task. They surrounded him and started inspiring him and reminding him of his strength and stamina which he himself was not aware of. They asked him to come awake and realize himself, his inner and physical strength. He was famous as Pavansuta, which meant the son of wind. The legend has it that Anjaneya was born out of the union of Anjani and vaayu (Sanskrit word for the wind, one of elements of nature.) and that is the reason why Hanumantha was known for his speed and agility. He had the power to grow to any dimensions, vertically or otherwise. Similarly, he had the ability to attain the smallest of forms, or sukshma rupa (in Sanskrit it means smallest in shape. It also means one who is extremely intelligent and sharp).

When Hanuman was born he was quite strong. And when he was a baby of a few months, he became curious of the brightness and power of Surya or the Sun god. Out of curiosity to touch him, Hanuman flew up to the vicinity of the sun and got hurt in the jaw. But he succeeded in capturing the sun and did not release him till the gods begged him to do so. Hanu in Sanskrit means jaw. So the shape of his jaw went bent. Therefore he got the name Hanumantha.

Hanuman remained a bachelor and he enjoyed being single and meditative. He was known as the supreme yoga guru. He practiced and symbolized control of the body and mind. He was fearless and passionless. Those who suffer from the shackles of fear and depression or any chronic illness worship Hanuman for a prescribed period of time and get released from fear and feel free. All they have to do is to read his chalisa or the description of his character and a brief history of his brave deeds. It is also known that due to his yogic powers he was able to fly over the south sea and reached Lanka. No other person was ever known to have achieved this. He was the most matchless entity in magnanimity and protective of his devotees. He loved Rama and served him as a servant would serve his master. He was ever devoted to Sree Rama and never flinched from performing his duty to Rama. He was too good at vocabulary and grammar. Due to his language skills he was selected by Rama and Sugriva to bear the news of Rama to Sita and make her believe in those words. He was a speaker par excellence. He was an expert in talking according to the context and situation. He was a melodious chorister and singer. Wrestlers in India worship Hanuman before they start their practice every day.

The ape soldiers appealed to Hanuman to help Rama in his hour of crisis and need. They told him that he was their only hope in bringing the news of Sita to Rama. Their aspirations centered on him.
So when the rest of the ape men surrounded him and asked him to be himself, to realize his own strength, Hanuman had cast an inner eye on himself and understood the very objective of his being.

He chanted the name of Rama saying,
“Jai Sree Rama!” and started growing his body beyond the imagination of every ape man. As he flew on the wings of his devotion and love of Rama, the rest of the ape men looked at his flying form in wide eyed amazement.
Within minutes of Hanuman’s taking off to air, the god of the sea, known as Sagara came out and did his pranam or obeisance to Hanuman.
A few more miles later, a mountain started rising from the bowels of the sea. Hanuman stopped midway in the air and asked the mountain whether it was an obstacle in his way. But the mountain replied,
“I am not an obstacle, O son of wind! Our respects to you. My name is Mynaka. Your father the Vayu had helped me to live and saved me from danger. Also the god of the sea asked me to provide rest for your tired self. Please rest on my peak.”

In the ancient times millions of years ago, mountains used to have wings. With the help of their wings, they could fly anywhere. Blinded by their strength, mountains had become a nusense and a headache for people. So Indra the head of deities started to chop off their wings with weapon known as the vajrayudha or the thunderbolt. During those difficult days, Mynaka the mountain that Hanuman came across was helped by the wind or the deity of element of wind and was landed under the sea. He was the only one whose wings were not chopped off.

Hanuman replied thus:
“O Mynaka, thank you for your hospitality. However, I am on Rama’s work and am going to Lanka. I cannot stop on my way till my job is done. But I accept your obeisance.”
So saying Hanuman touched the mountain Mynaka with his hand and proceeded on his