Lord Hanuman, the Guruji of the world, who is always there to guide us and help us reach lord Rama. His immense blessings always make this life so beautiful. I recently had the opportunity to listen to Amerendranath Gurji's discourse on Lord Hanuman and it has left a lasting impact on my life. How beautifully he explained the whole process of experiencing Hanuman Ji in simple words that could reach to layman like me who has no deep knowledge on Veda or Shastra's. It left me spellbound and made me clear in my pursuit to reach Lord Rama at some point of time in life, hopefully if the Lord himself blesses me to attain that state.
For my own reference and for my future reading, summarizing Guruji's discourse here.
Lord Hanuman when he was young he thought the Sun to be an orange and just swallowed it. the Sun represents the vast knowledge of Veda's and Shastra's. When in such a young age anyone consumes such a ball of fire of knowledge, the whole surrounding becomes dark, as people around fear the child may become a Brahmachari etc and want the child to pursue the normal life. Hanuman actually spits the Sun out, but however in the process, he had experienced and understood the knowledge and had become a very knowledgable child. However during his childhood, Hanuman continued to be a playful child, which represents being immersed in materialistic world. Due to this Hanuman also got a curse, that he will not know about the knowledge he holds and someone external has to remind Hanuman for Hanuman to realize his knowledge/skills.
Sundara kandh main attribute in the beauty in it- Sundaratha. Why? Anyone who is able to unit the Lord Ram and the Devi Sita is considered a great person and the whole process is so beautiful. The first time somebody did this was Vishwamitra Rishi, incidentally he is called the Sundara Rishi. He was the one instrumental in the Swayamvar of Lord Ram and Devi Sita. The second person to do this is Our Guruji Lord Hanuman. Hanuman is also so beautiful himself and all the thing he does is so beautiful.
Lord Hanuman didn't know that he had the capability and skills to actually cross the ocean to go and find Devi SitaJi. He had to be reminded by his Guruji Jambhavan on this. Jambhavan himself was of course capable of crossing the ocean, however as a good leader, he chose to select the best person capable of doing this task in the whole team and zeroed in on Hanuman. This represents the good quality of a Leader- identify the team, their skills and expose them, give them opportunity. Once His Guruji, gave him the confidence and the guidance, Hanumanji was ready to start the Journey. He had absolute faith on the Mantra - Holy name of Lord Rama. His devotion to Lord Rama could make Hanuman achieve anything in this world.
He set off and the way he jumped into the ocean is compared to how the Arrow from Lord Ram's Banam sets off. One way and doesn't stop till the mission is achieved. Similarly Lord Hanuman set off with full vigor and lot of determination to complete the mission.
While he was flying on top of the ocean, he didn't lean on his father's strength ( his father was Vayu deva). He could have, but he didn't. He chose only his devotion on Lord Rama as his strength.
While he was on his mission, he came across three main hurdles- The Mountain- Mainika, The Rakshashi- Surasa, And another Rakshashi- Simhika.
The first hurdle is Mainika - Lord Hanuman's great grand mother and Mainika was so disturbed to see his grandson taking so much strain in crossing the ocean, that she wanted him to take some rest on her. But Hanuman told her he would rest after completing the mission. This is the same kind of hurdle we come across in our daily life in the form of love and affection while we are on our mission in life.
The second hurdle was Surasa, she wanted Hanuman to go into her mouth. Hanuman adapted himself to grow big and made Surasa open her mouth and suddenly became small and went inside her mouth and came out. Surasa represents the different pleasures, different wordly matters, that will want us to fall into it, but we should know ways to escape out of it.
The third hurdle was Simhika, who pulled Hanuman's Chayya and disabled Hanuman from flying ahead. Through Bakthi any bad quality can be won> If there is more anger, then it can be venting out that anger on people who disgrace God. If there is greed, it can be won by venting out that greed by indulging more and more on God. But if there is envy, there is no way that it can be won by Bhakthi. Hence that is the reason, Hanuman killed Simhika.
After crossing these three hurdles, Hanuman enters Lanka. The first person he sees there is Lankini and he slaps her. On getting the slap, Lankini is so happy and shows her other cheek because with this slap, she can move on praying to Lord Rama, from what she was doing till then - praying to Ravan.
Hanuman is wondering if there is any devotee at all in Lanka and he finds one Vibheeshana. How he finds him is by seeing the Thulasi Plant. So a devotee never misses to have a Thulasi plant in his house/vicinity. Also even while being in a place like Lanka under the leadership of Ravan it is possible to be devoted to Lord Ram like Vibheeshana.
So Hanuman reaches Lanka and then goes to Ashoka vana. It is called a Shoka where there is no Shoka, but Devi Sita Ji is full of Shoka in the vanam. Hanuman does not jump in front of her, but goes to the tree and does three things
1) Chants Ram nama and Rama Mahima
2) Answers the questions that Devi Sita had
3) Provides the Chudamani to Devi Sita.
These are the typical characters of a Guru. So when we are in a fix on how to find the right Guru who will guide us, we can identify such Guru's mainly by three things. First they will be themselves great Ram Bhakths. They will chant the Rama Nama always and help us get initiated into Rama nama chanting. Second they will be able to answer to all the queries we have on the wordly difficulties and bring clarity to our mind.Third they will help us get the true blessings of the Lord- Chudamani.
Thus Devi Sita Ji becomes happy to see the Chudamani and gets reunited with the Lord Rama and the whole scene is so beautiful and scenic.
In our life also all the Jeevathma's like Devi Sita get interested in Gold( Maya Dear) and crave to have the Golden Maya Dear ( Worldly pleasures). The moment we get interested and become slave to wordly pleasures our Lord will move away from us, just like how Lord Rama gets separated from Devi Sita. Once our Lord gets separated from us, we lose our mind and stress, sorrow, anger gets into our mind we tend to drive away our protector Guru also away from us, just like how Devi Sita Ji drove away Lakhsmanan ( Guru/Protector of Sita), away.
Once the Lord and the Guru move away from us, any devil can take some magical/misleading forms and cheat us. Like How Ravan the devil, dressed up like a saint and asked Biksha and mislead Devi Sita and Kidnapped her.
Once we get cheated, we are left in the wretched Ashoka Van all alone and in deep sorrow, with our Lord and Guru away from us. We are surrounded by all sorts of bad people.
That is the moment again, when we require another Guru ( Lord Hanuman Ji), to reunite us with the Lord and take away our sorrows.
Glory to Hanuman Ji. The story doesnt stop here. While he returns back to convey to Lord Rama, that he has found Devi Sita Ji, he sets up Lanka on fire, to prove that that place which is against Lord, though it may be filled with Gold and Natures blessings, will be ruined.
Glory to Lord hanuman Ji. Jai Sri Ram.
