Hanuman

by Vanamali

  “You are indeed a jewel among monkeys. How did you cross this enormous sea and go round the city of Lanka without being discovered? You are no ordinary monkey. May you be blessed. Now tell me more about my Lord.” Hanuman now told her the two stories only she and Rama knew and that Rama had told him in secret so that she would know that he had been sent by her husband.

  After their wedding, when they were returning in the chariot, Rama had gently rubbed his feet over hers. To his horror, he found that her lotuslike feet were so sensitive that even this gentle pressure made them red. Later on when they were in the forest, he said to her, “O my gentle princess! Remember the time when I stroked your feet with mine on our way back from our wedding and your feet became swollen and red? How is it that you have no problem now placing those delicate feet on these hard stones and thorns?”

  He also mentioned another incident that happened soon after their marriage. Rama had asked her to massage his feet. Before doing so, she had removed her jewel-studded bangles. He had then questioned her as to why she did this and she had replied, “My Lord! I have heard it said that when Visvamitra took you to the hermitage of the sage Gautama, he asked you to place your foot on a stone that turned into a woman called Ahalya who had been cursed that she would remain a stone until you placed your divine feet on her. Think of the fate of my poor jewel-studded bangles if you place your feet on them.”

  Sita was overcome with emotion when she heard these stories known only to her and Rama and she was convinced that Maruti (Hanuman) was indeed the messenger of Rama.

  Hanuman felt himself to be deeply privileged to hear such intimate stories from both parties. Once again he comforted her. “The only reason your Lord has not come is because he did not know where you were. His mind is ever fixed on you, so have no fears on that score. He lives in a cave and hardly eats or sleeps. He does not care for anything anymore and is always lost in thought. Even when he falls into a fitful sleep due to exhaustion, he wakes up crying, ‘Sita! Sita!’ Whenever he sees something that is pleasing to you, he sighs and is inconsolable. As soon as I return he will come with a huge army of monkeys and bears. Have no fear. Live in hope, my Lady, your deliverance is nigh!”

  Sita was thrilled to hear that Rama’s desire for her was as great as hers for him. “Dear monkey! Your words bring both happiness and unhappiness to me. When I think of his unhappiness, I become sorrowful too. Both happiness and sorrow are the outcome of one’s actions in a past life. Please tell my Lord that my time is fast running out. I have only two more months to live. After that, I will become the repast of that night wanderer. His brother Vibhishana and another rakshasa called Avindhya warned Ravana of the dire consequences of his action in having abducted me and told him to return me to my Lord, but Ravana’s time is drawing to a close and hence he cannot listen to reason. Please tell my Lord to come soon, for life is unbearable without him.”

  Hearing this pitiful plea, Hanuman’s heart melted with sorrow and he told her, “O noble lady! Please don’t give way to further grief. Climb on my back, and I will transport you this minute back to Rama. Have no fear.”

  Sita was both touched and amused at hearing this offer of the little monkey. Thinking of him as only a baby monkey, she was quite unaware of his prowess.

  “Dear little monkey,” she said, “your good nature has made you suggest the impossible. How can a tiny creature like you carry me across the sea?” Hanuman now decided to inspire confidence in her and started growing to an enormous size right in front of her eyes.

  “I have the capacity to carry the entire city of Lanka over the sea if I want to, so have no fear, for I will surely transport you without any difficulty!”

  Sita was astonished to see his size and said, “Indeed, I realize that you are no mean monkey but the true son of the wind god. However, I don’t think it’s proper on my part to go with you. When they see me being borne away by you, these evil rakshasas may pursue you and cause you to drop me into the raging sea. Moreover, I was abducted by the cruel Ravana and kept here in his domain for so many months. It is only right and proper that my husband should come and rescue me after killing him, or else Rama’s fame may suffer. Besides, I keep my Lord enshrined in my heart always and don’t wish to touch any other man on my own accord. I was forced into contact with Ravana when I was helpless. Therefore, O gallant monkey! Bring him here with all speed, for I don’t think I should go with you.”

  Hanuman agreed with her and said that it was only his eagerness to see her reunited with her husband that had made him make such an improper suggestion. He could well understand her delicacy in touching another male. So he begged her to give him some token by which he could convince Rama that he had indeed seen her.

  As proof of the fact that he had met her, Sita handed over to Hanuman her hair ornament, the chudamani. “Seeing this jewel, my Lord will be reminded of the three most important people in his life: my father, his father, and myself. This was given to me as part of my dowry by my father in his father’s presence.” With these words she handed over to him the precious ornament that she had carefully kept hidden in her clothes.

  Then she recounted two incidents in their lives in the forest known only to her and Rama.

  With sobs choking her throat, she said, “Remind him of the time when we had bathed in the river near the mountain of Chitrakuta and he rested with his head on my lap. He went to sleep and a crow came and pecked my breast. I threw a clod of mud at him and shooed him off, but he would not leave me alone and came and pecked me again and again. I started to cry and Rama woke up and teased me about my fears and comforted me, and then we lay down in each other’s arms and fell asleep. But that vile crow was biding his time and swooped down and clawed my breasts. The hot drops of blood fell on my Lord’s face and woke him up. He was furious and looked around for the culprit who had dared to do this to me, and he saw the crow sitting on a branch. He recognized the crow to be Jayanta, the son of Indra. Rama immediately took up a blade of kusa grass, invoked it with the power of Brahma, and threw it at the crow. It flew off in fright, but the astra (weapon) followed him wherever he went. He found no asylum anywhere, and at last returned to Rama and begged him to withdraw the missile. Rama said that the brahmastra, once invoked, had to do some damage, and so he took away the crow’s right eye and spared his life. How is it, O Hanuman, that he who invoked the might of the brahmastra against a crow who harmed me now remains silent when this demon has dared to abduct me?”

  And then she said, “Remind him of the time when he smeared the red dot on my forehead and powdered a red stone and put a red dot on my cheek as a joke!”

  Sita’s eyes filled with tears when she recounted these two stories, which were known only to her and Rama. With tears choking her voice she told Hanuman, “How can I reward you, who have given me back my life? I was ready to end my wretched life when you came and instilled confidence and hope in me. You are indeed a son to me. Tell my Lord, O noble monkey, that I will not live another month more. If he does not come by the end of the month, I shall take my life before that ogre can touch me.”

  Hearing this impassioned appeal, Hanuman assured her that Rama’s only thought was of her alone. “Fear not, O gentle Lady! Rama and his brother will soon come and kill the rakshasas and rescue you. I have seen with my own eyes how desolate Rama is without you, so have no fear on that score. Before you know it, he will be here with the monkey army and totally exterminate these terrible night wanderers!”

  He took the jewel that she handed over to him and pressed it to his heart. He then went round her thrice, bowed low to her, and asked her permission to leave.

  “Keep good cheer, O gentle princess! I will soon return with Rama and the monkey hoards that will kill the rakshasas and rescue you. Do not give in to grief but remain full of hope, for there is no one in the whole world whom Rama cannot overcome!” So saying, Hanuman bowed to Sita once again and took his leave.

  As he fell at her feet, Sita blessed him with all her heart. �
��O Anjaneya! Your name and fame will be remembered in the world as long as the names of Rama and Sita remain. We will never accept any worship in which your name is not included.” She placed her palms over his head in blessing and gave him leave to depart.

  The goal of all mystical yearning is the union of the individual soul with the universal soul. In the Adhyatma Ramayana, an ancient Sanskrit philosophical poem that is embedded in the Brahmanda Purana and thought to have been written by Vyasa, the author of the Mahabharata, Sita is said to represent the individual soul (jivatma) that has been separated from the universal soul (Paramatma) symbolized by Rama. In this beautiful interpretation, the character of Hanuman shows the ability of bhakti to annihilate the ahamkara, or ego (Ravana), and reunite the two.

  Sheltered by you one gains all delight,

  Protected by you, one fears no one.

  SRI HANUMAN CHALISA BY TULSIDAS

  Aum Sri Hanumathe Namaha!

  Aum Vajrakayaaya Namaha!

  15

  Bajarangabali

  The Burning of Lanka

  Sri Rama bhaktakula moulim-achintya-veeryam,

  Sri Rama sevaka janavana lola chittam

  Sri Rama nama japalina hridam kumaram,

  Vande Prabhanjana sutham Raghurama dasam.

  Hail to thee, O son of Anjana! Servant of Rama,

  Greatest of all Rama bhaktas, possessed of unbelievable powers,

  Whose mind ever delights in doing service to Rama,

  And chanting the names of Rama.

  HANUMATH STHUTI

  Hanuman was loathe to leave Sita, and she on her part felt desolate at parting from him who had given her hope and a reason to live after all these bitter months of anguish. He decided that though he had achieved his main purpose, which was to find Sita, he would have to prove his worth to her so as to bolster up her courage. He was so angry with Ravana that he decided to ravage his favorite garden before he left. He set about this destruction in a most methodical manner.

  Like a raging tempest, he uprooted every tree and trampled it with his enormous feet. He muddied the ponds, crushed the rocks, and laid waste the entire garden that was so pleasing to Ravana. The creepers were torn from the trees, the temple smashed, the pools splattered with the copper-colored buds of the ashoka trees, and the lakes churned and made muddy. The little hillocks were ground to powder, and the beloved garden of Ravana was made into a desolate waste. Having desecrated the garden, he climbed to the top of the archway to the garden and waited expectantly for things to happen. He did not have long to wait. There was a great commotion in the garden itself. The birds were screeching in terror and the deer and peacocks were running around crying and bleating piteously. The rakshasis were woken up from their sleep by a noise resembling a hurricane, created by Hanuman. They rushed to Sita and asked her who this gigantic monkey was who was bent on destroying the garden. She pleaded ignorance of the whole matter. The women ran to Ravana and reported what had taken place. They said that they suspected that Sita knew who he was but refused to divulge his identity. He had destroyed every part of the garden except the grove in which she sat.

  Ravana was furious when he heard of the destruction of his pleasure gardens and ordered the palace bodyguards to go and subdue the creature. The army approached Hanuman, who had stationed himself on top of the archway to the garden. He was really pleased to see the approaching troops. He lashed his tail on the ground and filled the whole of Lanka with the horrendous sound. The troops rushed at him from all sides and attacked him with numerous weapons. He grew in size, clapped his hands on his shoulders in the manner of wrestlers, and spoke in a thunderous voice, “I’m Hanuman, the servant of Lord Rama. Not a thousand Ravanas are capable of withstanding my powers. I will return only after devastating Lanka.” He then proceeded to break off a bar that was protruding from the arch and thrashed the demons that had come to catch him and made them run for their lives.

  Ravana couldn’t believe that his troops had been defeated by a mere monkey. He ordered Jambumali, the son of his chief general, to go and flog the monkey. Jambumali got into his two-wheeled chariot drawn by three white, mountain ponies. He held a red bow decorated with solid gold flowers. Hanuman made short work of his troops and then jumped nimbly onto the spire of the temple and started to destroy it. The guards tried to drive him off but Hanuman uplifted a pillar and thrashed them soundly. The he shouted loudly, “Hail to Rama! Hail to Rama!” in a resounding voice.

  At this point Jambumali assaulted Hanuman with thousands of arrows, some of which were aimed at his mouth. Hanuman uprooted a tree and hurled it, but it was cut to pieces by the demon’s arrows. In great rage, Hanuman took the iron bar that he had used previously and hurled it at his enemy’s chest. It pierced him and he fell down dead.

  The news made Ravana mad with rage and he commanded the seven sons of his chief minister to go and kill the monkey. Hanuman jumped into the air, avoided the arrows of the seven, rained rocks on their heads, and killed them all. He then despatched another five generals who had been sent by Ravana. Streams of blood began to flow down the main highway of Lanka leading to the palace, carrying the mangled bodies, legs, and arms of the slain. Ravana was quite bewildered by this unexpected turn of events, and despite the remonstrations of his wife Mandodari, he sent his youngest son Aksha Kumara to subdue the monkey. Mounted on a beautiful chariot drawn by eight horses, the young prince set off from the palace, eager to prove his prowess. He wore golden armor and looked like the rising sun. He let fly many arrows at Hanuman, who resembled a blazing fire and was covered with blood. Hanuman couldn’t help but admire the young man who seemed to be a replica of Ravana. But he had no recourse but to fight with him even though he was loathe to do so. He decided to frighten him off the field by destroying his chariot. He jumped into the air and pounced down on the horses and felled them with his fists and broke his chariot. The valiant prince now rose into the air and started discharging arrows at Hanuman. The latter was full of admiration for the boy but decided that he could not afford to show any leniency. He caught hold of his legs, swung him round many times, and hurled him far off in the hope that he might survive and run away. However, the prince never rose up. Hanuman then jumped back to his stronghold on top of the arch to await the next person who would be sent by Ravana.

  Ravana couldn’t believe that his dear son had been killed by this dreadful monster. He was filled with remorse at having sent him to his death. He decided to summon his eldest son, the valiant Indrajit, to go and capture the monkey alive since he wanted to find out who he was and why he was causing such destruction. He feared that there was something unusual about this monkey and that was the reason why his army could not handle the situation. He walked through a tunnel under the city wall, which ended in a secret door that led to a hidden grove in the woods. There under a banyan tree sat his son, Indrajit, immersed in his esoteric practices. Ravana stood for a while in silence until Indrajit got up and saluted him. Ravana said, “My son! You are the pride and hope of our race, invincible in battle. You are not only proficient in weapons but also have command of all types of magic powers. A gigantic monkey is on the rampage and has killed many of our best warriors. I don’t think it is an ordinary monkey, and it appears that it cannot be subdued with weapons, so you must use your other tricks and capture him alive.”

  “Rest assured, father! I shall capture him for you.”

  So saying Indrajit, the son of Mandodari, got into his celestial chariot and sallied forth with no fear in his heart. He was raven-haired, dressed in blue and yellow silk, his skin dark red, and he had a yellow flower in his hair. His eyes were dark green with cat’s pupils, and a golden chain was wound nine times round his waist. He held a round, blue, steel shield in one hand and a bow backed with gold serpents in the other, and a sword in a silver sheath on his belt. He who had subdued Indra felt pretty sure he could capture a monkey without much effort. However, he realized that this was no ordinary monkey and could not be killed with ordinary w
eapons. He climbed to another tower as tall as the one on which Hanuman had perched himself and sent an arrow with the mantra invoking the mystic noose known as naga pasha. These were actually ropes made of snakes. Hanuman fell to the ground, tied invisibly hand and foot and unable to move.

  Anjaneya realized the magic potency of the noose that was binding him and decided to remain silent. The stupid forces of Indrajit could not see the subtle ropes that were binding him and brought their own ropes and chains and bound him up. The moment the gross ropes touched his body, the subtle effects of the mantra were nullified. Indrajit was angry to see the folly that had been committed by his men but wondered why Hanuman made no effort to set himself free. He decided to wash his hands of the affair and returned to his lair in the forest to continue with his interrupted rituals. Hanuman wanted to be taken before Ravana, so he allowed Ravana’s henchmen to parade him along the streets of Lanka. Some people abused him and some threw stones at him while others jeered and made jokes. Hanuman took it all without turning a hair. They dragged him and teased him and tortured him, but he put up with all these insults.