June 8, 2017 archive

We have discussed earlier that sorrows do not afflict persons who serve Hanuman as he drives away their sorrows and instills courage into them. In addition, He solves their problems and ensures that they emerge victorious. Their desires also get fulfilled.

A long time ago, in the city of Varanasi there lived a poor devotee by name Dharmika. He resided within the Rama vatika (garden), by the banks of the River Ganga. He was contented with whatever meager food he could fetch and supported his family with it. He had a son by name Dharmakeerti. True to his name this noble boy possessed many great traits. He was well educated and served his elders in all humility.

The dire poverty faced by the father and the struggle he went through to procure even the basic needs caused great distress to Dharmakeerti. He felt very sorry that they had to face such hardships. He resolved that he should support and sustain his family through some means or the other. With this intention, one day, without informing anyone, he silently left home.

He traversed through the country on foot. During this travel he reached the sacred pilgrimage centre Gokarna. Strange! While he was having the darshan of Lord Gokarneshwara (Lord Shiva), the subtle tendencies from his past births enveloped him completely and he was immersed in devotion towards this Lord.

Quite a few people experience this. When they visit certain sacred pilgrim centres, the impressions of their past births magnetize them towards the deity. Dharmakeerti completely forgot all about his family. Even forgetting himself, he began to earnestly worship and serve Lord Gokarneshwara. He turned out to be an ardent devotee of this Lord.

Days passed into months. Dharmakeerti was completely involved in this service to the Lord and was totally oblivious to everything else. Here, at Kashi, his father began to worry about him. All his efforts to trace his son were futile. It appeared as if he had disappeared forever. This grieving father began to enquire the whereabouts of his son from every person he came across.

Once it so happened that a great Mahatma by the name of Sutapta approached Dhaarmika. Understanding the anguish of the father, Sutapta advised him to worship Hanuman. Dhaarmika was told that there is a mantra of Hanuman, the recitation of which reveals the past, as well as the future happenings. It is known as the Swapna Anjaneya mantra. Sutapta continued, “I will initiate you into this mantra. Keep your goal solely fixed on Hanuman. Lord Hanuman himself will bring your son back to you.”

Dhaarmika was initiated into this Swapna Anjaneya mantra. While leaving, Sutapta reassured him that Lord Hanuman himself will inform him the whereabouts of his son and the time period as to when he would return.

With a firm resolve, fixing his mind totally on Lord Hanuman, Dhaarmika began his mantra japa. After a certain period of time, one night, Hanuman appeared in his dream and said, “Dharmika, do not grieve. Your son Dharmakeerti is healthy and he is in the sacred place of Gokarna. He is happily immersed in offering services to Lord Shiva. I am appearing before you only to give you this good news about your son. Please understand that I am Swapna Hanumanta.  May good befall you” so saying, Hanuman disappeared.

Dharmika woke up and shared this joyful news with everyone around him. Exactly at this time, in Gokarna, Lord Gokarneshwara reminded Dharmakeerti of his family back home. He was asked to return to them. By this time, Dharmakeerti had totally washed away all his bad karmas.

In accordance with the order of Lord Gokarneshwara, Dharmakeerti returned home and brought joy to all his family members. He lived happily thereafter.

Ardent worship of Hanuman ensures that the person gets back the lost items. It brings peace. In addition, the person also brings joy to all people around him. Such are the results obtained through the worship of Swapna Anjaneya swamy.

For successful completion of different tasks, there is a procedure of worshipping different mantras of Hanuman.

Om Namo Hanumate Namah

The frightened citizens agreed to vacate the village by the next day and returned to their homes. That night they fasted completely and prayed earnestly to Lord Hanuman to protect them from the demon. ‘We have no other refuge apart from you Lord Hanuman’ they prayed. Hanuman heard their pleas. He appeared in the dream of one of the Brahmins and said, “Tomorrow morning go to Durmukha and preach to him. Tell him that many great warriors of limitless reputation tried to subdue and play pranks with this earth, but none of them could emerge successful. One day everyone has to bid goodbye to this land. It is inevitable. Say to him, ‘Where now will we go leaving this land? Anyway, you too have to leave it one day’. If he does not heed this good advice, then I will take appropriate action. Do not be scared”.

Next morning the Brahmins preached the same to Durmukha. Hearing this, Durmukha was further enraged. His face turned even more ugly. He roared once again, “Who are you to preach me thus? I want you to vacate the city right now.” He thus continued to threaten the villagers. The villagers were absolutely terrified and they ran back into their village. They continued to pray to Hanuman earnestly.

Hanuman understood the happenings at the village and took on the form of a very large monkey. It was a gigantic monkey and it was moving about the vicinity of Durmukha’s army.             The demon’s army shivered upon seeing this enormous monkey and ran to their king and said, “O King, there is an oversized large monkey hovering around this place. Suppose it brings a large mountain and places it over us, we will all be smashed under it. Let us please save our lives. Let us leave these Brahmins and not trouble them anymore. After all, they have not caused us any harm, have they?”

To reassure his army, Durmukha shifted the army camp from that place to another place close by. The next morning as the army was approaching Hanumatpura, they realized that the large monkey had carried a mountain and placed it exactly at the spot where their army had camped on the previous day. Durmukha shivered seeing this sight. This brought a major transformation in him. He revered the Brahmins of that village and gave away many more villages as gifts to those Brahmins. He became a great devotee of Lord Hanuman.

This story when read with a casual attitude will not have any great effect upon us. We should realize that Durmukha had with him a vast army of mighty powerful demons. The sight of this large monkey could bring about fear in them. Tell me, is it possible to lift and shift a mountain? If someone were to really do this, then what can be said about his might and prowess? Can such a feat be performed using demonic energy? Even using the power of mantra, one cannot achieve this feat. Being the life force (prana), Hanuman could accomplish this. The Brahmins of the village had placed their complete faith in Him. To them, he was their God and saviour and hence he would never let them down.

Hanuman eternally protects those, who have placed their implicit faith in Him, at every step of their life. There are many such stories which teach to us the greatness of this Lord. How many ever are told, they always fall short.

Om Namo Hanumate Namah

Hanuman is unparalleled and beyond comparison. In any period of time, there can never be anyone who can ever equal him. Listening to his glories brings good reputation and fame.  It bestows the pleasures of heaven and showers liberation.

Some time after His coronation as the King of Ayodhya, Lord Rama called Hanuman and said, “Hanuman, you have showered limitless favours upon me. When Lakshmana and me were facing the greatest hardships of our life, you stood by our side and instilled courage into us. Just as the boat arrives at the right moment to save the drowning man, you sensibly caused our friendship with Sugriva and thus saved us. You were the boat that rescued us from sinking. By passing on my message, you instilled life into Sita, who was drowning in grief. You revived Lakshmana. For the amount of help that you have rendered, my entire lineage will eternally be indebted to you. Therefore, O dear Hanuman, please choose any boon. Tell me what you seek”.

To this Hanuman replied humbly, “O Lord, devotion towards your lotus feet is all that I seek. What will I do with other boons? Let my devotion towards You be eternal. This is for my eternal good”.

This was the boon sought by the mighty and wise Hanuman! A boon should be sought with all humility. Complete grace is received only when the seeking is accompanied by humility.

Hanuman’s reply brought a smile to the face of the Lord. Laughing happily He said, “Hanuman, I am granting you a village by the name of Hanumatpura. Please accept it. The learned and wise Brahmins of that village will be serving you.”

Hanuman happily accepted this village. With golden and silver towers, enormous exquisite gardens, with the people of all the four castes happily living within it, this village is eternally abounding. The Brahmins of this village consecrated many vast and large temples for Hanuman. The idol of Hanuman together with Suvarchala Devi has also been installed in this village. They worshipped and revered the Lord.

One generation paved way to the next. Eons passed by. Yet, the Brahmins of the village continued to worship Hanuman with utmost zeal, dedication and devotion.  They offered the best of the services to the Lord. They celebrated all the festivities pertaining to the Lord with all enthusiasm.

One day however, Demon Durmukha, the son of Kālayavana, arrived there with an intention of looting the village. Durmukha means evil or ugly faced. His behavior was in accordance with his name. He sent his army into the village and called all the Brahmins to assemble before him. Durmukha said to them, “Hand over to me this village together with all your wealth stored in it. Together with your families, leave this village this instant. I want this village.” The Brahmins replied, “Sir, this village has been granted to us by Lord Hanuman himself. He is our presiding deity (Kula daiva) here. On no account we will leave this village.”

Durmukha seethed in anger, “I am the Lord of everyone. I am the Supreme Lord. Who is this Hanuman? How dare he come in between? If you do not obey my orders and leave this village, I will heinously torture and smash you all.”

Pavanasa, the Vanara, declares that when seen from the angle of the Supreme Essence, there is no truth superior to Hanuman. Nothing exists beyond Hanuman. A complete understanding of this truth is in itself the most supreme knowledge.

Just step back and deeply think, “I know nothing except the truth that there is no one greater than Hanuman. There is no mantra superior to His mantra”. Such in-depth understanding is in itself the Upanishad! It is the supreme-most knowledge! Pavanasa states that a deep understanding of this knowledge is equivalent of obtaining everything!

In this last hymn of Vanara Geeta, the essence of Hanuman has reached its zenith!

Every being should necessarily possess the Paramārtha drishti. It means he should possess the ability to visualize the supreme essence in every object throughout the creation. Through this, the real secret will be known.

By saying that there exists no truth greater than Hanuman, it is implied that Hanuman is none other than the Supreme Lord. Thus, Panasa (also known as Pavanasa), in this last hymn of Vanara Gita, authoritatively and affirmatively proclaims that Hanuman is the Supreme Lord!

‘Panasa’ means Jackfruit. Jackfruit has a prickly and hard exterior but, when cracked open, it contains numerous bulb-like fleshy fruits inside that are deliciously sweet. Each of these fleshy fruits is exactly identical in shape and in sweetness. (The same essence flows through all the fleshy fruits within the jackfruit). Likewise, all these manifold forms seen in the universe are forms of that non-dual Lord.

Pavanasa opines that for the welfare of the universe, the Supreme Lord has assumed attributes and qualities, and has incarnated as Hanuman. He further affirmatively declares that there is no need to harbour any other thought besides this. Without wasting time, continuously recite Hanuman mantra. Give up all useless suspicions and doubts. With continuous recitation of Hanuman mantra, all these doubts that are basically a sheer waste, will begin to disappear.

Hanuman means Shiva. Who is Shiva? Shiva means ‘Paramaguru’. The term ‘Paramaguru’ means the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. All these are linked. The combination of this Trinity is the Supreme Mother (Adi Parāshakti). For this reason, Guru is addressed as the Mother. Guru is also addressed as the Father and this is because He is Shiva. Guru, being Shiva is also addressed as the Paramaguru. Such Lord Shiva has incarnated as Hanuman. Who is Hanuman? Hanuman is the all-pervading life force (prana).

Here, the hymn states that one should contemplate on such Lord Hanuman and recite His mantra at all times.

Vanara Geeta is a collection of hymns composed by the Vanaras. It is a great powerful hymn that washes away every sin! It bestows every form of knowledge on the person! This Vanara Gita has the capacity to increase all forms of auspiciousness. It grants the Supreme Knowledge. Those who recite Vanara Gita with utmost devotion will receive blessings and grace of Hanuman. 

Thus concludes Vanara Geeta, which exists within the description being given of the Panchamukha Hanuman mantra. It is the 76^th chapter and exists as a conversation between Maharishis Parashara and Maitreyi within the holy text Parashara Samhita.

We are all very fortunate. It is my (Swamiji, referring to Himself) great fortune to be able to narrate it to all of you. You are all very fortunate to hear Vanara Geeta. Together all of us are exceedingly fortunate to be able to listen to the glories of that great Lord Hanuman and to be able to recite His mantra. The deep feelings and reverence that each vanara had towards Hanuman has been brought out as a hymn that is contained within this Parashara samhita.

Om Namo Hanumate Namah