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Vanara Gita 70: The story of Durmukha.

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.”

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Vanara Gita 69: Develop the ability to visualize Supreme Essence in every object

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 76th 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

Permanent link to this article: https://puttugam.com/vanara-gita-episode-69-develop-the-ability-to-visualize-the-supreme-essence-in-every-object-of-the-creation/

Vanara Gita 68: Only when a person considers himself to be God’s servant, he tastes supreme success

In the earlier eons demons too feared sins. They feared falling into hell as a result of which they could never reach higher planetary systems.

It can be said that although the demons disliked the Supreme Lord, they dedicatedly adhered to about 80% of the rules of dharma (righteousness). It was this dedication in the observance of the rules of dharma that protected them at all times. It also made it all the more difficult to subdue or defeat them. In certain aspects however, their atrocities, vices and evil-mindedness were unabated. The Lord would instigate them to proceed further in this evil path, so that it would pave the way for their destruction.

Gomukha, who was very righteous, advises everyone to fear sin. At the same time he urges everyone to develop an intellect that will guide on the path of dharma (dharma buddhi).

Hanuman’s prayer to Lord Rama was- dāsoham kosalendrasya– ‘Oh Lord Rama, please eternally consider me your servant’. Only a person who entertains the feelings that he is a servant of the Lord ultimately emerges successful. Dharma (righteousness) protects such person. It is totally wrong to think- ‘Why should I surrender to the Lord?” One should always entertain the feelings that everyone is a servant of the Sadguru.

There is a hymn in which the composer in all humility prays– Daasaradhi karuna payonidhi– ‘O Son of Dasaratha, Lord Rama, the ocean of mercy’.  Gomukha teaches that the Lord showers His compassion upon those devotees who are full of such humility. He will forgive them too.

 

Pavanasa (Panasa), the Vanara composes the last hymn of this Vanara Geeta-

 

Hanumato na param paramārdhathah

Idi vadāmi janān paramārdhatah

Na hi param bhavatātra vichakshanah.

 Iteedham vanara proktam sarva pāpaharam varam sarva jnānapradam caiva sarva soubhāgya vardhanam.

 Iti śri parāśara samhitāyām, parāśara maitreya samvāde śri pancha-mukha hanuman mantra vivaraṇe śri vānara geeta nāma samāptaha.

 

Meaning- When seen from the angle of the Absolute Truth, there is no truth which is greater than Hanuman! There is nothing more superior to Him! Hence there is no necessity to entertain any other thought.

There is nothing greater than Hanuman. Hanuman and Hanuman mantra eternally exist. Hanuman is the life force (prana shakti). Life force is all-pervading and eternal. When this universe was born, it was born together with the life force. How then can this life force disappear from here? There is no knowledge that is superior to this knowledge. Therefore the understanding that Hanuman is the only true essence should seep into one and all. This is the most superior knowledge. Panasa declares that acquiring this knowledge is equivalent of obtaining everything in entirety!

 

Om Namo Hanumate Namah

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Vanara Gita 67: Only virtues- sins accompany the person after death

  • Life is extremely short. It is like a bubble. Within this, we should take steps to ensure it is fruitful and productive.
  • The results of both good and bad actions need to be necessarily experienced irrespective of whether they were performed knowingly or unknowingly. Good deeds result in merit. Bad deeds result in sin leading to sorrowful experiences.
  • As it is only the balance of virtues and sins that accompany a being after death, it is very important to engage in the performance of good and meritorious deeds at all hours.
  • Through the process of dharmic (righteous) activities, good fame should be earned.
  • Without stopping to look back at the earlier achievements, the person should move continuously forward in this path of dharmic activities. He should never provide a chance for his actions to be praised by others. The firm opinion and belief that they are truly dharmic activities should exist within him. Under no circumstances should he feel sorry that he was neither recognized nor praised. One should make life fruitful and meaningful.

Many persons do not get involved in the performance of good deeds. Not engaging in such deeds is also a grave mistake.

Absolute success in any deed comes only when the person has achieved total victory over the senses (indriyas). In its absence, total victory is impossible. Sense-control is not limited to conquering sexual desire and anger. As age advances, the appetite for lust automatically reduces. Sense-control includes conquering greediness, need for recognition, irritation and many such traits. Obtaining absolute victory over senses is no easy job.

How then can the ordinary person, who cannot even repair any part of his body, try to achieve absolute victory over the senses? How can he overcome the society? How can he go beyond the web of fruitive actions and their results that surround him? How is he to cross over these bondages and attain salvation? Gomukha, the ardent devotee of Hanuman, pondered upon the fate of ordinary people and thought of a solution. He then composed this hymn.

It was Treta Yuga (the second of the 4 eons). The fear that sins would drag him to hell and that as a result he would not be able to make the journey into heaven existed in the mind of every being. If during that pure period when Lord Rama was ruling people feared sins, then imagine the degree of fear one should have towards sins during the subsequent eon of Dwapara and the present period of Kali?

Living beings at that time were very knowledgeable. They were aware of the various planes of existence and how one travelled to these planes after death. They knew that evil deeds dragged them to hell and prevented them from moving into the higher planes after death. This fear prevented them from committing sins.

It is said that even the demons of that time feared transgressing dharma (rules of righteousness) and that they strictly abided by these rules even during war. Barring a few demons like Ravana who existed sporadically, all other demons adhered to the life of dharma. Ravana went against dharma so as to be blessed with death at the hands of the Supreme Master. It was not exactly a sin but a visible deed undertaken to show the world the outcome of such evil deeds.

Permanent link to this article: https://puttugam.com/vanara-gita-episode-67-as-only-virtues-sins-accompany-the-person-after-death-he-should-engage-in-meritorious-deeds-always/

Vanara Gita 66: Only saintly persons accept mistakes easily

Only some people accept their mistakes. Most of them refuse to accept their mistakes.

The person, who has lost the object, loses on both counts. The object is lost and on top of it he has to hear a lot of unnecessary harsh statements from the person who has caused the damage. At last, he will decide to simply keep quiet.

Mahatmas simply accept mistakes and seek forgiveness. This is a small, yet profound difference that exists between Mahatmas and petty minded persons. Thus, a very small percentage of persons accept their mistakes although it is natural for every person to commit mistakes. A great majority of people deny them.

Gomukha is a great person who acknowledges that he commits not one, but hundreds of mistakes every day and seeks forgiveness from the Lord. He states that he commits limitless mental mistakes and towards them too he seeks forgiveness.

Great persons, even if they have not committed mistakes will pray, “O great Lord! It is natural that everyone commits mistakes. I do not know the list of all the mistakes that I have committed in each and every birth of mine. This birth in which I have been blessed with wisdom is a very sacred one. Please forgive all my mistakes committed across various births O Lord. Mentally I commit sins every second of my life. Please be compassionate and save me. I have no clue about the mistakes that I commit. When I breathe in, I take in so many germs (krimi). When walking on the ground, I step upon so many ants and insects, thereby injuring and killing them. Treating me as your servant, please forgive me for my mistakes and sins”.

Servants commit mistakes. The Lord, the supreme master, forgives them. Here it is important to note that the prayer is offered with feelings of humility from servant to master. What a great teaching is hidden within this prayer made by Gomukha!

Life is as short-lived as a water bubble. No life is permanent. Results of fruitive action (karma phala) have to be mandatorily experienced, irrespective of whether a mistake is committed knowingly or unknowingly. A person who performs good deeds acquires good merit (punya). The person who commits sins accumulates sins and suffers. The result is visible then and there.

Only the list of sins and merits (paapa-punya) accompany a living being on its onward journey after death! Have you ever heard of anyone taking with them their property and house after death? Everyone leaves this earth penniless. What can the being, who has to leave behind even his body on this earth, take with him? He will take only his share of virtues and sins.

 

Om Namo Hanumate Namah

Permanent link to this article: https://puttugam.com/vanara-gita-episode-66-only-saintly-persons-accept-mistakes-easily/

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