Puttugam2

Seeing the crestfallen faces of the Vanaras, Jambavanta said, “O Vanara heroes, have you forgotten Hanuman the best amongst us? Look, there he is, seated on that rock far away, with his hand upon his head, lost in his thoughts. Perhaps he is contemplating about Rama. Let us approach him”.

The Vanaras now observed Hanuman, who was seriously engaged in chanting Lord Rama’s divine name. Jambavan approached Hanuman and said, “What is this, Hanuman? Why are you seated so far away? While all the others are engrossed in serious discussions about crossing the ocean you are lost in your own thoughts”. To this Hanuman said, “Even I am waiting for them to fly to Lanka. But they only seem to debate, none of them makes any serious attempt.”

Jambavanta reassured Hanuman, “Hanuman, why do you speak thus? Do you know your capacities? If you make a firm resolve, within minutes you will cross and reach Lanka. Get up! Recollect your capacities. You are so courageous, you are full of valour, you possesses limitless might, your intellect is very sharp.” In this and many more ways, Jambavanta ensured that Hanuman recollects His capacities.

As Jambavanta was thus saying, Hanuman stood up and made a firm resolve to reach Lanka. Had Jambavanta not praised Hanuman in so many ways, at that time, perhaps Hanuman would never have attempted to cross the ocean. He reminded Hanuman of his unique, unsurpassed abilities.

Jambavanta, who possesses such wisdom, teaches us through this hymn the essence and power that exists within the name ‘Hanuman’.

Om Namo Hanumate Namaha.

In his hymn, Jambavan states-

Bhukti mukti pradam nāma vihāya Hanuman tava

Samsaranti janā mūḍāh kim vichitra mataḥ param.

Meaning- O Hanuman! Foolish, ignorant people in this world have forgotten even your divine name, which blesses a person both with worldly enjoyments (bhukti) and liberation (mukti). What could be weirder than this?

Jambavan feels sorry that the people of this world are unable to fathom the importance behind Hanuman’s name. Considering Hanuman as an ordinary Vanara, they have erased his name completely from memory. He therefore expresses anguish at this foolishness exhibited by the people.

Venerable Jambavan is considered to be very wise. He was born in the Kṛta Yuga (the first of the four eons) and his life, spans across all the 4 Yugas. Hanuman, born in the Treta Yuga (the second of the 4 eons), is far younger in age to Jambavan. It is said that during the Krta Yuga (the first eon), when Jambavan was playing the percussion and circumambulating Lord Trivikrama (Vamana, one among the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu), a mountain peak pierced his knee. From then on, he has been slightly limping. That he was blessed with the chance to circumambulate the universal form of the Lord itself is proof of his greatness!

Jambavan had the darshan of Lord Vamana in the Krta Yuga, Lord Rama in the Treta Yuga and Lord Sri Krishna in the Dwapara Yuga. It is said that he will see Lord Kalki during that incarnation which will take place during this Kali Yuga. Through this too, we can understand his greatness.

Great people always give great, valuable information. Here Jambavan preaches to us the greatness that exists in the name ‘Hanuman’. This is very sacred and pure name, which bestows the person with both worldly enjoyments (bhukti) as well as liberation (mukti).

The mantra ‘Om Namo Hanumate Namaha’ showers both materialistic enjoyments as well as liberation. This is the experience of many of our Datta devotees. Even at the time of greatest difficulties, all they recite is ‘Om Namo Hanumate Namaha’. That’s all. They greet each other with the words – ‘Jaya Guru Datta, Sri Guru Datta’ and thereafter it is ‘Om Namo Hanumate Namaha’.

Both in Kishkinda Kanda (the section that deals with the Vanaras empire) and Yuddha Kanda (section that deals with the Rama- Ravana war) of Ramayana, Jambavanta extols the greatness of Hanuman. In the Kishkinda Kanda, the Vanaras who were on the look out for Mother Sita, reached the shores of the Indian Ocean. Here Sampati, the huge eagle, through his long distance vision, confirmed the presence of Mother Sita in Lanka. The next obstacle faced by the Vanaras was crossing the ocean and reaching out to Her. Each Vanara began to assess his individual capacity in this matter.

A Vanara named Gaja stated that he could fly for a distance of only 10 yojanas, Gavaksha claimed to reach 20 yojanas, Gavaya affirmed that he could fly for 30 yojanas, Gandhamaadana said he would fly up to 40 yojanas, Mainda confirmed that he could fly for 60 yojanas, Dividha could fly for 70 yojanas and Sushena boldly said that he could fly for 80 yojanas. (A yojana is about 8 miles).

Crown prince Angada proudly said, “I am better than you all. I can confidently fly for a distance of 100 yojanas. I will undoubtedly reach Lanka safe and sound. But with this all my powers will come to an end. I will not be able to fly back and return”.

The enthusiasm and excitement totally drained out from all the Vanaras and they turned pale.

The Vanara by name Pṛdhuvu praises Hanuman in the following manner-

Dāta dāpayitās caiva lokānām rakṣaka stadhā

Preraka chhānumodasca  kartā bhoktā kapīsvaraḥ.

Meaning- Kapīswara Hanuman is the Lord who bestows everything. He is the cause behind everything given. He is the protector of the all the planes of existence. He is the one who encourages the performance of good deeds. It is he who performs good deeds and it is he who experiences the resultant fruits of the deeds.

Isn’t this hymn helpful to the true spiritual aspirant in his sadhana (practices)?

The person performing the deed, the person who ensures the performance of the deed, the person who instigates the performance of the deed as well as the person who derives enjoyment from the deed, all of them share the good as well as bad results of that action in equal proportions!

The yajamana (person who performs the sacrificial Yagna), and all the people supporting him, obtain equal share in the results of the Yagna. It is therefore very essential to exercise full caution.

The person who has reached the pinnacle of devotion sees God in everyone and in everything. This hymn brings out the perception and feelings of such devotee.

While fulfilling all the desires of the devotees, Hanuman additionally motivates them towards seeking Self-realization. In other words, Hanuman does not limit himself to fulfilling the desires of the devotees. He creates in them a desire to acquire Self-realization.

Hanuman is being praised in this hymn as ‘dāpayita’. It means that when a devotee is in distress, Hanuman uses the help of another (third party) as a medium and through him drives away the distress of the devotee. For example, many times important lessons are imparted to people not directly, but through the medium of another human being. The Supreme Lord does not directly descend from heaven. Instead he motivates some beings for the completion of his tasks. There are many examples of this.

It is Hanuman who protects all the planes of existence in entirety. He encourages the performance of good deeds. Not everybody is lucky to possess a good intellect that pushes him or her to perform good deeds. In reality it is extremely difficult to get the inclination and wisdom to perform good deeds. Hanuman causes such good intellect to sprout in the individual. Seeing people perform good deeds, gives Him immeasurable happiness. For every good task performed, the devotee should learn to attribute it to the Lord- ‘It is he who has performed it and it is he who has motivated me to perform this’. This is true bhakti.

It is wrong to apply this principle of attribution to sinful deeds. ‘O God, You are the motivating force behind everything. Hence You instigated me to perform this evil deed. You are responsible for it’. This is a perverse way of argument where the argument is driven purely for the sake of winning in it. Such attitude when demonstrated in sinful deeds reflects demonic traits. The demons discard the good motivation received from the Lord and continue to cling towards the evil. They then say that it was God who motivated them towards the evil.

The Lord has motivated countless demons to undertake good deeds. Following this, most of them have transformed into saints and yogis. Prahlada is the good example of this. Although Prahlada was born in the clan of demons, through constant recollection of God’s names and God’s deeds, he turned out to be a great saint.

Let us, for argument sake, assume that it is really God who instigates the person towards evil deeds. Even then, the realization that the deed is sinful exists within the person, does it not? He participates in the deed with this complete realization. It is the past karma that drives him towards it. When a person willfully undertakes a deed, knowing fully well it is sinful in nature, then on what basis can he hold God responsible for it? It is demonic behaviour. Destruction is the punishment that is meted out for demonic behaviour. In other words, it means ‘teaching a lesson’.

Nā ham bhokta– is a Vedic verse which means, I am not the one who is enjoying the fruits of the action. Attaining this realization is said to be of utmost importance in philosophy of non-dualism (advaita). ‘I am only the performer of the action. It is the Supreme Lord who enjoys of the resultant fruit of this good action” is the meaning implied in this verse. As discussed before, this is applicable for good deeds alone.

Lord Rama is Puruśa (Self). Mother Sita is Nature (Prakriti). Hanuman is the Prana-shakti (life or vital energy). With Hanuman’s help, Rama and Sita were rendered courageous. They could then fulfill their dharmic duties and emerge totally victorious.

Lord Hanuman resides within us in the form of the life-force (prana shakti).  Supreme Knowledge and Yoga are obtained by the person who meditates upon Hanuman Such person is also relieved from these sorrows caused due to the unending cycle of re-births together with all its bondages.

Anjaneya namastubhyam samsārārṇava tārakah

Prasīda jagatām nātha deva deva namostute

The Vanara by name Ŗṣabha states-

 Karuṇārasa poorṇāya jagadānanda hetave

Kukṣisthākila lokāya Hanumat brahmaṇe namah.

Meaning-  I offer obeisance to Lord Hanuman, who is abounding with the feelings of compassion (karunārasa), who is the cause for the bliss (ananda) enjoyed by this entire universe, who retains all the planes of existence within his stomach and who is none other than Lord Brahma.

For this kalpa (period of 4.32 billion earth years) the four-faced Brahma is the creator. Hanuman will take on this position as Brahma in the next creation (kalpa). Vanara Ŗṣabha therefore offers his salutations to Hanumad Brahma.

Hanuman’s intellect and mind eternally overflow only with feelings of compassion. Apart from compassion there is no other thought in his mind. His heart bleeds when he sees any of his devotees suffering. He stays by the side of such devotees and takes trouble to drive their difficulties.

The mind has been compared to a rock. Just as a rock gradually dissolves with the force of flowing water, a rock-like mind melts under the feelings of compassion. Water is therefore compared to flow of compassion. Our scriptures declare that total dissolution of mind is itself liberation.

Hanuman has been praised here as the ‘cause’ behind the bliss enjoyed by all the planes of existence. Why is it so?

Lord Rama, is in reality none other than the Supreme Lord. Hence He is an embodiment of bliss. The traits of the Supreme Lord are Sat (eternal), Cit (Pure Consciousness, knowledge) and Ananda (bliss). All these various planes of existence derive bliss from His bliss. By driving away the sorrows of this Supreme Lord Rama, Hanuman brought bliss to Him. He also brought bliss to the universal mother Sita. Thus he showered bliss on that Supreme Lord, who himself is an embodiment of bliss. For this reason Hanuman has been bestowed the title ‘Jagadānanda Kāraka’ (the cause for the bliss enjoyed by the entire creation).

At one point of time, when serpents who reside in Nāga-loka were lacking peace, the Serpent-Gods invited Hanuman to their plane. By his mere presence they secured bliss. Similarly, the mere arrival of Hanuman brought about happiness in the entire Brahma-loka. When Hanuman arrived in the lower planetary system called Patala to kill Demon Mayiravana, some demons residing there derived great bliss upon seeing him. They transformed into saints. Hanuman did not kill all the demons in Patala. He spared the noble ones! Such major transformation could take place merely by his darshan!

We have discussed earlier that Hanuman is a partial aspect of Lord Shiva. When Lord Shiva consumed the Halahala poison, His consort, Goddess Gowri, pressed His throat tightly with her hand. “Why are you squeezing my throat in this manner?” asked the Lord. To this, the Divine Mother replied, “O Lord, all the planes of existence exist within your stomach. If this poison travels to your stomach, the living beings therein will suffer.” Therefore, Hanuman, who is an aspect of Shiva, also holds this entire creation within His abdomen.

Om Namo Hanumate Namaha.