Hanuman : Photo Credit : Pradeep Sanyal : All Rights Reserved
Hanuman is purity personified. In his *Bhakthi Sutras, Narada mentions Hanuman as the expert on devotion. Hanuman is completely flawless, selfless and egoless. He can accomplish anything but does only what Sri Rama asks him to do.
He is an expert musician, his music has bhakthi, as Thyagaraja tells us that music must.
Leaping across oceans, moving mountains – nothing is put of his reach, for this son of Pavana, (the wind). Powerful Pandava Bhima, (another son of Pavana), couldn’t even move Hanuman’s tail. In the Yuddhakanda of the Valmiki Ramayanam, Jambavantha tells Vibhishana that as long as Hanuman is fine, victory is guaranteed, because he can revive everyone, but if Hanuman is gone, the war is as good as lost.
He is the favored deity of strong wrestlers, small children, devout musicians, and spiritual gurus one and all. He once protected Yayati from Sri Rama’s anger and used the magic of Sri Rama’s name against the might of Sri Rama’s bow!
He brought courage, confidence and cheer to Sita Devi, who was waiting sorrowfully under the Asoka tree, where she was kept captive by Ravana.
Rama’s children Lava Kusa, knew that Hanuman could not be won in a battle (for the Aswamedha horse of Sri Rama), so they led him away chanting Sri Rama’s name and tied him up with blades of grass.
The best part is that you only have to mention Sri Rama’s name and Hanuman is there right with you, to look after and protect you and to enjoy the stories and bhajans of Sri Rama along with you. You can count on this!
* While bhakthi is generally translated into english as devotion, Narada has defined exactly what it is and what it is not in his bhakthi sutras. Sri Krishna has also explained Bhakthi Yoga clearly in his Bhagavad Gita.
Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula
Image rights vest with the source. (Thanks Pradeep Sanyal!)
