|| Om tat sat ||

 

Sundarakanda
Sarga 1 ( contd).

Tattva Dipika
रामार्थम् वानरार्थम् च.. - in Sarga 1!

What we hear in the first sloka in Sarga 1 is as follows.
Hanuman, with the blessings of Bhagavan,
and with the ring given as a token by Bhagavan,
goes in search of Sita ( or Self).
So Hanuma goes in search of the Jeevatma ( Sita),
separated from the Paramatman ( Rama) .

How does he start off ?
We hear that too in the first Sarga

'चारणा चरिते पथिः" -
Meaning there by that he starts off following the path trodden by the Charanas .
चारणा - also means Rishis.
Then चारणा चरिते पथिः means the path trodden by the Rishis

So Hanuman followed the well trodden path of our Seers.
It is an age old dictum.
Even for a follower of scriptures,
when one is in doubt,
follow the established path of the Seers.

This is also what we hear in Upanishads

"अथ यदि ते कर्मविचिकित्सा वा
वृत्त विच्चिकित्सा वा स्यात्
ये तत्र ब्राह्मणाः समर्शिनः अलूक्षा धर्मकास्स्युः
यथा ते तत्र वर्तेरन्
तथा तत्र वर्तेथाः"|

When one reads this Upanishadic line,
most of it is easily understood.
It says as follows:
" Whenever there is a doubt in the path of action
or a doubt in any matter,
then follow the path of Brahmins
who follow the path of rightful conduct "

Thus in this line - "चारणा चरिते पथिः"- we hear that statement of Upanishads.

There is another thought here

चारणा चरिते पथि means the path followed by Charanas
which is the path along the heavenly skies - the आकाश मार्ग
आकाश् means one that shines with brilliance - that is Paramatman
Following the path of Akas ,
means that one who revels in the thoughts of Brahman.
Only those steeped in thoughts of Brahman can redeem the lives of Jeeva
Only such one steeped in the thoughts of Brahman,
will be victorious in realizing "Self"

Thus we see Hanuman in Sundarakanda,
as one with the blessings of Bhagavan ,
as a Bhakta as well as a messenger of Rama.

That Hanuman decided to undertake a task which is ..
दुष्करं निष्प्रतिद्वंद्वं -
A difficult and incomparable task

That incomparable task is crossing the hundred Yojana wide ocean.
Crossing the hundred Yojana wide ocean in one jump is indeed a difficult task.
Crossing the ocean of Samsara overcoming all obstacles too is as difficult a task.

To cross that ocean , "गवां पतिः इवाबभौ" ,
like the leader of Bulls Hanuman stretched his neck straight,
and stood ready contemplating on the task in ahead.

Bull bulldozes its way ahead in the face of obstacles.
Valmiki is saying so will Hanuman,
who started on this search with the blessings of Rama.
So will anybody who has the blessings of the Supreme being

That Hanuman thus was all set.
He was walking about on an even ground
flushed with beautiful lush green fields.
Here that Hanuman is addressed as "धीर " .

Lush green fields are places for enjoyment.
They capture the heart and mind of people who can enjoy.
But those involved in a serious undertaking
have to keep their mind away from enjoyment and focus on the task ahead.
Hanuman is described as "Dhira" meaning one who is undeterred.

Here focus of Hanuman is on the - चारणा चरिते पथि -
or on the heavenly skies and the Paramatman himself

Calling Hanuman "धीर "
while walking about in Lush Green fields touches on another aspect

To walk about in Lush green fields one need not be a "Dhira"
Any can be doing that walk about.

But "धीर " is elaborated as follows.
"धी" the knowledge of Brahman ,
"र" one who revels.
Thus "धीर " means one who revels in the knowledge of Brahman.
So Hanuman is compared to who revels in the knowledge of Brahman.

That means even as he walks about in that place
flush with lush green fields that captivate all ,
Hanuman, the Dhira ,
the one who revels in the knowledge of Brahman,
is not affected by those lush green captivating fields.

Hanuman as "धीर " is meant to show ,
how focussed was Hanuman in his task .

Then taking up a difficult task of jumping across the ocean
Hanuman pays obeisance to his favorite gods .

Before starting any task one is to offer appropriate prayers.
Which is what we do even today.
That is as per scriptures.

Following the same dictum
Hanuman pays obeisance to Sun, Mahendra and his father Vayu
before starting on his journey.
Hanuman then embraced all his comrades and
also circumambulated them.
And he was in turn blessed by all.

Then the poet Valmiki describes various actions of Hanuman like,
stretching his arms fully keeping his shoulders still,
stiffening and pressing down his arms on the mountain,
crouching and contracting his waist ,
flattening his ears, etc as part of his preparation
to take a leap into the skies from the Mahendra Mountain .

These are all also part of Yoga to keep the sensory organs under control

When Yoga is performed there is sweat and trembling of body.
Here with Hanuman's action the mountain trembles and water flows.
The result of yoga is that the Tamas and Rajas gunas subside
and Satvic feeling takes over .

What is the purpose of Hanuman's actions?
Hanuma is doing these actions
" रामार्थम्" "वानरार्थम्"
For Rama and for Vanaras.

So saying the poet is highlighting the Nishkama karma of Hanuman

Those who are in search of the knowledge of "Self"
do so by offering "every action" they perform to the Paramatma.
No action is meant for personal benefit.

This is something we hear very often

Enlightened persons keep continuing on path of action.
Action to please the Lord or
for the welfare of the community.
That is what we hear in Gita too.

The action of Hanuman
"for Rama" and "for Vanaras" falls in the same category of self less action

Thus having got ready to fly
Hanuma tells the fellow Vanaras as follows

"Like the arrow shot by Rama,
I will go with the same speed to Lanka ruled by Ravana...
What ever may be I will complete the task and return"

The arrow that was shot from a bow does not have its own power.
It has the power attributed to the one who let the arrow go from his bow.

When Rama shoots an arrow,
The speed provided by Rama pulling the bow string,
is the speed of that arrow.

That arrow of Rama does not stop in the middle
That arrow of Rama achieves the objective.

Here Hanuma compares himself to the arrow of Rama.
He makes Rama's speed as his,
Rama's power as his power.
Thus all the power he has is that of the Bhagavan, and not his.

In the path of action, and the Nishkama karma, this is very important ,
The action one is performing is for others not for himself.
All of the action is attributed to the grace of the god.
The action is not seen as "his" or done by "him".
All is for the grace of God.

When Hanuma leaps into the sky,
the trees on the mountain fly along with him .
Following him for a distance the heavier trees fall off and sink in the ocean.
The flowers from the trees too fall off and float on the ocean

The trees that followed Hanuman are compared to the relatives
who followed a dear one going ,
and were also compared to the soldiers who accompany the king.

When enlightened persons travel on the spiritual path,
the people follow him on their own with intent of acquiring the spiritual motives.
Then there are also people who follow the enlightened one
along with their retinues with the hope acquiring fruits.

Those who follow with the hope of fruits are like the big trees that followed Hanuman and fall off into the ocean quickly and sink.

The Sun did not scorch the flying Hanuman
The wind blew as if it were a gentle breeze.
The wind was blowing as if he is serving Hanuma.
Then Devas showered flowers on Hanuman.

For those performing Nishkama karma nothing is difficult.
The heat of the Sun does not affect them
There will be many joining that self less effort,
like the Vayu blowing gently to serve Hanuman.
That is the effect of Nishkama karma.
Other join one who is on selfless path.

We hear the same in Gita ( Gita 3-40)

श्रीभगवानुवाच
नेहाभि क्रमनाशोsस्ति प्रत्यवायो न विद्यते|
स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् ||40 ||

In the path of action
अभिक्रमनाशः - the act that is started does not fail
प्रत्यवायो - there is no mistake
न विद्यते - none
That mean in Nishkama karma there is no failure.

अस्य धर्मस्य स्वल्पमपि - Even if a bit of it is performed
त्रायते भयात् - it protects one from fear

Even a small action performed selflessly ,
protects the person form the fear.
The fear of the ocean of this life.
The freedom from the bonds of this life is a major benefit.

For following path of action all one needs,
is the mind focussed on the same.
This is what poet Valmiki is conveying to us through the actions of Hanuman

||om tat sat||

|| This is what we understood from Bhashya Appalacharyulu garu through his Tattva Dipika||

||Om tat sat||