Hanuman: The Ideal Devotee on a Divine Mission

Hanuman: The Ideal Devotee

When Hanuman was flying towards Lanka, he was flying over the ocean. The attracting power of the ocean tried to drag him down. But Hanuman thought about Rama all the time. The power of the name of Rama can conquer anything. Therefore, he could go higher and higher. It was not his power, but the power of Rama (Rama Shakti), the power of Divine Love. That power emerged from his heart. When he escaped the attraction of the ocean and went further, a mountain came up from the ocean. What was the name of that mountain? It was called Mynaka Mountain. What was this ‘Mynaka’? There was some close relationship between the Mynaka Mountain and Hanuman. In earlier times, the mountains had wings. They could fly from place to place. When they were flying like that, Indra went on breaking these mountains into pieces. Then, the Wind God took the Mynaka Mountain and put it into the ocean. He was immersed in the ocean. Hanuman was going in search of Sita. The son of Wind God was going in search of Sita at the command of Lord Rama. The Sagara also belonged to the lineage of Dasharatha. Dasharatha belonged to the Ikshvaku lineage – Sagara Putras - children of the ocean. The ocean prayed to the Mynaka Mountain. “Oh Mynaka! Why are you here? You are hiding yourself in my depths. It is because of the Wind God that you have come here. Here is the son of the Wind God – Hanuman. You go up to the surface of the ocean and give a resting place for Hanuman. In this way, you can repay your debt to Vayu Deva (Wind God). You should be grateful for the help given by the Wind God. For your gratefulness you have to go up.” 

Then the mountain went up. It prayed to Hanuman. “Hanuman, because of the grace of your father, I am alive today. Because of the help of Vayu Deva, I could come here. Otherwise Indra would have cut me to pieces. My life was saved by your father. Therefore, Oh son of Vayu Deva! Take some rest on me. Lanka is far away. You are going to search for Sita. You are going without food and drink. I will give you good food and sweet water. The ocean water is not sweet. I have got sweet water.” Hanuman replied, “I am going on a Divine mission. I am following Divine command. When I am following the Divine command, I don’t need food and sleep. I will be defying the Divine command if I do so. When I think that I need to take food and drink water, it is selfishness. I am not selfish. I have no hunger or thirst until I get the news and message of Sita and convey it to Rama. I am going.” Mynaka said, “You have not given me the fortune of your touch and you are going away.” In order to satisfy the wishes of the mountain, Hanuman touched it. He didn’t drink water also. Mynaka was satisfied. He thought to himself, “The son of Vayu Deva has satisfied me by blessing me with his touch.” 

There was no obstacle for Rama’s work. The son of Vayu Deva – Hanuman had sacrificed so much. “I have to fulfill the desire of my Lord Rama. I can do many things for Rama. Why did He select me for this task? At the mere wish of Rama, Sita can come back. He is testing the depth of my devotion and surrender. I have to pass this test. Therefore I have to go. There is no dearth of anything for Rama. In a moment, sitting in one place, He can easily kill Ravana and get Sita back. No. Each person should be used as an instrument for some work. Each person has to do his duty and work properly. Do your duty. Duty is God. Work is worship. So I am doing my work. If I think that here is a devotee of my father, let me go and sit there, take rest and eat food, then how can I do my Master’s work? When I eat food I feel sleepy. And when I feel sleepy, I forget God’s work. Divine mission is most important for me. I want God and nothing else.” Saying so, he jumped over the ocean. 

When he went a further distance, one demoness by the name Surasa appeared. Who sent her? The Devas got together and sent her to test the devotion of Hanuman. What did she do? She said, “Hanuman, you stop your journey. The Devas have given you as food for me. I have to eat you.” Then Hanuman said, “I am going for Rama’s work. If you want to eat me, I will tell you the truth. First I will search for Sita, get her message, give it to Rama, and then come back to you. At that time you can eat me. I am telling you the truth. I will definitely come back.” Then the demoness said, “You have to enter my tongue.” Hanuman said, “Oh, I have to enter your mouth, is it? Ok I will do that.” Like a small mosquito, he went and sat over there and came out. He said, “I sat on the tongue and therefore I am going now.” Saying so, he came out. When the demoness opened her mouth, Hanuman also began growing. Then he thought to himself, “Why should I grow along with this demoness?” So he became like a small monkey, the size of a mosquito. Then he told her, “I have satisfied your desire. So you cannot hurt me anymore.” Even demons used to follow Dharma in those days. There were some rules and regulations for them also. They could not defy those regulations. Then the demoness told him, “First you complete the work on which you have come.” Even a demoness changed and helped in the Divine Mission! 

You can speak about the many glories and stories of the Ramayana for many days and even years, but they would never end. They are like the ocean. With any number of pump sets, can you ever pump out all the water of the oceans? You can never empty the ocean. Similarly, any number of people may talk about the Ramayana but it will ever remain full and complete. Nobody can reduce the quantum of Ramayana. That is why it is said, ‘As long as the mountains and rivers are there, the Ramayana is going to be there.’ Then one sage asked the question, “Has Ramayana come for the mountains and rivers? Or has it come for humans?” No. Mountains represent men. Rivers represent women. So the adage means that as long as men and women are there in this world, the Ramayana will exist. That is the inner meaning of what is said. As long as mountains and rivers are there, Ramayana will be there. Who said this? Lord Brahma declared so. As long as men and women are there, the Ramayana will exist. There cannot be a world without men and women. So Ramayana can never perish. That is what Hanuman preached to others. He is Vayu Putra – son of Wind God. Without the wind you can’t stay. So you are all the children of the Wind God. Only the monkey tail is missing!! But all the monkey traits are there in you! 

Krishna said the same thing. He used to call Arjuna as Partha. Partha does not refer to Arjuna alone. All the children of Mother Earth (Pruthvi) are Partha. All are the children of Mother Earth. So you are all Parthas. That Partha had a Gandiva bow. You can’t lift up a tumbler also! How powerful Hanuman was! He lifted the entire mountain! You can’t even lift a stone! What is the use? 

Source: Understand the Inner Significance of Indian Culture, Discourse 8, My Dear Students Volume 5; Divine Discourse at Trayee Brindavan on April 9, 1999