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| Shri Rama Dootham |
"Sir, Crossing the oceans & reaching the Lanka itself is a big achievement, isn’t it"?, I posed this question not only to bring back the messenger to this world, but also as a lead to post my next question.
"No!, Hanuman never thought arriving at the island of Lanka is alone sufficient. He knew he has a bigger task than to reach Lanka. Hanuman felt that his task was yet to begin. Now in his mind, he can only focus on finding Sita as his immediate mission and not get satisfied with the mere achievement of reaching Lanka".
"Sir, I agree, but to accomplish a big task, small small milestones have to be reached, which itself is a great success, right"?.
"Bete!, Only when the Sun rises, darkness vanishes. Only if the messenger’s task is done properly, success is accomplished. Only then the mission of Rama will be completed. So Hanuman had to think clearly and carefully in order to fulfill his task of finding Sita, So...."
I was overjoyed to hear this from Messenger, as I exactly got the point to ask my next question. So I quickly interrupted and asked my next question .
“Sir, any wrong action that Hanumanji might perform in this arduous task would result in serious consequence, isn't it sir?
"Hmm..." replied Messenger.
"So if that’s the case, who is guiding Hanuman ji to take right decision here?"
I could notice Messenger's eye brows being raised but I decided to continue to explain why I posed this question.
"Sir, let me tell you why I asked this question. At times, my Guru gives me some task to do. Sometimes, he gives clear cut direction on how to perform that action, which really helps. Sometimes the task that He gives is so vague or rather very brief, I keep wondering how to accomplish this task? Who would guide me? While I do the action that I was asked to do by my Gurudev, what if I do something really silly or commit a great mistake, which would result in serious consequences for me & to my guru ?
Messenger smiled at me and said, "Bete, your Guru loves you a lot so does He to all His Students. He never gets hurt with your mistakes as long as you keep trying sincerely & faithfully. But remember, failure is the stepping stone to success. You should learn from your mistakes and not repeat them".
"But sir, my question is who would guide me ? who guided Hanuman ji on how to search Sita in Lanka? Ram was not near him all the time? My guru wouldn’t be near me all the time. If that’s the case, how will I know if the action performed by me is right or wrong" ?
Messenger replied, "First of all remember that if your Guru gives you a task, it doesn't mean that He has no one else to accomplish it. He can easily find thousand times better skilled person than You. Inpsite of that, if He finds you as a right person to perform that task, it only means that He loves you and He wants to teach you silently through the task given to you. You may still be performing not upto the mark as compared to any other skilled person, but that does not concern your Master. He is more concerned about how much you could raise above and How much it had helped in your Inner purification..."
"Sir,.... ' I interrupted...
"Wait, Wait... Have patience, let me complete my son.... I know you are waiting to hear the answer for your question... Let me come to that. First, tell me, do you want me to answer your question or shall I quote what Baba (Swami Rama) has said to His students", asked Messenger.
I quickly jumped and said, “Baba Baba please….”. I just realized, my voice was echoing the entire Dhyana Mandir Hall at Sadhana Dhama where we were having this conversation. I sometimes totally forget in which material plane we were seated .
"OK", Messenger replied with a smile and closed his eyes and started speaking after taking few minutes time. Is he taking some time to bring Baba here ? Am I now going to hear Baba's voice or the Messenger's voice. I quickly dismissed my thoughts and gave my attention to what Messenger quoted from Baba's teachings.
"Manas is not an appropriate tool for searching for the Truth. The heart also is not competent. The buddhi (intellect), the faculty of discrimination, is qualified to guide you. When the buddhi, the finest aspect of the antahkarana (internal instrument), is sharpened, and a coordination is established between the buddhi and the different aspects of the mind, then one can have a perfect and orderly mind. Such a mind, when coordinated with the power of the emotions, is able to penetrate into the deeper levels of your being.
Unlike manas that always remains in a state of doubt, the intellect is endowed with the power of discrimination and decision. However, you should remember that a dissipated mind never listens to the intellect. The intellect can guide only a one-pointed mind. Therefore, the most important step in spiritual practice is to make the mind one-pointed, so that it can be guided by the decisive faculty called intellect.
The power of discrimination is the greatest of all benevolent forces within. With the help of contemplation and meditation, one should unfold this power and learn to distinguish right actions from unwholesome ones.
One who lacks the power of discrimination performs his actions without being aware of their consequences. Most of the time, he is driven by his desires, whims, and primitive urges. He usually does not know what truth is, and even if he knows, he fails to practice it in his thoughts, speech, and actions.
Without perfect faith in the higher Reality, he cannot attain freedom from his own anxiety and insecurity. Without discrimination and faith, he may perform his actions, but he lives in a state of doubt.
Unless these two principles—discrimination and faith—are fully unfolded, one cannot rise above the spheres of manas and ego. He cannot distinguish right actions spontaneously, and cannot perform his actions wholeheartedly.
He who listens to the voice of the inner soul and performs actions under the guidance of discrimination, rises above egocentric awareness. He attains foresight and the power of discrimination guides him on the path of righteousness.
Through uninterrupted practice of meditation and contemplation, he one day attains illumination. His whole life is driven by the power of discrimination and faith, and he enters into the kingdom of the eternal heart.
"So my Son", Messenger opened his eyes and said, "Rise above and use your Discrimination as Inner guide to perform your actions. You will never fail. That’s what Hanuman always did when he had task to serve his Master and that’s what you should also do when you perform your actions".
I got delighted for having got the answer. I quickly opened my book to read verses from Hanuman Chalisa, from where I had left earlier.
Sahas badan tumhro jas gave | Asa kahi shripati kanth legave ||
Shri Ram embraced Hanumanji saying: "Let the thousand -tongued sheshnaag sing your glories"
Sankadik bhramadi muneesa | Narad sarad sahit aheesa ||
Sanak and the sages, saints. Lord Brahma, the great hermits Narad and Goddess Saraswati along with Sheshnag the cosmic serpent, fail to sing the glories of Hanumanji exactly
Yam kuber digpal jahan te | Kabi kobid kahin sake kahan te ||
What to talk of denizens of the earth like poets and scholars ones etc even Gods like Yamraj, Kuber, and Digpal fail to narrate Hanman's greatness in toto.
Tum upkar sugrivahi kinha | Ram milai rajpad dinha ||
Hanumanji! You rendered a great service for Sugriva, It were you who united him with SHRI RAM and installed him on the Royal Throne.
Tumharo mantra vibhishan mana | Lankeshwar bhaye sab jag jana ||
By heeding your advice. Vibhushan became Lord of Lanka, which is known all over the universe.
Jug sahastra jojanpar bhanu | Leelyo tahi madhur phal janu ||
Hanumanji gulped, the SUN at distance of sixteen thousand miles considering it to be a sweetfruit.
Prabhu mudrika meli mukh mahi | Jaladhi langhi gaye acharaj nahin ||
Carrying the Lord's ring in his mouth, he went across the ocean. There is no wonder in that.
Durgam kaaj jagat ke jete | Sugam anugrah tumhre te te ||
Oh Hanumanji! all the difficult tasks in the world are rendered easiest by your grace
"Yes. With His Grace, (messenger pointing his Hand at the huge Hanuman Statue at the Dhyana Mandir), I bless all the Sadhaka's to get that Discrimation as Inner Guide to perform their actions wisely", Messenger replied.
"Sir, When one is on a worthy mission, all the celestial will be there to help, Am I right sir" ?.
I realized my questions will never be over so soon....
I realized my questions will never be over so soon....
(to be contd...)
- 'Bansuri'
(Please note that the views expressed in this fictional story series are the views of the author's own imagination taking reference from various sources which includes but not limited to Valmiki Ramayana, Kamba Ramayana, Hanuman chalisa along with Swami Rama & Guruji Pattabhiram's teachings. If you find any text inappropriate, the author seeks humble apologies.)
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