Shri Rama Dootham - Story Series - Part 5

Shri Rama Dootham

Click here to read Part 1, 2, 3, 4

"Stop Interviewing Me. Go & do your duty. Don't waste my time" came the stern reply from the Messenger.

I tried to plead him to spend some more time with me but the messenger was so stubborn that he asked me to stop bothering him anymore. I knew I had many questions to ask and I did want this to end so abruptly. My mind started thinking to device a plan quickly to allow me to sit with him for some more time.

Sir, I want to learn from you more, allow me to be with you please.. I begged.

"Why you want to learn new things, when you are not practicing what is already been taught to you? Haven't your Guru taught you so much already, what have you done with those teachings?", Messenger replied calmly.

I didn't knew what to answer. While I know he is right I still want to defend myself. So I continued my argument stating, "Sir, if not today, I will certainly start practicing it soon. I am working towards it". 

"Son!, It's now or never, don't wait for a day to come, when you think you would suddenly transform yourself". 

"I agree Sir!, but atleast if I be near with such learned people, I can be inspired". 

"What are you going to do with such inspiration" ?

"Sir, may be I will remember our conversation and contemplate on it so that... "

"Do you remember what I said when we met an hour ago ? Do you remember why I told you the Shiv Parvati Union story?"

"I do... I think I do... Sir!...". I tried to recollect why the messenger told me the Shiv & Parvati story some time ago. 

"You don't, please don't try to make a fool of yourself... ", the Messenger roared. 

"Sir!, believe me, I can recollect & write down what we discussed and may be even share with others..."

"Next week, You may not remember what I taught you today and even if you share it with others, it can be interpreted in anyway. If that's the case, why should I bother to share my thoughts with you ?"

"Sir..Why are you so harsh on me" ?

"I am not, please don't misunderstand me. I am just reflecting my thoughts on the reality. If hearing me, being with me becomes a mere engagement, because you don't find any other better alternative of your interest, then you are wasting your time and also my time." 

I was slowly trying to understand the meaning between His words. I do not know if he is sending a strong message to me, on how I should associate with my Guru. Every time I listen to my Guru's teachings & when He is around, I feel so inspired, his words so intoxicating, I feel my time is worth spent, I myself get hooked to that so called 'spiritual' experiences & feelings, I say to myself, "Oh! I have got it". I am separate from the rest of the people as I am a 'spiritual person'. I get a superior feeling that I move with a physical living true 'Guru'.  After some time, when I again get into the mundane world, the teachings goes for a toss. I say to myself, 'I still have time, I can do it any time, let me pass on this day as I passed on my life so far'. I mark a future day in my life time, to start practicing the teachings and then forget it. So what happened to those inspirations, those so called intoxicating moments, and last but not the least, the precious teachings of my 'Guru'?  Only my spiritual 'ego' remains & nothing else.

'DON'T WASTE MY TIME' the messenger voice echoed. I presumed he is rather trying to say "Don't waste your precious Guru's time". 

I did not wanted to argue anymore with the Messenger as I knew I have nothing to argue. I decided it's time to move on and leave the place. 

I asked for his permission to do  'Pranams' and he readily nodded by standing up. I did a Sashtang Namaskar to the messenger with heavy heart, still not wanting to leave the place. As I got up, the messenger caught hold of my shoulder and gently hugged me with all smiles. With no control, the tears started to flow and for a moment, I felt I am washing away all my sins under his loving hug. 

While I wanted the hug to remain for some more time, he kept me aside and smilingly watched me crying like a baby. 

"A sadhaka never cries in weaker moments, my boy... ", the messenger said trying to calm me down.

"Didn't Hanuman cried when Lord Ram hugged Him", I responded swiftly. 

I noticed that the messenger was taken a back as I responded. With false anger, he took his hand to slap me. As I tried to defend myself, he laughed and asked:

"Do you know how it happened" ? the messenger asked me with enthusiastic voice. 

I was more happy to know that the messenger is now willing to keep me with Him for some more time, I moved my head so fast showing my ignorance & the interest to know more...

The Messenger spoke:

"As I told you earlier, Hanuman’s first appearance in Ramayana shows him with an important assignment from his King Sugriva to find out who the two strangers humans were who are wandering on the slopes of the Rishyamuka Hill.

Even though his soul was melting by a sudden surge of love for them, his mind still keeps working to find out who they really were. Hanuman nears Rama and Lakshmana, disguised as a Brahman youth, and impresses Rama greatly with his modest bearing and his replies to his questions. After listening to but a few words of his, Rama says to Lakshmana:

“It appears that there is no knowledge, brother, that this young man has not acquired. He looks a very ocean of vedic lore. Who can he be, this child of the eloquent tongue? May he be Brahma or may he be Shiva?"

Hearing this, when Hanuman felt at his feet. Rama protested that being a Brahman he should not have fallen down at his feet. Then Hanuman remembers His Mother’s words that Rama would come to Him and bless Him! Hanuman understood that though Rama could identify Hanuman, Rama was not revealing it to him. Having understood this, Hanuman asks Rama: 

"I questioned you and enquired about your identity, since I’m a layman. I really do not know who you are. I had been waiting for Rama since many years but could not recognize you! If you don’t recognize me, who else will recognize me? You are Omnipresent and Omnipotent! You have to call me by my name. I posed a question to you since I’m ignorant. I do not know anything. How can you forget me? I do not know how to praise you. I do not know how to sing in praise of you. You are all pervading yet you pretend as though you do not know me at all!!"

Hanuman, uttering these words, fell at the feet of Rama! Till then Hanuman was in disguise of a Bikshu! But once Rama touched Hanuma to lift him up, by touching Hanuma’s shoulders, Hanuman got back His original form.

Rama then called Hanuman closer and then the ultimate, divine and very touching episode for any Bhakta took place. 

"Rama embraced Hanuman!! and this is how both of them had tears of happiness". The Messenger, concluded.

Not only those two, I could see we two had tears of happiness visualizing this divine episode, at the backdrop of smiling meditating Lord Anjaneya statue at the Sadhana Dhama Ashram. 

(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, Thyagaraja  Krithis, Hanuman chalisa along with Swami Rama & Guruji Pattabhiram's teachings. If you find any text inappropriate, the author seeks humble apologies.)