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by Jayaram V
Those who are familiar with Hinduism and the epic Ramayana know Hanuman very well. He is considered to be the greatest devotee ever born on earth. He is blessed by
Sita, wife of Lord Rama, to remain active on the earth plane till the end of the time cycle.
His surrender to the divine cause and his devotion to Lord Rama was unique, exemplary and unconditional. Even today the devotees say that wherever the name of Lord Rama is chanted or referred, this sacred being would be there listening to His name and absorbed in Him.
Hanuman was the chief minister of Sugreeva, the brother of
Vali whom Rama killed in a rather controversial manner from behind a tree,
instead of engaging him in a direct fight. Different reasons are attributed for
it, but my thinking is that he did it purely for his love for Hanuman and
knowing well how important their relationship was going to be once Vali was out
of the way and Sugreeva, weak as he was, assumed the power. Hanuman
possessed great intellect, knowledge and wisdom, qualities that Rama, the divine
leader, was looking for in people he was trying to find and develop as a team to
confront Ravana, when the time came for a confrontation.
The epic Ramayans narrates how their first encounter took
place. When Rama and Lakshmana were wandering in the forests of Kishkindha
searching for Sita, Sugreeva and Hanuman had a chance meeting with them. At
first Sugreeva was suspicious about the strangers, but Hanuman assured him that
they were not friends of Vali or spies sent against him. They seemed to be very
respectable and dignified warriors and harmless. With Sugreeva's half-hearted
permission, he approached the strangers in the guise of a brahmana and made
enquires about the purpose of their visit. Rama was mighty pleased when he saw
Hanuman and was impressed by his impeccable manners, his refined language, his innocence
and his simple trusting heart. He instantly recognized in him the qualities of a
perfect messenger whom he could himself trust and rely upon when the time
came. Thus began a relationship between god and his devotee which is
spoken about even today as the perfect example of highest form of devotion and
self-surrender.
Lord Hanuman symbolically stands for pure devotion, complete surrender and absence of ego or the lower self. As the son of Vayu, symbolically he also stands for the subtle body consisting of the breath body, the mental body and the intelligence body. Here we explain Hanuman as the mental body in a human being.
The mind is fickle (like a monkey) and jumps from place to place, going after things, engaging itself in innumerable activities that disturb the peace of the place. The mind, like Hanuman can also travel where it wants to. It can fly in the air, cross the continents and the worlds in an instant with the speed of thought and reach any one and anything it wants to mentally.
It can also expand or contracts itself at will (again like Hanuman). So long as it remains under the control of pure animal passions and the activities of the sense, it remains unstable and mischievous, causing a lot of the disturbance in the world of the individual.
But once it surrenders to the inner self and becomes devoted to it completely and unconditionally, it assumes miraculous powers and performs stupendous feats like Hanuman, working for the divine cause helping the lower self (Sita) and the Soul (Rama) to come together and become united.
By killing all the evil thoughts with its determination, it also lays a firm foundation for the kingdom of God (Ramarajya) to become established in the body. Hanuman is thus symbolically the mind principle ever absorbed in the contemplation of God and totally surrendered to Him.
But this is not the only interpretation available for Hanuman. As "Hanuman", he is the one without any doubt (anuman) as to the existence of Rama (God). As anjaniputra, he is the one who comes accidentally into this world, but by his efforts ascends to the greater heights of spiritual evolution.
As Vayuputra he is the breath body in us and can help the lower self (Sita) that is lost to ignorance to reunite with its true companion, the inner soul (Rama). As Veeranjaneya, he is the source of courage and confidence for many a timid heart.
As Bhajarangbali, he is strong in both devotion and physical strength. He is an ocean of virtues and friend of the pure hearted. He loves the ascetic qualities in man because only those who are detached and mentally free from the luxuries of life and desires of their bodies can truly concentrate on the divine and attain Him.
Hanuman is regarded as the Superman, the perfect man, the knowledge body (gnana guna sagara) in man, the immortal man
(chiranjeevi), the animal man and the flying human (va+nara).
He is a perfect example of true devotion and complete surrender. He also symbolizes the story of animal man in us who through the path of devotion and service to God, can purify himself and attain immortality.
Truly in the entire Hindu pantheon there in none like Shri Hanuman, for he was an evolved God, born strangely as a manifestation of Lord Shiva, but became a great devotee of Shri Mahavishnu through Lord
Rama.
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