When Hanuman first met Sri Ram, he says: ‘the jeeva is deluded by maya, so I could not recognize my lord in your form’.
On another occasion Hanuman tells Rama: ‘when I think of myself as a body, I am your servant; when I think of myself as an individual soul, I am part of you; but when I realize I am atman, you and I become one.’
Hanuman to Tara, wife of Vali: A man reaps the fruits of the actions he has performed: actions whether good or bad, and death grants him these fruits. No man’s action depends on those of another. This human body is like a bubble on the surface of water. No one need mourn for another since we are all to be pitied. You are in a pitiable state and you feel sorry for Vali who is dead. There is no cause for grief in this world where everything is transient.
10 comments:
Abhi, could you please let us know exactly what canto, chapter and verse number in Valmiki Ramayan these statements are found at. Many persons don't accept that Hanuman considered the conception of oneness of the jiva and Bhagavan to be the highest conception. They consider that Hanuman felt that his individuality and service to Rama was higher to him than the conception of oneness. If you could cite where these verses are from (quoting the Sanskrit would also help) then it might put to rest these arguments.
Hi, the first two quotes I found it an article in Times of India, Speaking Tree section 27 Apr 2002.
The third quote is from the Kishkinda Kanda Chapter 9, Tara’s Grief – Ramayana by Kamala Subrahmaniam – Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.
Personally, I feel Hanuman chose Ram Bhakti as the path to Brahman realization or to realize the concept of oneness.
Hi Abhi, I hope that all is well for you. Thank you for being so kind to take the time to check the sources for me.
As you must know there are various schools of thought within the tradition popularly known as "Hinduism". To cite two: The followers of the Shankar Vedanta school consider the highest manifestation of the absolute to be the all-pervading brahman, while the various branches of the Vaishnava or Bhakti-vedanta school, consider the Lord's personal form to be the highest.
Corresponding to their conceptions of the absolute, these two schools have similar conceptions of liberation: The Shankar school considers merging with brahman to be the highest, while the goal of the Vaishnavas is to attain a personal form in the spiritual world with which they can render loving service to the Lord.
I was born in the USA and for the last 26 years, I've been a disciple of the Gaudiya branch of Vaishnavism. For the last 15 years I've been living in Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India where I am the editor for two magazines, "Sri Krishna Kathamrita" and "Sri Krishna Kathamrita Bindu". My following comments are based on the Gaudiya school of Vedanta.
I looked up the third quote that you cited. We have four editions of Valmiki Ramayan in our library, this statement is found in all four as a translation of Kishkindha-kanda chapter 21 texts 1-3. The English translation you gave is basically the same as that given by both Sri Hari Prasad Sastri, and the Gita Press translation.
Regarding the first couple of quotes, of course without a proper reference not much can be said to substantiate them. Personally, I would be interested in seeing their source (especially the second citation). I've read Valmiki Ramayana a number of times and I don't recall seeing anything therein similar to the second quote.
If some other readers can provide the source I would appreciate it.
In the bhakti or devotional school of thought we have a different conception of Hanuman's mood. You can see this in the following statements of Hanuman:
(For clarity, I'm including the Sanskrit transliteration followed by a general translation, and a word for word explanation at the end):
bhava-bandha-cchide tasyai spṛhayāmi na muktaye
bhavān prabhur ahaṁ dāsa iti yatra vilupyate
[Hanuman said:] “Even though liberation destroys the bondage of material existence, I have no desire for liberation, in which I would forget that you are the master and I am your servant.”
bhaktiḥ sevā bhagavato muktis tat-pada-laṅghanam
ko mūḍho dāsatāṁ prāpya prābhavaṁ padam icchati
[Sri Hanuman explains:] Bhakti means devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mukti means impersonal liberation, where there is no longer any devotional service. Only a fool will give up service to the Lord and instead aspire to become one with the Lord Himself.
You wrote:
"Personally, I feel Hanuman chose Ram Bhakti as the path to Brahman realization or to realize the concept of oneness."
I respect that. The followers of Shankar and related schools, will naturally consider brahman realization as highest.
Thanks for your comments Abhi. I hope that all is well for you.
Sincerely,
Madhavananda Das
==========================
NOTES ON THE ABOVE SLOKAS:
==========================
These were cited in the early 1500s by the famous saints and erudite scholars Rupa and Sanatan Goswamis. The first sloka is quoted by Rupa and Sanatan in their Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.2.49) and Brihad Bhagavatamrta (1.4.68) respectively. Rupa credits it as, prasiddhaṁ śrī-hanumad-vākyam, “a well-known statement by Hanuman.”
The second verse was cited by Rupa in his Padyavali text 111. He cites Sri Shivamauni as the author.
VERSE SYNONYMS:
bhava — of material existence; bandha — the bondage; chide — which destroys; tasyai — for it; sprhayāmi na — I do not aspire; muktaye — for liberation; bhavān — You; prabhuḥ — the master; aham — I; dāsaḥ — the servant; iti — thus; yatra — in which; — is lost.
bhaktiḥ — bhakti; sevā — service; bhagavataḥ — to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; muktiḥ — mukti; tat — that; pada — position; laṅghanam — jumping over; kaḥ — what?; mūḍhaḥ — fool; dāsatām — the position of a servant; prāpya — having attained; prābhavam padam — liberation; icchati — desires.
You can see about myself and my work at the following sites:
www.gopaljiu.org
http://gopaljiupublications.blogspot.com/
http://madhavananda.blogspot.com/
i pray for worlds peace............. from shri krishna ............//////
i wish from lord krishna that he give all the world peace and happiness...............
did lord ram leave any children
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jay balaji
jay balaji....all life people.
sri ramajayam..............i learned more moralvalues from that.........
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