[Hindi] Celebrating Hanuman Jayanti by Understanding Leadership Through Service and Devotion

Summary: How to live a life of service and devotion. Let us focus and contemplate on the qualities of Hanuman, imbibing them in the process. Hanuman was given the title 'Messenger of Ram'. What greater post can exist!? Two kinds of qualities come through - spiritual and worldly. Among the wordly qualities that foremost was - he was a Leader-gum. Meaning, one who can glue leaders together. Ram is bound to have Leaders for company - Laxman, Sugreev, Vibheeshan who is going to the future king of Lanka. He had the knack of communicating with each as per their personality. The goal was a high one - vanquishing Ravan. A big army is needed with a several leaders and a person who could tie them to-gether. His service was invisible being 'Pavan-putra' (son of the wind). Even then, if Hanuman is removed, the army doesn't look capable of fighting the might army of Ravan. He was very flexible. To illustrate this, there are stories of how he expanded or shrunk his form - to adjust to situations. While flying over the ocean the demon Sursa said, "The gods have sent me a meal today. Come into my mouth." To which Hanuman tried to make her understand, "I am on Ram's errand. I will become your meal on my return." But she was adamant, "You have to come into my mouth atleast once." So Hanuman began to expand his form. Sursa too opened her mouth wider and wider. Hanuman suddenly shrunk to a tiny form and flew in and out of wide open mouth. So the gods too were not displeased. Hanuman was shrewd. A driver needs to be smart and shrewd. Hanuman carries both, Ram and Laxman on his shoulders. So he has to be smart to keep his riders safe. Hanuman brought Ram to meet Sugreev setting an example on protocols to be followed in getting two leaders to meet. On one side was Lord Ram whose work had to get done and on the other side was Sugreev who was the king and his ego had to be managed. He had the quality of taking responsibility and bringing it to its conclusion. Demons like Sursa will come and it is easy to give excuses. But his commitment never wavered from the desired goal. When Hanuman set out to fly accross the ocean, the ocean god brought up Mount Mainak and invited Hanuman to rest a bit as he could be tired. But Hanuman graciously declined and to respect the offer made, he just touched the mountain with reverence and carried on. On a mission as high as Lord ram's comforts and conveniences are bound to come. But we have to just touch them not being attached. Mobile phones, computers, cameras are conveniences to be used in service. But do not be attached to them. Man has a tendency to stop and enjoy comforts and conveniences. When you take big responsibilities, comprts and conveniences are given to help. But let these be a boon for you and not a curse. Then there was the demon Sinhaka, who would catch hold of the shadow of whatever was flying over the ocean and make the fyling creature immobile and fall into the ocean. She would then devour it. She did the same to Hanuman, but he was not trapped. To catch the shadow means, to appease the ego. Shadow is such a thing which actually does not exist. It is a result of light (or grace) falling on an object but not reaching the object below. It is not there, but is visible. The ego is apparent but does not exist. The feeling of individual identy is felt, but does not exist. So when people praise the ego saying, "How beautiful is your form"..., etc. such a person gets trapped. So whenever you are praised as an individual identity, understand that Sinhaka has come to catch your shadow. Do not get trapped. Hanuman vanquished this demon too and move ahead. Later in the story, rocks floated on water when the word 'Ram' was written on them. Ram too placed a rock in the water, but it sank. So Ram remarked, "Oh the rock that I wrote 'Ram' on sank. So the Ram that I thought about was someone else." To which Hanuman replied, "Oh Lord! Who ever you let go of is bound to drown." One night, Ram looked at the moon and asked everyone who had assembled what they saw in the moon. Several different answers emerged, describing the beauty of the moon, the light of it on the mountains, the waters, etc. When Hanuman was asked, he said, "I see only Ram. The moon is only a mirror to reflect the reality of Ram." Thus Hanuman demonstrated various qualities on how a devotee should be service. Let not the mind get an excuse that only great souls or incarnations can do great deeds. The possibility of lies even within us where devotion can arise and our body can become a temple like Hanuman's.