Hanumad Prabhaavam # 2 – Hanuman confronts with Rama & Lakshmana for the first time

As mentioned in the previous episode, Hanuman takes the form of a “Bikshu” or a “Sanyaasin” (Brahmin/Saint) and appears in front of Rama and Lakshmana.

“Kapi roopam parityajya hanumaan maarutaatmajaha!

Bhikshu roopam tatho bheje shatabuddhi daya kapihi!!”

This is a very interesting and a thought provoking moment.. When Hanuman comes in front of Rama & Lakshmana, he initially doesn’t have the courage to reveal his true self. There was no honesty in him because of the fear for Vaali. His initial agenda was to know everything about the two princes, but without revealing anything about who he was. But when he sets his eyes on the handsome and the pleasing Rama, he bows down to him, gets up and straightaway blurts out “I’m Hanuman”!! Why did he blurt out the truth about himself in his first conversation itself? What made him do that, even though he didn’t want to reveal himself to Rama? Here’s a deeper inner meaning to this context. It can be understood with the help of the following sloka (verse):

“Vidyate hridayat grantihi chityante sarva samshayaaha!

Kshiyantechascha karmaani tasmin drishe paraavare!!”

This verse tells us that if we worship the Lord face to face in person, all our sins get washed away at that very moment itself. It’s only because of our enormous amount of sins that we do not have the honesty in us. Once all our sins get washed away, we would automatically become honest and straightforward in our thoughts and actions! Now in this context, we see that Hanuman has worshipped the Lord face to face, and all his sins were washed away instantaneously and thus as a result, he became automatically honest and straightforward and thus he straightaway reveals to Rama that he’s Hanuman!!

Another inner meaning to this context is that, Hanuman had been blessed and bestowed with the “Brahma-Gnyaana” (the supreme ability to realize the divine) by Lord Brahma (the Creator of the universe), during his early childhood days. Lord Brahma had then said to Hanumaan, “Upon seeing ‘someone’ in front of you, when your bones would melt and your body bows down automatically with your eyes filled with tears of joy, love and devotion, you’ll realize that this ‘someone’ is the supreme divine!!” So, Hanuman now sees this ‘someone’ in Lord Rama, and he straightaway became honest and expressed his true self!

Hanuman continues to confront Rama and Lakshmana, “I’m Hanuman, minister of the Vanara king Sugriva.. We’re hiding amidst this mountain due to the fear for Vaali, the brother of Sugriva… Both of you seem to be great princes from a great kingdom. Why are you roaming around in a dense forest like this? Why did you come here? Who are you looking for in this place? Your ‘Lakshanas’ (body features), your straightforward vision, your upright posture and the way you hold the bow – All of these suggest to me that you are great warriors. So please tell me who are you both!”

Hanuman talks on for fifteen minutes continuously as Rama & Lakshmana look on with great awe. Rama waits patiently till Hanuman completes his talking. Here’s a very important learning: When a person talks or delivers an address, we should always allow him/her to finish fully and never interfere in the middle of the talk! Hanuman, after talking for fifteen long minutes suddenly realizes that he’s talking a bit too much. So he decides to keep quiet and wants to listen from Rama & Lakshmana.

How did Rama and Lakshmana respond to Hanuman’s speech? The answers lie in the next episode!