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LORD HANUMAN
Lord
Hanuman is first introduced by sage Valmiki. Sage Valmiki reveals
the greatness of Lord Hanuman through the mouths of every great
character in the Ramayana.
As a
devotee, Lord Hanuman is foremost. He asked Lord Rama for only one
thing in life - ‘‘Please give me this blessing that my affection
for You should never diminish. Do not allow me to think of
anything else. I want to live so long as Your great name is
preserved amongst the sons of men. Let me be for ever and for ever
Your devotee.’’ As a great warrior, a great scholar, a sincere
friend, minister, ambassador, as one wedded to truth and
righteousness, a servant and an outstanding devotee, Lord Hanuman
reveals the traits that no other Indian creature or character
does.
Lord Hanuman
is portrayed as the supporter of dharma – the vehicle
carrying the very Lord Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders. Though
he performed great feats, he never thought that the achievements
were his own. He is a character of complete self-effacement, a
total surrender to the cause of his actions.
Three
Sanskrit verses, recited daily by devotees reading the Ramayana,
summarise the concept of Lord Hanuman. The verses rendered into
English read – ‘‘I salute the Lord of the Vanaras, the dear
son of Anjana, the great hero, the destroyer of Aksha, the terror
to the city of Lanka, and the one who removed the sufferings of
Seeta.’’
The Indian
people throughout the ages, have laid great emphasis on the
control of the senses - Indriya Nigraha - and the
observance of celibacy - Brahmacharya. They adored learning
and mastery of language and literature, dexterity and civilised
diplomacy in all dealings with men and matters, heroism and valour
to fight for the cause of dharma, devotion and service,
and, above all, humility. All the qualities that could be
conceived as great virtues were found in Lord Hanuman. There seems
to be no other creation in the whole field of Indian thought which
combined all the lofty ideals that the country stood for. In the
Indian tradition, Lord Hanuman is designed as ‘Chiranjivee’ - the
ever - living. Indeed, his is the one name that lives in every
Indian heart.
Born as the
son of one of the elements, Vayu, introduced by sage
Valmiki in the form of a monkey, nay as a super - animal,
appearing as a man perfect in all fields of activities, Lord
Hanuman is raised to the status of Godhood, a benevolent God of
hope, intellect, courage and devotion. It is not his form but the
concept that commands adoration and admiration.
The concept
of Lord Hanuman has been protrayed well by Kamban, the greatest of
Tamil Poets and by the people of Vijayanagar.
– ‘Symbolism in Hinduism’
compiled by R. S. Nathan, Chinmaya Mission
March-April 2005
URL:http://www.shrisaibabasansthan.org
E-mail :
saibaba_anr@sancharnet.in
E-mail : saidadar@bom3.vsnl.net.in
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