[Advaita-l] Sundarakhanda - Talk-1-Part 2

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

Sundarakhanda 

Talk!- Part 2

 

Hanuman says I will go to Lanka, see Seeta Mayya and return; then we can all go back together to Rama. He does not want to take the credit for himself. He wants it to be considered as TEAM effort (TEAM stands for Together, Everyone, Achieve, More) effort. Sundarakhanda reminds us of the karma yoga. 

 

Sundarakhanda is also contained the journey of Seeta- how Seeta progresses and reaches her goal. It is an adhyaatmic journey – journey of self-realization. Seeta is the embodiment of peace, power, and devotion – shanti, shakti and bhakti. One gets the ultimate peace when one revels in the ultimate – shantam shivam sudaram. The final state is also called shantam or peace (that passth understanding). .. Mandukya Up. says … shantam shivam advaitam, chaturtam manyante, sa aatmaa sa vijneyaH. It is peace, auspicious, non-dual, and is called the fourth state of consciousness (beyond the waking, dream, and deep-sleep states); and it is the Self within that has to be known or dis-covered. One who is reveling in Brahman is always peaceful in spite of his external activities. Shankara says – yogaratova bhogaratova, sangaratova, sanghaviheenaH, yasya brahmani ramate chittam, nandati nadati nadati eva. One can be a yogi, sitting in Himalayas, or one can even be bhogi enjoying all the goodies in the world, one can be in the masses or one can remain aloof – as long if his mind is all the time reveling in the totality – he is the realized soul. Who is a samsaari – who is at every step feels – sorrow – sorrow– sorrow- one who faces the ocean of sorrow – Bhava saagaram or maaya samsaaram. Bhagavan says one cannot cross this ocean of samsara or mayaa – Only by surrendering to Me one can cross since this maaya of Mine is of divine origin; daiveem esha guna mayi, mama maaya durtyayaa, mam evaye prapadyante maayam etaam taranti te. 

 

Hanuman represents an ideal seeker who has surrendered himself completely to Bhagavan Rama, and is able to cross the ocean of samsara to reach the Peace, represented by Sita mayya. Hanuman represents dhairyam (courage), Bhakti (devotion), Shakti (power), and shraddhaa (faith in the Lord and the goal). He has no other desire other than to reach the highest goal. He does not tolerate any obstacles on his path to reach the highest. He has no self-contended desire to satisfy his BMI (body, mind, and intellect). We need to identify with our BMI only to the extent it is needed to go beyond the BMI. Thus we need to use it and even maintain it as required to reach the goal. 

 

Tulasidasji says Hanuman’s flying to Lanka is like Rama’s arrow that was shot. He paints the picture of how arrow was shot and how it is heading to reach the target. It is amogham or unparalleled, and it cannot but hit the target, since it is Rama’s arrow. The mountain from which Hanuman jumped is viewed as bow needed to shot the arrow, and the shooter is none other than Rama since Rama’s name was reverberating all over not only in Hanuman’s mind but in the minds of all monkeys assembled there. The arrow itself has Rama’ name as Hanuman was chanting the name. An arrow does not deviate from its path, whatever may be the obstacle. Arrow does not have its own desires that can dissipate its path. Force does not depend on arrow but on the archer, Rama. 

 

Hanuman says I am the instrument in the hands of Rama. No personal agenda. Thus, Hanuman shows how a karma yogi should act. Karma to become yoga, bhakti is required. Bhakta has to become a daasa (servant), the main ingredient in the Ramanuja’s vishiShTaadvaita. Bhakta asking for please give me this or that only causes divergence from the goal. Lord gives only what we deserve and what we want. Hence one has to serve to deserve. Once surrendered (sharaNaagati) like Hanuman, then Lord will take care of his bhakta – that is the promise Krishna himself makes. Ananyas chantayantyomam ye janaaH paryupaasate, tesham nitya uktaanaam yogaskehmam vahaami aham; if one does not have any other thought other than their constant remembrance of Me in a prayerful attitude, I will take care of their welfare – says the Lord. Hence there are no more notions that I am the doer, even. Only the thought that He is doing this through this BMI remains. When He does, rest assured it will be only that which benefits all since He is all in all. Hence even the doer-ship notion is surrendered, as Hanuman shows. Then, the phalam or fruits of the action also belong to the Lord who represents the totality. Thus such an action will become loka kalyaNam or that which is beneficial to the world at large. 

 

Hanuman also shows until he accomplishes Rama’s work, there is no rest. As Gurudev Swami Chinmanandaji says – ‘If I rest, I rust’. Gurudev demonstrated by his own example served like Hanuman working and passing on the knowledge of the great sages until his body could not take anymore and dropped. I remember that the last spiritual camp of Gurudev, it was at Washington D.C. The doctors on duty were cautioning him not to talk so much but he was not ready to listen since he said many are here to listen to these talks and I cannot stop now until I am finished. After the camp is over we requested him not to go to San Diago to do the next camp. But he just laughed and just said – Let Him decide. He went in spite of the body’s inability and after a couple of days body gave up. The BMI is only to serve Him. In VishiShTadvaita tradition, the disciples' imprint on their shoulders the emblem of the Lord Vishnu – shanku and chakra – implying that from that day on, the BMI belongs to the Lord and His service. The function is called sama ashrayanam – which also has deeper meaning. Sama is equal or equanimity in terms of attitude and ashrayanam is shelter. After the function, every one becomes a daasa or servant of the Lord – there is no disparities in the servants – all are equal, and everybody is serving what Lord wants. What does Lord wants? He wants everyone do His duties with devotion? Why does He want service?-asks a rational intellect? Since He represents the whole universe, doing His duties only means serving the whole creation, and beautifying it by one’s service. That is the real decoration of the Lord, that is, beautifying the whole creation in whatever capacity one has or one can. That is also the meaning of yagna - hence Krishna says, do the action for the sake of yagna. 

 

In our journey, we will face many obstacles. Hanuman also faced some. The first one obstacle is that which gives comfort, in the form of Minaank, the mountain. Minaank wanted Hanuman to take some rest before he proceeds on the difficult job. Hanuman diplomatically says that there cannot be any rest until one completes the Lord’s work. Saying that he just touches the mountain and taking its permission and blessings proceeds straight towards his target. 

 

End of the first talk. 
Hari Om!Sadananda