Prem Sudha Dhara: Boshiji

(Page 249)

Shri Hari

Ambala Cant

4th June 1953

Dear sister Boshi,

With love, Jai Shri Hari.

You had asked why Hanumanji (the monkey chief or deity who was Ramchandra's ally in his invasion of Lanka) is worshipped fervently to such a great extent. Listen the point is ,'Ram te adhik, Ramkar dasa.' All the actions of Hanumanji are enacted for the loving affection of Shri Ram (name of Ramchandra, the seventh avatar of Vishnu). Remember the line ' Ram kaaj karibe ko aatur'' of Hanuman Chalisa (a Brajbhasa poem with an aggregate of forty verses).

Not just construing the task as a duty but rather eagerly desirous, Hanumanji is constantly keen to do Rama's work. If an appraisal of Sitaji's condition is to be made, Hanumanji has to be deputed. He is the one ready to move in delicious anguish for getting the sanjeevni booti (a life-giving herb). To sum up the underlying essence, no one has performed Rama's work with such dedicated devotion as the monkey ally.

Even to cite Bharatji's example; a love-struck younger brother, always intoxicated by Rama's love is not correct. He glimpsed the burden of duties from an emotionally spiritual angle and is not an ideal for ordinary mortals in the mundane world. Only very few people can reach such lofty aesthetic heights of adulation as Bharatji.

Now we come to Laxmanji (son of Dasrath by his wife Sumitra,the younger half-brother and faithful companion of Ramchandra during his exile). He religiously did all his deeds but did not have the same magnitude as Hanumanji's enigmatic persona. The monkey deity never made a speedy critical assessment of any action of Shri Ram; a distinctive trait of the sevak bhava or love flowing towards the Lord in servitude.

While Laxmanji lost his temper instantly, being critical at times,'Katar man kar ek adhara, Daivdaiv aalsi pukara.''On Ramji's asking a path from the ocean, Laxmanji makes the above statement. Suspicious that Bharatji has come to fight a battle, he is sarcastic about Ramji not recommending war but, 'Kanh lagi sahiye, Rahiye man mare.'

The spiritual emotions encompassed by Marutinandan (son of Maruti, the wind god) are not present in anyone else, particularly in the mundane. Otherwise it is not as if Shri Bharat and Shri Laxman are in any way less significant than Hanumanji. They are far superior, very virtuous but their characters are not to be emulated by common folk on the temporal plane.

Whereas, every mode of Mahavirji's (a title of Hanuman) conduct is worth imitating. Don't forget that Jankiji (daughter of Janaka: title of Sita) has also blessed him,'Tumahare bhajan Ram ko bhanve'' meaning that a person who does his bhajans or sings songs of a devotional nature is dear to Rama.

Therefore propitiating Hanumanji is essential for closeness to Lord Rama. The blessings of Jaganmata (Jankiji) are the root cause of Hanumanji's worship. Precisely this path is ideal for mankind and inspiration of action is its religious norm. You explain this concept to your revered father and write if there is any inquiry. I will make an effort to find a suitable answer.

God is the supreme motivator of the individual soul. In whichever manner he inspires us, the same comes about. The rest depends on the Lord's grace. Namaskar (respectful salutation), to the honourable elders.

With love,

Yours Bobo.