Sukaanjaneya...
g k kaushik
Sri Suka
The kings of Janakapuri have been known as Sri Janaka Maharajas. The best
known of them is Sri Janaka, the father of Sri Sitadevi who ruled Janakapuri
during the Ramayana period. Tradition says the Ramayana period is said to be
trethayuga and that of Mahabaratha period is dwaparayuga. Sri Ganesha as told to
him by Sri Vyasa Maharishi wrote the Mahabaratha. Sri Vyasa Maharishi had a son
Sri Suka. He is known as Sri Suka Brimham, since he is a Brimha Gyani. He is the
author of the great epic Sri Bhagavat, which is read world over and covers the
entire knowledge of universe and known as the encyclopedia of Dharma of mankind.
Sri Suka Brimham
To illustrate the Brihmatwa of Sri Suka there is an anecdote. Sri Sukdevji, son
of Sri Veda Vyasa is a Brihma Gyani from his birth itself. He was reveling in
Brihmasukam after realizing the eternal bliss, hence known as Suka Brihman. He
was able to see Brihma in everything, be it trees or the chirping of birds. It
is known that seeing or hearing an enlightened soul, makes our pranna raise, for
the very presence of the enlightened soul, and elevates us and the pranna in us.
Once when Suka was passing a riverbank, the women who were taking bath in the
river rose to see the enlightened soul - the Suka. The cloths wrapped around
them were falling off, but they seemed immersed at the sight of Sri Suka Brihma.
Sri Veda Vyasa was following Sri Suka, and on seeing Sri Veda Vyasa the women
realized that their cloths have fallen and they wrapped them on their body
again. When the women were questioned by Sri Vyasa, replied they that ‘one who
is not conscious about his body or his nakedness, how can he know of our
nakedness? Suka is Suka Brihman’. Such is the state of Sri Sukadevji, the Jeevan
muktha. Nothing disturbed him. He was reveling in Brihma Suka. Nothing mattered
to him.
Sri Suka Brimham the Brihma Gyani
Sri Suka Brihma, so called since he is a Brihma Gyani was camping at the place
called Naimisaranya. The place Naimisaranyam was a dense forest and many sages
including Sri Vyasa had performed thapas there. It is said that Lord Narayana
Himself had created a pond known as chakragund with the Sudershan Chakra for the
use of sages. Sri Suka Brihma, who had no worldly attachment, heard the chirping
of the birds, talk of insects and animals in Naimisaranyam. They were all
talking of Sri Krishna the Parabrimha Paramathma there. Sri Suka who was
reveling in ‘ananda’ was disturbed and the mind was inquisitive for knowledge on
Sri Krishna. He proceeded to enquire about Sri Krishna and the Krishna amrith
from his father Sri Veda Vyasa the embodiment of ‘gyana’. To which Sri Vyasa
told Sri Suka to go to Janakapuri and meet Sri Janak Maharaj to seek a reply.
Sri Janak Maharaj and Sri Krishnaamritha
As directed by Sri Vyasa, Sri Suka traveled to Janakapuri to meet Sri Janak
Maharaj. He was received with reverence and honors offered to a great sage, by
Sri Janak. He requested him to stay in the kingdom for some time. He showered
his hospitality on Sri Suka. He then returned to attending to his duties
relating to his royal position as ‘dharma paripalanan’. Sri Suka seeked an
enlightenment with the gyana about ‘Sri Krishnaamritha'. He awaited an
opportunity to speak to Sri Janak. While he stayed at the palace, Sri Suka
observed Sri Janak attending to all his duties as a noble king and enjoying the
royal comforts. Sri Suka was unable to understand why his guru and father Sri
Vyasa had sent him to Sri Janak who seemed to not have abandoned any worldly
pleasures. Impatient as he was, he thought of enquiring from Sri Janak. Sri
Janak who had just retired to his chamber was informed that Sri Suka wants an
audience with him. When Sri Suka was brought into Sri Janak’s chamber, the
chamber was warm with the fire from the wood and the king sat beside his wife in
her warmth. On seeing this, Sri Suka could not bare it and thought it is better
to return. He thought a person who is reveling in royal comforts couldn’t be a
gyani, who could enlighten him about ‘Sri Krishaamritha’.
Sri Janak Maharaj the Brihma Gyani
While he was about to leave the chamber, he smelt as if skin were burning. Sri
Suka turned and saw inside the chamber. To his astonishment he saw that Sri
Janak’s hands were burning in the fire lighted for heating the chamber. There
was no reaction to this by Sri Janak Maharaj. Alas! Sri Janak was unaware of
this and absolved in thoughts of the Lord. Sri Suka then realized that Sri Janak
is a great sage even while performing the role of a ruler.
Trethayuga Brihma Gyani
While this was the reference to the Brihma Gyani of the Dwaparayuga , there was
a Brihma Gyani in the Trethayugam , the Ramayana period. The reference is Lord
Anjaneya, the Hanuman. He is son of Sri Vayu who performs his duty without any
anticipation of what so ever. Sri Anjaneya is the only person who had been
embraced by Sri Rama the Parabrimha Paramathma. In the Ramayana dhyana sloka
“veda vedye pare pumsi…”, it is stated that the Sri Dasaratha’s son, Sri Rama is
the Parabrimha Paramathma as seen in the Vedas. None other than Sri Rama himself
had enlightened Sri Anjaneya the Brihma Gyani.
Hanuman in search of Sita
Hanuman goes in search of Sita to Lanka. He had the descriptions of Matha Sri
Sita, but whom he had never seen before. He comes across several women who were
in shabbily dressed state. They had been playing music to entertain Ravana and
had fallen asleep over those very musical instruments in an intoxicated state.
He was bound to see them while searching for Sita, in Lanka. He sees Ravana
there for the first time lying like a heap of black gram who hissed like a
serpent while he breathed.
Then he enters the anteroom, where he finds a royal lady wearing all ornaments
and sleeping comfortably. Looking at her, he thinks that she must be Sita and
feels happy that he has found Sita. At that joyous moment, he just kisses his
tail, as any vanara would have done it, happily sings, climbs the pillar and
jumps on the ground. Then he thought again for a moment to himself and comes to
the conclusion that she cannot be Sita.
Na Ramena Viyukthasa Swapthumarhato bhamini
na bhokthum napyalankarthum napanampasevitham
aneyamathi nischithya pana bhomow chacharasaha (val. s.k. 11.2)
i.e., Having been separated from Rama, Sita cannot sleep like this, she would
not use ornaments or make up and drink and sleep like this. So she must be
someone other than Sita. So, he moved on to search for her elsewhere.
Now look at the ease with which Sri Anjaneya Swami had scanned the entire area
of the Ravana’s palace for Sita whose description is known to him. Great is his
thinking even while there in the Lanka, he places Ravana in esteem as “Mahatma”,
but for the act of kidnapping Sita (val s.k. 9.75). The women in the palace had
not disturbed his mind. At one stage he had seen Mandodhari , wife of Lankeswara
and mistook her to be Sita. Look at the reaction, his joy for having traced Sita,
especially the words “ashpotayaamasa susumbha pucham” (val s.k. 10.55) how
innocent he is without any vikalpam. There was not an iota of kalmisha in his
thinking even for a moment.
Anjaneya the Brihma Gyani of trithayuga
To make us understand this Sri Valmiki had made Sri Anjaneya think loudly with
the word “kinchit vaikritya mupapadyate” (val s.k.11.41) Sri Anjaneya Swami
being a Naistika Brahmachari had not even for a moment thought about the women.
Such is the thinking of this great Brihma Gyani of trithayuga who is wedded to
the idea of serving the cause of his Lord. He thereby served the humanity and
the dharma. He had witnessed the last two yugas . He refused to return to
vaikunta in order to serve the needs of the devotees of his lord Sri Rama during
the kali yuga too. Let us serve our prayers to these Brihma Gyanies and serve
the humanity in what our might we could.
Jai Anjaneya Jai Sri Rama Jai Jai Sri Rama Anjaneya.