Buddimattam varishtam...
Sri k c subbaiah
At Ashok Vatika when he saw Sita weeping and was about to commit suicide, he
could have jumped down form the tree and prevented her but he didn't do it
because the sudden appearance of a stranger may frighten Sita and she may hang
herself in that fear. So, he started reciting Rama katha to divert her attention
and prevent her from the risk of taking her life.
Sometime later, while conversing with Sita, he first tells about himself, tells
her about the condition of Rama and Lakshmana and how they were longing to get
her back and then after gaining her confidence, he hands over Rama's ring to
her. That shows the maturity of Hanuman in tackling situations. In the end when
Sita raised a genuine doubt about how Rama and Lakshmana could reach Lanka to
save her, Hanuman consoles her by saying :
Madvisishtascha thulyascha Santhithathra vanowkasaha
mathah prathyavarah kaschith nasthi Sugreeva sannidhow
ekothapathenavy Lankam ekshyanthi hariyudhapaaha
nahiprakrishtaha preshyanthe preshyanthehi itharejanaha
i.e. he says the other Vanaras who are with Sugreeva are much more powerful than
him and in one jump they can land in Lanka. Otherwise also when a letter or
message is to be delivered, it is an ordinary messenger who is deputed to do the
job and the very fact that he has been deputed for this job goes to show how
small a person he was and how great the others with Sugreeva were. As for Rama
and Lakshman he said he will place them on his shoulders and bring them there
and so no worry about them.
This reply of Hanuman shows the intelligence and wisdom of Hamuman in giving a
suitable reply and assuring Sita about the certainty of her retrieval. That is
how Hanuman is said to be Buddimataam Varishtham. Any other person in the face
of great doubt that was raised by Sita would have said that he is in agreement
with her, as none among the other vanaras could attempt to cross the ocean and
come over to Lanka. But, Hanuman gave such an assurance to Sita that she had no
doubts that Rama would surely come to rescue her.
Then about the burning of Lanka by Hanuman, some commentators have expressed the
view that Hanuman should not have done this. But, what did Hanuman do? He met
Ravana and advised him very convincingly that he should return Sita to Rama, but
Ravana was angry with a messenger come to advise him. He ordered the messenger
to be killed. Ravana's brother Vibhishana intervened and said that killing a
doota is against the Raja Dharma. If at all the king wanted to do something to
him for his destroying the Ashok Vatika and killing a number of Rakshasa
warriors in the fight that ensued, he can give punishment and let him off. Then
Ravana said: "kapeenam kilalangoolam ishtham bhavathi sobhanam" i.e., the tail
of a monkey is dearest to it.
Therefore set fire to his tail and when he goes back home with a burnt tail, his
tribe will not admit a monkey without tail and that tribe thermselves will kill
him for coming back with an insult.
Then all people of Lanka went to their homes and brought rags to tie over
Hanuman's tail, some poured oil over it and finally they set fire to the tail
with great enthusiasm and joy. Now Hanuman started thinking as to what he should
do with the fire. He said, "There is enough fire in my own country and I need
not carry fire from here. This fire has come as an atithi over my tail. When an
atithi comes, it is my duty to feed him and keep him happy". So he said : "Asya
santharpanam nyayyam"
So he moved over the place with the long burning tail and he went to every house
from where the rags, the oil and the fire had come, returned the fire to every
such house and moved on. Thus, all the houses which had supplied the material
for burning Hanuman's tail got back the fire from him and started burning and
the whole of Lanka was burning, except for two places, one was Vibhishana's
house and the other was the Ashok Vatika. These places were left out because no
material for burning his tail came from these two places. Thereafter he came
back to Sita, took leave of her and flew back. When all vanaras were waiting for
his return, he landed back saying "Drishta Sita" and all the vanaras were so
happy at this news. Hanuman was such a strong and intelligent person that
everyone appreciated him and he was called "Sachivottama".
Rama was so much pleased with him for all his achievements and gave him the
honour and embraced him. It is said that Rama was so happy with Hanuman that
whatever work was entrusted to him, he did it so nicely, so completely and there
was no doubt about his success at all. So, it seems once he asked him "Who are
you really, I want to know from you." Hanuman replied to him saying "O Lord, you
know it, but still if you want me to say it, let me say this :
Deha budhyathu dasoham Jeevabudhyathvadhamsakaha athmabudhyathvamevaham
i.e., At the body level I am your servant, as a Jeeva I am your amsha, at the
level of atma you and I are one only.
That great Hanuman was one with brawn, brain and total surrender in devotion
combined. He stands as an example of one who attained this knowledge by devoted
namasankeerthanam. So devoted namasankeertanam can make us budhimataam varishtam.