“An intelligent person has respect for the body which brings them attachment to Shri Rama. That is why Hanuman gave up his form of Rudra in order to be a Vanara.” (Dohavali, 142)

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जेहि सरीर रति राम सों सोइ आदरहिं सुजान।
रुद्रदेह तजि नेहबस बानर भे हनुमान ॥

jēhi sarīra rati rāma sōṁ sō’i ādarahiṁ sujāna.
rudradēha taji nēhabasa bānara bhē hanumāna..

The principle from Shrila Rupa Gosvami is that those things which are favorable for devotional service, bhakti-yoga, should be accepted. Those things which are unfavorable should be rejected. Following this principle aligns with the true spirit of vairagya, which is renunciation.

While the teaching provides added clarity for the person who is serious about purifying the consciousness, for achieving the highest objective of the human birth, this might also introduce some new questions.

For instance, should I move? Is the life around me favorable for worshiping the Supreme Lord? Is there a surrounding culture of devotion, amidst the detractors, the naysayers, the envious, and the general aura of illusion?

Would I be better served moving to some other place? Is a change of scenery warranted? Do not the same Vaishnava acharyas list residing in a holy place as one of the key rules to follow? Does that mean every person should leave their home and move to Vrindavana, Mathura, Puri, Ayodhya, Chitrakuta, or some similar place?

Goswami Tulsidas makes reference to people who are known as sujana. These are clever and wise personalities. They make decisions using intelligence. They do not necessarily follow blindly. They carefully deliberate when there is reason to do so.

The sujana personalities have great respect for the body which brings them attachment to the Supreme Lord. The specific reference is to Shri Hanuman. Instead of the Rudra deha, the preferred circumstances are as a Vanara.

We know from the Ramayana history that Hanuman did so much in service of Shri Rama. This was pure devotion. There was no outside motive. Hanuman had to sometimes sidestep or cross over the boundaries of propriety. For instance, he had to strike a female, peep on unsuspecting women, destroy trees, lack full candor, and so on.

मनो हि हेतुः सर्वेषामिन्द्रियाणां प्रवर्तने।।
शुभाशुभास्ववस्थासु तच्च मे सुव्यवस्थितम्।

mano hi hetuḥ sarveṣāmindriyāṇāṃ pravartane।।
śubhāśubhāsvavasthāsu tacca me suvyavasthitam।

“It is certainly the mind that is instrumental in causing the senses to act in ways that lead to either auspicious or inauspicious conditions. And my mind right now is positively situated.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.41)

There is no sin involved, precisely because the mind is not negatively impacted. The conditions do not make the determination on the quality of life or the purity of purpose. Though in the body of a Vanara, Hanuman’s devotion is unmatched. He excels in areas that others would fail. They would not get beyond first base, so to speak. They would give up before even trying.

Despite winning the favor of Sita and Rama, Hanuman does not ask for anything in return. Not even liberation. He chooses to stay within the Vanara form, within the material world, for as long as Rama’s glories continue to be told. Hanuman transforms any place that he visits into a tirtha. He is a travelling sacred place.

His example might help to resolve some of the doubts. If it is possible to bloom right where I am planted, why should I move elsewhere? Why should I abruptly change my occupation, my place of residence, my external appearance, or my future goals?

After all, the Supreme Personality of Godhead is Absolute. As His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains, if I say the word “water” over and over, it does not mean that I will necessarily have association with the water.

सर्वतः पाणि-पादं तत्
सर्वतो ऽक्षि-शिरो-मुखम्
सर्वतः श्रुतिमल् लोके
सर्वम् आवृत्य तिष्ठति

sarvataḥ pāṇi-pādaṁ tat
sarvato ‘kṣi-śiro-mukham
sarvataḥ śrutimal loke
sarvam āvṛtya tiṣṭhati

“Everywhere are His hands and legs, His eyes and faces, and He hears everything. In this way the Supersoul exists.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 13.14)

But if I say the holy name of the Lord, it is like He is right with me. He is antaryami, or the all-pervading witness. As explained in Bhagavad-gita, everywhere are His eyes. If He can see everything, then I can certainly connect with Him from where I am.

In Closing:

Sitting from where I am,
Connect with Him I can.

Right where planted to bloom,
Not abruptly to move.

Since everywhere are His eyes,
Blessed the one who tries.

In their chosen form and place,
Accepting conditions to face.

Categories: dohavali 121-160

Tags: god, hanuman, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry