“Seeing Sita, like trying to decipher knowledge from the Vedas which has become barely perceptible after lack of use, his mind became doubtful. As Sita was not decorated, with difficulty Hanuman could recognize her, like understanding a text which has gotten a different meaning due to a lack of purity.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 15.38-39)

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तस्य संदिदिहे बुद्धिर्मुहुः सीतां निरीक्ष्य तु।
आम्नायानामयोगेन विद्यां प्रशिथिलामिव।।
दुःखेन बुबुधे सीतां हनुमाननलङ्कृताम्।
संस्कारेण यथा हीनां वाचमर्थान्तरं गताम्।।

tasya saṃdidihe buddhirmuhuḥ sītāṃ nirīkṣya tu।
āmnāyānāmayogena vidyāṃ praśithilāmiva।।
duḥkhena bubudhe sītāṃ hanumānanalaṅkṛtām।
saṃskāreṇa yathā hīnāṃ vācamarthāntaraṃ gatām।।

1. Someone to trick

This was the viewpoint of Ravana, the king of Lanka. His observation was impacted with this filter for a specific period of time, with a specific goal in mind. He had been warned prior; the husband of Sita was too powerful to combat in an honest confrontation.

That is to say, approaching Rama face to face would not work. Ravana needed some kind of deception. He enlisted his ride or die friend, Maricha, for the job. Maricha had to either ride with Ravana on this ill-conceived plan or die directly at the hands of Ravana. Past friendship and successful advice apparently did not carry any grace period in this relationship.

Maricha would trick Rama, with the form of a deer, and then Ravana would initially trick Sita. He would approach her in the garb of a parivrajaka mendicant. Who can be more harmless? This particular stage of the sannyasa order of life involves moving from place to place. An itinerant preacher by occupation; it is against the rules to stay in one area for too long.

2. Someone to take

The trick did not work entirely. Sita refused to come along, to be enjoyed by the wicked Ravana. Her heart was with her husband, to whom she was married both in righteousness and affection. The false form of the mendicant helped with creating an initial meeting, but Ravana’s plan essentially stalled after that.

Henceforth, Sita was someone to be taken. By force, if necessary. Ravana’s real form, hideous and with ten faces and twenty arms, revealed itself. He had to take Sita away by force, for it was not certain how long Rama and His younger brother Lakshmana would be away from the ashrama in the Dandaka forest.

3. Someone to impress

Two kinds of deception down, and still no success. Ravana decided to show off his talents and skills. He spoke about his great prowess and how Sita would become the chief queen in Lanka. Everything was there. Life would be much better in palaces than in the forests that Rama was roaming as a result of the plans of Kaikeyi.

4. Someone to threaten and torment

Three attempts down, and still Sita was not moving an inch towards him. The inferior party in a civilized discussion is the one who resorts to shouting and violence. This is because they no longer have any valid arguments to put forth. Their deviation from decorum is a tacit admission of defeat.

Sita defeated Ravana in this tug-of-war of affection. She is always with Rama; nothing can change. Physical relocation does not negatively influence the mind of the one who is connected in consciousness to the Almighty. So as the devotee always thinks of Rama, He also never forgets them.

दृश्यमाने भवेत्प्रीति सौहृदं नास्त्यपश्यतः।।
नाशयन्ति कृतघ्नास्तु न रामो नाशयिष्यति।

dṛśyamāne bhavetprīti sauhṛdaṃ nāstyapaśyataḥ।।
nāśayanti kṛtaghnāstu na rāmo nāśayiṣyati।

“Generally there will be affection for that which is visible. And for that which is not visible there is no affection. The ungrateful are capable of destroying their affection in this way, but not Rama.” (Sita Devi, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 26.43)

Ravana then viewed Sita as someone to threaten. She had a certain number of days to change her mind. If there was no movement in his direction, he would kill her. To make matters worse, Ravana ordered his female attendants to harass Sita day and night. Think of it like living in a prison cell with people lobbing abuses your way throughout the day. Who would be able to withstand such torture?

5. Someone to worship

This was the viewpoint of Shri Hanuman. As there is the worst of possible characters in Ravana, there is the shining light in Hanuman. He eventually found Sita. He reached Lanka after great difficulty and amazing perseverance. He was ready to share good news with her, that Rama was on His way.

Even for Hanuman it was difficult to recognize Sita. But he was able to do it, since he carries the necessary purity. The comparison is to understanding sacred texts from a distant time period. The accompanying culture may have long since dissolved. There is nary a scholar to provide a proper understanding, as everyone is polluted by their association with material nature. They cannot see clearly because of the influence of illusion.

Hanuman can decipher the proper meaning, and so he can also properly identify the daughter of King Janaka. She is the beloved of Rama, forever and ever. Those who view her improperly meet with doom, and those who worship her are blessed in lifetime after lifetime.

In Closing:

First a trick to plan,
As golden deer ran.

Then as mendicant to show,
But failure still to know.

Followed by chance to impress,
Words of self-praise to address.

Since never saw as beloved of Rama,
Soon destroyed by that kama.

Categories: the five

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