“One cannot speak this way without having been well-trained in the Rig Veda, memorized the Yajur Veda, and thoroughly understood the Sama Veda.” (Lord Rama speaking to Lakshmana about Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kand, 3.28)

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नानृग्वेदविनीतस्य नायजुर्वेद्धारिणः
नासामवेदविदुषश्शक्यमेवं विभाषितुम्

nānṛgvedavinītasya nāyajurveddhāriṇaḥ
nāsāmavedaviduṣaśśakyamevaṃ vibhāṣitum

1. The popular tourist destination

“Wow, this place is amazing. Even better than the pictures we saw beforehand. No wonder the people here are so friendly. They must be so happy, to get to live around here. No worries. It is like the rest of the world is utterly condemned, devoid of such brilliance.”

2. The shining sun in the cloudless sky

“I will never forget this day. After what we have been through. I think it was almost two weeks straight of dark, overcast, gloomy days. This sun is special. We appreciate this wonderful gift of nature. It is like the sun is nature. Without its direct presence, we feel hopeless. It is like a family member was missing from our lives.”

3. The view of the open expanse from the top of a mountain

“Hold on. I have to take a picture. This scene is breathtaking. There are no words to describe it. This is a factual view of this part of the world. The only difference is that hardly anyone gets to see it. We climbed this mountain for a reason. This is true peace. What a wonderful creation we live in.”

4. The melodious tunes produced by the singer

“Is that not the best thing you have ever heard? How in the world can they sing like that? It is as if the entire world stops what they are doing in order to listen. I hope that talent never goes to waste.”

5. The praise from Hanuman in the initial meeting with Rama and Lakshmana

If pressed on the issue of comparative analysis, if asked to give a justification for associating with the considerably larger in volume Vedic literature, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada would say that while most religions acknowledge that God is great, it is only Vedic culture that provides sufficient insight into that greatness. I should not only acknowledge that the Almighty is something special, I should know exactly how and why there is a distinction.

From reviewing the above situations, we can safely say that not only is God great, but He must be great. The honest person takes the rational approach. In the beginning, they may not necessarily be for or against, but they make their assessments based on existing tendencies. We acknowledge so many wonderful interactions, sights, sounds, and changes already. No one would deny greatness in these places. The reaction is practically spontaneous. No one had to tell me to appreciate the massive canyon, for instance. I did not have to be threatened to behold the opulence. I did not have to fear condemnation for failure to respond appropriately. No one had to force tears from my eyes when witnessing an expression of selflessness, in seeing one person sacrificing for others.

If there is indeed a God, then the response would have to be superior to those we already witness. God must be the greatest, and there should be evidence from those who claim to know him. From the direct words of Shri Hanuman, we have evidence that God is indeed unbelievable. Hanuman is the highest quality individual. He is resourceful, intelligent, loyal, trustworthy, and adaptable. He is the chief minister to the Vanara leader named Sugriva. The endorsement from Hanuman means everything. His word can always be trusted.

We see that in the first meeting with Shri Rama, who was accompanied by His younger brother Lakshmana, Hanuman could not help but offer praise. The words were spontaneous in nature. Like oratory brilliance that was not composed beforehand. Like giving the greatest speech known to man, without making any prior edits. Like the newsperson on television perfectly describing a scene, without reading from a teleprompter or prepared notes.

This striking ability did not go unnoticed. Rama soon after remarked to Lakshmana that no one could speak this way unless they were truly learned. Hanuman must be well-versed in the three Vedas. To bestow the title of trivedi to Hanuman would not be out of the question, though he was not officially aligned with the brahmana community.

This interaction is further justification for the universal applicability of the bhakti culture. It is not that anyone is being forced, coerced, or tricked into worshiping a foreign deity. Rather, the reaction will be spontaneous, after a few obstructions are removed. The obstructions, which are known as anartha in Sanskrit, are targeted by the discipline of yoga, practiced as what is known as vaidhi-bhakti.

The goal is always raganuga-bhakti, which is the spontaneous devotion that is already inside of us. We appreciate without cause, and so the same appreciation will apply to the cause of all causes, once we reawaken to our original understanding.

भक्त्या त्व् अनन्यया शक्य
अहम् एवं-विधो ऽर्जुन
ज्ञातुं द्रष्टुं च तत्त्वेन
प्रवेष्टुं च परन्तप

bhaktyā tv ananyayā śakya
aham evaṁ-vidho ‘rjuna
jñātuṁ draṣṭuṁ ca tattvena
praveṣṭuṁ ca parantapa

“My dear Arjuna, only by undivided devotional service can I be understood as I am, standing before you, and can thus be seen directly. Only in this way can you enter into the mysteries of My understanding.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 11.54)

In Closing:

By spontaneous reaction to demonstrate,
How the amazing to appreciate.

No one having to coerce,
Or words prior to rehearse.

With God even greater should be,
Like learned Shri Hanuman to see.

With Shri Rama in that first meeting,
With most beautiful words greeting.

Categories: the five

Tags: dailyprompt, poem, poems, poetry, ramayana, religion