“Giving up all enjoyable things, forced by affection for her husband she entered into the desolate forest, not concerned with the hardships.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 16.19)

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सर्वान् भोगान्परित्यज्य भर्तृस्नेहबलात्कृता
अचिन्तयित्वा दुःखानि प्रविष्टा निर्जनं वनम्

sarvān bhogānparityajya bhartṛsnehabalātkṛtā
acintayitvā duḥkhāni praviṣṭā nirjanaṃ vanam

“Let me relate an experience to you and then see what you have to say about it. I want to tie the conclusion of that experience to the science of self-realization, as it is taught to us today, based on teachings from Bhagavad-gita and Shrimad Bhagavatam. There is an annual tennis tournament in America that I have attended as a spectator many times. One year in particular stands out in the memory because of the multiple visits, unintentionally synchronized with inclement weather. You see, there were these hurricanes that season which had an effect on nearby geographical locations. There were several days that the tournament got rained out entirely. No matches. No play.  That made it fun because if you visited the subsequent day, it would be a full billing. You might see an all-time great player on one of the outer courts. Today, the same would never happen since the venue has since been modified with a retractable roof covering the main stadium. There is also a roof over the secondary stadium.

“Anyway, during one of the visits that particular year, my friend and I happened to be in attendance for the final match of a very popular player. That player had been on the tour for more than twenty years. He was a native to the country. Having previously announced his retirement, when he lost the match, not a person was seated in this packed stadium. Everyone was standing. Every person, up to twenty-thousand of them, was applauding. I happen to turn over to my friend, and I notice that he is not clapping. He is not smiling. He is just standing there. He might be the only person in the stadium not giving a resounding sendoff to this player. He refuses to show respect.

“At the end of the day, I ask my friend what the reason was. He explained to me that he thought the player retiring was a ‘glory hog.’ Those were his exact words. The player sought attention at every opportunity there was. The player did not deserve such praise. He should retire with grace. He should exit the arena without requiring everyone to say nice things about him.

“It is an interesting point of view, for sure. How does this square with bhakti-yoga, though? Are we not encouraged to say nice things about God? Are we not supposed to view Him as a person? Does this represent a defect, upon second glance? Why would one individual insist on so much attention? Does He not risk hogging the glory, so to speak?”

One Sanskrit term to describe that individual is atmarama. This refers to someone who is satisfied in the self. He does not require companionship. He does not depend on the offerings made to Him. His bank balance does not suddenly decrease if people stop sacrificing for Him. Though He is synonymous with yajna, which is formal sacrifice for upliftment of the soul, He is not like a participant in a business transaction. The universes emanate from His breathing. He breathes while lying down to rest. Narayana does not have to tax Himself in order to accomplish the work of the world.

न च मत्स्थानि भूतानि पश्य मे योगमैश्वरम्
भूतभृन्न च भूतस्थो ममात्मा भूतभावन:

na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni
paśya me yogam aiśvaram
bhūta-bhṛn na ca bhūta-stho
mamātmā bhūta-bhāvanaḥ

“And yet everything that is created does not rest in Me. Behold My mystic opulence! Although I am the maintainer of all living entities, and although I am everywhere, still My Self is the very source of creation.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.5)

The common depiction of the very same Narayana shows associates. There is Lakshmi Devi, who is the devoted wife. She is massaging the lotus feet of her husband. There is Lord Brahma, the creator. There is the serpent bed, always eager and ready to serve, no matter how many years pass by. Ananta Shesha Naga uses his many hoods to provide shade, shelter, and protection.

Something easy to overlook is that by praising the Supreme Lord, by enhancing His glory, the worshiper becomes worthy of fame and honor. In the avatara of Shri Rama, the Supreme Lord does not insist on doing everything Himself. His beautiful and chaste wife, Sita, accompanies Him to the forest, to serve a punishment that was unwarranted. Sita is held in the highest esteem because of this sacrifice. Her words describing her husband turn into authority. She is like the greatest teacher, though not necessarily claiming a high seat facing a gathering of students.

परवानस्मि काकुत्स्थ त्वयि वर्षशतं स्थिते
स्वयं तु रुचिरे देशे क्रियतामिति मां वद

paravānasmi kākutstha tvayi varṣaśataṃ sthite
svayaṃ tu rucire deśe kriyatāmiti māṃ vada

“O Rama, for as long as You shall stand before me, even if it be for one hundred years, I will always remain Your servant. Therefore You should be the one to choose a beautiful and appropriate place for the cottage. After You have selected a spot, please then command me to start building.” (Lakshmana speaking to Lord Rama, Valmiki Ramayana, Aranya Kand, 15.7)

As Rama is Narayana, Sita is Lakshmi. The younger brother Lakshmana is Anantadeva. He is committed to working as Rama asks. For just how long? Even one hundred years would not be enough. Lakshmana does not ask anything in return. The same applies to Shri Hanuman, who is not direct family. Hanuman is like a friend, but the closeness is beyond description.

If we are envious, if we do not like to see so much praise directed at one person, in a constant and steady flow, across innumerable lifetimes, then we can choose a different direction. That is the entire basis for the continued existence of the manifest realm. The acharyas say that we are here because we are envious. We stay here for as long as we remain envious. Bhagavad-gita was sung to Arjuna only because of a lack of envy. That hero of the Pandava family was anasuyave.

श्री-भगवान् उवाच
इदं तु ते गुह्यतमं
प्रवक्ष्याम्य् अनसूयवे
ज्ञानं विज्ञान-सहितं
यज् ज्ञात्वा मोक्ष्यसे ऽशुभात्

śrī-bhagavān uvāca
idaṁ tu te guhyatamaṁ
pravakṣyāmy anasūyave
jñānaṁ vijñāna-sahitaṁ
yaj jñātvā mokṣyase ‘śubhāt

“The Supreme Lord said: My dear Arjuna, because you are never envious of Me, I shall impart to you this most secret wisdom, knowing which you shall be relieved of the miseries of material existence.” (Bhagavad-gita, 9.1)

There is nothing lost in the praise. Rather, the more we shower glory upon the most glorious one, the more we gain. That is the secret to life, in fact. The devoted souls are practically screaming it to us, hoping that we hear them, such that we may turn the misery and despair around into constant enthusiasm, excitement, and bliss.

सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां
यतन्तश् च दृढ-व्रताः
नमस्यन्तश् च मां भक्त्या
नित्य-युक्ता उपासते

satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ
yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā
nitya-yuktā upāsate

“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.14)

In Closing:

From the hilltops to scream,
Core message of verses to mean.

That envy finally relinquish,
And fire of rebirth extinguish.

Think consistently of the ways,
On Supreme to heap praise.

For your benefit and others too,
Guaranteed the glory passing through.

Categories: questions

Tags: dailyprompt, hare krishna, poem, poems, poetry, ramayana