“One looks for a being amongst those of its own kind. One does not look for a lost woman amongst female deer.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.43) yasya sattvasya yā yoniḥ tasyām tat parimārgyate || na śakyam pramadā naṣṭā… Read More ›
valmiki
Among Their Own
“I certainly could not have searched for Vaidehi [Sita] anywhere else. When searching, one always looks for women in those places where other women are.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.42) na anyatra hi mayā śakyā vaidehī parimārgitum || striyo… Read More ›
The Determining Factor
“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) mano hi… Read More ›
Assessing Sin
“Though all of these unsuspecting wives of Ravana were seen by me, my mind has not been disturbed even a little.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.40) kāmam dṛṣṭvā mayā sarvā viśvastā rāvaṇa striyaḥ || na tu me manasaḥ kimcid… Read More ›
Purifying Through Presence
“My having glanced at the wives of others sleeping in their home will certainly do a great harm to my virtue.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.37) para dāra avarodhasya prasuptasya nirīkṣaṇam || idam khalu mama atyartham dharma lopam kariṣyati… Read More ›
Associated Risks
“My having glanced at the wives of others sleeping in their home will certainly do a great harm to my virtue.” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 11.37) para dāra avarodhasya prasuptasya nirīkṣaṇam || idam khalu mama atyartham dharma lopam kariṣyati… Read More ›
Dussehra 2011
“That Rama, the delight of the king of the Raghu dynasty, who had just slayed his enemy and was thus steady in His vow, possessing tremendous might, shone brightly while standing on the battlefield encircled by His army and friends,… Read More ›
Doubling Down
“The monkey became numb for a second, stricken as he was with sadness over not having found, after such a long time, Sita, the wife of Rama – the lord of men and the best among those who can speak.”… Read More ›
Standing Out
“(Hanuman did not see Sita) who (in Lanka) was like a crescent moon having its outline blurred, like a streak of gold covered by dust, like an injury left by an arrow (a scar), or like a series of clouds… Read More ›
Forced Remembrance
“(Hanuman did not see Sita) who was firmly situated on the eternal path of devotion to her husband, had her gaze always fixed on Rama, was always possessed by love for Rama, had entered the glorious mind of her husband,… Read More ›