THERE ARE TWO parts to Hanuman’s heroic rescue mission in the Ramayana: one, his epic flight across the ocean to Lanka, the kingdom of Ravan the demon; and two, his actual search for Sita, the abducted wife of his beloved master, Ram. On the first leg, the monkey-warrior is a study in keeping the focus, facing down the odds with resilience and resourcefulness, and not looking back till he sets foot on the shore. On the second leg, he shows us what it takes to reach the goal and how crucial it is not to quit, no matter what.
Lesson #1: Purity of intent
Having sneaked in to Lanka shrunken in size, Hanuman checks out several buildings hoping to locate Sita. As he peeks into the inner chambers reserved for women, he gets uneasy. He wonders whether, as a celibate monkey, he is doing something wrong. After much agonising, he tells himself that his actions have been undertaken for a purpose, not for voyeuristic pleasure. Hence, he must keep the focus and soldier on.
According to Chaitanya Charan’s Wisdom from the Ramayana, the takeaway is: It is the purity of Hanuman’s intent that matters, not any misplaced perception about his action. He is motivated solely by his devotion to Ram. Often, when we are on a mission or pursuing a goal, we have to do the unlikeliest of things. If our intentions are good and our actions do not harm anyone, we should not worry.
Lesson #2: Power of determination
Even after a painstaking search of Lanka, Hanuman is unable to find Sita. He is disappointed, almost convinced his mission is futile. He wants to fly back. But he pauses and thinks of the consequences of his action: how it will break Ram’s heart, sadden his brother Lakshman, disappoint the monkey-king Sugreev and push everyone towards impending doom. Unwilling to wreak such damage, Hanuman marshals the last ounces of his determination and resilience, and vows to resume his search.
The takeaway is: Life will knock us down again and again but it is up to us not to be cowed by adversities. We must rise each time we fall. If our intention is resolute, we will find the strength to start afresh, re-adjust our focus and defeat difficult circumstances.
Lesson #3: Power of Providence
Buoyed by his resolve, Hanuman starts looking around. But he dithers, not knowing which way to go. A few moments on, the moon emerges from behind the clouds, bathing the beautiful palace gardens in silvery moonlight. In a trice, it strikes Hanuman that during his search for Sita, he had not scoured the numerous gardens dotting Lanka. Enthused and hopeful that he may yet find her, he hops into the nearest garden.
After a few minutes, he spots a beautiful woman sitting beneath a tree in the distance. She looks desolate. Several demonesses are guarding her. The demon-king is walking towards her. In a threatening voice, he tries to force her into submission. She ignores him. He leaves. The guards, too, disperse. Hanuman is puzzled. Who is this woman? Then it dawns on him that she is none other than Sita, the object of his mission.
The takeaway is: “When we resolutely pursue a worthy cause, forces far beyond ours come to our aid, often in inconceivable ways.” (Quoted verbatim from Chaitanya Charan’s book.)
In Hanuman’s case, the moonlight was providential. Likewise, if we are set on our goals and our focus is unwavering, we may well find things falling into place by themselves, as though by default. The believer may call this Divine Providence. For everyone else, it is simply the reward for keeping the focus.