Saraswati and Hanuman

[Guest guest]

I have heard from another Prapanna who has in turn read the book of a

Vidwan on this question that Gayatri, Savitri and Saraswati in

connection with the AvAhanam refers to Mahalakshmi only and it is

Mahalakshmi that takes these 3 forms. These names relate to

Mahalakshmi in the same way that Indra, Agni etc in the 3 vedas

relate to Narayana. (i.e. oblations offered in the name of these gods

is actually meant for Narayana only).

 

In this connection Vedanta Desikar remarks that when a kings servants

put garland around the king's coat they intend to please the king and

not his coat.

 

Regarding Anjaneya, it is evident from His life that no Karma was

involved in connection with His leelas with Rama. A person in karma

or a baddha jivatma forgets his eternal relationship with Narayana

and worries about how he will get his food, clothing and shelter and

works very hard to obtain these. Hanuman instead showed by example

how a perfect soul lives. He only cared for Rama's service. It was

Hanuman who established friendship between Sugreeva and Rama.

Sugreeva forgot all about helping Rama locate Sita, after having had

the burden of worrying about Vali removed. He went back to enjoying

sense gratification with Tara (Vaali's wife whom Sugreeva married).

Hanuman, on the other hand only remembered Rama's service. When the

Rakshasas set His tail on fire, He did not even bother to cry for

help. It was Sita who prayed to Agni after hearing the news from the

Rakshasis and Hanuman did not feel any heat from the fire. When

Hanuman had to go to Lanka, he was accosted by a demon in the sea.

He killed the demon (that is got rid of an obstacle in His service),

and proceeded to Lanka, removed another obstacle in the form of

Lankini, and proceeded to meet Sita.

 

When Hanuman had to get the Sanjivini mountain, he was accosted by

Kharadhooshan, whom He killed. On His way back, with the mountain,

He was injured by Bharata who mistook Him for a Rakshasa. None of

these serious obstacles stopped Him from serving Rama. He

exemplified Vedanta Desikar's definition of Mukti as service to

Narayana "at all times, in all places and under all circumstances".

 

Whether Hanuman was ever a baddha jivatma in the past is something I

do not know. I have not heard Him being referred to as a Nitya Suri.

 

Jaganath.

[Guest guest]

On Feb 7, 2:03am, Jaganath.Bharadwaj wrote:

> In this connection Vedanta Desikar remarks that when a kings servants

> put garland around the king's coat they intend to please the king and

> not his coat.

 

This is a wonderful way of expressing the sarIra-sarIri-bhaava

(body-soul relationship) that is characteristic of Visishtadvaita

metaphysics. The coat is literally the body of the king and is

lifeless without its bearer. Hence, any ornamentation destined

for the coat is ultimately useless without the recognition that

the coat is merely a Sesha of the king. The two are inseparably

related in reality, but the coat is completely dependent on the

king for its subsistence and glory.

 

This is the foundational doctrine (pradhAna-pratitantra) of

Visishtadvaita. Thanks, Jaganath, for bringing this to light.

 

Mani