Hanuman - the Musician

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!! Sri Rama Jayam !!

Narada, the sage bard, used to delight Lord Vishnu in Vaikunta every day with his music. In course of time Narada got to be sure of his expertise and ability to please the Lord, and a touch of pride and over confidence began to manifest itself. The Lord noticed this and wished to teach Narada a lesson.

One day when Narada was playing his veena before the Lord, he noticed that the Lord was not showing any interest; on the contrary there were frequent frowns on the Lord's face indicating displeasure. Narada at once knew that something was wrong. And, falling at the Lord’s feet, asked to be enlightened as to the cause of the displeasure. The Lord smiled and said, “If you desire to know what real music is, go to Hanuman who is performing tapas in Kandamadana hill and learn it from Him”.

 

Narada set forth to meet Hanuman. On the way when he was passing near a grove, he heard the wailing’s of a number of women and went into the grove to ascertain the cause. He was shocked at what he saw. He saw a group of otherwise beautiful damsels. Disfigured in various ways; some with their noses cut, some with other limbs dismembered a ghastly and pitiable sight. Moved at the heart Narada made enquiries as to the cause of their plight. They said, ” We are the raga devatas; a rishi named Narada played such bad music today in vaikunta that we have been reduced to this plight. It is only a really good musician who knows our true forms that can bring us back to our original shapes.” Narada was humbled. He confessed to them who he was. He said that he was going to Hanuman to learn true music and he promised to restore their original forms as an act of expiation for the sin he had in his ignorance and pride committed against the devatas.

 

Narada went to meet Hanuman in his hilly home and explained his mission to him; the latter took the veena from Narada and began to play on it. Narada was simply astonished at the mastery and finish of Hanuman’s music and forgot himself in the enjoyment of that soulful music. He sang with such devotion, although he couldn't play veena, that his devotion melted the floor under the veena. After a while Hanuman stopped singing and put the veena down on the floor. When he put it down, it was on this molten granite. When the rock cooled and solidified the veena got struck up in it, Narada did not know what to do. Prompted by Hanuman, Narada tried singing to melt the rock but in vain. Hanuman sang again, melted the rock and then took out the veena. Narada was cured of his pride.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hare Krishna

Hare Rama