VOICE OF THE RISHIS - 5

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Priya Bhagavat Banduvullara,

 

VOICE OF THE RISHIS - 5

 

ANIRVEDA SRIYO MOOLAM

 

-- SRI RAMAYANA, SUNDARA KANDA -12-10

 

Sri Rama sends his ardent devotee, Hanuman, to trace

whereabouts of his wife Sitadevi, kidnapped. Hanuman is specially

selected among so many of his generals for his physical as well as

mental prowess.

 

With all his devotion and dedication to duty, Hanuman

searches nook and corner of the island Lanka, of Ravanasura for Sita,

in vain.

After the great search, he is utterly exhausted and falls into great

despair and despondency. He assumes that his project failed. He is

in great vexation. He imagines the coming events, and how his

failure to find out Sita, would snowball breaking the anxious heart

of Rama and the chain of deaths that would follow after the breaking

of this news, of his failure.

 

Hanuman now decides to save all other deaths by putting an end

to himself. But it is said in the holy script that suicide is a

sinful act, for our life is not of our making but that of God. So

Hanuman devises an alternate way of terminating life, that is, by

abstaining from taking food and water, " PRAAYOPA VESAM " , which the

sages of yore did.

 

Valmiki the great sage poet of Ramayana, here touches upon a

human state of mind in its lowest ebb, seeking final answer to

suicide. But after just this thought, the poet, at once gives out

opposite thought to Hunuman to have a rethinking on the topic.

Hanuman regains his spirit and says " Anireveda Sriyo Moolam " ,

meaning " Sadless, unperturbed state of mind is the basis of all

prosperity " . He concludes " Jeevan Bhadrani Pasyati " " Man if lives

on , can see happiness, later.

 

This significant quote from Ramayana teaches us the lesson that

man should not end his life in vexation. But he should continue to

develop a state unnerved by events and prolong his life which would

later surely be filled with great gifts of prosperity.