Lord Hanuman, The Definition Of Devotion

Anecdotes

oi-Staff

By Staff

Thursday, September 10, 2009, 16:37

A heart soaked in devotion has no mind for anything lesser than the divine. An episode in the Ramayana explains the fact.

Lord Hanuman longed for nothing else other than His beloved Rama. Ravana had once received a boon according to which he would be slain only by particular a celestial weapon. The Raakshas king safeguarded his life by concealing the weapon in a crystal pillar in his palace.

Lord Hanuman in the guise of an ordinary monkey entered the palace and broke the pillar. As He was making His way out of the palace, Mandodari, the queen of Ravana, however tried to divert the monkey's attention by tempting it with fruits. Lord Hanuman then assumed His original form and sang thus :

Am I in need of fruit?

I have the fruit that makes this life

Fruitful indeed. Within my heart

The tree of Rama grows,

Bearing salvation for its fruits.

Under the wish-fulfilling tree

Of Rama do I sit at ease,

Plucking whatever fruit I will

But if you speak of fruit-

No beggar, I, for common fruit.

Behold, I go

Leaving a bitter fruit for you.

Hanuman's song resonates dripping devotion for the ultimate that everything else was trivial. He had lost Himself completely in the glory of Rama.