Impossible is just a big word
thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been
given than to explore the power they have to change it. Impossible is not a
fact. It is an opinion. Impossible is not a declaration. It’s a dare.
Impossible is potential. Impossible is temporary.
Let us meditate more on that purity and let us aspire
more for that purity. It will make us fearless and give us the courage to
accomplish the impossible.
Impossible is nothing.
I read the above lines in a mail today when I
switched on the computer to write a blog on Hanuman and his brahmacharya. Those
lines are from an Adidas advertisement and it was sent to me with the heading
‘Inspirational’. I was amazed at the
perfect timing of the ‘Inspirational’ mail and the choice of those words. They
accurately fit the character of the divine personality on whom I have been
meditating and intending to write. I feel as if Hanuman himself provided those
words to me.
The epic Ramayan has six chapters – Chapter 1: Bala Kaanda
describes the childhood of Sri Ram; Chapter 2: Ayodhya Kaanda talks about the
preparations in Ayodhya for Sri Ram’s coronation, Kaikeyi’s plan to stop the
event and its subsequent success, and finally the departure of Sri Ram with
Sita and Lakshman to forest; Chapter 3: Aranya Kanda describes the life of Sri
Ram, Sita and Lakshman in the forest, their meeting various sages such as
Bharadvaj, etc. and also Sabari; Chapter 4: Kishkinta Kaanda describes the
entry of Soorpanaka, severing of her nose by Lakshman, death of her brothers Khar
and Dushan at the hands of Sri Ram and Lakshman, abduction of Sita by Ravan,
search for Sita by Ram and Lakshman, their meeting Sugreeva and Hanuman, death
of Vali, etc.; Chapter 5: Sundara Kanda describes Hanuman crossing the sea and
entering Lanka, Sita’s suffering in Asokavan, Hanuman’s meeting with Sita, and
finally the exploits of Hanuman such as setting fire to the city, etc.; the
last chapter, Chapter 6: Yudha Kaanda describes the Ram–Ravan war, death of
Ravan, return of Sri Ram to Ayodhya and His coronation.
Except for the fifth chapter Sundara Kaanda, all other chapters
were named according to the main events connected with Sri Ram’s life that
occurred in those chapters. What would be the reason for deviating from this
rule while naming the fifth chapter? If it is because it does not talk about
Sri Ram, it could have been named as Sita Kaanda. Instead, the great sage
Valmiki who compiled the epic Ramayan chose to call it Sundara Kaanda. The word
‘sundara’ means ‘beautiful’. Where is beauty in this chapter? The chapter talks
about the sufferings of Sita in captivity, how the raakshas (demonish) women
guarding Sita were threatening Sita and compelling her to marry Ravan. Tears
will well up without our knowledge while reading this chapter. Then, is the
title inappropriate?
More than the suffering of Sita, it is the power of Hanuman,
his courage, his faith in the name of Ram, his unselfish motive and, above all,
his purity – the beauty of his Shudha Brahmacharya – the most dominating aspect
of this chapter. The beauty of shudha brahmacharya surpasses all other forms of
beauty and this must be the reason why sage Valmiki named this chapter as
Sundara Kaanda.
Who else other than Hanuman would have dared to cross the
sea between India and Sri Lanka
by a single long jump? Even after He proved that it is possible, neither Sri
Ram nor Lakshman gave a try but rather built a bridge to cross the sea!
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