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39-Hanumaan-2

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Hanumaan Meets Raam
[Taken from Valmiki Ramayan 4/3]

Part 1
The reference is that Hanumaan meets Raam and Lakshman and talks to them at length, still none of them speaks anything.

A monkey cannot speak so much as much Hanumaan spoke, for it will show its teeth, if exceeded. Hanumaan is vexed with their silence. So far he has been talking all flattering words, which he has drawn from many scriptures, i.e., Shaastra. Their apparels and hair tufts are like sages' and hermits', along with their self-contradictory resemblance as would-have-been emperors, and their mighty weaponry, and every other thing he said are the quotes from Lakshan Shaastra (knowledge of characteristics), the scripture that prescribes the qualities of great emperors. 

This is what the other two listeners are assessing about the questioner also. In the midst of this unpopulated thick forest, some ascetic comes in, talks at length, that too without offence to the scriptures, is the doubt of those two brothers. This particular questioner is not definitely any ascetic or sage, because he is roaming in deep forests, rather than around some villages where he may get some Bhikshaa or charities etc.

And also that, generally ascetics will talk, only when they are talked to, but this one is talking himself, so he seems to have some purpose behind. This idea is inhibiting them to reveal their identity to the intruder. Hence the brothers took Hanumaan to be another demon or anyone sent by somebody, for they already knew about the Baali-Sugreev episode.

Apart from this, Raam is following his own Imperial protocol of assessing the person approached on his own, who is talking like the one, who has high knowledge of all the scriptures. This analysis, Raam gives to Lakshman after a few more verses. For now, Hanumaan has to yield to high resistance from those two brothers, and is going to reveal himself, with a come-what-may attitude.


Part 2
From here on Raam's analysis of Hanumaan is depicted. In Rig Ved, every letter has too many phonetically deflected variations, in many ways to mean many things. It is practically impossible to contain that knowledge, unless the recitalist has complete control over it. While in Yajur Ved, many Anuvaak or passages, occur recursively, with different utilization. Remembering not to mix one with the other is a difficult process. Hence the recitalist has to have enormous memory to remember them.

In Saam Ved, the pitch and duration of the rendering is of high importance. So as such it requires a scholarly bent to control vocal notes. The three words, Vinaya (schooling), Dhaaranaa (remembrance), and Vedanaa (knowledge) are required to each of the above Ved. Atharv Ved, on the other hand, has no recital performance other than the above. Hence it is not quoted by Raam.

Otherwise (1) Undue stretching, (2) quickening the pace, (3) nodding the head, (4) reading the written texts by seeing, not by memorizing, (5) unknowing the meaning, (6) weak-voiced recitation, are thus the six worst kind of recitations of Vedic hymns. Besides, reading scriptures with (1) doubting, (2) fearing, (3) shouting, (4) unclear, (5) nasal, (6) shrieking, (7) high-pitched, and like that with (8) improper sounds placement, (9) melody-less, (10) rudely, and also (11) letters torn apart, (12) rendering negative meaning, (13) chaotic, (14) labiovelar, are the fourteen reciting mistakes.

Best recitation will render phonetics as, "sweet voice, enunciated syllables, properly parting the words, quick and confident, and rhythm are the six best qualities of best recitation. The three places to generate speech are Urashi (chest), Shirashi (head), and Kanth (throat). A real mind-speaker has to generate his speech in these three areas, without rendering any lip service. Again this is the rule of Vedic Shikshaa (training).

Hanumaan said - "You two are eligible to rule the earth' as at Kishkindhaa Kaand (3/15), which tantamount to the quote "brahmaa vaa idam ek eva agra aaseet' from Rig Ved Aitereya. He said that 'you are deities in human form' at Kishkindhaa Kaand (3/13), which has its bearing on the Yajur Ved quote "ajaayamaano bahudhaa vijaayatey' Then he said that Raam is having lotus-petal like eyes, at Kishkindhaa Kaand (3/11), taking clue from Chhaandogya of Saam Ved, "yathaakapyaasam pundareekam eva akshinee.' Hence these utterances of Hanuman are said to have direct base in the Ved.

Text in green is only for explanation


Part 3
Again Raam is following his Imperial protocol. As an emperor he does not enter into any direct conversation with emissaries. Later Raam asks Lakshman to conduct the dialogue with Hanumaan. This is another reason. Because Lakshman is another wordsmith, equaling Hanumaan by way of his knowledge in scriptures. Raam assigns that duty to Lakshman. Now Raam's analysis of this emissary's knowledge, thereby gauging his master's virtuousness, is made known to Lakshman in the next few verses.

 

 

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Created by Sushma Gupta on 5/27/03
Contact:  sushmajee@yahoo.com
Updated on 04/13/13