Thought for the day twenty seven

You don’t become enormously successful without encountering and overcoming a number of extremely challenging problems

We have many problems to face every day. Some problems are created by others and some others by us. When these are not seen in the right light, they look huge, unsolvable and the goal unattainable.

But if we see it in a different angle, maybe we will find a solution.

I am very eager to tell a story here. A story which is there from time immemorial and many versions are also available for this story.

I will narrate the incident which is directly from that epic.

Rama decides to send monkeys across the nation to search for Sita. Hanuman is chosen to go to the South.

The whole army of monkeys assigned to go to south reach the banks of the ocean. Now, they are stuck. They do not know what to do.

They have the information that Lanka is about 100 yojana in its length. Each monkey says how much it can fly.

Hanuman would be keeping quiet. Finally Jambavanta coaxes Hanuman to fly. Hanuman is not even aware of his strength. Finally Hanuman decides to fly to Lanka to find out whether Sita is hidden by Ravana in Lanka.

He prays Rama and jumps and starts flying in the sky above the sea. A demon suddenly appears from inside the sea and swallows Hanuman. He is totally lost inside. He goes here, there, everywhere inside the body of the demon and makes his body so big that he tears the body of the demon and comes out to pursue his journey.

Out of the blue a mountain appears from nowhere from inside the sea. It was a mountain called Mainaaka. Long ago Hanuman’s father Vayu would have helped the mountain. So, now Mainaaka wants to please Hanuman. Hanuman just touched the mountain and flew forward.

The Gods who were watching the whole act wanted to test Hanuman. Does he really have the ‘thing’ to search for Sita? So, they told one of the angels to test Hanuman.

Simhika, the angel suddenly appeared in front of Hanuman. She demanded that she wants to eat Hanuman, if not, at least Hanuman should go inside her mouth.

Hanuman started growing big. Simhika’s mouth also started growing big to accommodate a blown up Hanuman. This went on for some time. And suddenly Hanuman became very tiny and entered the big mouth of Simhika, went in and came out.  He now told Simhika that he has fulfilled her desire.

Simhika smiled and blessed him.

Hanuman finally reached Lanka. A woman was guarding the gate of the golden Lanka. He just beat her because he did not like to kill a woman. She understood that she has met her match and Lanka is going to be doomed. She had a prophecy heard long ago that a monkey will come and beat her. That would be the end of Lanka.

She went off allowing Hanuman to enter Lanka.

He found a lot of women in the harem of Ravana. But he was both relieved and worried that Sita was not there. He finally found her in the Garden of Ashoka Trees. He saves her when she was about to commit suicide in despondency. She says she is fine and that she wants Rama to come and kill Ravana and take her back.

Hanuman now wants to tell Ravana that Rama is coming. The best way he chooses is to create havoc. He breaks the trees, eats away the fruits.

Ravana sends his son, some of the soldiers. All are killed by Hanuman. Then Hanuman would be bound by a very powerful Brahmastra. He is marched to the court of Ravana.

Ravana mocks him that he is just a monkey. Hanuman says, there are so many other big monkeys in front of whom Hanuman himself is just a small fry.

One wildly important goal of finding Sita. Hanuman did not know his strength. He did not flinch when the animal tried to eat him. He was friendly with the friendly obstacle of Mainaaka. Then he matched his wits with Simhika and came out a winner.

He finds Sita, gives her the signet ring of Rama and takes back the brooch given by Sita to Rama.

He achieves the goal despite all the obstacles he faces – friendly, testing or dangerous.