HANUMAN'S LOVE FOR RAMA
With Sita sitting on his left, Rama manifested the beauty of a billion Manmathas (Manmatha - the God of Love) rolled into one. The gods were fascinated by the divine charm of the Lord of the Raghu line. Rama wore silk, interwoven with gold, and he had pendants on his ears brilliant with precious gems. He wore ornaments on his ankles and wrists, which derived beauty from his entrancing charm. The three worlds exulted at the sublimity of the event and the personal grandeur of Rama. Really those who witnessed that scene were the fortunate ones among the living.
Vibhishana came forward with a dazzling necklace of gems, which the Lord of the Sea had offered to Ravana. Sita accepted it. Its brilliance shone all over the vast Hall and struck everyone as a unique string of gems. But, with the necklace in her hand, she cast a questioning glance at the face of Rama. Rama knew what was passing in her mind. He said, "Sita! You can grant it as a gift to anyone among those here who deserves your grace." Sita thought just for a second and looked at Hanuman. Becoming aware of the compassion in that look, Hanuman approached her in great humility and stood before Sita with bowed head. The necklace was given by Sita to Hanuman.
Hanuman turned it around many times in his hand, its dazzle enrapturing everyone in that vast assembly. He was struggling to discover its specialness, with unslaked curiosity. He plucked every gem, put it between his teeth, and placed it adjacent to his ear, and with a face indicating disappointment, he threw the gem away in disgust! All eyes were watching with increasing amazement this peculiar behavior. They were stunned into silence and inactivity. Until he treated the last gem in the same cavalier manner, no one dared interrupt or condemn. They could only protest in whispers among themselves! "Who is this monkey that treats the diamond necklace so lovingly and so compassionately presented to him by Sita?" was the question on most lips.
Even Vibhishana was sad that Hanuman had so brazenly insulted the priceless jewel that he had brought. 'He has pulled it to pieces and cast the gems aside', he told himself. Everyone in the Hall surmised the reason for this strange behaviour in his own way. At last, one vassal Ruler could not restrain himself. He rose and gave vent to his resentment: "Peerless Hero! Why did you break that necklace of gems into so many bits? Was it right to do so? Tell us the reason why? Give us some explanation and remove our doubts."
Hanuman listened to him patiently and replied. "0 King! I examined each gem in order to discover whether each had in it the sacred Name of Rama. I could not find it in any gem. Without that Name of Rama, they are but stones and pebbles. So, I cast them on the ground." The ruler was not silenced by this. He asked, "Hanuman! If it is your desire that in every article and particle there should be the name of Rama, are you not asking for something impossible?"
Hanuman replied, "Of what good, of what profit, is any thing which has not in it the name of Rama? I have no need of such". The valiant hero, Hanuman, dismissed the arguments of the ruler thus. The ruler, however, continued his objections. He said, "You would not wear any thing that has not got in it the name of Rama. Well. You are wearing your body. You are carrying it about with you. Prove to us that you have the name in it". Hanuman laughed aloud; he said, "I shall prove, see!" He pulled a single hair from off his forearm and held it very near the ear of the Ruler. He could hear the name, Rama, Rama, Rama, uttered by that single hair! At this, he was overcome with a sense of wonder; he fell at the feet of Hanuman and prayed for pardon.
Love.
