The Hindu : Repose total faith in God

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 19, 2004

Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous - Religion

Repose total faith in God

CHENNAI, JAN.19 . It is human nature to despair and give up hope in the saving grace of God while undergoing trials and tribulations in life but a devotee must not lose heart during such moments. He should recapitulate instances of the manner in which the Lord had intervened and saved those who reposed faith in Him. One incident oft quoted in the spiritual tradition is that of Hanuman locating Sita just at the moment when She had lost all hopes of Her rescue and was sunk in despondency about Her plight and decided to end Her life after Ravana had given Her an ultimatum. Trijata tried to give Sita hope by explaining the significance of her dream, which was also meant to warn the other ogresses to stop harassing Her to submit to Ravana.

In his Harikatha, Kalyanapuram Sri R.Aravamudan said Hanuman gave Sita a second lease of life by chanting the story of Rama in a dialect, which only She could understand, when he saw Her steeped in sorrow. Her reaction was mixed, elation that someone was reciting Rama's name in Lanka and also fear that perhaps Ravana had assumed a new form to make Her comply. Soon She got over Her apprehension when Hanuman showed Her Rama's signet ring to prove his identity. The Kamba Ramayanam describes Sita's great joy and Her blessing Hanuman on that occasion, "You have given Me life. Coming as a messenger from Rama, you have brought life to me through your excellent qualities. You have given Me happiness in this life as well as in the next. Is there anything I can do in return for what you have done for me? You have also brought Me a good name. May you live forever even after the 14 worlds are destroyed and several ages have passed."

After the exchange of the ring he had brought with the head-ornament (Choodamani) Sita gave him to be handed over to Rama, She also narrated an incident involving the crow Kakasura known only to Rama and Herself to be conveyed to Him. Hanuman tried persuading Her that he could easily transport Her without delay to Rama but Sita refused saying that it would not be proper. To convince Sita about the strength of Sugriva's army in all humility he praised the others saying that he had come there on this mission as an ordinary servant obeying their orders. He forded the ocean successfully and located Sita because of the potency of Rama's ring and returned safely after completing his mission with the blessing of Sita and the ornament She gave him.

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