Shree Ramajayam!.
"Swamiji is arranging for all the devotees to go and see a movie at
the Cine Star complex in Ajman. The movie is 'Hanuman'and Swamiji will
be there too. Reach there by 8.30pm on Tuesday, 9th of May"
A simple message passed around to everyone through the telephone. A
surge of emotions in the minds of various devotees…..
-The children have exams, it is a weekday, how can we go…..?
-Husband is on a training course, will he finish on time to make it
to Ajman….?
-Don't have transport…who can I ask…?
-Have to be in Abu Dhabi the whole day, drive back for two hours, pick
up family and then do the hour's drive in the opposite direction to Ajman.
How….?
-My baby always cries in a crowd..how do I take him..will his cries
disturb the other people watching…?
These and so many other thoughts….but in each devotee's heart there
rose a uniform prayer. 'Swami, please make it possible for us to come and
see the movie with you'. Each of the devotees who made it to see the film
were blessed with little miracles that day. Meetings were cancelled by
the boss, transport got organised, children said they would stay alone
at home and study for the exams, the ones with restless babies found them
peacefully sleeping throughout the two hours of the film. Devotees who
did not get an opportunity to meet you, or talk to you during this
visit, were glad for the chance to be with you at the theatre. The ones
who were late, found the highway traffic moving smoothly and green lights
at every signal. This date, this movie, this experience, will be etched
in everyone's minds forever.
For me, Swamiji, I belong to the segment of your devotees who has heard
many others say they went for a movie with you, …. and I have (im)patiently
waited to have a chance to do the same. And yesterday was my first
chance and that too for such a splendid movie.
"Hanuman- The Monkey God." A film made by people of other lands, in
the titles I saw American, French and even Spanish names. The actors were
the little monkeys who, devoid of language and dialogues, displayed every
emotion. Love, Caring, Fear, Anger, Sadness, Joy, Innocence, Contentment,
Restlessness, Worry, Devotion and Harmony. These are just some of the emotions
that the cinematographer captured on the faces and manner of these "non"
human beings and recorded on celluloid for us humans to see. There
are so many modern day actors of the screen who despite the language and
the dialogues, perform worse than the monkey!!
There were so many lessons for us to learn throughout the film. How
little we know of our extraordinary culture and heritage. Was any of us
able to identify the temple and place its location in our country? I felt
humbled that a foreigner took the initiative to research and spread the
story through the movie.
Are we capable of the unity the monkeys displayed?
Can we be as devoted to our fellow beings as the clan of monkeys were
to each other.?
Can we let go of all ego and master the act of complete faith and surrender,
as displayed by the little ape when he ran to the abode of Anjaneya in
sheer fright and received His protection?
These are some of the questions I asked myself while watching the movie.
At the end of the film, my son Anirudha asked me "Mum, who is the God
Hanuman in the movie? Is it the green God Hanuman in the temple or the
white God Hanuman with kumkum on his forehead or is God Hanuman really
the hermit who blows the conch and reappears immedietly in another man's
form after the first hermit dies??
Swamiji, time and time again, I wonder at the astuteness of his questions
and I pray for some small shred of wisdom with which to answer him!!
"Hanuman is the Brahma, the one living God throughout the world
today. He is Chiranjeevi.". I have heard you say this many times, Swamiji.
This film sends this message out loud and clear. I hope and pray that all
your devotees, everywhere in the world have the opportunity to see this
truly beautiful film. And I hope and pray that everyone who sees this movie,
realizes the magnificent cosmic entity that is Lord Anjaneya, and the many
forms and ways in which he manifests himself to the people of the world
today.
Years ago, Swamiji, you had told us in Dubai that news of Anjaneya
would spread through the medium of telephone, computer, newspaper, magazine
and cinema. Your website, the Toronto radio program, and this movie are
but a few ways of the manifestation of the Truth of your words.
Today, I was fortunate to be with you and witness another "event".
Swamiji on the computer, participating in the "chat room" and sending messages
to devotees throughout the world. I do not know still what amazed
me more. The way you called out names of people in Dubai, Madras, Singapore,
USA, Kuwait, Canada faster than the hand could type, sending them just
a sentence to convey that they are all uppermost in your thoughts. I tried
to imagine what they would be feeling when they saw your message. Was my
joy at watching this happening any more or any less than their joy at reading?
I could feel the thrill and wonder, just as if I were the receiver
of your message. A truly special day, when you came face to face with the
devotees online on the computer, and had a conversation with each one,
just as if you would have done on the telephone, except that so many of
us, from around the world, were able to participate in this one, long,
conversation!! And your simple promise that today was the first time this
had been done, and henceforth you would do this more and more. But then,
it became time for lunch and the computer had to "log off" and we had to
leave. Always in tune with our feelings, you sensed our sadness that this
experience was coming to an end. And with your soft voice and warm smile,
you said that one day soon, even when the computers were switched off,
whenever you came online, the computers would give out a 'beep' sound so
that devotees around the world could switch on and enter the chatroom to
talk to you and to each other. In the meantime, my prayer is that I always
keep myself "logged on" to my faith in you. And that each experience in
my life, reinforces that faith and helps it grow stronger.
EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOUR DEVOTEES IS OF EQUAL IMPORTANCE TO YOU. EACH
DEVOTEE HOLDS THEIR SPECIAL PLACE IN YOUR HEART. NO MATTER HOW NEAR OR
HOW FAR AWAY, YOU WILL ALWAYS UPHOLD THE TRUST AND DEVOTION THAT EACH ONE
OF US HAS PLACED IN YOU.
This is the feeling I was left with after watching you today. There
is no miracle, or greater learning than this. There is no place for
fear or apprehension at the different events in our lives, when we have
seen and believe in you.
I quote a few lines from one of Rabindranath Tagore's poems.
I have been remembering these lines, these last two days.
"The morning will surely come,
The darkness will vanish,
And Thy voice pour down in golden streams
Breaking through the sky.
Then Thy words will take wings, in songs
From every birds nest
In one salutation to Thee, My Lord
Let all my senses spread out
And touch this world at Thy Feet"
Swamiji, this is my small attempt at sharing two very special days,
with all your devotees. The happiness and joy are beyond any of these words
that I have written.
With my Pranams
Mrs. Saraswathi Rajan
Back to Main Page