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