रामयण तत्वम् Seeking divine grace (Looking for Mother Seeta) Kishkinda Kanda

    रामयण तत्वम्

 

Sugriva sends his followers in all four directions to find mother Seeta. The separation of mother Seeta from Lord Rama implies separation of grace from a seeker. As explained before mother Seeta represents divine grace. Now search parties are being sent by mind-intellect combine in all directions to find grace so that seeker can find the grace.

     Vinata is sent in the direction of East. Indra rules over this direction and Indra  is ruler of all senses (इन्र्दियाः). 

आखण्डलः सहस्राक्ष ऋभुक्षास्तस्य तु प्रिया :

(Indra who has thunderbolt as weapon presides over eastern  direction and has thousand eyes).

     Vinata is sent to seek grace in the senses. It is not found there. Divine grace can’t be obtained by mastery over senses. Here Vinata represents swift force as Garuda employs in attacking serpents. The swift movement or force is not enough in finding the grace.

         Shatabali  is sent in the direction of North. North represents prosperity.

(कुबेरः उडीच्याम्  दिशायाम्वर्तते)

Grace is not found there either. Thus grace can’t be obtained from prosperity or by strength

        Susena is sent in the direction of West. West represents element of water (वरुणः पश्चिमेश्वरः) or more broadly all elements. Grace is not found there. Divine grace is not obtained in the five elements. Valmiki Ramayanam says that Susena is related to Tara and hence is related to  Brihaspati who is a guide to senses. (आचर्य देवाः) Lower intellect searches for meaning of life in the elements. It is not found there.

       Hanuman is sent in the direction of South. South allegorically represents death.

(यमः     दक्षिणायाम्  दिशायाम्    वर्तते)

      Divine grace can be obtained when one overcomes death or confronts death. Kathopanishad tells this through a dialogue between the sincere student Nachiketa and the Death.

Sri Rudram has the following in the 11th anuvaka:

नमः रुद्रेभ्यः
 तेभ्यः दश प्राची दश जम्भे दधामि
नमः रुद्रेभ्यः
तेभ्यः दक्षिणा दश जम्भे दधामि
नमः रुद्रेभ्यः
तेभ्यः प्रतीची दश जम्भे दधामि
नमः रुद्रेभ्यः
तेभ्यः  उदीची दश जम्भे दधामि

Devotee asks that internal enemies (lust, desire, anger) be consumed by Rudras in north, south, east and western directions. Lord Hanuman is a true devotee of Lord Ram and has overcome all these obstacles as shown by his conduct in the Ramayana.

Kaivalya Upansihad says the following:

न कर्मणा न प्रजया धनेन

त्यागेन एके अमृतत्वमानसुः

Not by activity (among objects and sense objects), not by family or wealth is death avoided. It is done by renunciation only. A true renunciate has faith (श्रद्धा) devotion (भक्ति) and meditation (ध्यान). Lord Hanuman shows all these qualities by his actions. Intellect when it is ready to evolve shows all these qualities.

S