In every single instance and in every single task that concerned His master, irrespective of whether it was small or large, Hanuman displayed the same eagerness in completion! This was His greatness! ‘My master will be pleased if this task is complete. Therefore I should complete it. Let Him just mention the task to be done and I shall complete it that very instant’- was his line of thinking. With this attitude, he enthusiastically completed every single task allotted to him in no time and eagerly awaited the next. ‘O Lord, what is the next task that I should complete? What should I do? How should I behave?’ He would thus ask in great humility, as soon as the job was complete.  He believed that whatever might happen, Lord Rama’s tasks should be completed successfully.

Unlike him, we try to escape the allotted work. We find lame excuses. We should learn from Hanuman.

We presume that searching for Mother Sita was the only major task that Hanuman had undertaken for his master. But what we do not know is that there were many other tasks, big and small, apart from this, which Hanuman completed for Lord Rama. The entire character of Hanuman in Ramayana reveals his attitude of service towards his master. His service towards his master (seva) is both limitless and indescribable.

In merely 5 minutes, I can never relate to you Hanuman’s Guru seva in detail. How do you suppose that I can justify all His great accomplishments in just a day’s time? Even if you ask me to speak for this entire day, it will still be grossly insufficient. Moreover, you should have the ability to listen for that long. Only when the student is ready, the master can teach. The Guru is eternally ready to teach provided the student shows inclination towards listening and learning. Krishna taught each and every time Arjuna asked, irrespective of the time, location and the situation. He never even once said, -‘this is not the right time. I shall teach later.’ Whenever the disciple faces a spiritual doubt, the Guru clarifies. this is the wonderful relationship that they both share. The student also should take initiative and ask relevant questions. He should not be careless or negligent. If he gives lame excuses or blames his master then he cannot be helped.

Hanuman had in him the burning desire to eternally complete his master’s errands. As this enthusiasm was deeply ingrained within him, the eagerness would rush forth from him. This deep-rooted enthusiasm accompanied by his firm determination that only dharma (righteousness) should eternally prevail, has bestowed him with an agile and alert intellect. They have ensured that his intellect (buddhi) does not turn inert or lazy (jada). His intellect is eternally alert in the waking state as he does not know when he would be assigned the next task.

Hanuman displayed great eloquence (vak paṭutvam) in His speech when He met the brothers Rama and Lakshmana for the first time. Unlike Sugriva, He did not have any apprehensions about Rama and Lakshmana. Due to selfishness, Sugriva was worried that Rama and Lakshmana were magicians deputed to kill him and hence he feared them.  Hanuman, on the other hand, was undoubtedly sure that it was His master who had arrived. From their appearance, way of walking, shadow, way of speech and so on, Hanuman identified them.

Hanuman undoubtedly was an orator par excellence. When he addressed Rama and Lakshmana for the very first time, His words were grammatically perfect (without any grammatical error), peaceful, pleasant, captivating, soft and warm. Not everyone possesses this art of speaking pleasantly.

Om Namo Hanumate Namaha.