Prayers to Hanuman

ॐ
जय श्रीराम। हनुमते नमः।

Since quite a few years now, since I took to Hanuman chAlisA, I have been chanting the same along with a couple of other stotras daily, at least once. As I remember, there have been three occasions when this routine was broken and Hanumanji has been very kind on me by reminding me one way or the other all three times.

One time, I was at home going through a bad phase with a series of health issues not permitting me to do my daily rituals for a length of time. The least I used to do is chant some stotras with bath and later. That too, including chAlisA, I had forgotten for a few days. During the time, I dreamt through an afternoon nap that Hanumanji was sitting right on the window next to my bed and my thigh was bleeding with jets of blood! I was praying to him when I woke up and immediately continued my stotras.

Another time was at Parthi, when three of us were staying in a lodge, rushing our baths for an early darshan of Swami. Both my friends had gone ahead to the darshan hall and I was hurrying. Due to speed baths, I had missed out chAlisA for a day or two. It was pouring and the lane had flooded. I was somehow manoeuvering via corners to keep my white clothes clear of mud, when I felt something splat on my lower arm! I was wondering what happened. Lo and behold! There was a monkey sitting right above on some cables running across buildings, throwing dung!! I went back, had a bath and resumed chAlisA.

 The hat trick was yesterday, when I was late for Gurukulam class in the morning and might have dropped a few stotras. In the evening, I got pulled in after class in the library for some seva and couldn't return till post-dinner, thereby the chants getting dropped yet again. Towards the early morning, I had a dream that I was sitting at AVG Dakshinamurti temple with a group and led the entire chAlisA chanting with tAla, remembering each dohA in vivid detail! This time Hanuman's blessings were in much better form. :)

ಜಯ ಹನುಮತ್ರಾಯಾ ಬಲಭೀಮಾ.
हनुमते नमो नमः॥

ॐ तत् सत्॥
श्रीधरपादुकार्पणमस्तु॥

It cannot be experienced

ॐ 

Some say it cannot be experienced, while some others say it cannot be known through words. Both views have their source in the Shruti statement-- यतो वाचो निवर्तन्ते अप्राप्य मनसा सह। From where, the words along with the mind, withdraw/ return.

The former part of the statement is understood in the following manner. Most of the Shruti words try to explain that which is said to be beyond words. The contradiction is apparent here; and such contradiction needs to be handled by a shrotriya Guru so that the seeker understands and perceives the truth as it is, resolving the contradiction. The contradiction in trying to say something that is beyond words is resolved by using what is the intended meaning of the words, लक्ष्यार्थः, and not the literal meaning of the word, वाच्यार्थः। The Occam's razor is useless in this case, since the direct meaning cannot hold when the Shruti says "You are That (Ishvara)", तत् त्वम् असि since Ishvara has all unlimited qualities while the individual is limited in all ways. You have to fall back on analysis the way सोऽयम् देवदत्ता is understood with जहल्लजहल्लक्षणम्। What is common between the two is what is meant in the equation.

The difficulty of those treading the path of knowledge lies with the latter-- experience, अनुभवः। If it is beyond the mind, then it is that which is beyond the experience; such is the conclusion. It is that due to which all experiences are possible or it is that which is present in each experience. However, that is true in case of words and all other senses too. It is that which makes the words possible, the word of the words, ear of the ears, eye of the eyes, etc, says Shruti. Then why do we have to single out experience alone? Here also, some analysis is required as to its not being objectifiable makes it inexperiencable; it is the very experience of the experiences. We have to use tools that are at our disposal and we have only अन्तःकरणम् as the tool that makes up the intellect, mind, memory and ego.

When we say that it has to be understood through words, we don't have to throw away the mind, memory and ego as useless for the pursuit. The ego is what makes us pursue the path, without which there would be no individuality and therefore nothing to pursue! The memory is what helps us get any knowledge via the six means of knowledge, without which no knowledge would be possible! The mind is that which makes वृत्तिs possible, without which nothing can ever be understood! Why, even self-knowledge is known *only* via a वृत्तिः known as अखण्डाकारवृत्तिः which unlike other वृत्तिs is without फलव्याप्तिः but nonetheless a वृत्तिः। As such, mind is a useful tool, inclusive of its अनुभवs, a pointer through which we can get back to the source of all experiences, knowledges, senses, undoubtedly the source of everything.

ॐ तत् सत्।

श्रीधरपादुकार्पणमस्तु।