On the day of the historic Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir Bhoomipujan there was a cacophony of News channels all over the television.

English and Hindi – all kinds of news channels with their deracinated reporters going crazy to report this beautiful event in a manner to gain more viewership.

That’s when I heard one reporter say this while covering the Hanuman Mandir in Hanumangadhi, en route to the Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir: “The reason why Hanuman ji is prayed to first before proceeding to Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir is that Hanuman ji was Lord Rama’s favorite devotee because he was intelligent and not a blind devotee. Hanuman ji’s intelligence can be gauged by the decision he took single-handedly to burn down Lanka without consulting anyone, not even Lord Rama!”

This is what exactly is wrong with us today – Ill-informed, sickular angrezi logic explanations with absolutely no understanding of our Itihaasa or spiritual knowledge.

One should also recollect in the same vein, the slamming of Manusmriti day in and day out by ‘woke’ liberals, Islamists, Marxists and Communists and this too is an example of this illiteracy and pea-brainedness prevalent in our country towards our heritage, knowledge systems and culture.

So, coming back to that reporter, what did her statement on Hanuman ji mean exactly? A few inferences:

1. That if we are to be considered intelligent bhakts we need to not seek spiritual guidance from our Bhagwaans and Devis?

2. Bhakti is blind and unintelligent majorly?

3. Sri Rama prefers ‘intelligent’ bhakts and is partial?

4. That not asking/consulting with one’s seniors or gurus or inner self is to be equated with intelligence?

5. Hanuman ji’s intelligence is to be gauged from him not consulting with Sri Rama?

This is exactly the reason why the Valmiki Ramayana needs to be made compulsory in all educational institutions and families should take up responsibility of reading it at home regularly again like earlier times.

The Valmiki Ramayana has all the answers to these questions and also proves that Bhakti itself is needed to open up all our mental and spiritual faculties which brings us in sync with the universe and the supreme knowledge that leads one to highest intelligence.

Hanuman ji was born from Vayu dev or the Wind God so he was a Dev Putra just like the Pandavas. He is described as an extremely active child having tremendous energy, so much so that he swallowed the Sun God one day thinking it was a ripe fruit when he was extremely hungry leading to a solar eclipse.

The rishis one day out of exasperation told him to forget all his powers till he is reminded of it for a special task by a special man – who would be an avatar of Lord Vishnu.

Hanuman ji as he grows up becomes the knower of all Vedas and their subsidiary scriptures, a scholar in the nine schools of grammar and is described as a supreme scholar, teacher and cleverest of the clever in the Valmiki Ramayana.

Hanuman ji before meeting Sri Rama was the Chief Minister of Sugreeva’s Kingdom and is his principle adviser as he is perfectly articulate. Sugreeva sends him to converse with Sri Rama upon spotting him approaching his Kingdom. Hanuman ji disguises himself as a sannyasi/Brahmin and meets them and mesmerizes Sri Rama with his articulation and knowledge and pleasant speech. Sri Rama even states to Lakshmana that if a king has such knowledgeable and intelligent Ministers then there can be no objective left unfulfilled of his.

On the other hand, Hanuman ji effectively and immediately gauges Sri Rama’s valor, balanced-mind as well as strategic thought process along with a staunch upholder of promises made during the conversation and strikes a deal with Sri Rama to help Sugreeva regain his kingdom from Vali.

And once that was accomplished, Hanuman ji was assigned the task of locating Ma Sita by Sugreeva and to lead his army to rescue her by helping Sri Rama.

Hanuman ji was forever connected with Sri Rama in his heart and soul because he was holder of Ashta siddhi and nau nidhi which we mere mortals can never understand or make sense of with our colonially deracinated minds. That’s why he always chanted ‘Jai Sri Rama’ before undertaking even the smallest of actions.

All the events of Ramayana thereafter instill a deep respect in Hanuman ji’s mind and heart for Sri Rama who displayed unseen qualities and conduct even in the toughest of times – Never afraid of insult and never swayed by praise! A tapasvi Prince, always sweet natured, extremely intelligent, dhaarmic, patient and calm but fierce and valiant warrior in the battle and the best King! A true upholder of Dharma at all times!

This led to Hanuman ji becoming an unflinching bhakt of Sri Rama forever.

And the rest is of course our glowing Itihaasa in the complete Ramayana.

There is not a single bhakt or bhaktan of Lord Rama in the Ramayan whether Shabri or Ahalya or the Vanaras or Sugreeva blindly following anyone or anything. All of them have met Sri Rama, had discussions with him, discussed strategies with him, worked with him and during all of this became enamored with his charismatic characteristics, conduct, knowledge and valor leading to them turning his bhakts and accepting Sri Rama as their guide and guru forever.

So, andh and bhakt are two words that only idiots will use together because it is as oxymoronic as brains and deracinated minds of today’s population.

We are all intelligent people, and in order to channel that intelligence one needs to have spiritual enlightenment and guidance too which is achieved through Bhakti.

Just like Caste and Religion are not equivalent to Dharma and Varna, similarly Devotion is not the equivalent to Bhakti. And it is high time we understand this.

Stupid acts of becoming boot-lickers or sycophants and Yes Men of people in Power for selfish and vested interests is not akin to Bhakti in any which way and this is hence proved by the above write up.

Bhakti is sharing oneself with the divine, is Nishkaam – it is not for any selfish or material motive, it is pure and reverent, inculcates Vairaagya, leading to right conduct and intelligence, destroys lust, leads to universal connect, dispels darkness and all kinds of blindness whether physical or spiritual, makes us realise our real goal is to attain moksha, just like how Hanuman ji rediscovered his forgotten powers once he became a ‘bhakt’ of Sri Rama and with Sri Rama’s ring in his mouth he flew over the mightiest of seas and he is a Chiranjeevi, attained moksha, he does not take birth or perish.

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