CHAPTER 40 : THE BLISSFUL DAYS IN AYODHYA (Continued)

Hanumanji walked upstairs to the terrace at the top floor of the palace overlooking the waves of the river Sarayu and the nearby groves. It was a beautiful moonlit night, and Hanumanji took a seat and started finger-snapping to the rhythm of the chants of the Holy Name of Sri Sita Ram.

Night vigil was no problem for Him. The problem was how to save Oneself from failing in One's duty. So Hanumanji thought of a plan. Even if Sri Ram yawns in His bedroom, Hanumanji would already be doing mantra and finger snapping for Him, and He could easily do it for the whole night. That was easy for Him.

But very soon a great problem arose in the palace. The gatekeepers became restless and the maidservants began to run all over the palace. Soon all three mothers were called, all three brothers came, a few ministers came, and ultimately the Royal physician was called, but he could not understand the disease.

All of them were sitting and lamenting, while surrounding Sri Ram, Who was sitting on an elevated chair. His mouth was wide-open and He was unable to close it. He was not able to speak or convey anything. It was as if His mouth was forcibly kept open by some invisible power.

Nobody understood what the matter was and there was no limit to the anxiety of Lakshmana, Bharata and Satrughnaji. Empress Sita had tears pouring from her eyes and her face became very red. At last Lakshmana rushed to the hermitage of the spiritual master Brahmarshi Vasistha.

Immediately the master came in his chariot. He hurriedly climbed the stairs. Sri Ram saw him from a distance and He stood up, walked out and offered His obeisances -His mouth remained open all the while.

The master blessed Him and felt very sorry to see His condition. Such a handsome Figure, a great Warrior, a most successful Emperor. What great love He had for religion and the spiritual master. What wrong today had happened to His mouth? The tears came to his eyes. He asked all to sit in their places and then he asked the Empress Sita about the matter.

"I am extremely sorry, Master, I will never complain again in my life," Empress Sita said sobbing."We had just taken off our Royal dress, washed our feet, hands and face, and we were wearing our night clothes, desiring to relax.

"Somehow the memories arose in my mind of those days when I used to pass my days and nights sighing and sobbing under the tree in Lanka. The remembrance of my Lord alone was the reason for my survival. I was tormented, and now today I feel that Sri Ram was not so uncomfortable without me. He killed Ravana just to save the dignity of His race and my deliverance was optional.

"It was not the main concern, so tonight I was mad at Him and I said, `You don't know love till You possess such loving features that everybody that looks at You begins to love You -You never bother for anybody else's love. When I was abducted and alone, I was so tormented and You came comfortably at Your own time. I even heard that You were playing with Ravana in the battlefield. Why didn't You burn him with one single arrow? If You had possessed any love for me then You would have done it. Where is love in You?'

"Here in Ayodhya also, You are always busy with Your state affairs, Your ideals, and Your morals. Everyday, this rishi is coming, that philosopher is coming -You are inaugurating some fire sacrifice, discussing urgent materials and all sorts of business. You never seem to have time for me. Where is love in You, I wonder?

"Sri Ram wanted to reply but His mouth suddenly fell open and it has remained open ever since. I had hoped that it happened due to His being shocked by my sharp words, so I repented. But all in vain because the Lord is the same. What has happened to His mouth? Master, please save the Emperor?"

Vasistha Maharishi heard everything silently and looking through the deep agony over-shadowing all the faces, he suddenly, as if remembering something, looked left and right and said,

"I do not see Hanumanji here. Where is He?"

Empress Sita became alert, Lakshmana began to recall, and Bharata asked Shatrughna to send all the attendants to find Hanumanji. Everyone was calling while searching for Him.

"Hanumanji where are You, our master is awaiting You. The Lord wants You. How can You be absent?"

As soon as Hanumanji heard Himself called, He rushed down the stairs but He kept right on snapping His fingers. He arrived at the gate, and this time the gatekeepers did not stop Him, but welcomed Him with warm

words and said,

"Please come in. Everybody is waiting for You."

Hanumanji entered and fell down prostrate at the feet of the master. He stopped His finger-snapping for it was no longer required now that Sri Ram was standing in front of Him. As Hanumanji prostrated, Sri Ram's mouth became all right.

"What happened to You?" Vasistha Maharishi questioned Sri Ram.

"Nothing, Gurudev," Sri Ram replied.

"Nothing happened?" Empress Sita's surprising words echoed in the apartment. "Your mouth stayed wide open. You weren't able to talk and I was terribly frightened, all the mothers were scared, the master was called, and You say nothing happened to You!"

"This morning Hanumanji was given the duty of finger-snapping for My yawning. It had another aspect also, and that was when Hanumanji would snap His fingers, I would definitely be in the middle of a yawn."

Ram continued. "Ram never entertains any schizophrenic, wavering relationships. Ram keeps afar from fickle personalities. Whenever, and with whomsoever He deals with and tackles, are persons of great depth. Hanumanji is a deepest possible depth of heart. To say truly, He is a bottomless abyss and His relationship with Me is an expression of those infinite depths which have layers after layers -unfathomable. In such a relationship, Ram and Hanumanji are interconnected, intertwined, eternally embraced. So also His snapping and My yawning are inter-linked. If My yawning is broken, left split, where is Ram then? -What is the meaning of love then?"

Sita's eyes became wide and full of joys and thrills. Hanumanji thrilled and clasped the feet of Sri Ram. Vasistha Maharishi looked at Shatrughna and the competitive parties all became very shy.

"Hanumanji, You needn't do that snapping business anymore. You serve Your Emperor as before," Sita said, as she tore into pieces the paper dividing the services.

Everybody shouted, "All glories to Sri Hanumanji."