VIRTUES OF DEVOTION AND LOYALTY

                                    VIRTUES OF DEVOTION AND LOYALTY

The description of the heroic deeds of Hanuman in the Sunder Kanda commencing from his flight from Mahendra Mountain and ending with his return after a successful expedition shows not only the adventurous spirit of Hanuman but also ethics of devotion to duty and loyalty to his master. Hanumana calls himself as the servant of Rama and proudly proclaims in the Rama assembly, “I am a servant of Rama, the king of Kosala.” Ethically speaking Hanumana’s devotion to Rama is not because Rama is God but because Rama is righteous. Hanumana is characterized as one of the brightest characters in the epic. Though he is a monkey his learning is by far superior to man and his pursuit of values is exceptional. His virtue of gratitude motivates him to remind Sugriva of his commitment to Rama in reciprocation to Rama’s killing of Vali. He is a conscience keeper of Sugriva and intervenes to save Sugriva, when Lakshmana arrives in Sugriva’s palace in a furious state of mind. He joins Sugriva in pacifying Lakshmana. When Vali is dead he consoles the members of his family with tender words.  Hanuman proves himself to be a loyal servant of Rama whenever Rama wanted any help from him and his loyalty is too well known that it is sung in Indian legends through ages. Loyalty is devotion of a person to a cause. Hanumana accepts the most hazardous task of finding out Sita and he stakes his own life while executing it. With a single minded devotion to his duty he sets out with a strong determination to find her out and vows not to return back if he fails in his search for Sita. Rama compliment that no God or Man or Sage that has ever been born into this world has been such a benefactor to me as you. What service can I do for you in return? Upon reflection Ram has come to the conclusion that Rama cannot repay Hanuman’s deed. Finally, Rama raised Hanuman and clasped him to heart with deep hug.

The deliberations that go on in the mind on seeing Sita in a desolate condition show how careful he was in meeting her who was completely unknown to him. He has to fill confidence in her in that hostile atmosphere as she was surrounded by demonesses in her confinement. His deliberations form one of the finest pieces of psychological and moral import. His self analysis is an excellent example of his capacity of deliberation before taking decisions.

Hanuman say to have made an ethical error when he offered to carry Sita away from the palace of imprisonment. He demonstrates his prowess before Sita and assures that he can do the job without any risk. But the moral question is ‘is it proper that Sita should flee with an unknown monkey?’ She therefore disapproves of this as morally incorrect. She refuses to come in physical contact with a stranger. This principle of Sita is rooted in the Indian tradition which considers it a great virtue for a woman devoted to husband and upholding character as to avoid physical contact with any adult male other than her husband. When we analyse the state of Hanumana’s mind we realize that his concern is to somehow free her from that place. Rama’s compliments to him when he returns after completing his expedition have a great ethical significance. He says that a servant who is appointed to do a difficult task will be called a great person if he accomplished the assigned work with affection for the master. Hanumana exhibits his virtues of dutifulness again and again.