Māta Sīta’s Opinion of Hanumān

ಹನುಮಂತನ ಬಗೆಗೆ, ತಾಯಿ ಸೀತಾದೇವಿಯ ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯ :

ಈಗ್ಗೆ ಕೆಲವು ದಿನಗಳ ಹಿಂದೆಯಷ್ಟೇ, ರಾಮಾಯಣದ ಕಿಷ್ಕಿಂದಾಕಾಂಡದ ಒಂದು ಪ್ರಸಂಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ರಭು ರಾಮಚಂದ್ರ, ಹನುಮಂತನ "ಸಂವಹನ ಕೌಶಲ್ಯದ ಬಗೆಗೆ" ಕೊಂಡಾಡಿದ್ದನ್ನು ನಾವೆಲ್ಲ ನೋಡಿದ್ದೇವೆ. ಇದೀಗ, ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಮುಖದಿಂದ ಸುಂದರಕಾಂಡದ ಪ್ರಸಂಗವನ್ನೊಮ್ಮೆ ನೋಡೋಣ ... ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಹನುಮಂತನನ್ನು ಎದುರಾಗುವ ದೇಶ-ಕಾಲಗಳು ಬೇರೆ ಬೇರೆ, ಸಂಪರ್ಕಿಸಿದ ಪ್ರಸಂಗ ಹಾಗು ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಗಳು ಕೂಡ ಬೇರೆ ಬೇರೆ, ಆದರೆ ಹನುಮಂತನ ಬಗೆಗಿನ ಅಭಿಪ್ರಾಯ ಮಾತ್ರ ಬೇರೆಯಲ್ಲ.  

ತ್ವಾಂ ದೃಷ್ಟ್ವಾ ಪ್ರಿಯವಕ್ತಾರಂ ಸಂಪ್ರಹೃಷ್ಯಾಮಿ ವಾನರ ।
ಅರ್ಧಸಂಜಾತಸ್ಯೇವ ವೃಷ್ಟಿಂ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ಯ ವಸುಂಧರಾ ॥ ೫-೪೦-೨ ॥

ವಾನರ = ಓ ಹನುಮಂತನೇ !  ತ್ವಾಂ ದೃಷ್ಟ್ವಾ = ನಿನ್ನನ್ನು ನೋಡಿ ; ಪ್ರಿಯವಕ್ತಾರಂ = ನಿನ್ನ ಆಪ್ಯಾಯಮಾನವಾದ ಮಾತುಗಳನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿ ; ಸಂಪ್ರಹೃಷ್ಯಾಮಿ = ನಾನು ಆನಂದ ಪರವಶಳಾಗಿದ್ದೇನೆ ; ಅರ್ಧಸಂಜಾತಸ್ಯೇವ = ಆಗಷ್ಟೇ ಬೀಜ ಮೊಳಕೆಯೊಡೆದು ಭೂಮಿಯಿಂದ ಟಿಸಿಲೊಡೆದು ಬಂದಂಥ ಎಳೆ ಬೆಳೆಗೆ ; ವೃಷ್ಟಿಂ ಪ್ರಾಪ್ಯ ವಸುಂಧರಾ = ಧರೆಗಿಳಿದ ಮಳೆ ಸಂತಸವನ್ನೀಯುವಂತೆ (ನಿನ್ನ ಮಾತು ಆನಂದ ತಂದಿದೆ)....

ಸೀತೆ ಹೇಳಿದ ಮಾತಿದು : "ಓ ಹನುಮಂತನೇ! ನಿನ್ನನ್ನು ಕಂಡು, ನಿನ್ನ ಮಧುರವಾದ ಮಾತುಗಳನ್ನು ಕೇಳಿ, ನನ್ನಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಳಲಾರದಷ್ಟು ಸಂತೋಷ ಉಕ್ಕಿಬರುತ್ತಿದೆ  ... ಅದು ಮಳೆಯ ಸಿಂಚನದಿಂದ,  ಅರ್ಧ ಮೊಳಕೆಯೊಡೆದ ಚಿಗುರಿನ ಮೇಲೆ ಮೂಡಿಬರುವ ಸಂತೋಷದ ಅಲೆಗಳ ಹಾಗೆ ....”

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Sometime back, we discussed the communication skills of Hanumān, as expressed by Lord Śrī Rāma in Kiśkindha Kāṅḍa. Here’s a view from Sundara Kāṅḍa. The countries are different, scenario is different, Hanumān’s viewers (judges) are different, but the opinion is undivided! 

  

त्वां दृष्ट्वा प्रियवक्तारं संप्रहृष्यामि वानर |
अर्ध सम्जात सस्य इव वृष्टिं प्राप्य वसुंधरा || ५-४०-२ ||

Tvāṁ dr̥ṣṭvā priyavaktāraṁ saṁprahr̥ṣyāmi vānara |
ardha samjāta sasya iva vr̥ṣṭiṁ prāpya vasuṁdharā || 5-40-2 ||

वानर (vānara) = O Hanumān!; दृष्ट्वा (dr̥ṣṭvā) = seeing; त्वां (tvāṁ) = you; प्रियवक्तारं (priyavaktāraṁ) = utter pleasant words; संप्रहृष्यामि (saṁprahr̥ṣyāmi) = I am overjoyed; वसुंधरा इव (vasuṁdharā iva) = as a field; अर्ध सम्जात सस्य (ardha samjāta sasya) = with half-sprouted crop of grain; (is over-joyed); प्राप्य इव (prāpyēva) = on receiving; वृष्टिं (vr̥ṣṭiṁ) = a shower of rain.

"O Hanumān! Seeing you, and listening to your pleasant words, I am as unbounded with joy as a field jostling with half-sprouted crop of grain, that is exhilarated on receiving a shower of rain."

(Contributors: Shri Harish B S Kannada/ Shri Prasad B S English/ Devanagari) 

Qualities of a good speaker: Śrī Rāma's appreciation of Hanumān

Ślōkas from Kiṣkindhā Kānḍa, Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa

Brief background of how Hanumān met with Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa for the first time:

Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa enter Kiṣkindhā forest enroute Lanka in search of Sītā. Sugrīva who has been banished by his brother Vāli, is hiding in Kiṣkindhā and he spots the Rāma / Lakṣmaṇa duo. Sugrīva mistakes them to be spies or agents of Vāli and sends Hanumān to find out their credentials.

Hanumān on first sight recognizes the divinity in the two and talks to them endearingly from the word go. Post his pleasant enquiries, Lord Rāma sums up his thoughts of Hanumān in the following beautiful ślōkas. Read on -

न अन् ऋग्वेद विनीतस्य न अऽऽयजुर्वेद धारिणः ।

न अऽऽसाम वेद विदुषः शक्यं एवं विभाषितुम् ॥ ४-३-२८ ॥

Na an r̥gvēda vinītasya na a̕̕yajurvēda dhāriṇaḥ |

na a̕̕sāma vēda viduṣaḥ śakyaṁ ēvaṁ vibhāṣitum || 4-3-28 ||

न (na) = not; अन् ऋग्वेद विनीतस्य (an r̥gvēda vinītasya) = non, R̥g Vēda, knower of; न (na) = not; अऽऽयजुर्वेद धारिणः (a̕̕yajurvēda dhāriṇaḥ) = non, Yajur Vēda, remembering; na = not; न अऽऽसाम वेद विदुषः (na a̕̕sāma vēda viduṣaḥ) = non, Sāma Vēda, scholar; शक्यं (śakyaṁ) = possible; एवं विभाषितुम् (ēvaṁ vibhāṣitum) = this way, truly, to speak.

"One who is not well versed/ proficient in R̥k, Yajur or Sāma Vēda would not be able to speak in such a remarkable manner.” [4-3-28]

Lord Rāma thereby acknowledges that the knowledge level of Hanumān is of a high order and that his eloquence is thereby brilliant.

नूनं व्याकरणं कृत्स्नं अनेन बहुधा श्रुतम् ।

बहु व्याहरता अनेन न किंचित् अप शब्दितम् ॥ ४-३-२९ ॥

Nūnaṁ vyākaraṇaṁ kr̥tsnaṁ anēna bahudhā śrutam |

bahu vyāharatā anēna na kin̄cit apa śabditam ||4-3-29 ||

नूनं (Nūnaṁ) = definitely; अनेन (anēna) = by him; व्याकरणं कृत्स्नं (vyākaraṇaṁ kr̥tsnaṁ) = grammar, comprehensively; बहुधा श्रुतम् (bahudhā śrutam) = severally, heard [learnt]; बहु व्याहरता अनेन(bahu vyāharatā anēna) = much, said, by him; न किंचित् (na kin̄cit) = not, a single word; अप शब्दितम् (apa śabditam) = amiss, verbiage.

"It is certain that he has detailed and comprehensive knowledge of grammar and though he has spoken quite a bit, not a single word in his language is amiss.” [4-3-29]

Hanumān’s diction and speech delivery is meticulous and flawless!

न मुखे नेत्रयोः च अपि ललाटे च भ्रुवोः तथा ।

अन्येषु अपि च सर्वेषु दोषः संविदितः क्वचित् ॥ ४-३-३० ॥

Na mukhē nētrayōḥ ca api lalāṭē ca bhruvōḥ tathā |

an'yēṣu api ca sarvēṣu dōṣaḥ sanviditaḥ kvacit || 4-3-30 ||

मुखे नेत्रयोः च अपि (mukhē nētrayōḥ ca(vā) api) = on face, in eyes, or even; ललाटे (lalāṭē) = on forehead; तथा भ्रुवोः (tathā bhruvōḥ) = like that, on eyebrows; अन्येषु अपि च (an'yēṣu api ca) = other parts [of face,] even, also; सर्वेषु क्वचित् दोषः न संविदितः (sarvēṣu kvacit dōṣaḥ na sanviditaḥ) = in all [faculties,] at the least, fault, is not, found.

"On his face or eyes, or on forehead or brows, or on other faculties of expression no fault is found...even at the least... [4-3-30]

Hanumān is perfect in expression and body language!

अविस्तरं असंदिग्धं अविलम्बितं अव्यथम् ।

उरः स्थं कण्ठगं वाक्यं वर्तते मध्यमे स्वरम् ॥ ४-३-३१ ॥

Avistaraṁ asandigdhaṁ avilambitaṁ avyatham |

uraḥ sthaṁ kaṇṭhagaṁ vākyaṁ vartatē madhyamē svaram || 4-3-31||

वाक्यं (vākyaṁ) = [his] sentence; अविस्तरं (avistaraṁ) = un expanded; असंदिग्धं (asandigdhaṁ) = not doubtful; अविलम्बितं(avilambitaṁ) = non delaying; अव्यथम् (avyatham) = non dissonant; उरः स्थं कण्ठगं (uraḥ sthaṁ kaṇṭhagaṁ) = seated in chest, in throat; वर्तते मध्यमे स्वरम् (vartatē madhyamē svaram) = comports, [speech,] in medium, tone.

"Crisp, unequivocal, timely and harmonious is the tenor of his speech, and it springs forth from his chest and throat in a balanced tone!” [4-3-31]

Hanumān’s voice is mellifluous; intonation and tonal quality is supreme. Makes one long to hear him speak!

(More... Kannada Version follows)