Prema Pandurang - the lip-stick wearing Harikatha exponent - English professor from Chennai - founder of Kshetropasana - giving a 5 lecture series on Hanuman in Hyderabad from 27th to 31st Jan.2010.
First day lecture :
Sangeeta Reddy - Director of Apollo Hospitals was the Chief Guest introducing the speaker.
She said Hanumanji is the Prana that connects Jeevatma with Paramatma - Sita to Rama - bridging the body to the soul. How Hanuman is made to be the son of Vayu - showing that Pranavayu is the one that connects soul to body...
Prema Pandurang - kept singing and getting emotional - I was wondering whether she was dramatising or really getting emotional talking about Rama - some part looked like drama ( where you understand that the person is just acting and not really doing whatever she is doing).
She spoke about the 16 characteristic features of Rama, the God who came as a human being.
Sangeeta Reddy's speech was much better than the main speaker was the impression I got!
Second day:
Finally she manages to start the story of Ramayana and comes upto Kishkinda Kandam, paving way for Hanumanji's entry in to the lecture series.
Points that I liked:
Hanuman is ready to scold his master Sugreeva on hearing that Sugreeva thinks of Rama and Lakshmana as spies of Vali. He did not stop criticising his boss when the boss's poor imagination and fear got revealed.
Hanuman goes as a Sanyasin to meet the Ayodhya brothers, as he feels that they are good but wants to be cautious. As people do not lie to Sanyasins, Hanuman goes as a Sanyasi to them so that he can get the correct information back to his boss after the meeting. But Rama realises that a sanyasin cannot be wandering in Rishyamukha parvata and doubts the costume...
Hanuman's humble introduction of his boss and himself is highly appreciated by Rama. Sita has never been openly appreciated by Rama in whole of Ramayana, but Rama verbally appreciates Hanuman by way of talking to Lakshmana.
Rama follows the protocol of not addressing Hanuman directly, but gives his approval of Hanuman by way of talking to Lakshmana on Hanuman's speech.
This part has to be read and re-read by all those who want to be good speakers, ambassadors, public relations persons. A big kudos to Valmiki for such wonderful thoughts.
Hanuman's humility is infecting the anger-prone Lakshmana also and he talks sweet words to Hanuman.
Hanuman makes the friendship between Vanaras and Prince possible by taking the Ayodhya brothers on his shoulders to Sugreeva - and the friendship is confirmed by way of lighting of Agni and going round that - like how it is done in a marriage - Hanuman starts his Uniting business with Ram,Lakshman and Sugreeva.
I am humbled... I was not one of the appreciative audience till then. Now I understand her knowledge in Ramayana, Sanskrit and English. I am still wondering whether she is really getting emotional or she is pretending. Out of 2 hours time for the lecture, nearly 30 minutes is spent ( 1/4th) on rituals like Arti, Pooja etc. and the real lecture time gets reduced to roughly 30 minutes as the balance 90 minutes are also spent on various bhajans - all composed by her - very sad that not a single Telugu Bhajan or Keerthanam from Thyagarja or Annamayya when she is lecturing in Hyderabad - the capital of Andhra Pradesh ( till date). I feel that speakers should be sensitive to audience!
She spent good time explaining the good fortune of Jatayu for having Rama to cremate him, which was not granted even to Dasaratha, his own father. Sampati's grief on hearing Jatayu's death and his performing a snanam ( bath) in the ocean for his brother and offering of water with his beak for Jatayu - very eloquently and in an emotion-charged voice all these scenes were depicted by Prema Pandurang.
Third day lecture:
Today Sundara Kandam started. I am waiting to hear the part where Hanuman's starting his leap to Lanka is described by Valmiki. I remember it going very scientific and logical - the size of Hanuman, the force with which he kicks the mountain to take the leap and the effect of it on the mountain ( mahendra giri) and on the living creatures hidden in the Mahendra parvatam. Lo... nothing of that was talked about. She went straight to Mainakam, sagara, the rakshasi catching Hanuman's shadow etc. etc.
What I liked was the way she described the obstacles as Satvic ( mainakam), rajasik (Simhika) and Tamasic ( Surasa). That is an intelligent way of analysing the obstacles in the path of the Guru who is uniting Jeevatma with Paramatma. I liked it!
Hanuman is in Lanka now and he gives one blow to Lanka Rakshasi and goes ahead. I remember our grand mother calling us Lanka Rakshasi when we used to walk or talk in an unfeminine way! Fun to be a Lanka Rakshasi!!
Ravana's soundaryam, his pushpaka vimanam, Mandori - she explained well.
The great Hanuman gets into depression as he is not able to locate Sita. How even Hanuman goes on having negative thoughts - what if he does not spot her - he will not go back - Angadha would die as Hanuman does not return - then Sugreeva would die - then Rama and Lakshmana would die - then Bharatha and Shatrughan would die - then all the queen mothers would die - the vanaras would die - the people of Ayodhya would die - He goes on like this and then stops himself from further (deathly) thoughts by reciting the famous Namostu Ramaya shloka. He offers his pranams to Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, and all Gods guarding the Universe and lo - he spots Asoka Vatika with all the beautiful trees, flowers etc.
There he spots one lonely lady sitting and he knows instinctively that it has to be Sita mata. The courage of Sita in taking all the loneliness, the depressing atmosphere was described so well. I always have this soft corner for Rama and Hanuman and never spent much time thinking of Sita... She was someone who suffers and I do not like suffering - hence never thought about her so much. Now I realised, how foolish of me not to give her the due credit. Yes, it requires a lot of boldness, bravery to stand the miseries in life and be there to fight it in the right way - not hurting anyone - but saving oneself. The word BRAVE used by Prema Pandurang on Sita made me think - thanks to Prema Pandurang for kindling this thought in me!
Now, I got a thought like a flash - I do not know whether anyone else has thought in these lines - let me put it down now... what follows is totally my thought - nothing from Prema Pandurang's lecture :-)After hearing to Hanuman's humility, how can I say that I got this idea?? Mother Sita must have put this thought into me today....
As Sita is the Universal mother and as she knew that Vishnu has come as Rama to kill Ravana and establish Dharma, may be Mother Sita thought that she should try her best to stop killing of Ravana and give him sadbuddhi and at the same time help restore Dharma. A mother is always merciful ( than the father); even if the child is misbehaving, she tries and goes on trying to correct the erring child with good words and gives all possible opportunity for the child to come back to good path.
Hence, may be Sita ordained herself to be taken away to Lanka even before Rama could come there. Otherwise, Rama could have come up with other ways of annihilating Ravana and bringing Dharma back to earth. I felt that Sita planned it this way - she took the trouble of going to Ravana's place and underwent all the trouble and went on preaching Ravana the right Dharma or the way to be. Otherwise, when Kakasura's simple act was punished by her through Rama, why will she even allow herself to be abducted by Ravana. I am sure it is Her WISH to go to Lanka and talk to Ravana and help him avoid death and misfortune.
Even in the last scene where he comes to threaten her with death in the next 2 months if she does not concede, she puts a blade of grass in between herself and Ravana and tells him - look at your beautiful queens the way you look at me - she tells him that he cannot think of her in the way he is thinking of her, as she is the mother.
I felt that, Sita, the mother wanted to protect Ravana - her child - from Rama's arrows and tries her best to put him back to his original goodness. Though he was arrogant, troublesome to Devas ( which made them go to Mahavishnu requesting Him to bring an end to Ravana's ways) he is a Chaturvedi, a great exponent of Veena, so strong that he could move Kailasha with his bare arms and a great devotee of Shiva. Hence Sita must have thought of helping him even at this juncture and conjured up a way to be in Lanka before Rama and talk to him in person.
When a child does something wrong and when the mother knows it, her first reaction would be to save the child from the wrath of the father, and then to correct the child in her own sweet way. I think 99% children respond and that is why God created a person called mother for everyone born in the earth.
When that is the rule for mortals like us, why Ravana has to be killed without giving him a chance must have crossed Mother Sita's mind. Hence she took the trouble of getting abducted by him - otherwise, I donot think she is foolish to want a golden deer and send away Lakshmana with harsh words. She risks being called foolish, riks being called as thoughtless with these acts and still takes the big leap of reaching Lanka with Ravana who needs correction. I call that as bravery. I salute you Sita. You are a true mother. Never mind the abuse you got by asking for a deer or scolding Lakshmana with harsh words or crossing that famed Lakshman-rekha - your goal was to reach Ravana before Rama and try to SAVE him by CORRECTING him through dialogue. A very big salute to you Sita. I think I understand you now much better at my age and as a mother myself. I want to give more respect and love to you than I reserve for Rama. Jai Sita and then Jai Sita Ram!
