Caupai 8-25       

Caupai 8: 
prabhu caritra sunibe ko rasiya /
ramalakhana sita mana basiya // 8 //
You (always take) delight in listening to the glories of Prabhu (Ramachandra) and you have Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Mother Sita residing (permanently) in your heart.

He takes great delight (rasiya) in listening to the glories of the Lord. Usually, this is not our nature. When a man becomes famous, he wants people to talk about his glory; he does not want to listen to the glories of others. He does not even want to talk about the Lord’s glories. But Sri Hanuman always revels in this joy and he is eager to hear people describe the character and valor of lord Rama. In Sri Hanuman’s heart, Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Mother Sita are ever established. They always dwell in his heart. It also means that Sri Hanuman lives in their heart too! Lord Rama represents Self-knowledge, Mother Sita represents devotion (bhaktih) and Lakshmana stands for sacrifice and dispassion (vairagya). In Sri Hanuman there is knowledge, devotion and dispassion, all of them in great measure!

Caupai 9: 
suksma rupadhari siyahin dikhava /
bikata rupadhari lanka jarava // 9 //

You assumed the minutest form (subtle form as small as an atom) when you revealed yourself to Mother Sita, and by assuming a fierce form, you burnt down (the city of) Lanka.

Sri Hanuman had the power to become small or big. When he went to meet Mother Sita, he became as small as a mosquito so he could approach her without being detected by the guards. In general, people who are big do not want to become small. They are too proud to do anything below their false ‘dignity’. But Sri Hanuman has no such ego. He does whatever is required to accomplish the Lord’s work. For him, the work is more important.

He assumed a huge form and destroyed and burnt Ravana’s Lanka. This has several meanings. One is that he destroyed Ravana’s places and forts. Lanka also represents the land of sense pleasures, material possessions, etc. during that time the people who lived there were mostly demons (asurah), i.e. those who think they are only the body. They do everything for the body’s comforts, sense pleasures, etc. so he destroyed the land of sensuality. He also had the right knowledge that, ‘I am not this body, I do not have to spend all my time taking care of this body’s pleasures and comforts.’ So, Sri Hanuman’s grace gives us true knowledge. This fire of Self-knowledge removes our body’ identification and attachment. Another fire is the fire of Mother Sita’s sorrow. It is said that when a noble person is tortured, the fire of his or her sorrow that arises cannot be quenched. The fire of Mother Sita’s sorrow burnt Lanka to ashes.

Caupai 10: 
bhima rupa dhari asura samhare /
ramacandra ke kaja samvare // 10 //

Assuming a dreadful form to destroy the demons, you accomplished the mission of Lord Rama.

Caupai 11: 
laya sanjivana lakhana jiyaye /
sri raghubira harasi ura laye // 11 //

You fetched sanjivani to revive Lakshmana (who had fainted on the battlefield) and made Lord Rama happily embrace you.

The arrow of Indrajit struck Lakshmana and Sri Hanuman brought the life-saving sanjivani plant that brought him back to life. Lord Rama was so delighted by this act that he embraced Sri Hanuman to His heart. It is evident that when the Lord embraces His devotee, He places His heart in the devotee’s heart. So if you want to find the Lord, you have to search for Him in the heart of a true devotee.

Caupai 12: 
raghupati kinhi bahuta badai /
tuma mama priya bharatahi sama bahi // 12 //

Lord Rama praised (you) very highly (and said), “You are as dear to me as my brother Bharata”.

Caupai 13: 
sahasa badana tumharo jasa gavan /
asa kahi sripati kantha lagavai // 13 //

Embracing you, Lord Rama Said, “Even Shesha, the thousand headed serpent sings your glory”

It is believed that everyone meditates on Lord Rama, but He meditates on Bharat, His younger brother. Bharata was so dear to Him. Lord Rama says, ‘I love you as much as my dear brother Bharata, whom I remember at all times with great love.’ asa kahi sripati kantha lagavai – sripatih or lakshmipatih refers to Lord Rama (Lakshmi’s consort being Lord Vishnu). He embraced Sri Hanuman to His heart and praised him.

Saint Tulsidas says, - sahasa badana tumharo jasa gavai – ‘The thousand-headed snake (sesah) is singing your glories and even a thousand mouths are not enough to sing your glories.’ Secondly sesah himself incarnated as Lakhmana and he always sang Sri Hanuman’s glories.

Caupai 14: 
sanakadika brahmadi munisa /
narada sarada sahita ahisa // 14 //

The (great) sages like Sanaka, etc., and gods like Brahma, Shesha (the King of Serpents) and Narada and goddess Sharada.

Caupai 15: 
jama kubera digapala jaha te /
kabi kobida kahi sake kaha te // 15 //

Yama – the god of death, Kubera – the god of wealth, the eight regents (of the directions), poets and scholars have not been able to praise you adequately.

The Sanat Kumars, Brahma, Indra, Vayu, Kubera (all the gods) and Sages also praise you. The great sages like Nrada, Sharada (sarasvati – goddess of Knowledge) all sing your glories. Yama, God of Death, Kubera, treasurer of gods, dik-palakah, guardian of all the directions, great poets, scholars, pundits – all praise you and sing your glories! These are inexhaustible, how can I enumerate them?

Caupai 16: 
tuma upakara sugrivahi kinha /
rama milaya rajapada dinha // 16 //

You helped Sugreeva in regaining his (lost) kingdom by making him meet Lord Rama.

Sugreeva was a monkey king. His brother Vali (also known as Bali) drove him out of the kingdom and became king. Sugreeva lived in Rishyamukh Mountain, fearing for his life. When Sugreeva saw Lord Rama and Lakshmana approaching, he was afraid and thought that they were sent by Bali to kill him. They looked so brave and brilliant. He started running away. At that time Sri Hanuman said, ‘Why don’t you find out who they are, before running away? Don’t asume that these mighty warriors are your enemies!’ Thus giving him courage, Sri Hanuman brought Lord Rama to Sugreeva and established friendship between them. Lord Rama then killed Bali and Sugreeva was crowned as the king of Kishkinda. Also by introducing Lord Rama to him, Hanuman gave the knowledge of Supreme Truth to Sugreeva, since the Absolute Reality is the Lord Himself! Sri Hanuman expects nothing for himself and he always remains as a servant of the Lord. This is the greatness of Sri Hanuman.

Caupai 17: 
tumaharo mantra bibhisana mana /
lankesvara bhaye saba jaga jana // 17 //

Vibheeshana heeded your advice. The entire world knows that he became the king of Lanka.

In this context, mantra means advice (mantrana). Sri Hanuman asked Vibheeshana (Ravana’s brother) to surrender to Lord Rama. No sooner Vibheeshana did that, Lord Rama appointed him as the king of Lanka. Lord Rama never asked Sugreeva or Vibheeshana to fulfil his task for crowning them as kings. All they had to do was surrender to the Lord and all glory was theirs. This shows that, by surrendering to Lord Rama, you get secular powers and liberation (moksah) too!

Caupai 18: 
juga sahasra jojana para bhanu /
lilyo tahi madhura phala janu // 18 //

You leaped quite easily at the Sun (who is) thousands of miles away thinking him to be a sweet fruit.

When Sri Hanuman was born, he saw the sun in the sky Thinking it to be a fruit, he flew towards it and swallowed it! Some people say that this is impossible. But he is the son of Wind God. The sun is fire and wind (vayuh) is the cause of fire. After all, fire merges into the air. So, why can’t air swallow the fire? This is a Vedantic principle. Further, Sri Hanuman is not an ordinary monkey. So why do we doubt his power? He had all the powers that ascetics (yogi-s) and gods have i.e., eight-fold powers and nine types of wealth (astasiddhi and navanidhi), which we shall see in a later verse. One more explanation for this is that a child’s mind is always pure and a child’s imagination runs very high. It always asks questions about the sun, the moon and the stars. How does it rain? Where did I come from? It does not ask questions about dollar and monkey until so, a child’s imagination runs as high as the sun. But as adults, we don’t want to answer his question and ask him to shut up. Similarly Lord Indra struck Sri Hanuman with his thunderbolt so that he would not fly high. That is why according to the story, the world became dark until Sri Hanuman released the sun.

Caupai 19: 
prabhu mudrika meli mukha mahi /
jaladhi lamghi gaye acaraja nahi // 19 //

Holding the Lord’s (Rama’s) ring in your mouth, you flew over (crossed) the ocean, which is no wonder (as you are capable of any achievement).

When all the monkeys went in search of Mother Sita they came to the vast ocean. On the other side was Lanka. They were not able to cross this ocean. Sri Hanuman put Lord Rama’s ring in his own mouth. With that, he was able to cross that vast ocean and reach Lanka. That is the power of the Lord’s name. Another spiritual meaning is that Mother Sita represents devotion (bhaktih) and to reach devotion or liberation (moksah) you have to cross this ocean. What is this ocean? The feeling that ‘I am this body (dehatmabhavah)’. This feeling is as difficult to get over as crossing an ocean. But chanting the lord’s name, we understand that we are not this body, and this way we cross this ocean of samsara (world). There is no doubt (acaraja nahi), that one can accomplish anything by chanting the Lord’s name and acting with full faith and devotion. Such people are not afraid of anything in this world.

Caupai 20: 
durgama kaja jagata ke jete /
sugama anugraha tumhare tete // 20 //

By your grace even the most difficult of tasks become easy to accomplish.

Whatever difficulties or obstacles you encounter in life, are overcome by the grace of Sri Hanuman. There are three kinds of people in this world.

1. Those who do not start any new project for fear of obstacles. They keep on imagining all kinds of problems and obstacles, hence they never get started.
2. Those who start a lot of projects, but the moment they encounter difficulty or resistance, they at once quit and move to another project.
3. Those who, when they encounter more obstacles, gain more enthusiasm and courage. Such people do not quit until their work is finished.

Sri Hanuman blesses the third type of people and makes their job easier. Even the most difficult task becomes easy to accomplish.

Caupai 21: 
rama duare tuma rakhavare /
hota no ajna binu paisare // 21 //
 
You guard the door (entry) to Lord Rama’s palace where none dare to enter (or go out) without your permission.

Caupai 22: 
Saba sukha lahai tumhari sarana /
Tuma racchaka kahu ko dara na // 22 //

All those who seek refuge in you enjoy every kind of happiness. Why should one be afraid of anything when you are there to protect?

Sri Hanuman is the ever-vigilant guard at the door of Shri Rama. That does not mean that he will prevent you from entering. On the contrary, he pulls people towards Lord Rama. That is his job. Due to this very reason, Sri Hanuman is dearer to Lord Rama, than even Lakshmana. Lord Rama said, ‘By his devotion Sri Hanuman inspires other people to love me and come towards me.’

Remember: tuma upakara sugrivahi kinha, tumharo mantra bibhisanamana – With the help of Sri Hanuman, Sugreeva regained his kingdom and Vibheeshana listened to his advice and took refuge in Lord Rama’s feet.

Any person can accomplish anything by chanting Sri Hanuman’s name that will make one brave and fearless, full of devotion, faith and powerful. Surrender to Sri Hanuman and you will get all his qualities. Also, Sri Hanuman will take you to Lord Rama (the Lord himself) which is the greatest goal of all human beings.

Caupai 23: 
apana teja samharo apai /
tino loka haka te kapai // 23 //

You alone are capable of controlling your power. All the three worlds tremble when you roar.

Caupai 24: 
buta pisaca nikata nahi avai /
mahabira jaba nama sunavai // 24 //

Evil spirits dare not go near a person on hearing the name of the great warrior (i.e., Sri Hanuman) being repeated.

Sri Hanuman’s power is so great that no one can control it except himself. When his mighty roar is heard, all the three worlds (heaven, earth and the lower worlds – nether worlds) tremble in fear. His power and strength know no limits. Chanting the name of Sri Hanuman transfers the same power and courage to his devotee. Ghosts and demons do not come near such a person. What are ghosts? It is believed that if a person suffers an untimely death (due to murder or suicide) then his spirit haunts that place. Normally after death, the soul takes up another body. But if for some reason, it does not happen immediately, then that spirit stays around for a while and that is called ghost. Chanting Sri Hanuman’s name will keep all such ghosts and evil spirits away from you.

Caupai 25: 
nasai roga harai saba pira /
japata nirantara hanumata bira // 25 //

All the ailments and diseases and afflictions vanish when your name is repeated continuously.

One who constantly chants the name of Sri Hanuman, such a person’s diseases are cured and his pains are taken away. Even incurable diseases can be cured. So someone may ask, ‘If I have cancer, will it be cured?’ Yes. If you have complete faith, that is possible! But the real explanation is, all diseases we suffer from are diseases of the body and the mind. Diseases of the body are known in Sanskrit as vyadhih and of the mind, adhih. These diseases cause suffering if only we think that we are this body. But if we lose this body-identification and attachment, then we will not be afraid even to die. We accept diseases of the body and mind with more grace and courage and they do not affect us. Sri Hanuman takes us to Lord Rama; he makes us realize that the nature of the Lord is our very Self. To such a person, bodily afflictions no longer exist.