MAKE SURE YOU DO!

After the battle in Lanka, when Ravana had been killed by
Lord Rama's arrow, Hanuman was sent to bring back Sita
Devi to her Lord. When Hanuman arrived at the asoka
forest where Sita Devi was being held captive, the female
demons still weighed on Sita Devi to renounce Rama.

They criticized Rama and threatened Sita. Seeing this,
Hanuman wanted to kill them, but Sita forbade him. She
said, "I have been a guest in Lanka. How, then, can I see
my hosts slaughtered? I am not like that hunter."

Hanuman immediately wanted to know which hunter Sita
Devi meant. She explained, "Once there was a hunter who
had killed many animals. As he was walking through the
forest one day, he noticed that a large tiger was following
him. Afraid, he quickly climbed a tree. Glancing up, he
was terrified to discover that a dangerous bear was sitting
on the branch above him.

He was clearly in a dilemma:
on the ground a hungry tiger and above him a dangerous
bear. The tiger noticed the hunter's predicament and
called out to the bear, 'Kick him down. Then I will have
something to eat and leave you alone.' After giving it some
thought, the bear, however, said, "I can't do it. He is my
guest.'

At this the tiger changed his strategy and addressed the
hunter: ‚I only need to eat something today. Human or
bear, I don't care. If you kick the bear down, I won't harm
you.' The hunter immediately climbed up and kicked the
bear off his branch. The bear, however, managed to grab a
lower branch and then climbed back to safety.

Again the clever tiger changed strategies. 'Don't you see
what a rascal the hunter is? You should never shelter a
dangerous cobra. So kick the hunter down.' The bear
however again said, 'No, the hunter may have acted
wrongly – in fact, the whole world may act wrongly – but
I do not have to give up my path. I never harm a guest no
matter what he does.'"

Sita added, "And this is Hanuman why I request you
to spare the female demons. We always have to follow
dharma. Dharma will protect us. Do not pay heed if others
do not follow their dharma. Make sure you do!"

(As told by Sacinandana Swami)

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Gita Coaching using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites