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 As he left to report to Sugriva, the impression that Hanuman left of Sri Rama was very powerful. For, He says:
'Even that perfection which cannot be expressed by the Vedas, or even perceived by the uncorrupted jnana, has descended to this earth, brother, taking the shape of a Vanara. We have won this grand hero for a friend, and the omens are good; vanished now are all our sufferings and days of happiness are dawning for us. And think of the greatness of the Vanaras who has such a hero to obey his every hest.'
Who will not pay rich tributes to a chief, who is blessed with such a deputy! A deputy who needs no instructions, who takes decisions keeping his limitations of authority in view, who conveys their core strength to the other person, who keeps their immediate problem in view and constantly
endeavours to solve it without being goaded. It has however to be remembered that all these qualities do not describe Hanuman completely. These are the traits exhibited by him in just one particular scene. He has a role to play in a complete book - Sundara Kanda - and a major portion of Yudha Kanda, replete with hundreds of scenes, each one presenting a different challenge and bringing out a different skill of our hero.
It has to be remembered that Hanuman, though filled with inexplicable love for Sri Rama, has not yet transformed into a Rama baktha, completely as yet. His bakthi ripens much later, when they meet Sampathi, brother of the vulture king Jatayu. His first allegiance now is to his leader, Sugriva, whose welfare he should take care of more than anything else.
When he saw Sugriva, Hanuman could not hide his joy any more. He dances for joy.
'Aalam undavanin nindru aru nadam puriguvan,' says Kamban. He danced even like the God who drank the poison. Rudra thandavam, as it is known. Sugriva's mind was pacified. He understood that there is some good news and that is why Maruti is overjoyed.
'O sire, we are blessed indeed, beyond measure, both thy race and myself! For the Yama is come who has the force to destroy Vali. We have crossed the sea of misery.'
We then see Anjaneya narrating the story of Sri Rama to Sugriva. Interestingly, Hanuman recites a mini version of the Ramayana five times in the epic, and this is the first one of them.
 His presentation to Sugriva takes a logical shape. You have two messages to convey. One is perceived and the other one is gathered. You are absolutely convinced that what you perceive is hundred percent reliable and correct, the pursuit of which would doubtless lead to the common good at large. But the gathered information needs a commitment from your boss. It asks for a certain help, which the boss is powerless to do at the moment. And the boss here, Sugriva, is easily excitable. Added to that, he is not in a very confident frame of mind now. An example of a bad manager in every sense of the word! You desire your boss to subscribe your view. What would you do? Which message would you convey first? The perceived advantage or the proposed commitment? Hanuman tells us that the advantage comes first, even if it is notional for the moment.
Another point to ponder. Sri Rama says (in the verse quoted above)
'vanished now are all our sufferings and days of happiness are dawning for us.' Hanuman says - and Sugriva acknowledges it -
We have crossed the sea of misery. Can there be any better example of a win-win situation? If a deputy can bring about this situation, will it not be a blessing to have him with you forever?
And that is what Sugriva says, 'what is impossible for me when I have
you with me?'
When you have a theory, how will you prove it? How will you convince your boss of
your conviction? The only way is to put your theory to test. Hanuman does that too. He had to do it with the greatest of skills, for it was Sri Rama who was put to the acid test.
(To be continued)
Hari Krishnan
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