If I Were Not Here… 🌿

At some point in life, this thought arises in almost everyone’s mind—

“If I were not here, who would take care of my family?
What would happen to my wife, my children, my work, and all my responsibilities?”

Gradually, this thought creates an illusion within us:

“Everything is happening because of me.”

In that illusion, we sometimes forget Bhagavan and begin to believe that the entire burden of the world rests upon our shoulders.

But when we remember an incident from the Sundara Kanda, involving Hanuman, the veil of this illusion begins to lift.

🌺 The Lesson Hanuman Learned in Lanka

After finding Mother Sita in the Ashoka Vatika, Hanuman witnessed Ravana becoming furious and moving towards killing Sita.

In an instant, a thought arose in Hanuman’s mind:

“I must do something to stop Ravana.
I must protect Mother Sita from him.”

But at that very moment, Mandodari intervened and stopped Ravana.

Hanuman was astonished.

He had thought:

“The responsibility of protecting Mother Sita is mine.”

But without needing Hanuman to do anything, Bhagavan had arranged for someone else to prevent Ravana from harming her.

Hanuman realized a profound truth:

“Whatever task is meant to be accomplished through a particular person, Bhagavan makes that task happen through that person.”

We often imagine ourselves to be the doers.

But in many situations, we are merely instruments.

🔥 The Wonderful Arrangement Before the Burning of Lanka

Later, Trijata told Hanuman about a dream she had seen:

“I saw in my dream that one day you would set Lanka on fire and burn the city.”

Hanuman was even more surprised.

What was the task Lord Rama had given him?

To find Sita and return with news about her well-being.

Rama had never instructed him to burn Lanka.

Then how would the burning of Lanka happen?

Hanuman thought:

“If this is Rama’s divine will, He Himself will create the way for it to happen.”

Soon afterwards, Ravana’s soldiers were preparing to kill Hanuman.

Hanuman did not resist.

At that very moment, Vibhishana came forward and told Ravana:

“It is against Dharma to kill a messenger.”

Once again, Hanuman understood something profound—

Even the arrangement for his own protection was being made by Bhagavan Rama, through Vibhishana!

But the wonder of the story had not yet ended.

Vibhishana’s words were accepted by Ravana.

He ordered:

“Do not kill the monkey. Set its tail on fire instead.”

That was enough.

Hanuman immediately remembered Trijata’s dream.

If Lanka had to be burned, fire was needed.

For fire, oil was needed.

For the oil, arrangements were needed.

Cloth was needed to wrap his tail.

Who made all these arrangements?

Ravana himself!

Hanuman did not have to ask for anything.

He did not have to make any arrangements.

For the accomplishment of Rama’s mission, Rama’s own enemy made all the necessary arrangements!

This is the divine play of Bhagavan.

Rama had never told Hanuman:

“Go and burn Lanka.”

He had only instructed him:

“Find Mother Sita and return with news of her well-being.”

Yet, for the events that had to unfold afterwards, time itself opened the necessary path.

🌿 The Great Lesson for Our Lives

We too often think:

“My family cannot function without me.”
“What will happen to my children’s future if I am not there?”
“This work can be done only by me.”
“I have to take care of everything.”

But this does not mean that we should run away from our responsibilities.

We must perform our duties sincerely.

However, we should not assume that the entire responsibility for the outcome rests upon our shoulders.

Let us do the work that is in our hands.

Let us trust Bhagavan with the rest of the journey.

Hanuman was given only one task by Rama.

Yet, to accomplish that task, Mandodari, Vibhishana, Trijata, and finally even Ravana became instruments in different ways.

In the same way, in our own lives, some people come as helpers.

Some may appear to be obstacles.

Some may unexpectedly open a path for us.

But sometimes, only when we look back at our lives do we understand:

“I thought I had done it…
but it was He who made it happen through me.”

Let us remember the words of the Bhagavad Gita:

“Nimitta-mātraṁ bhava Savyasāchin.”

That means:

“Become merely an instrument.”

Therefore, dear friends,

🌺 The duty is ours — the divine will is His.
🌺 The effort is ours — the result is His grace.
🌺 Finding the path is our responsibility — opening the path is His responsibility.

So, whenever the thought comes to us—

“What will happen if I am not there?”

Let us smile for a moment and tell ourselves:

“The world will continue even without me.
As long as I am here, I will perform my duties sincerely.
Everything else is according to His will.” 🙏

We are merely instruments…

Bhagavan alone is the One who accomplishes everything. 🌺

|| Sri Rama Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Rama ||
|| Hanumate Namah ||