The La Plaisance Road Hindu Mandir hosted a seven-night Hanuman Yagna from March 29 to April 4 in celebration of Hanuman Jayanti which commemorates the birth of Lord Hanuman. The mandir, located at Temple Street, La Romaine, came alive with strong vibrations and powerful messages thanks to spiritual leader Ramesh Kissoon who was assisted by members of the Prayaag Raaj Mandali.
Lord Hanuman (referred to as Hanumanji) is the Hindu God who resembles a monkey. Asked how Lord Hanuman relates to the 21st Century and why so many devotees place great emphasis on him, Pandit Kissoon said, "In this modern time where society is progressing at an ever rapid pace and science and technology have swept the world, we sometimes need to take a step back and reflect on the real meaning and purpose for why we are here.
"By taking this step back it creates that space where we can reflect upon the lessons, teachings and messages given to us via the life of Hanumanji and his even greater relevance to today's society."
So what exactly are those lessons, teachings and messages? Kissoon, before explaining about the teaching and lessons pointed out that Cheeranjeev (to be immortal) is a blessing that was bestowed on Hanumanji.
Kissoon explained, "How does one live forever? As long as you are in the thoughts of others you live on."
He said the best thing was to follow the teachings of Hanumanji and stressed that simplicity coupled with humility is the essence of divinity.
"As we live in this century and as we continue to acquire material possessions and continue on our journey to master the heavens and the seas, let us not forget the importance of walking the earth as brothers and sisters. We are yet to master this art of walking the earth as brothers and sisters."
Hanumanji teaches people to be "compassionate, understanding, give charity and do the things that will make us good human beings."
Knowledge and wisdom
Hanumanji possesses two types of knowledge– worldly knowledge and spiritual knowledge.
"Worldly knowledge is needed today so that we will be able to navigate the turbulent waters (steer clear from things like drugs and alcohol) so that people will not take advantage of your good nature," Kissoon said.
"Spiritual knowledge is needed when the pressures of this world are thrust upon your shoulders and it sometimes seems as if your back is against the wall. If you do not have that spiritual knowledge then you will drown in that world of problems."
The spiritual leader then explained that all of the qualities mentioned, when combined, show us that Hanumanji is the epitome of simplicity and humility. "He is clad simply and is very humble, always at the feet of the lord, always in meditation and not carried away by the glitz and glamour of the world."
Hanumanji
During the celebration of Hanuman Jayanti, Kissoon said devotees should pray for strength (bal), knowledge and wisdom. He said Hanumanji is the storehouse of all these qualities.
Bal (Strength)
"Most people are so enthused and enraptured by Hanumanji's physical depiction of being strong and powerful but the true source of his strength is his devotion to the lord," Kissoon said. "We must have strength of the mind and we must have faith and courage to overcome all the trivialities of life.
"Hanumanji's philosophies are very hard to follow. Only a Bramhachari–one who studies the Vedas (scriptures) and contemplates on God–can uplift dharma when it falls.
"He practises self-restraint, particularly mastery of perfect control over the sexual organ or freedom from lust in thought, word and deed. Maybe we need to revisit some of Hanumanji's qualities now–things like his inner strength and standing one's ground."