10/23/09
Hanuman really enjoyed music and Sarasvawthi Devi was very pleased with his incomparable talent and his humility and character. So she gave Hanuman a Veena as a token of her blessings. Hanuman was delighted and did naamasankeerthanam and chanted bhajans sitting at the river bank. He was getting better day by day and one day, the power of music even reached the heavens and all devaas including Devendra, agni, varuna, surya and his own father Vaayu Devan and all celestial women came and stood in the sky to listen to Hanuman's enchanting music.
During that time, Narada Muni was coming from Vaikundham playing divine names beautifully on his famous Veena and he saw the whole paraphernalia of celestial beings assembled in the sky listening to the music of a monkey. (Vishnu Bhgavan actually sent Narada here to play a trick on Narada's pride.) Narada could not believe that all these Devaas were listening to this monkey's music instead of listening to the melodious music from his Veena. He swallowed his negative feelings and went near Hanuman.
Hanuman did namaskaar and gave Narada Muni a seat on the nearby rock. Narada kept his Veena on the rock, closed his eyes and asked Hanuman to continue his concert. Narada listened to the music Saraswathi Devi taught him glorifying Lord and enjoyed it thoroughly. Narada Muni came to outshine him, but could not help congratulating him for his great ability.
Still he he had a little uneasiness in his mind about somebody getting better than him in praising God through music. He did not show anything, said good-bye to Hanuman and went to take his Veena from the rock. Surprisingly he could not take the Veena because, the melodious music of Hanuman had melted the rock and now re-solidified around the Veena and it was stuck firmly on the solid rock.
Narada understood why it was stuck and he tried to melt the rock by singing some beautiful bhajans by himself. He cried, begged Bhagavan and tried his best to melt it with the best music he ever sang. But it would not melt. Narada's pride was diminished enough to request Hanuman to sing one more time so that the rock would melt again to free his Veena. With all humility, Hanuman sang a beautiful bhajan, rock enjoyed it thoroughly and melted with the power of the melodious music and Narada took the Veena. He did namaskaar to Hanumaan, blessed Him and took leave.
It is said that even our regular chanting of Namams benefit not only human beings and animals around us, but also trees and rocks and all inanimate things around us. Who knows the big stone in our back yard is not another Ahalya? Two jack fruit trees in Bhakthakavi Poonthaanam's house got salvation before his own salvation by listening to his Bhagavatha Paaraayanam and they greeted him in Vaikundham !
Let all animate and inanimate beings be benefited from our positive vibrations and may Lord bless us to produce ONLY positive vibrations!!
(I have heard some other versions, slightly different, of the same story. This is one of them. But the essence of the story is the same)
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