Hanuman’s entry scene in the Ramayana is significant, because it has an important message for us, said Akkarakkani Srinidhi in a discourse. Rama and Lakshmana arrive on the banks of the river Pampa. Sugreeva is watching the brothers, and the sight of Rama and Lakshmana fills him with dread. He is afraid that they lack good intentions. The agitated monkey king tells his ministers that the two men must have been sent by Vali, and that their simple garments must have been chosen to deceive Sugriva into thinking they were harmless. Sugreeva and the other monkeys jumped from one peak to another, looking down at Rama and Lakshmana in fear. Hanuman’s first words to Sugriva, and indeed his first words in the Ramayana, are words of assurance: “Do not be afraid.” Hanuman says that Sugriva is safe on Mount Malaya, which Vali dare not approach because of a curse. “Where is Vali? I do not see him anywhere. Why do you fear him?” asks Hanuman.
Hanuman also offers advice to Sugriva and says that a ruler must be wise. An unwise ruler will never be able to offer good governance. But Sugriva is not convinced and says, “The two men are armed. Overconfidence is dangerous.” He then asks Hanuman to go and check if the two men who have arrived are trustworthy or if they are men sent by Vali. Hanuman goes to meet them as an ascetic.
Hanuman tells Rama and Lakshmana that their garments proclaim that they are ascetics, but they look like royalty and also wield bows. Rama is able to gauge from Hanuman’s mode of speech that the latter is a great Vedic scholar. Thus, it was because Hanuman met Rama first that Sugriva was able to make friends with Him later on. This shows the importance of the Acharya in guiding us to the Supreme One.
