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When Lord Rāma returned to Ayodhyā, everyone was overjoyed. Rāma was seated, also in a state of happiness. Wherever the Lord arrives, the very seasons transform. Trees blossom and bear fruit, and the weather becomes pleasant. Hanumānjī was sitting in the garden beneath a tree, chanting his mantra: "Rām, Rām, Śrīrām." Suddenly, a thought arose in Hanumānjī's mind: "If I had not met Rāma, Rāma would not have been successful. It was I who found Sītā. It was I who could fly and leap from India to Laṅkā to locate Sītā. It was I who brought the Sañjīvanī herb to save Lakṣmaṇa's life; otherwise, he would have died. It was I who brought Garuḍa from Vaikuṇṭha; otherwise, Rāma would also have perished." His ego swelled. "I have done this, I have done this, I have done this. Without me, He would not be successful; He could not do it." Lord Rāma, who reads the minds and thoughts of all, perceived the thinking of Hanumān. Rāma decided, "Now today is the time to put Hanumān's ego into cold water." He thought, "Today is the day we will drown Hanumān's ego in cold water, but in a nice way, a diplomatic way, gently, without him noticing." So Lord Rāma called out, "Hanumānjī, Hanumān, come here." Hanumān came running and jumping. "Oh Lord, you remember me, you called me! What can I do for you? This servant is ready to give his life. What can I do? Today is my greatest day, that you called me." Lord Rāma said to Hanumānjī, "Hanumān, I want to tell you something in confidence." "Yes, Lord, what? Should I bring the entire Himalaya?" Rāma said, "No, no, no ... If you had not brought the mountain from the Himalaya, the whole hill, Lakṣmaṇa would not have been saved. If you had not brought Garuḍa, I would have died. Lakṣmaṇa would have died, and if he had brought Garuḍa here, I would have died." Systematically, Rāma began repeating exactly what Hanumān had been thinking a short while before. Hearing this, Hanumān felt himself shrinking inside. "But Hanumān, I give you today the last duty. No one can do this. I am sure you will be successful." "Yes, Lord, tell me. Nothing is impossible for your devotee if you are with me. Should I bring heaven to earth? Or should I bring the whole earth to heaven? Then all would automatically be in heaven." Only Hanumān could do such things. Rāma said, "No, no, no. Hanumān, in the Himalaya, on certain hills very high up—rarely can any human reach that point—there is a beautiful snow and ice cave. There lives a great ṛṣi, a great saint, Śrī Alakhpurījī. Please go and give him this ring." Rāma gave him a ring. "Don't lose it. Be careful. It's a very dangerous way." Hanumānjī said, "Lord, when you are with me, nothing is dangerous." He placed the ring in his mouth, kept it in his gums, made praṇām, and left. The journey was exceedingly difficult. Hanumānjī became completely exhausted, cold, hungry, tired, and lacking oxygen. Suddenly, he saw a ṛṣi meditating somewhere, chanting the "Bekrī" mantra. Hanumānjī went to him and offered praṇām. The Ṛṣi smiled and said, "Yes, Hanumān, it was a little difficult to come here." Hanumān replied, "Yes, Lord, it is your blessing that I could come this far. I have come here for your blessing." "What have you brought here? What brought you here?" "My Lord Rāma has sent you a present, a ring. A beautiful ring, with brilliants inside." The ṛṣi took the ring and threw it into a nearby small lake. Hanumānjī was furious. 'What a proud ṛṣi! He didn't even say thank you or look at the ring. He just took it and threw it in the water. And how hard it was for me to come all this way! I will tell Rāma, "Please don't send me to such people." Rāma didn't allow me; otherwise, I would catch him and bring him to Him.' The ṛṣi smiled; he knew all that Hanumānjī was thinking. He said, "Hanumān, can you get this ring back, please?" Hanumānjī put his hand into the little pond and brought out a handful of rings—all of the same quality and design. With both hands, Hanumānjī offered the rings to the ṛṣi. The ṛṣi said, "Do you know what this means?" Hanumān said, "No, I don't know. I only know there are many rings." He said, "Whenever God Viṣṇu incarnates on this planet, He needs the permission of the saints, and He has to pay the tax. Viṣṇu has to pay a tax to come to this planet. At the end of His mission, He sends me, as a tax, one ring, so that I bless them and they can be successful. As many rings as are inside, that many times Viṣṇu has already incarnated here, and I am still here. Hanumān, don't think it is you who helped Rāma to win. It is the blessing of the saint. Put these things back and tell Rāma that your mission is completed." Hanumānjī made praṇām and returned to Ayodhyā, walking humbly. Lord Rāma was waiting. Hanumān came and said, "Praṇām." "Oh, Hanumānjī, how was it?" "Thank you, Lord, that you sent me there. My being in this world is now successful, for I have had the darśan of such a saint whom even Lord Viṣṇu must pay tax. And Lord, he told me something, and I want an excuse for that." Rāma said, "Alright. I am going back, but you will remain here on this mortal loka, this world. Take care of my bhaktas. Serve them. Don't punish them. Help them." And therefore, Hanumān is here to help us. So don't punish them. The things that you are doing, and you are organizing, and you are helping—many people were thinking like this; they are gone. Many kings wanted to govern the whole world, and you cannot find even a small piece of their bone here. The world continues. So take it as a blessing. Take it as your divine chance; you are a fortunate one, that you got the sevā, the service to do, to work for something in yoga and in life. This honor goes to you; you are a blessed one. This privilege goes to you. Therefore, if you will work and organize as a sevā, you will be uplifting, and the fruits will be good. If you take this organization as a seed, you will progress, and the fruits will be good. --- Recording location: Hungary, Vep, Weekend seminar