When I began learning from my elders and community about our scriptures, deities, and gods, my understanding was limited to only appreciating the divinity of the characters. Every act of theirs felt like part of a play. There was a lack of sensitivity to their struggles, strength of their character in overcoming challenges, and their human-like characteristics. The personal connect with the divine characters was limited to seeking their blessings for my needs.

I am fortunate that in due course of time, thanks to repeated exposure to the scriptures under the guidance of spiritual masters, I began to realise that there was more to our deities than just rituals and worship.

One such scripture and epic that has had a profound impact on my life and consciousness has been the Ramayana. The great epic Ramayana is divided into 7 parts, namely, Bala Kanda, Ayodhya Kanda, Aranya Kanda, Kishkindha Kanda, Sundarkanda, Yuddha Kanda and Uttara Kanda. 

While each section is filled with precious pearls of wisdom and a highly engaging, immersive narrative, Sundarkanda stands out for a variety of reasons, primarily Hanuman. As we observe here in India, one deity who is worshipped, adored, and respected uniformly across the length and breadth of the nation is Hanuman. Sundarkanda is that section where we are fully introduced to the glory of the great servant of Shri Rama.

When Rama meets Hanuman for the first time, he is blown away by the vanara's command over language, grammar, pitch, and tonality. Lord Rama mentions to Lakshman that Hanuman is such an effective communicator that he can make even an enemy drop their sword by the dint of his speech!

Hanuman is mostly depicted, either as a servant or devotee of Shri Rama, or as a warrior. However, a concentrated study of the Ramayana and particularly the Sundarkanda reveals subtler and even more profound aspects of the popular deity. 

It is in the Sundarkanda that we witness how Hanuman— the epitome of valour, strength and masculinity, an avatar of Shiva—experiences various humanly emotions that make him even more endearing and relatable for our life's journey.

Sundarkanda is an epic tale of Hanuman's journey and life that established him as an iconic figure in the hearts of the people of India. This particular section of the Ramayana is the most celebrated and sung at temples, homes and other spiritual gatherings. However, the appreciation of Shri Hanuman (and Sundarkanda) is incomplete and insincere if one fails to study the character and apply the teachings derived from his life. Following are few of the key lessons we can learn from Hanuman. 

1. We all need a mentor: Even an avatar— the all powerful and intelligent Hanuman— needed to be reminded of his prowess and abilities by Jambavan. Talent needs direction. Even the best sometimes needs a leg up or a pat on the back to thrive.

2. Road to success is filled with tests: You may be blessed, talented, inspired and motivated to act towards your goal but there will always be tests along the way. On his journey to locate Devi Sita, Hanuman had to overcome the lure of rest, which came in the form of Mainak. Next up, the devatas set up a test to measure his wit and intelligence by sending Surasa. Lord Hanuman also had to fend off a sea monster looking to pull him down.

3. Even an avatar has to hustle: As Shri Hanuman searches every nook and corner of Lanka for a clue about Devi Sita's location, he is overcome with frustration and depression due to a lack of apparent success. At that juncture of his journey, his mind is filled with negativity.

4. Positive self talk and prayers are key to staying motivated: When Shri Hanuman is overcome with negative thoughts, he uses the power of affirmations and prayers to help him overcome the debilitation of the mind and starts looking again for Devi Sita, ultimately finding her location.

5.Sensitivity in words and action is the mark of a great personality: Shri Hanuman approaches Devi Sita in humility and used words to assuage her heart and mind that was on the verge of giving up on life. He is patient, calm and humble, while ensuring he fills Devi Sita's heart with hope. Ultimately, his words end up saving her life. Not just Devi Sita, Shri Hanuman's words and actions uplifted his colleagues and even Shri Rama who had been desperately seeking information about his wife. 

As mentioned above, merely worshipping and divinising the deities makes us miss out on incredible lessons we can learn from their lives. Once we are able to establish more relatability, our appreciation and love for the gods is cemented. The best form of worship is to follow the footsteps of legends like Hanuman, learning and applying the principles used by them to overcome challenges and lead an inspirational life.