Gamanam Bhujangam

 WHEN GRACE TAKES WING

Garuda Gamanam & Hanumān Bhujangam

I looked at Garuda
and saw the Lord in flight.

Wings spread wide,
he does not fly for himself.
He carries Nārāyaṇa
wherever grace is needed.

The Lord sits upon his shoulders—
and suddenly
the distance between heaven and earth
does not seem so great.

Garuda does not ask,
“Who deserves His grace?”

He simply carries Him.

And I wondered—

Is that not grace?
The Lord comes closer
because someone is willing
to carry Him.

---

Then I looked at Hanumān.

No throne.
No crown.
No desire for himself.

Only folded hands,
Rāma's name upon his lips,
and a heart that knows
only one direction—

towards Rāma.

He crossed the ocean
because Rāma needed him.

He moved mountains
because Rāma's work
could not wait.

He stood before Sītā
carrying Rāma's message—

and in that little ring
was contained
an entire universe of hope.

Hanumān did not say,

“Look what I can do.”

He said,

“Tell me what Rāma wants.”

And strength appeared.

---

Garuda carries the Lord.

Hanumān carries the Lord's purpose.

Garuda brings the Lord
to the frightened devotee.

Hanumān brings the devotee
the Lord's assurance.

One flies with Him.

The other flies for Him.

One is the splendour
of divine service.

The other is the tenderness
of surrendered service.

Yet both teach me
the same secret.

---

I thought grace
was something I had to receive.

Garuda taught me:

Let the Lord come to you.

Hanumān taught me:

Let yourself become useful to Him.

And somewhere between
Garuda's mighty wings
and Hanumān's folded hands,

I finally understood—

Grace is not always
something that falls upon us.

Sometimes
grace takes wings.

Sometimes
grace takes the form of service.

Sometimes
the Lord comes to us.

Sometimes
He sends us towards Him.

---

O Garuda,

when I am afraid,
carry Him to me.

O Hanumān,

when I am lost,
carry me towards Him.

And when my little heart
can do neither,

teach me just one thing—

to remember His name
as you do,

to serve without asking,

and to trust without fear.

For I now know:

Where Garuda flies,
Nārāyaṇa is near.

Where Hanumān serves,
Rāma is present.

And wherever
the Lord's name is remembered
with a helpless heart—

there, surely,
His grace has already begun to fly.