Purvakarya virodhena sa karyam kartum arhati 5.41.5-8
The question is, ‘Is it not improper that, beside what was assigned by the master, a messenger should take up additional work?’ The commentator says that it is not so and refers to what Rama said. Rama said ‘Find out where Sita is in the dwelling of Ravana’. Now Hanuman moves on to adventure thinking ‘Achieving this with effort will add to the earlier achievement and adorns the duty of a messenger’. One need not stop after accomplishing what was aimed. One who undertakes even a small work but achieves it with greater effort is not a worthy accomplisher while one who puts in less effort but achieves greater task is a worthy accomplisher’. ‘If I go to Sugriva’s place after knowing the power of the enemy then I will have done my master’s command well’. The purport is, ‘Otherwise, if he asks what kind of power the enemies possess, then I will have no answer’ opines Hanuman. The interpretation can be that Hanuman thought, ‘How can my arrival here give pleasant results, how can, on my own, involve the demons in the fight, how can Ravana recognize my power’. Or ‘While the battle is going on Ravana will compare his prowess with my own and understand each other’s strength.’
Purvakarya virodhena sa karyam kartum arhati 5.41.5-8
The question is, ‘Is it not improper that, beside what was assigned by the master, a messenger should take up additional work?’ The commentator says that it is not so and refers to what Rama said. Rama said ‘Find out where Sita is in the dwelling of Ravana’. Now Hanuman moves on to adventure thinking ‘Achieving this with effort will add to the earlier achievement and adorns the duty of a messenger’. One need not stop after accomplishing what was aimed. One who undertakes even a small work but achieves it with greater effort is not a worthy accomplisher while one who puts in less effort but achieves greater task is a worthy accomplisher’. ‘If I go to Sugriva’s place after knowing the power of the enemy then I will have done my master’s command well’. The purport is, ‘Otherwise, if he asks what kind of power the enemies possess, then I will have no answer’ opines Hanuman. The interpretation can be that Hanuman thought, ‘How can my arrival here give pleasant results, how can, on my own, involve the demons in the fight, how can Ravana recognize my power’. Or ‘While the battle is going on Ravana will compare his prowess with my own and understand each other’s strength.’