What happens when we make a genuine effort, but still meet with resistance or disappointment?
The situation does not support us. Sometimes our contribution goes unnoticed. Or we are simply unable to bring something to completion despite our best intentions.
In such moments, it is easy to feel discouraged. We begin to wonder whether our effort mattered at all.
Here is a humorous story from the life of Sri Hanuman that offers another way of looking at roadblocks and setbacks — and at the deeper meaning of our efforts.
Sri Hanuman as a symbol of service
Hanuman ji, the great devotee of Ram ji, is remembered for his unwavering spirit of service. Whether it was carrying Sri Ram’s message to Sita ji in Ashok Vatika, helping build the bridge to Lanka, or bringing the Sanjeevani herb to save Lakshman ji, Sri Hanuman was always ready to act when needed.
Because he helped remove obstacles from Ram ji’s path, devotees have long turned to Sri Hanuman in their own moments of difficulty. He is lovingly remembered as Sankat Mochan — the one who removes obstacles, or gives us the strength to overcome them.
When duties were reassigned
Hanuman ji was so devoted to serving Sri Ram that he took care of every little need before anyone else could step in. But this created a problem: others in the household also wanted the joy of serving Sri Ram.
So a solution was proposed. A list would be made of all the various duties required in attending to Sri Ram, and each responsibility would be assigned to a different member of the family and household.
The duties were distributed among Sita ji, Sri Ram’s brothers, and others. By the end of it, there seemed to be nothing left for Hanuman ji to do.
Hanuman accepted this with a large heart. After all, everyone longed to serve Sri Ram. But as he looked carefully through the list, he noticed one small task that remained:
snapping fingers when Sri Ram yawned.
There was a traditional belief that when someone yawned, fingers should be snapped near the mouth so that harmful forces would not enter. Hanuman thought, why should even this be left to Ram ji — or to anyone else? Let this be my service.
The unexpected consequence
From that moment on, Hanuman began staying even closer to Ram ji than before. He had to be present at all times, ready to snap his fingers the instant Sri Ram yawned.
Far from feeling disappointed by the smallness of the task, Hanuman was delighted. This gave him an excuse to remain constantly near the one he loved, without taking his eyes off the radiant face of his Master.
Ram ji found this new arrangement amusing. Others, however, were less pleased, because Hanuman now never left Ram’s side.
At night, when Ram and Sita ji retired to their chambers, Hanuman faced a problem. How would he know if Sri Ram yawned while inside?
So he found a solution. He sat outside the chamber and kept snapping his fingers all night, so that he would never fail in his duty if Sri Ram happened to yawn.
The trouble deepens
Sri Ram did not sleep all night. He knew that his devotee was waiting outside, snapping his fingers in service. Not wanting that effort to go in vain, he yawned. And then he yawned again. And again.
Sita ji grew worried. Ram ji would not stop yawning. What had happened? Was he unwell?
Sage Vasistha was called to understand the matter. When the sequence of events was explained, he immediately understood what was happening. He went to Hanuman ji and gently asked him to stop snapping his fingers.
The moment Hanuman stopped, Ram ji stopped yawning.
What the story points to
The story is funny, but it also carries an important lesson for our lives.
Hanuman was not driven by recognition, importance, or even the size of the task. What mattered was nearness, love, and the chance to serve.
Hanuman was inseparable from Sri Ram in his devotion. But Sri Ram, too, was inseparable from his devotee.
Wisdom for living
This story invites a few shifts in how we look at our own actions.
- The motivation behind our actions – Whether we are a writer, singer, banker or parent – it is done best by offering it to the Divine. The reward for our efforts is not any material gain or appreciation , but that it is an offering to the Divine. It is the only small way we can offer gratitude for the precious gift of life .
- Big work, small work – We often divide work into big and small, important and menial, visible and invisible. But for the bhakta, these distinctions begin to lose their hold. No act done in love is insignificant. A small act done in the right spirit carries more truth than a large act done for status or approval.
- Hope over despair – Many of us feel defeated when our efforts seem blocked or unnoticed. But the story of Hanuman reminds us that sincere effort is never empty. We may not control the outcome, but we can keep offering the next step.
This is also beautifully echoed in the words of Bhai Gurdas:
चरन सरन गुरु एक पैंडा जाइ चल
A disciple who walks one step towards the Guru in refuge
सतिगुर कोटि पैंडा आगे होइ लेत है ॥
The Guru comes forward a million steps to receive the devotee.
Reflection question
How might Hanuman ji’s spirit of service reshape the way you act — in your intention, in your relationship with results, or in the way you respond when things do not go as planned?
Sources
- Devdutt Pattanaik, My Hanuman Chalisa
- The Day Rama Yawned, Times of India
- Bhagavatam Katha, retelling of Hanuman ji’s finger-snapping story
The Sabad Project - Wisdom stories 
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