Hampi is known as a city of ruins. There are many big rocks, small rocks, above one another, in a very amazing fashion, many of which could bewilder the geologists and the scientists, as to how they can defy all the scientific laws. 

The devotee who was with me exclaimed, “So many rocks!!” 

I said, “Yes, I can resonate with them. My heart is also like a rock.”

Incidentally, in my childhood, my surname (Pattarkine) would be very difficult for people to pronounce. Although I was a bit proud of the surname for it’s rarity, people would make a mess while spelling it. Some people would take “pattar” and make it “patthar” to mean stone, and “kine” would be transformed to “gine”, which means in English to “count stones!” 

Years later, I now understand I am with my stone-like heart constantly with me. 

Coming back to the rocks, it’s said that this place was known as Kishkindha Kshetra, where Vali and Sugriva lived and ruled. And in this place only, Lord Rama, through the elder vanaras, performed the consecration ceremony of Sugreeva after the Lord killed Vali. We can just imagine how gracious the two brothers might have appeared as they walked on this surface of Kishkindha centuries ago. 

Lord Rama’s heart, which was torn apart from separation from Sita at this very place, had the power to melt rocks. Kishkindha is a place filled with the tears of separation of Lord Rama from His beloved. 

Lord Rama not only cried for Sita, but He also cried for Jatayu. Jatayu gave up his life in order to save mother Sita from being taken away by the demon Ravana. Rama said to the dying Jatayu, “Your loss to Me means more than the loss of Sita, and even the loss of my departed father.” How much the Lord cares for each and every living entity! And the Lord sent Jatayu to the spiritual world on that very day for his brave service. From an external viewpoint, he was defeated. He could not save mother Sita. But he was totally victorious in the eyes of Lord Rama. Lord sees the intent, and not the result. 

Lord Rama’s tears of separation from Sita pervade the kingdom of Kishkindha. And the same Lord Rama, when he came as Lord Caitanya cried tears for all the living entities. And to transform and melt the rock-like hearts, He garlanded the entire world with nama sankirtana and krishna prema. 

This place also permeates with the tears of Mother Sita. When She was being taken away by Ravana, the streams of tears coming from her eyes, the cries of agony which had the power to penetrate any rock, give a reminder of how much Lord Rama and Sita loved each other. 

From an absolute point of view, neither Lord Rama nor mother Sita can be separated from each other. This place reminded me of Kurukshetra, where, although Krishna met Srimati Radharani, Radharani and the gopis weren’t the least pleased to see Krishna in that form. They desperately wanted Krishna to come back to Vrindavan. Srila Saraswati Thakura states that we must not desire to be in Vrindavan. Rather, we must desire to be in Kurukshetra. That is where Radharani needs us the most for service. Similarly, I felt this is the place where Lord Rama needs us for service, and Mother Sita also needs us. And if we can simply unite The Divine Couple by chanting their holy names, what could be a better service than that? 

The rocks of Kishkindha are definitely a reminder of the glorious kingdom of Sugriva. I remember having heard that the stones which remained after completing the Setu to Lanka were put in Kishkindha by Hanuman. These could be the very rocks that lost their opportunity to serve Lord Rama directly. 

Our rock-like heart should melt when it is not engaged in the service of Lord Rama.

Actually, they were the rocks themselves that were used in the service of Lord Rama while building the bridge. Lord Rama possesses the compassion to use even the rock-like hearts in His service. Who could be more merciful than Lord Rama?

Hence, giving up all reservations, we must worship Lord Rama with all our hearts. Whether our rock-like hearts melt or not is another question. But at least we could be useful as one of the stones used in building the bridge! Big or small doesn’t matter for Lord Rama. He was equally pleased with the big rocks of Hanuman as he was with the sand of squirrel. 

By engaging our rock-like hearts in building the bridge, will have the fortune of Lord obtaining the dust of His lotus feet on the top of our heads. What could be more glorious than that?

PS: Need to check the reference of stones that were unused in building the bridge and were brought here.