ॐ Hindu Of Universe ॐ
“God’s light is within you, It never leaves you.”
Lord Hanuman Avatar
Lord Shiva was so fascinated by Lord Vishnu in his Mohini form during the Samudra Manthan (churning of the oceans) episode that his semen was released on the ground.
With the permission of Lord Shiva himself, this semen was established in the womb of Anjani by the Saptarishis. In this way, the mighty Lord Hanuman was born.
Hanuman
In the Shiva Purana, it is mentioned that Hanuman is considered an avatar of Lord Shiva. According to the story, when Lord Vishnu took the form of Rama and descended to Earth to defeat Ravana, Lord Shiva also manifested in the form of Hanuman. His purpose was to accompany and serve Lord Rama during his earthly journey. This tale reflects the idea that Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva complemented each other’s presence, emphasizing their interconnected roles.
Lord Hanuman
Lord Shiva was so infatuated by the appearance of Lord Vishnu in his form of Mohini during Samudra Manthan that his sem*n was released on the ground. This sem*n was established by the Saptarishis in the womb of Anjani, with the permission of Lord Shiva himself. In this way was born the mighty Hanuman.
Lord Hanuman
Hanuman is also an incarnation of Lord Shiva and this avatar is to showcase an example of the devotee to the people. The story goes that during the Samudra Manthan (sea exploration), Lord Vishnu disguised as a beautiful woman named Mohini who distracted the demons from the site of Samudra Manthan so that the semi Gods could do the job without any disturbance. Lord Shiva, even after knowing the facts was somehow also got infatuated by the exquisite beauty of Mohini. The energy liberated in this infatuation is said to be the reason for the birth of Hanuman from the womb of Anjani.
Lord Hanuman Avatar:
Lord Shiva was so in love with the appearance of Sri Maha Vishnu in his Mohini Avatar during Samudra Manthan that his semn was released to the ground. This semn was established by the Saptarishis in the womb of Anjani, with the permission of Lord Shiva himself. In this way, the mighty Hanuman was born.
Hanumana
Hanuman is the monkey deity renowned for his courage, power and faithful, selfless service. The Life of Hanuman is related below in the form of short numbered and illustrated accounts of some of the most important parts of his life.
Some say Hanuman was born as the son of the King and Queen of the Monkeys. To others, he is the son of Anjana, an female Apsara who had been transformed into a monkey by a curse, and Vayu, the wind god. It is also said that from his father Vayu Hanuman received the ability to fly.
As soon as Hanuman was born he felt hungry and his mother could not satisfy him. Then he caught sight of the Sun and thinking it was a fruit he leapt after it. The Sun took flight but Hanuman chased him as far as Indra’s heaven. Here however, Indra intervened and injured Hanuman’s jaw with his thunderbolt.
But his father was quick to avenge him and entered the bodies of all gods and gave them colic. Indra apologized to Vayu and agreed that Hanuman should become immortal. All the gods came together to bless young Hanuman in a cave.
As a young monkey god, Hanuman was quite naughty and abused his powers to pester the saints living in the nearby forest. On this painting Hanuman can be seen creating a whirlwind with his breath, drinking offered water, pulling a supporting stick with his tail, pulling a beard and dousing a sacred fire.
Finally all the gods prayed to Brahma to find a solution. Thus a curse was created to protect the world from the mischief that young Hanuman created, by removing his knowledge of his powers.
The Power of Hanuman – of which becoming big is just one example – only became available again when Jambavant, King of the bears, remembered Hanuman that he has that power.
And that power was really great. Hanuman could easily fight an elephant for example, since he could become much bigger than the elephant at will.
At the time of the Ramayana, Hanuman was send as an advance spy to Lanka. To reach the island he had to fly over the sea but there was blocked by Sursa, who wanted to test him. She had a boon that everybody who comes before her must pass through her mouth. However, when she wanted to swallow Hanuman, he became bigger and bigger so she also had to become bigger and bigger. Then Hanuman suddenly became very small and went in through her ear, coming out of her mouth, thus fulfilling the boon.
In the Ashokvatika or forest of Ashoka trees on Lanka, Hanuman spies on Ravana, who is trying in vain to press Sita into becoming his wife. Later he contacted Sita in the gardens of Ravana’s palace, told her of the plans being made for her deliverance and gave her Rama’s signet ring as a token.
Pleased with his succes, Hanuman fought the demon Meghnaath, son of Ravana, in the gardens of the palace of Lanka. He won over Meghnaath, but was finally captured by Ravana’s demons.
Brought before the demon king, Ravana ordered that while as a messenger of Rama he could not be killed, his tail could be set afire with cloth and oil. But Hanuman used his powers to enlarge his tail indefinitely, untill the demons had no cloth left to cover it. While they still tried to put fire to his tail, Hanuman became suddenly very small and escaped from his ropes.
Trailing his burning tail behind him, Hanuman then set fire to all of Lanka and flew back to the mainland. He rejoined Rama and gave him valuable information on Ravana’s forces. The army crossed a bridge to Lanka that was made by another monkey leader and master architect called Nala.
During the mighty battle that followed, Hanuman defeated the Demon Lankini, who was the principal guard of the city of Lanka.
Hanuman’s greatest feat during the battle of Lanka however was to bring back the herb that cured Lakshman from a fatal wound. He flew al the way to the Himalayas to find it, harassed by many demons, such as Kalanemi. Because Indra was confusing him, Hanuman could not find the herb and finally brought the entire mountain to Lanka.
Ravana was defeated by Ram and Ram and Sita were crowned King and Queen of Ayodhya. Obviously Hanuman was present, remained Ram’s favorite general and continued his life in service to him. When Rama offered him any boon that he cared to name, he asked to live for as long as men spoke of the deeds of Rama.
Biography of Lord Hanuman
Lord Hanuman is believed to alive today and is one of the most popular gods In Hinduism. His mother’s name was Anjana and on that basis, Hanuman is sometimes called Anjaneya, which means, one born of Anjana. His father was a monkey king namely Kesari. He is blessed by God Vayu and that’s why he is also known as the god of winds. Hanuman’s image depicts him as a strong man with the face of a monkey and a tail that represents morality, a higher dignity of being self.
Birth of Sankat Mochan Hanuman
According to astrologers, he was born 1 crore 85 lakh 58 thousand 115 years ago in the last phase of Treta Yuga, it is believed that he was born around 6:30 am on Tuesday in a small hill village called Anjan. His father’s name was Kesari and mother’s name was Anjana.
Sankat Mochan Hanuman’s education
Hanuman Ji was the topper in force, intelligence, tact, knowledge. He was educated by his mother Anjana and after that when he grew up, on the request of Pawan Dev, he was sent to Suryadev for education, where he got complete knowledge in just 7 days and got absorbed in Rama’s name.
Hanuman has killed many demons and freed many villagers from their terror. He had many blessings from all the Gods and Goddesses and that how he was able to help Lord Rama in his battle with the great Ravana and facilitated him in his victory path.
It is said that during his childhood one beautiful morning Hanuman saw the sun shining like ripe fruit and to appease his hunger he ate the sun. Indra – the ruler god to stop universe falling apart threw his weapon Vajra Ayud (thunderbolt) hitting hanuman and he fell on the earth as dead with a broken jaw which in result made his father, Vayu (air) upset and withdrew. The lack of air created loads of suffering for all living beings. Indra realizing the situation gave hanuman his life back with a disfigured jaw Thus, the name Hanuman originated from the Sanskrit words (Hanu – Jaw) and (-mant or man – prominent or disfigured).
Sankat Mochan Hanuman’s other names.
Bajarang balee
Maaruti
Anjani soot
Kesaree nandan
Sankatamochan
Pavanaputr
Mahaaveer
Kapeesh
Shankar suvan
Ramayana
Hanuman met Rama in the year of his 14-year exile when the demon Ravana had kidnapped Sita, During the course of Rama’s search for his wife Sita With his brother Lakshmana, and there are other related Rama legends are the most extensive stories about the Lord Hanuman.
Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is another major epic that has a mention of Hanuman where he is presented as a brother of Bhima, whom hanumans meet accidentally on Bhima way to Mount Kailasha. A man of extraordinary strength, Bhima is unable to move Hanuman’s tail, making him realize the strength of Hanuman.
Other literature
Apart from Ramayana and Mahabharata, Hanuman is mentioned in several texts. The Skanda Purana mentions Hanuman in Rameswaram In a South Indian version of Shiva Purana, Hanuman is described as the son of Shiva and Mohini
Hanuman Chalisa
During The 16th-century Tulsidas wrote Hanuman Chalisa, a devotional song, He claimed to have visions when he met face to face with Hanuman and wrote Ramcharitmanas, According to Hindu belief Hanuman Chalisa is a very powerful mantra to get the blessing of Hanuman and chanting of Hanuman Chalisa protects Hanuman devotee from the devil, negative energy and all other problem.
Hanuman is viewed as the ideal combination of “strength, Knowledge, and heroism” He is the ultimate god and believed to alive this day watching every human being.
The Story of Panchmukhi (Five Faces) Hanuman
Panchamukha or Panchamukhi is considered to be an ancient Sanskrit word that means “Five Faced”, Many of the gods and goddesses in Hinduism are shown as having several Faces.
Lord Hauman is known to have many names and each name has a story associated with it. We all must have seen or worshiped Lord Hanuman Panchamukhi’s idol in some way or the other. The story behind Sri Panchamukhi Hanuman originated from a story in Ramayana.
When the war was declared between Lord Ram and Ravana, It was Ravana who did a conspiracy when he asked for the help of Ahiravan, king of Pathala(Patal Lok -Hell), who was also a brother of Ravana and a master of Tantra Mantra vidya(occult arts)who took Lord Ram and his brother Lakshman to Patal Lok by transforming himself into Vibhishana, Vibhishana was the noblest person in the kingdom of Ravana and he was also the brother of Ravana, Vibhishana deserted Ravana and joined Rama’s army when Ravan did not heed his advice on returning Maa Sita.
When Hanuman set foot in Patal Lok to look for Lord Ram and Lakshmana, He came to know that Ahiravana was concealed in the five lamps which were kept in different directions. The only way to kill Ahiravan is by blowing out all 5 lamps at the same time and to kill Ahiravan Hanuman took the form of Panchamukha Hanuman.
The Story of Hanuman’s Five Faces
This form of Hanuman has five faces. Hayagriva, Narasimha, Garuda, and Varaha with Hanuman’s faces, and by using the five faces in 5 different directions, he extinguishes all the five lamps and accomplished his mission by killing Ahiravana.
Hayagriva also spelled Hayagreeva, is a Lord Vishnu horse-headed Avatar in Hinduism.
Narasimha is also an aggressive avatar of Hindu Lord Vishnu, the one who incarnates in the form of part lion and part man, who plays his part by restoring Dharma by destroying evil and ending religious persecution and calamity on Earth.
Garuda is a mythological bird-like creature in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain mythology. The creature portrayal was of a vehicle mount (Vahana) of the Hindu god Vishnu, a dharma-protector in Hinduism
Varaha “a boar” is the avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. Out of the ten principal avatars of Vishnu, Varaha is listed as third in the Dashavatara.
Every idol from Sri Panchamukhi Hanuman provides a kind of Sidhi(accomplishment), and east-facing Anjaneya(Hanuman) grants Ishta Siddhi(desire) to humanity. South facing Narasimha to grant Abhista Siddhi(attainment of the desired objective/thing) to humanity. West-facing Garuda to grant Sakala Sowbhagya(Luck, Fortune) to humanity. North facing Varaha to grant Dhana Prapthi(wealth) to humanity. Hayagriva to grant Sarva Vidya Prapthi (Knowledge) to humanity.
Hanuman always used to Naman, Smaran, and Keerthanam to Lord Ram. Lord Hanuman totally surrendered (Arpanam) and also begged (Yachanam) Ram to bless him with unshared love. Each face of Panchamukha is a depiction of one of these five forms of worship.
Panchamukha is interpreted as the five ways of praying to God in Hinduism and these five ways are known to us as Naman, Smaran, Keerthanam, Yacham, and Arpanam.
In the Bhagavat Gita, Lord Krishna said to Arjun, “He who acts for me, who is engrossed in me, who is my devotee, who is free from attachment, he reaches me”. We find all these 5 qualities preserved in Hanuman. Each of his faces represents these five divine qualifications.
Devotees who worship this form of Hanumanji daily get freedom from fear. Self-confidence increases and mental tension is removed. Sit in front of a picture or statue of this form and should recite Hanuman Chalisa by lighting a lamp (Diya).
Hanuman Chalisa: Who Wrote Hanuman Chalisa?
Hanuman Chalisa is a powerful and well-known piece of pious work. Goswami Tulsidas was the one who wrote the Hanuman Chalisa. He was born in the month of Shravan on Shukla Paksha’s seventh day in 1554.
This date corresponds to the Hindu calendar month of Shravan. Tulsidas ji was born in Rajapur, which is located in Chitrakoot, state of U.P. Even still, in the town where Tulsidas was born, a portion of the book ‘Ramcharitmanas’ that was penned by his hand and titled ‘Ayodhyakand’ can be found in the same location.
People travel from every corner of the globe to witness it. It is a heritage that has been passed down to the 11th generation of Goswami Tulsidas. Saint Tulsidas spent a significant amount of time in the Narharidas Ashram, Chitrakoot, which was his Guru’s residence. During this time, he had the opportunity to meet Maryada Purushottam Shriram and Lakshman.
This work, which was completed by Goswami Tulsidas ji, has been devoted to Hanuman, a follower of Lord Ram. The Hanuman Chalisa is where the characteristics of Hanuman are discussed.
Reciting the “Hanuman Chalisa” as a form of adoration to Hanuman ji is considered appropriate in the religion of Hinduism. The Hindu devotional hymn “Hanuman Chalisa” was written by Goswami Tulsidas ji. Because of this, the text of the “Hanuman Chalisa” is seen as being particularly beneficial, much like the “Sri Ramcharitmanas.” It is a very brief piece of writing that was penned by Tulsidas, and within it, Hanuman is given a wonderful compliment.
In addition to Pavanputra Hanuman, it also provides a straightforward portrayal of the character of Shri Ram. Hanuman Chalisa is the title of the religious book that has been the most successful in sales throughout the nation. It is the booklet that is read the most frequently all throughout the world.
The meaning of the Hanuman Chalisa (spiritual)
The first two couplets of the Hanuman Chalisa begin with the term “Shriguru,” which refers to Sita Mata, whom Hanuman Ji regarded as his Guru.
The strength and wisdom of Hanuman Ji are described in the first ten chaupai of the Hanuman Chalisa. The chaupai from 11 to 15 is based on Lord Rama’s brother Laxman, and the chaupai from 11 to 20 spoke about Lord Rama. Tulsidas spoke about Hanuman Ji’s grace in the previous chaupai.
Except for English, it has been translated into every Indian language.
Which language does the Hanuman Chalisa scripture exist in?
The characteristics of Hanuman ji and the deeds he performed are described in the Awadhi language in the Hanuman Chalisa (hanuman chalisa in the Awadhi language). Because the Hanuman Chalisa contains a description of forty chaupayas, it was given the name Chalisa. Also included are forty verses.
Who was the first to write the Hanuman Chalisa?
It is stated that while Goswami Tulsidas ji was held captive by the Mughal emperor Akbar, he received the inspiration necessary to create the “Hanuman Chalisa.” Goswami Tulsidas ji is rumored to have made an appearance in the court of Mughal Emperor Akbar at one point.
Akbar requested that Tulsidas compose some passages extolling his greatness. Tulsidas ji was adamantly opposed to writing. After that, Akbar locked him up in one of his prisons.
According to yet another version, Emperor Akbar had a man in his court by the name of Tulsidas ji at one point. It was Akbar’s suggestion that I meet Lord Shri Ram, and I did so. Then Tulsidas Ji remarked that Lord Shri Rama only shows his face to devotees and that no one else can see him. As soon as Akbar heard this, he had Tulsidas ji imprisoned in his palace.
Who was the first to write the Hanuman Chalisa?
The story goes that after Tulsidas ji finished composing the Hanuman Chalisa, Hanuman himself came to listen to it for the first time as an older person when Tulsidas ji read it for the first time. Once Tulsidas completed reciting the Hanuman Chalisa, everyone had left the area except for an elderly man who remained behind. That individual was none other than Hanuman himself, Lord Hanuman.
In what language are the verses of the Hanuman Chalisa written?
While Tulsidas ji was incarcerated, the legend has it that he composed the Hanuman Chalisa in the Awadhi language.
When was the Hanuman Chalisa originally composed?
During the time that Tulsidas ji was writing the Hanuman Chalisa, there were a lot of monkeys hanging around the Fatehpur Sikri prison. They caused a significant deal of damage. Tulsidas ji was set free by Emperor Akbar after he listened to the counsel of his ministers and followed it.
Sri Hanuman was born of Anjani from Pavana, the wind-god. He was named Hanuman after the name of the city of Hanumpur over which his maternal uncle Parti Surya ruled. Hanuman’s body was hard as a stone. So Anjani named him Vajranga. He is also known by the names “Mahavir” or mightiest hero (because he exhibited several heroic feats), Balibima and Maruti.
The world has not yet seen and will not see in future also a mighty hero like Sri Hanuman. During his life he worked wonders and exhibited superhuman feats of strength and valour. He has left behind him a name which, as long as the world lasts, will continue wielding a great influence over the minds of millions of people.
He is one of the seven Chiranjivis. He was the only learned scholar who knew the nine Vyakaranas. He learnt the Sastras from the sun-god. He was the wisest of the wise, strongest of the strong and bravest of the brave. He was the Sakti of Rudra. He who meditates on him and repeats his name attains power, strength, glory, prosperity and success in life. He is worshipped in all parts of India, particularly in Maharashtra.
He was born at the most auspicious hour of the morning of the 8th of the Lunar month, Chaitra, at 4 o’clock on the most blessed day, Tuesday.
He had the power to assume any form he liked; to swell his body to an enormous extent and to reduce it to the length of a thumb. His strength was superhuman. He was the terror of Rakshasas. He was well versed in the four Vedas and other sacred books. His valour, wisdom, knowledge of the scriptures and superhuman strength attracted everybody who came near him. He had extraordinary skill in warfare.
He was the chosen messenger, warrior and servant of Sri Rama. He was the votary and devotee of Lord Rama. Rama was his all in all. He lived to serve Rama. He lived in Rama. He lived for Rama. He was a minister and intimate friend of Sugriva.
From his very birth he exhibited extraordinary physical strength and worked many miracles.
When he was a child he put the sun into his mouth. All the gods were very much troubled. They came with folded hands to the child and humbly entreated him to release the sun. The child set free the sun at their request.
Hanuman saw Sri Rama for the first time in Kishkindha. Sri Rama and Lakshmana came there in the course of their search of Sita whom Ravana had carried away.
A Rishi pronounced a curse on Hanuman for his wrong action, that he would remain unconscious of his great strength and prowess till he met Sri Rama and served him with devotion. As soon as Hanuman beheld Sri Rama he became conscious of his strength and power.
In Lanka, Hanuman exhibited his immense strength and extraordinary powers. He destroyed the beautiful grove which was a pleasure resort of Ravana. He uprooted many trees and killed many Rakshasas. Ravana was very much infuriated at this. He sent Jambumali to fight against Sri Hanuman who took the trunk of a tree and hurled it against Jambumali and killed him. Ravana sent his son Aksha to fight against Hanuman. He was also killed. Then he sent Indrajit. Hanuman threw a great tree upon Indrajit. Indrajit fell down senseless on the ground. After some time Indrajit recovered his consciousness. He threw the noose of Brahma on Hanuman. Hanuman allowed himself to be bound by the noose. He wanted to honour Brahma. Indrajit ordered the Rakshasas to carry the monkey to his father’s court. Even a hundred Rakshasas were not able to lift Hanuman.
Hanuman made himself as light as possible. The Rakshasas then lifted him up. When they placed him over their shoulders he suddenly became heavy and crushed them to death. Then Hanuman asked the Rakshasas to remove the rope. They removed the rope and Hanuman proceeded to the council hall of Ravana.
Ravana said, “O mischievous monkey, what will you say in your defence? I will put you to death.” Hanuman laughed and said, “O wicked Ravana, give back Sita to Lord Rama and ask his pardon; otherwise you will be ruined and the whole of Lanka will be destroyed.” These words of Hanuman made Ravana very furious. He asked the Rakshasas to cut off the head of Hanuman.
Vibhishana intervened and said, “O brother, it is not lawful and righteous to kill a messenger. You can inflict some punishment only.”
Ravana consented. He wanted to deprive Hanuman of his tail and make him ugly. He ordered the Rakshasas to wrap Hanuman’s tail with cloths soaked in oil and ghee. Hanuman extended his tail to such length and size that all the cloths in Lanka would not cover it. Then he reduced his tail of his own accord. The Rakshasas wrapped the tail with cloths soaked in oil and ghee and lighted the cloths. Hanuman expanded his body to an enormous size and began to jump from place to place. The whole of Lanka caught on fire. All the palatial buildings were burnt down to ashes.
Hanuman then jumped into the sea in order to cool and refresh himself. A drop of his perspiration fell into the mouth of a great fish which gave birth to a mighty hero named Makara Dhvaja. Makara Dhvaja is considered the son of Hanuman. Thereupon Hanuman went to the Asoka grove and told Sita all that he had done.
Then he crossed the sea through the air and came to the place where his army was placed. He told them all that had happened. Thereupon they all marched quickly to carry the good news to Sri Rama and Sugriva. They reached the city of Kishkindha. Hanuman gave Sita’s ring to Lord Rama. Sri Rama rejoiced heartily. He praised Hanuman and embraced him saying, “O mighty hero I cannot repay your debt.”
When all the brothers and sons of Ravana were killed, Ravana sent for his brother Ahi Ravana who was the king of the nether world. Ahi Ravana came to Lanka. Ravana asked his help to fight against Sri Rama and Lakshmana.
Ahi Ravana consented to help his brother. At the dead of night he assumed the form of Vibhishana, the brother of Ravana and an ally and devotee of Sri Rama. He reached the place where Rama and Lakshmana were sleeping. Hanuman was keeping watch. He thought that it was Vibhishana who was coming. Therefore he allowed him to enter the camp. Ahi Ravana quietly took the two brothers upon his shoulders and repaired to his kingdom.
When the day dawned, Hanuman found out that Sri Rama and Lakshmana were missing. He found out that Ahi Ravana had carried them to his kingdom. At once he proceeded to the nether world and received information that Ahi Ravana had made arrangements to kill the two brothers in sacrifice. Hanuman assumed a tiny form, entered the temple and sat over the image of the goddess. The image went down into the earth. Hanuman took her seat. When Ahi Ravana was about to sacrifice the two brothers, Hanuman appeared in his own form and killed him. He installed Makara Dhvaja, his own son on the throne, took the brothers on his shoulders and brought them to Lanka.
Hanuman killed many heroes in the great war. Dhumar, Vajro, Roshat, Ankhan and several other great warriors were killed by him.
When the great war was over, Vibhishana was installed on the throne of Lanka. The time of banishment was about to be over. Sri Rama, Lakshmana, Sita and Sri Hanuman sat in the Pushpaka Vimana or aeroplane and reached Ayodhya in time.
The coronation ceremony of Lord Rama was celebrated with great eclat and pomp. Sita gave Hanuman a necklace of pearls of rare quality. Hanuman received it with great respect and began to break the pearls with his teeth. Sita and other ministers who were sitting in the council hall were quite astonished at this queer act of Hanuman.
Sita asked Hanuman, “O mighty hero, what are you doing? Why do you break the pearls?” Sri Hanuman said, “O venerable mother, it is the most valuable necklace indeed as it has come to me through thy holy hand. But I want to find out whether any of the pearls contain my beloved Lord Rama. I do not keep a thing devoid of him. I do not find him in any of the pearls.” Sita asked, “Tell me whether you keep Lord Rama within you.” Sri Hanuman immediately tore open his heart and showed it to Sri Rama, Sita and others. They all found Lord Rama accompanied by Sita in the heart of Sri Hanuman.
Lord Rama rejoiced heartily. He came down the throne and embraced Hanuman and blessed him. Sri Hanuman passed the rest of his life in the company of the Lord.
When Sri Rama ascended to his supreme abode, Sri Hanuman also wished to follow him. But the Lord asked him to remain in this world as his representative and attend all the assemblies of men where discourses on his deeds were held and heard, and help his devotees in cultivating devotion.
He is a Chiranjeevi. He is everywhere. He who has eyes and devotion beholds him and receives his blessing.
Hanuman ranks first amongst the heroes of the world. His heroic deeds, wonderful exploits and marvellous feats of strength and bravery cannot be adequately described. His sense of duty was extremely laudable. He had great skill in all military tactics and methods of warfare. His crossing the sea of thirty miles in one leap and lifting the crest of a mountain in the palm of the hand, his carrying of the brothers on his shoulders from the nether world to Lanka are all astounding, superhuman feats which baffle human description.
He conquered innumerable difficulties which cropped up in his way through his courage, patience and undaunted spirit. He made untiring search to find Sita. At the time of danger he exhibited marvellous courage and presence of mind. He was steady and firm in his actions. He was always successful in his attempts. Failure was not known to him. He gave up his life in the service of the Lord. He had not a tinge of selfishness in his actions. All his actions were offerings unto Lord Rama. No one reached the peak in Dasya Bhava like Sri Hanuman. He was a rare jewel among devotees, the supreme head among Pundits, the king among celibates and the commander among heroes and warriors.
O mighty Hanuman, untiring and devoted Sevak of Sri Rama, joy of Anjana, king of Brahmacharins, show us the secrets of Brahmacharya and the ways to attain purity in thought, word and deed. May India have such heroes and Brahmacharins ever more!
Where Hanuman is, there are Sri Rama and Sri Sita and wherever Sri Rama and Sri Sita are praised and their deeds recited, there Hanuman is.
Glory to Hanuman, the blessed devotee of Lord Rama. Glory, glory to Sri Anjaneya, the mighty hero, undaunted warrior and learned Brahmacharin, the like of whom the world has not yet seen and will not see in time to come.
May his blessings be upon you all. Let us sing his glory now:
Jaya Siya Ram Jaya, Jaya Siya Ram
Jaya Hanuman Jaya, Jaya Hanuman.
Having Vayu (god of air) as his illustrious father, Hanuman was no ordinary child. He was spirited and energetic. He was endowed with great strength and the shastras abound in tales narrating his remarkable feats. Once for example Hanuman mistook the sun for a ripe fruit (monkeys are naturally lured by red ripe fruits) and rushed towards the sky in an attempt to grab it.
On his way, Hanuman saw Rahu trying to devour the sun and thus cause an eclipse. Mistaking Rahu to be a worm, Hanuman dashed towards him, attempting to catch him. Rushing for his life, Rahu sought shelter in the refuge of Indra, the lord of the skies. Indra picked up his deadly thunderbolt, mounted his white elephant named Airavata, and made off in search of Hanuman, seeking to restrain his seeming impudence. The clouds rumbled and lightning thundered across the vast skies in an expression of Indra’s wrath. But neither this scary scenario nor the mightily armed Indra on his high mount was sufficient enough to induce even a trace of fear in the heart of Hanuman. On the contrary, the spectacle only served to fuel his excitement, and mistaking Airavata for a toy, he made a grab for the pachyderm, seized its trunk, and leaped on its back. Taken aback by the child’s spirited and playful defiance, Indra stuck at Hanuman with his thunderbolt, and the wound thus inflicted hurtled him speedily down to the earth. Hanuman’s father, Vayu immediately sprung to his rescue and caught him in mid-air.
The sight of his beloved son, Hanuman lying helpless in his arms infuriated the wind god. He drew in a mighty breath and sucked away all the air from the cosmos. “Let all those who have harmed my son choke to death,” he thought out aloud. Predictably there was panic in the cosmos. Without air, life on every level was threatened. The gods, realizing their folly, went in unison to Vayu and asked for his forgiveness. To make amends they showered the following blessings and powers on the child:
Brahma : “May you live as long as Brahma himself lives.”
Vishnu : “May you live all your life as the greatest devotee of God.”
Indra : “No weapon of any kind will wound or hit your body.”
Agni : “Fire will never affect you.”
Kala : “May death never court you.”
All the Devas (gods) : “None will ever equal you in strength and speed.”
Brahma concluded the session by bestowing on Hanuman power greater than even Vayu and Garuda and endowed him with a speed faster than even the mightiest wind. Thus pacified, Vayu restored air into the cosmos. There was one catch, however. It was decreed that Hanuman would remain blissfully unaware of his prowess, unless, during a meritorious deed, his memory would remind him of his superhuman ability. It will be seen later how this insignificant matter lays bare the symbolic significance of Hanuman.
Hanuman’s Education
As he grew up, Hanuman sought to educate himself and for this purpose, he chose Surya the sun god as his guru saying: “You see everything there is to see in the universe and you know everything there is to know. Please accept me as your pupil.” Surya hesitated. “I don’t have the time,” he said. “During the day I ride across the sky, and at night I am too tired to do anything.”
“Then teach me as you ride across the sky during the day. I will fly in front of your chariot, facing you from dawn to dusk.” Impressed by Hanuman’s zeal and determination, Surya accepted him as his pupil. Thus Hanuman flew before the chariot of the sun god, withstanding the awesome glare until he became well versed in the four books of knowledge (the Vedas), the six systems of philosophies (darshanas), the sixty-four arts or Kalas, and the one hundred and eight occult mysteries of the Tantras.
Having become a master of all that Hanuman set out to learn, it was now time for Hanuman to pay for his education (guru-dakshina). Surya asserted that watching the devoted pupil study was payment enough for him but when Hanuman insisted on giving something to express his gratitude, the sun god asked him to look after the welfare of his son Sugriva, who was the stepbrother of Vali, the king of monkeys.
Before Vali became the lord of apes, a simian named Riksha ruled over them. Once it so transpired that Riksha fell in an enchanted pool and turned into a woman. Both the sky-god Indra and the sun-god Surya fell in love with her and she bore each of them a son. Indra’s son was her firstborn Vali while Sugriva her second offspring was the son of Surya. After bearing the sons, Riksha regained his male form.
When Riksha died, by the law of the jungle, the monkeys fought each other to become the leader. Vali successfully killed or maimed every other contender to the throne and became the undisputed ruler of the monkey world. As one who had successfully earned his dominant place among the apes, Vali was not obliged to share the spoils of power with anyone, but being of a magnanimous nature he shared everything with his younger brother Sugriva. It was in these circumstances that Hanuman entered the companionship of Sugriva who later became the king of monkeys himself. It was under Sugriva that the massive army of monkeys helped Lord Rama reclaim his wife Sita Ji who had been abducted by the demon Ravana.
A pair of lovebirds, enjoying their natural freedom, was soaring the boundless skies. Fate however had scripted a cruel ending to their mating. A hunter’s arrow found its mark and the devoted female lost her male. She did not however escape from the scene but rather lingered on, circling over the lifeless form of her mate. Witnessing this poignant episode inspired the accomplished sage Valmiki to poetry and what came out of his heart was the Ramayana, one of the greatest poems the earth has had the good fortune to inherit. Indeed, Valmiki’s poem became renowned in the three worlds as it struck a chord in every heart that heard it.
One day Valmiki came to know that the great Hanuman too had penned the adventures of Rama, engraving the story with his nails on rocks. A curious Valmiki traveled to the Himalayas where Hanuman was residing to see this version. When Hanuman read out his narration, Valmiki was overwhelmed by its sheer power and poetic caliber. It was truly an inspired piece.
Valmiki felt both joy and sorrow. Joy because he had had the chance to hear an exceptionally beautiful poem, and sad because it overshadowed his work.
When Hanuman saw the unhappiness his work had caused Valmiki he smashed the engraved rocks destroying his creation forever. Such was Hanuman’s selflessness. For him, narrating the tales of Rama’s adventures as a means to re-experience Rama, not a means to fame.
Hanuman’s name illustrates his self-effacing character, being made up of ‘Hanan’ (annihilation) and ‘man’ (mind), thus indicating one who has conquered his ego.
Hanuman and Yoga
If yoga is the ability to control one’s mind then Hanuman is the quintessential yogi having a perfect mastery over his senses, achieved through a disciplined lifestyle tempered by the twin streams of celibacy and selfless devotion (bhakti). Hanuman is the ideal Brahmachari (one who follows the path of Brahma) if ever there was one. He is also a perfect karma yogi since he performs his actions with detachment, acting as an instrument of destiny rather than being impelled by any selfish motive.
Hanuman – The First to Teach Pranayama and the Inventor of the Surya Namaskar
Pranayama is the ability to control one’s breath so that the inhalation and exhalation of air are rhythmic. Vayu, the god of air and wind, first taught pranayama to his son Hanuman, who in turn taught it to mankind. The Surya Namaskar (salutation to the sun) too, was devised by Hanuman as a greeting for his teacher Surya.
Why Images of Hanuman Ji are Used on Amulets and Jewelry
As the battle with Ravana progressed, the demon lost all his brothers and sons and it became clear that he was headed towards defeat. Finally, he sent for his only surviving son Mahiravana, a powerful sorcerer who ruled over the underworld (patala loka). Mahiravana was a great devotee of Goddess Kali from whom he had obtained vital occult secrets. Initially, Mahiravana did not wish to join the fight against Rama since he felt the latter’s cause to be just. But understanding Mahiravana’s weakness for ritual magic Ravana addressed him thus: “Think of the powers the goddess Kali will grant you when you offer to her the heads of two handsome and virile youths like Rama and Lakshmana.” Needless to say, Mahiravana agreed.
The great sorcerer Mahiravana managed to kidnap both Rama and his brother Lakshmana while they were sleeping. He left behind, in place of their bed, a dark trail stretching deep into the bowels of the earth. Hanuman immediately dived into the tunnel and made his way to patala, the subterranean kingdom of Mahiravana. There he found the two brothers tied to a post, their bodies anointed with mustard oil and bedecked with marigold flowers, ready to be sacrificed. Near them, Mahiravana was sharpening the sacrificial blade and chanting hymns to invoke the goddess.
Hanuman took the form of a bee, whispered into Rama’s ear, “When Mahiravana asks you to place your neck on the sacrificial block, inform him that being of royal lineage you have never learned to bow your head. Tell him to demonstrate how to bow one’s head.” Mahiravana fell for the trap. No sooner had he bowed his head in the ritually prescribed manner than Hanuman regained his form, seized the blade, and decapitated the sorcerer. Thus did Hanuman turn the tables and sacrifice the demon himself to Mother Goddess Kali. Impressed, she made Hanuman her doorkeeper and indeed many temples of the goddess are seen to have a monkey guarding their doorways. Further, to this day, Hanuman is invoked in any fight against sorcery, and amulets and charms depicting him are therefore extremely popular among devotees.
Hanuman as Protector Against Negative Astrological Influences
Mahiravana’s death filled Ravana’s heart with fear. He consulted the court astrologers who studied his horoscope and decreed that the alignment of celestial bodies was not in his favor. Now, Indian astrology is governed by nine planets, known as the Navagrahas. Ravana thought that by changing the alignment of these heavenly bodies he would be able to alter his destiny. Mounting his flying chariot he rose to the skies, captured the nine planets, and herded them to his capital in chains. He then began a series of rituals which if successful would force the planets to realign themselves in his favor. When Hanuman came to know of this ritual, he assembled and led a band of daredevil monkeys to Ravana’s sacrificial hall, intending to disrupt the proceedings. They found the villain sitting beside a fire altar with his eyes shut in profound meditation, mouthing mantras. The group of simians let out a loud war cry and rushed into the hall. They snuffed out the sacred fire, kicked off the ceremonial utensils, and wiped off the occult diagrams (yantras) painted on the floor. Unfortunately, none of this roused Ravana from his deep trance and he continued chanting the sacred mantras. Hanuman realized that Ravana would have to be stopped at any cost, otherwise the villain would succeed in changing the course of destiny.
Towards this end, he devised a mischievous plan and ordered his lieutenants to enter the female chambers and scare away Ravana’s many wives. The monkeys did as instructed and attacked Ravana’s queens and concubines, pulling their hair, scratching their faces, and tearing away their clothes. But it was all to no avail; the immovable Ravana did not stir.
At last, the monkeys confronted Mandodari, the chief wife of Ravana. They bared their teeth, beat their chests, and began to grunt menacingly. Terrified, Mandodari lamented, “Woe is me. My husband meditates while monkeys threaten my chastity.” Her words are ashamed Ravana opens his eyes and rushes to her defense. Thus having successfully distracted Ravana, Hanuman ran back to the sacrificial hall and liberated the nine planets held captive there. For having successfully aborted Ravana’s misplaced attempts to subvert fate, Hanuman won the eternal gratitude of the grahas and is thus believed to exercise considerable power over them. Correspondingly, he is worshipped by his devotees whenever they perceive their troubles to be a result of the unfavorable configuration of celestial bodies. Indeed, Hanuman is often shown trampling under his feet a woman who is said to represent Parvati, a personification of baneful astrological influences.
Another interesting legend deals specifically with the planet Saturn (Shani). Perceived to be an unfavorable influence, it is believed that Saturn visits each individual at least once in his/her lifetime for seven-and-a-half years (Saade-saati). As fate would have it, Shani descended on Hanuman when he was busy building a bridge over the ocean to help Rama and his army cross over to Lanka. Hanuman requested the planet to postpone his visit till he had successfully assisted Rama in regaining Sita. But Saturn was adamant and Hanuman had to bow against the will of nature. He suggested that Shani sit on his (Hanuman’s) head as his hands were engaged in serving Rama and his legs were too low for him.
Saturn happily settled on Hanuman’s head and the mighty monkey continued with his work, piling heavy boulders and stones on his head in a casual manner and carrying them to the construction site. After a while, Saturn found it impossible to bear the load of the heaped boulders any longer and wished to climb down. Hanuman insisted that he complete his mandatory seven-and-a-half years but Saturn pleaded for release saying that the seven-and-a-half minutes he stayed on Hanuman’s head felt like seven-and-a-half years anyway. Thus speaking Saturn took leave and since then worshippers of Hanuman rest assured that the unavoidable ill effects of Saturn’s saade-saati (seven-and-a-half years stay) can be whittled down by true devotion to Hanuman.
Hanuman and Tantra
Tantra represents the occult side of Hinduism. With the aid of chants (mantras) and diagrams (yantras) Tantriks (practitioners of Tantra) channelize the powers of the cosmos for the advantage of humanity. Tantriks believe that Hanuman is the most accomplished of their lot having achieved the much- sought after eight occult powers:
Anima – The ability to reduce his size.
Mahima – Ability to increase his size.
Laghima – The ability to become weightless.
Garima – Ability to increase weight.
Prapti – The ability to travel anywhere and acquire anything.
Prakamya – Irresistible willpower.
Vastiva – Mastery over all creatures.
Isitva – Ability to become god-like with the power to create and destroy.
The Ramayana abounds with tales illustrating Hanuman’s mastery over each of these siddhas (occult powers). Not surprisingly, he is reverently deified as a Mahsiddha (Maha=Great).
Hanuman and the Potency of Mother’s Milk
After the annihilation of Ravana, Rama asked Hanuman how he would like to be thanked for his services. He answered, “My lord, let me spend the rest of my days in your service.” Rama gladly accepted the request. Thus Hanuman too boarded the chariot, which was to take Rama and his entourage back to Ayodhya.
On the way, however, Hanuman thought of visiting his mother Anjana who lived on a mountain nearby. Rama and all other members of the party too were curious to meet Hanuman’s mother and hence the chariot was diverted to her dwelling.
On reaching the place Hanuman approached his mother whose happiness knew no bounds. She embraced her bundle of joy. All others present too bowed in reverence to the mother of Hanuman. The worthy son narrated to her the entire sequence of events ending with Ravana’s death on the battlefield. Surprisingly, his words did not please his mother but rather she became remorseful and addressed Hanuman thus: “My giving birth to you has been in vain, and feeding you with my milk has been of no avail.” On hearing her strange words all became panicky and were left speechless. Hanuman too stared at her in mute incomprehension.
After a brief pause, she continued with her tirade: “Shame on your strength and valor. Did you not have enough power to uproot Lanka on your own? Could you not have annihilated the ten-headed monster and his army yourself? If you were not strong enough to do so it would have been better if you had at least perished yourself in fighting him. I regret the fact that even though you were alive Lord Rama had to build a perilous bridge of stones over the turbulent ocean to reach Lanka and had to fight the massive army of demons and thus suffer a great ordeal to recover his beloved Sita. Indeed, the nourishment my breast has given you has proved to be unfruitful. Go away and don’t ever show me your face again.”
She was referring to the instance when Hanuman was deputed to go and search for Sita in the city of Lanka. Only when he had confirmed Sita’s presence in Ravana’s custody could a formal battle be launched to rescue her. Hanuman not only brought news of her wretched condition in captivity but also during his brief visit managed to burn down the whole city and thus gave Ravana an inkling of the times to come. Anjana’s annoyance stemmed from the fact that even though Hanuman was supremely capable of bringing back Sita on his own during that visit itself, he did not do so and much effort had to be expended later to accomplish the mission.
Hence was she trembling with wrath. With folded hands, Hanuman addressed her: “O Great Mother, no way have I compromised on the sacred worth of your milk. I am but a mere servant. During that visit, I had been instructed only to search for Sita and not kill Ravana. Had I done so of my own accord it would have amounted to overstepping my brief. I, therefore, acted scrupulously and kept my word.” Hanuman had asked Sita, when he met her in Ravana’s captivity, whether she would prefer to be rescued by him at that very moment. She replied in the negative stressing that it was her husband’s duty to liberate her and Rama himself would have to come and take her back.
The entire gathering corroborated Hanuman’s version and much mollified his distressed mother. She spoke to him affectionately: “Dear son I never knew all this but now that I do it is comforting that my milk has indeed borne abundant fruit.”
The repeated glorification of her milk by Anjana was not relished by Lakshmana, who thought it an exaggeration. Sensing this, she addressed him saying: “Lakshmana, you are wondering why this feeble monkey-woman is harping on the efficacy and potency of her milk? My milk is indeed extraordinary.” Saying this Anjana squeezed her breast and the oozing milk shower shot to a nearby mountain cleaving it thunderously into two. Addressing Lakshmana again she elaborated: “Hanuman has been brought up on the same milk, how could it ever go to waste?” (This story was narrated in the annual issue of the spiritual journal ‘Kalyan,’ published at Gita Press Gorakhpur. (Page 321).
Why Idols of Hanuman are Red in Color
Every morning in Ayodhya, Hanuman Ji would observe Sita put a red mark on her forehead and smear the parting of her hair with vermilion powder, enacting a ritual which is the exclusive prerogative of married women in India. Being naturally of a curious bent of mind he asked her the reason behind this daily ritual. “For the well-being of my husband,” replied she. Hanuman, ever the humble well-wisher of his chosen lord wondered: “If a virtuous woman like Sita has to apply vermilion in this manner for the good of Lord Rama, I, a mere monkey, need to do more.” Thus thinking, he took a bowlful of the paste and smeared his whole body with it. Needless to say, both Rama and Sita were moved by the purity of Hanuman’s heart. Since then, idols of Hanuman are colored a rich vermilion red.
Why Hanuman is Shown Tearing Open his Own Chest
Once Sita gave Hanuman a necklace of pearls. After a while, the residents of Ayodhya observed him breaking the necklace and inspecting each pearl minutely. Intrigued they asked him the reason. “I am looking for Rama and Sita,” replied Hanuman. Laughing at his apparent naivety the spectators pointed out to him that the royal couple was at the moment seated on the imperial throne. “But Rama and Sita are everywhere, including my heart” wondered aloud the true bhakta. Not understanding the depth of his devotion, they further teased him: “So Rama and Sita live in your heart, can you show them to us?” Unhesitatingly, Hanuman stood up and with his sharp talons tore open his chest. There, within his throbbing heart, the astonished audience were taken aback to find enshrined an image of Rama and Sita. Never again did anyone make fun of Hanuman’s devotion.
The Five-Headed (Panchamukhi) Hanuman – An Intriguing Image
Not understanding the depth of his devotion, they further teased him: “So Rama and Sita live in your heart, can you show them to us?” Unhesitatingly, Hanuman stood up and with his sharp talons tore open his chest. There, within his throbbing heart, the astonished audience were taken aback to find enshrined an image of Rama and Sita. Never again did anyone make fun of Hanuman’s devotion. Each head signifies a particular trait. Hanuman courage and strength, Narasimha fearlessness, Garuda magical skills and the power to cure snake bites, Varaha health, and exorcism, and Hayagriva victory over enemies. It is interesting to note that in his youth Madhavacharya distinguished himself in physical exercises and field games and is said to have had a wonderful physique. Truly, physical prowess is an integral aspect of the cult of Hanuman and he is the patron deity of wrestlers and body-builders. He is most popularly referred to as ‘Vajra-Anga-Bali,’ meaning the Powerful One (Bali) with a body (anga) hard as a thunderbolt (vajra).
The Vaishnavas believe that the wind-god Vayu underwent three incarnations to help Lord Vishnu. As Hanuman he helped Rama; as Bheema he assisted Krishna; and as Madhvacharya (1197-76), he founded the Vaishnava sect.
The Vaishnavas evolved a composite form of Hanuman with five heads and ten arms, incorporating in the composite image five important Vaishnavite deities:
At the center is a monkey’s face (Hanuman).
A lion’s visage represents Narasimha gazing southwards.
An eagle’s head symbolizes Garuda facing west. A boar head of Varaha (north). A horse’s face for Hayagriva (facing the sky).
The Spiritual Significance of Hanuman
The goal of all mystical yearning is the union of the individual soul with the universal soul. In the Adhyatma (‘spiritual’) Ramayana, Sita represents the individual (jiva-atma), which has separated from the universal (param-atma) symbolized by Rama. In a beautiful interpretation, Hanuman here is said to personify bhakti, which annihilates the ‘ahankara’ or ego (Ravana), and re-unites the two.
The Enduring Relevance of Hanuman
Hanuman Ji is no ordinary monkey. While embarking on the search for Sita, the monkeys were confronted by the vast ocean lying between them and Lanka. They wondered how they would make their way across this mighty obstacle. Someone suggested that Hanuman jump and cross over the sea. But Hanuman was doubtful, “I cannot do that,” he said. At that moment, one of his companions reminded Hanuman of the awesome powers lying dormant within him. Instantly Hanuman regained memory of his divine strength and he successfully leaped across the ocean. Thus our mind needs to be reminded of its divine potential and of the fact that it can achieve phenomenal heights provided it believes in its ability to perform the task in question. Truly Hanuman is symbolic of the perfect mind and embodies the highest potential it can achieve.
Key Takeaways
1. Hanuman is a Hindu deity who is revered for his strength, courage, and devotion to Lord Rama.
2. He is often depicted as a monkey or an anthropomorphic monkey-human hybrid.
3. Hanuman is believed to possess the power to grant strength, success, and protection to his devotees.
4. His worship is especially popular among those seeking to overcome obstacles, including illness, poverty, and spiritual challenges.
5. Hanuman is widely worshipped throughout India and is considered a prominent figure in Hindu mythology.
10 Interesting Facts About Lord Hanuman That You Definitely Did Not Know
Worshipped by many who wish to gain courage and strength in their lives, Lord Hanuman is probably one of the most celebrated and revered figures in the Hindu Mythology. And although most of us know quite a bit about the deity’s life (thanks to all the TV shows), there are still many things that we don’t really know about our beloved Bajrangbali . Things like:
1. Pawanputra Hanuman Was An Incarnation Of Lord Shiva And Is Considered To Be An Exemplification Of Strength, Devotion, And Perseverance.
Anjana, a beautiful Apsara in celestial palace court of Lord Brahma was cursed by a sage that, the moment she fell in love her face would transform to that of a monkey. Lord Brahma thought of helping her and she took birth on Earth. Later, Anjana fell in love with Kesari, the monkey king and they both married each other. Being an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, she continued with her tapasya to please the God. Lord Shiva was impressed and she wished him to be her son so that she would be freed from the curse of the sage.
Few days later, King Dasrath was performing a yagna after which the sage gave him kheer to feed all his wives. A portion of Kaushlya, his eldest wife, was snatched by a kite who flew all the way where Anjana was meditating. Lord Vayu (aka Pawan – Wind) on the signal of Lord Shiva kept the khee r in Anjana’s hand. Thinking it as Lord Shiva’s prasad Anjana ate it and thus gave birth to his incarnation – Pawan Putra Hanuman , the son of the Lord of the Winds.
2. The deity once applied sindoor all over his body for Lord Rama’s long life.
Lord Hanuman was greatly devoted to Lord Rama. A particular incident was when Sita put sindoor on her forehead, Hanuman asked her why. To this, she replied that since she is the wife and companion of Lord Rama, the sindoor was a sign of her unconditional love and respect. Hanuman then covered his entire body with sindoor to prove his love for Lord Rama. Lord Rama was really impressed by this and granted a boon that those who worshiped Lord Hanuman in the future with sindoor would see all their difficulties go away.
3. The name, ‘Hanuman’ actually means ‘disfigured jaw’ in Sanskrit.
In Sanskrit, ‘Hanu’ means ‘Jaw’ and ‘Man’ means ‘Disfigured’. No wonder, Hanuman’s jaw as a kid was disfigured by none other than Lord Indra who had used his vajra (thunderbolt) against Anjaneya, who took sun as a ripened mango and even went to trace it up in the sky. It was there in the sky that Lord Indra had used his vajra which threw Hanuman straight on the Earth, damaging his jaw forever.
4. Although he was a brahmchari , Lord Hanuman had a son – Makardhwaja.
Hanuman’s Son Makard hwaja was born to a mighty fish of the same name when Hanuman after burning the entire Lanka with his tail had dipped in the sea to cool off his body. It is said that his sweat was swallowed by the fish and thus Makardhwaja was conceived.
5. Once, Lord Ram issued a death sentence to Lord Hanuman!
After Lord Ram became the King, once, when the court was adjourned, Narada – known for creating disharmony between Ram and Hanuman – asked Hanuman to greet all the sages except Vishwamitra, since he was a King once. Hanuman did so, but it did not affect Vishwamitra.
Narada went on and instigated Vishwamitra, which angered him so much that he went to Ram and asked him to punish Hanuman to death. Vishmamitra being his guru, Ram could not ignore his command and punished Hanuman to death by arrows. Next day in the field, the statement was to be executed, but all arrows failed to do any harm to Hanuman as he kept chanting Ram!
Since Ram had to abide by his Guru’s word, he decided to use the Brahmastra. To the surprise of all, Hanuman’s chants of Ram even failed the most powerful Brahmastra! Seeing this, Narada went to Vishwamitra and confessed his mistake, stopping the ordeal!
6. Hanuman also created his version of Ramayan – which was supposedly a superior version compared to that of Valmiki’s.
After the war at Lanka, Hanuman went to Himalaya for continuing his reverence of Lord Ram, Hanuman etched his version of Ram’s tale on the walls of the Himalayas with his nails.
When Maharshi Valmiki visited Hanuman to show his version of Ramayana, he saw the walls and felt sad as Valmiki believed that Hanuman’s Ramayana was superior and that his arduously created version of the Ramayana would remain unnoticed. Realising this, Hanuman discarded his version. Taken aback, Valmiki said he would love to be reborn to sing the glory of Hanuman!
7. Lord Hanuman and Lord Bhima were both brothers.
Bhima was also the son of Vayu (the Lord of the Winds). One day, when Bhima was searching for a flower his wife wanted, he saw a monkey sleeping with his tail crossing the path. He asked him to move his tail. But the monkey didn’t do it and asked Bhima to move it. Bhima was very arrogant with his strength. Nevertheless, he couldn’t move or lift the tail. Therefore, he realized that this was not a mere ordinary monkey. It was none other than Hanuman. He lied there just to reduce the arrogance of Bhima.
8. When Lord Rama’s time of death was at hand, Lord Hanuman barred Yama from claiming him.
When Lord Rama decided to leave his earthly existence for his journey to Vaikuntha (heavenly abode of Lord Vishnu), he knew that Hanuman would not let him do so as he was a great devotee. So he instructed Hanuman to find his ring which had fallen on the ground and then disappeared in the Patal Loka. Hanuman went on the task of finding the ring and was met by the King of Spirits. He told him that the falling of the ring signified that the time for the end of Lord Ram’s avatar had come.
9. Lord Hanuman Once Rejected Goddess Sita’s Gift.
When Sita gave Hanuman a beautiful pearl necklace as a gift he politely declined it saying he doesn’t accept anything that is devoid of Ram’s name. To prove his point, the ardent devotee then ripped off his chest to reveal an image of both of them.
10. There are 108 names for Lord Hanuman in the Sanskrit Language!
There are many things we really don’t know about Lord Hanuman. Especially the fact that unknowingly through his life, the deity himself has taught us numerous life lessons. To know them, watch Sony TV’s Mahabali Hanuman , a beautiful show where every episode ends with a heartening lesson from the lord’s life.
15 Unknown Facts About Lord Hanuman, The Symbol Of Strength And Energy
Lord Hanuman is one of the most worshiped deities in Hindu religion. The Lord is celebrated for his courage, strength, and the divinity of his protection. His legendary tales are well documented in Ramayana and was one among the central roles in this mythology. A loyal disciple of Shree Ram, Our Bajrangbali was a naughty one as a child and was blessed by the Gods to possess supreme powers. Our knowledge of Hanuman comes from most of the retellings of Ramayana or modern TV series but His godliness is mentioned in other texts including Puranas, Jain texts, the Mahabharata and so on.
A presence so extraordinary has a life that is much more astonishing, and so we bring you some lesser-known interesting facts from the life of Lord Hanuman.
1. Pawanputra Hanuman was an incarnation of Lord Shiva
There are various version of the story and various dialogues but the birth of Hanuman was enabled by a curse on a celestial angle (Apsara), a boon from Lord Shiva and the God of wind, Vayu. The son of Kesari and Anjana, Hanuman is known as Pawanputra (Son of Wind). The deed was fulfilled by Vayu but the course of nature had set for Shiva to be a loyal companion to Rama during his rule. Thus, Hanuman was born.
2. Hanuman was not Lord’s birth name
The name was coined to describe the disfigurement of Lord’s jaw after he was stuck by Indra’s thunderbolt. As a child named Maruti, the Lord miss took Sun to be a ripe fruit in his hunger and went with all his vigor to grab it. This angered Indra who stuck the child with Lighting bolt. This left the child with an injured cheek and jaw.
Hanuman is derived from the word Hanumat of Sanskrit. Hanumat is joining of a word and a suffix. Hanu or Hanoo means Jaw and Mat becomes the suffix. So, Hanuman means one who has swollen or disfigured jaw.
3. Lord Hanuman had five bothers
Brahmanda Purana verses 223 – 227 states that Anjana and Kesari had in total five sons of which Hanuman was the eldest. The names of Lord Hanuman’s sibling in order of their birth are Matiman, Srutiman, Ketuman and Drtiman.
In the Mahabharata period, Pandu and Kunti son Bhima have also been called as brother of Hanuman Ji.
4. The colour Red/ Orange of Lord’s idol
Once Lord Hanuman observed Sita adorning vermilion on her forehead and asked why is this part of her daily rituals. For which Sita explained that Sindoor (vermilion) is a representative of Shree Ram’s long life, her love and respect for her husband. The adherent devotion towards Shree Ram propelled Lord Hanuman to cober his body completely with Sindoor. Impressd with the deed of Hanuman Lord Rama granted a boon that those who will worship Hanuman with sindoor in future would see all their difficulties go away. And this is why temples represent Lord Hanuman’s Idol in Vermilion colour.
5. The Brahmachari Lord had a son Makardhwaja
Lord Hanuman was a Brahmachari (celibate) and yet he fathered a son named Makardhwaja. It is said that after burning Lanka with his fire lit tail he dipped his tail in the sea to cool off. There the sweat from his body was ingested by a fish and Makardhwaja was concieved.
6. Lord Hanuman’s presence in Kurukshetra war
Lord Hanuman was present in form of his featured flag on the chariot of Arjuna as he led into the battle field of Kurukshetra. This was done as a reverence to Lord Krishna who is one among the Dasha Avtaar of God Vishnu, same as Shree Ram. Lord Hanuman’s presence granted the chariot and its inmates with protection and as soon as the battle was won, and Hanuman regained is original form, the empty chariot reduced to ashes.
7. Lord Hanuman first hand heard the preaching’s of Bhagavad Gita
As the Lord was harboring on top of Arjuna’s chariot in form of the flag, it is believed that he was among the only four who first hand heard Bhagavad Gita preached by Lord Krishna. The other three being Arjuna, Sanjaya and Barbarik.
8. Lord Hanuma’s scripture of Ramayana
It is said that Lord Hanuman too documented his version of Ramayana on walls of the cave he resided in. And his version of the story was much more splendid and glorious than that of Valmiki’s. As Lord Hanuman scripted it just to relive the events and remember his Shree Ram, he discarded his version to aid Valmiki’s poem of Ramayana.
9. Panchamukhi Hanuman
It is said that Lord Hanuman took form of Panchamukhi (The Five-Headed) to kill the demon king of Patala (netherworld) who had kidnapped Rama and Lakshmana. On the mission of rescuing them, Hanuman learned that to kill Ahiravana you need to extinguish five candles, in which the demon king’s soul reside, at the same time. So, Lord Hanuman morphed in Five heads:
• In center was Hanuman.
• In south Narasimha, a lion’s visage
• In west Ahiravana, an eagle’s head (Garuda)
• In north Varaha, head of a boar.
• Facing the sky was the Hayagriva, head of a horse.
10. Lord Hanuman has 108 names in Sanskrit
The Ashtottara Shatanamavali (collective names) of Lord Hanuman has 108 names in Sanskrit, including Anjaneya, Hanumanta, Mahavira and so on.
11. Lord Hanuman is immortal
In Hindu texts there is mention of eight Chiranjivis (immortal beings) and Lord Hanuman is one of them. It is said that he will walk this earth chanting Shree Ram’s name and stories until the end of Kaliyuga.
There are some notable religious reformers who believe to have seen Lord Hanuman in their life time, including Madhvacharya (13th century CE), Tulsidas (16th century), Samarth Ramdas (17th century), Raghavendra Swami (17th century) and Swami Ramdas (20th century).
12. Lord Hanuman is viewed as a protector
Lord Hanuman was blessed by Goddess Kali to be at her her dwara-paal or gate-keeper as a protector and guard. And Lord Shani blessed Lord Hanuman with a boon that any who worships Lord Hanuman would see end of their troubles. And these two reasons stem the belief of invoking Lord Hanuman would help fight against any sorcery.
13. Lord Hanuman the scholar
Lord hanuman is revered for his strength and power but it’s very few who know that Lord Hanuman was an erudite scholar. He received his education from the Lord Surya (Sun God). He was well versed in all the Hindu texts including Vedas, Tantra and so on. Tantriks believe Lord Hanuman was mighty accomplished in this field as the Lord had had supremacy in eight occult powers, those being:
• Anima – The power to reduce one’s size.
• Mahima – Aptitude to increase one’s size.
• Laghima – The prowess to become weightless.
• Garima – Ability to increase weight.
• Prapti – The gift to travel anywhere and obtain anything.
• Parakamya – Mastery over will power.
• Vastiva – Mastery over all creatures.
• Isitva – Godliness of being able to create and destroy.
14. The Surya Namaskara (salutation to the sun), was devised by Hanuman
It is hardly unbelievable with the agility and strength Lord Hanuman poses to acknowledge the fact that the Lord was a Yogi. He was the inventor of Surya Namaskar (sun salutation) which was a way of greeting his teacher, Surya Devta. And the Lord was the first to teach Pranayama to the mankind.
15. Lord Hanuman a master Singer
In the Narada Purana, Lord Hanuman is described as a master vocalist. It was a boon given to him by Narad Muni.