Vageesh Express

October 2006 Edition

Deity of the Month

Deity of the Month

Hanuman

Hanuman is the embodiment of wisdom, brahmacharya, bhakti (devotion/faith), valor, righteousness and strength. His devotion to Sri Rama is legendary. It is believed that he is still meditating on Rama and he is known with a special title ‘Devotee Supreme’, or Parama Bhakta’. There are many devotees of Rama, still only Hanuman is worshipped by one and all. He is symbolized in Hinduism for his unwavering dedication to righteousness, unstinting performance of entrusted duties, and unfailing talents in serving his chosen master. His indispensable role in reuniting Rama with Sitha is likened by some to that of a teacher helping an individual soul realize the divine. Hanuman devotees revere and worship him for the astounding attributes he represents — attributes that most humans find impossible to practice.

He is one of the few ‘Nava-vyakarana Panditas’, meaning he is the expert on nine different grammars, or, can explain the root of any word or matter in nine different ways. Hence he is considered even more learned than Rama, of whom he is an ardent devotee. In the battle with Indrajeet, when the entire armies of Rama, including the great Rama and Lakshmana themselves, were near death, it was Hanuman who brought the Sanjivini Mountain to revive them back to life and fight back. It is he who leaped across the ocean and reached Lanka in a single bound. These are the best examples of his valor and strength. He tore open his chest to reveal Rama and Sitha is his heart to demonstrate that they are better than any material wealth and their love and blessings are the true jewels one needs.

Hanuman is also considered an incarnation of Lord Siva. One story is that, when Vishnu was approached by Rishis and Devas to vanquish Ravana, Vishnu told them that it cannot be done without Siva’s help since Ravana was an ardent devotee of Siva and also had obtained special powers from him. Siva then accepted Vishnu’s request to help him to vanquish Ravana for the betterment of the world and appeared in the form of Hanuman. Since Hanuman is Siva’s incarnation, he has no death and is considered a Chiranjeevi.

Another story is that Brihaspati (the preceptor of the gods) had an attendant by the name of Punjikasthala. She was cursed to assume the body of a female monkey. The curse was to be removed on her giving birth to an incarnation of Lord Siva. Accordingly, she was born as Anjana, performed intense Tapasya (austerities) asking for a son and Hanuman was born to Anjana and Vayudeva. Hence Hanuman was first called ‘Anjaneya’, meaning ‘son of Anjana’. He was also called ‘Pavana Puthra’ (son of air).

How did he get the name Hanuman? In Sanskrit, Hanuman means “the one with a long jaw”. When he was a child, he asked his friends what the rising sun was. In sarcasm, his friends, older in age told him that it is a red fruit that would give strength, if eaten. Hanuman jumped in the sky with one leap, got hold of the sun and tried to swallow him. Sun god cursed him to loose all his strength. However, since he knew that Hanuman needed to help Rama to vanquish Ravana, he told him that his curse will be broken when anyone, especially a human called him by the name Hanuman. That way, he would recognize Rama. From that time on, Hanuman became a devotee of Rama. When Rama met Hanuman for the first time, he called him ‘Hanuman’ seeing his long jaw.

Hanuman acts out of compassion. He is easily reachable — just by chanting the name 'Rama'. Hence the easiest way to attain Lord Rama is to worship Hanuman. There are many Hanuman temples in India. The temple at Nanganallur, near Chennai has a very tall (32 feet) vigraha, of him. Temple in Suchindram, Kanyakumari district, Tamilnadu also has a tall statue of 18’ tall. In USA, there is a Hanuman temple in Taos, New Mexico.

There are many devotional songs for Hanuman of which Hanuman Chalisa is very famous. Hanuman is believed by some scholars to be a source for the Chinese mythological character Sun Wukong.

Let us worship Hanuman for wisdom, valor, strength, devotion, humbleness and modesty.

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