जय बजरंगबली की
Hanuman means “one with a broken jaw.”
Hanuman is considered to be the 11th incarnation of Lord Siva.
When Ravana had become invincible by the boons he had obtained from Brahma, he became a terror to even the powerful demigods. With Lord Brahma at their head, they prayed to the almighty Lord Vishnu for help. In response, Lord Vishnu confirmed that He would descend as Rama, the son of King Dasaratha. He also ordered the demigods as follows, “Soon my advent on earth will occur. Assisted by all of you I will crush Ravana. The evil did not ask for immunity from humans and animals. As promised I will descend as a human. Without leaving your posts as the controllers of the universe, you are capable of expanding yourselves. You should therefore appear on the earth as monkeys.” In accordance to the wish of Lord Vishnu, Indra, the king of the demigods, expanded into Bali, Surya, the sun-god, into Sugriva, Vishwakarma, the celestial architect, into Nala and the Ashwini twins into Mainda and Dvivida. Vayu, the wind-god, expanded into the mighty Hanuman.
Brihaspati (the preceptor of the gods) had an attendant by the name of Punjikasthala who 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 Shiva. Accordingly, she was born as Anjana and along with her husband Kesari (so named on account of his being as brave as a lion), Anjana performed intense prayers to Shiva to beget Him as her child. Pleased with their devotion, Shiva granted them the boon they sought. She asked that He (Lord Shiva) be born to her so that she may be freed from the curse.
Dasaratha, the king of Ayodhya was performing the Putrakama Yagna in order to have children. As a result, he was given the sacred payasa (pudding) by Agnideva to share among his wives so that they may have divine children (Ram, Lakshmana, Bharata and Shatrughna). By divine ordinance, a bird (kite) snatched a fragment of that pudding and, whilst flying over the forest, dropped it where Anjana was engaged in worship. Vayudev (the deity presiding over the wind) delivered that fragment of pudding to the outstretched hands of Anjana who immediately swallowed it. With that grace, she, in due course, gave birth to Hanuman. Thus we find that Lord Shiva incarnated as Hanuman in the bodily form of a monkey through the grace and blessings of his god-father Vayudev, with Anjana and Kesari as his earthly parents.
Hanuman was born to Anjana and Kesari on Mula Nakshatra, on the new moon day (amavasya) in the month of Margazhi in Anjaneri hill in the Brahmagiri hills near Trimbakeshwar, Maharashtra. Hanuman is endowed with 28 transcendental divine opulence’s, with perfection in each. He is especially so because he is born with the Power of Rudra and with servitor ship-devotion (called “Daasya Bava Bhakti” in Sanskrit) to Lord Vishnu in his incarnation as Lord Rama.
It is also said that Hanuman was born on Anjaneya Hill, in Hampi, Karnataka, near the Risyamukha Mountain on the banks of the Pampa, where Sugriva and Lord Rama met. There is a temple that marks the spot. Another place associated with the birth of Hanuman is Aanjan. Aanjan is a small village about 18 km away from Gumla via Toto. The name of the village has been derived from the name of goddess Anjana, mother of Mahaveer Hanuman. Aanjani Gufa (cave), 4 km from the village, is believed to be the place where Anjana once lived.
As a child once Hanuman thought the rising Sun in the sky to be a food to be eaten by him and made just one leap for it. He was 1600 miles from the sun when Rahu, a Vedic planet corresponding to an eclipse, was at that time seeking out the sun as well, clashed with Hanuman. Indra was approached by Rahu with disappointment, enraging Indra, who responded by deploying his weapon the Vajra (thunderbolt) on Hanuman. Struck by this powerful weapon, the child Hanuman wounded his chin and fell back down to the earth and became unconscious. When Vayu-deva witnessed this, he carried Hanuman to Patala (the nether regions) and became extremely angry and withdrew himself from the universe. When the winds in the sky and the very life-airs became suspended, there was great anguish in the three worlds. All the demigods, headed by Brahma implored Vayu-deva to give up his anger. Vayu-deva finally gave up his anger and resumed his function in the universe and the grateful demigods showered many benedictions on Hanuman. Indra gave him the boon of being able to die only when he desired, Brahma gave his protection from his powerful weapon the brahma-astra and the other demigods showered him with many mystic powers and weapons. Since the weapon of Indra had struck and broken the jaw of Hanuman, he got the name by which he would be most famous.
On learning Surya, the Hindu deity of the sun, to be an all-knowing teacher, Hanuman raised his body into an orbit around the sun and requested that Surya accept him as a student. Surya refused, claiming that as he always had to be on the move in his chariot, it would be impossible for Hanuman to learn effectively. Undeterred by Surya’s refusal, Hanuman enlarged his body, placed one leg on the eastern ranges and the other on the western ranges, and with his face turned toward the sun made his request again. Pleased by his persistence, Surya accepted. Hanuman learned from him the Vedic scriptures and science of war. Within a short period of 60 hours, Hanuman mastered all the scriptures. His strength and skills as a warrior are matched by his keen intellect, knowledge of the scriptures and a deep compassion for all living entities. Hanuman then requested Surya to quote his “guru-dakshina” (teacher’s fee), the latter refused, saying that the pleasure of teaching one as dedicated as him was the fee in itself. Hanuman insisted, where upon Surya asked him to help his spiritual son Sugriva by being his minister and constant companion.
As a young child Hanuman could not control his great powers and in childish exuberance teased the meditating sages in the forests by snatching their personal belongings and by disturbing their well-arranged articles of worship. Much disturbed by his excessive energy and dynamic powers, the sages finally cursed him to loose all his powers. However by their mystic vision they realized that Hanuman would play a vital role in later assisting Lord Rama in his pastimes. They therefore decreed that when some one would remind Hanuman of his powers the effect of the curse would be lifted and Hanuman would get complete recollection of his great powers.
The Sundara Kanda, the fifth book in the Ramayana, focuses mainly on the adventures of Hanuman and the story is as follows.
Hanuman meets Rama during the latter’s 14-year exile in the forest. Rama, along with his brother Lakshman is searching for his wife Sita who had been abducted by the demon Ravana. Their search had taken them to the vicinity of the Pampa Lake situated at the base of the mountain Rishyamukha, where Sugriva, along with his ministers and friends, are hiding. Sugriva was being persecuted by his brother Bali. Hanuman on the orders of Sugriva had disguised himself as a Brahman to try and find out if the two mighty bowmen were sent by Bali to kill him. When Lord Rama revealed his identity, all doubts were immediately wiped from the mind of Hanuman who immediately revealed his true form. From this time, Hanuman became completely absorbed in one and only one thing, the service of Rama. Hanuman then brings about a friendship and alliance between Rama and Sugriva; Rama helps Sugriva regain his honour and makes him king of Kishkindha.
In their search for Sita, Hanuman and his troop of monkeys were stuck on the southern shore of the country, separated from Lanka by the ocean. Upon encountering the vast ocean, every vanara begins to lament his inability to jump across the water. Hanuman too is saddened at the possible failure of his mission, until the other vanaras and the wise bear Jambavana reminds Hanuman of his great powers. The duration of the curse thus ends and Hanuman then recollects his own powers, enlarges his body, and flies across the ocean. On his way, he encounters a mountain that rises from the sea, proclaims that it owed his father a debt, and asks him to rest a while before proceeding. Not wanting to waste any time, Hanuman thanks the mountain and carries on. He then encounters a sea-monster, Surasa, who challenges him to enter her mouth. When Hanuman outwits her, she admits that her challenge was merely a test of his courage. After killing Simhika, a rakshasa, he reaches Lanka.
Hanuman reaches Lanka and marvells at its beauty. After he finds Sita sitting depressed in captivity in a garden, Hanuman reveals his identity to her, reassures her that Rama has been looking for her, and uplifts her spirits. He offers to carry her back to Rama; but she refuses his offer, saying it would be an insult to Rama as his honor is at stake. After meeting Sita, Hanuman begins to wreak havoc, gradually destroying the forests of Lanka. He kills many rakshasas, including Jambumalli and Akshaa. To subdue him, Ravana’s son Indrajit uses the Brahmastra. Though immune to the effects of this weapon Hanuman, out of respect to Brahma, allows himself be bound. Deciding to use the opportunity to meet Ravana, and to assess the strength of Ravana’s hordes, Hanuman allows the rakshasa warriors to parade him through the streets. He conveys Rama’s message of warning and demands the safe return of Sita. He also informs Ravana that Rama would be willing to forgive him if he returns Sita honorably. Enraged, Ravana orders Hanuman’s execution, where upon Ravana’s brother Vibheeshana intervenes, pointing out that it is against the rules of engagement to kill a messenger. Ravana then orders that Hanuman’s tail be lit afire. As Ravana’s forces attempted to wrap cloth around his tail, Hanuman begins to lengthen it. After frustrating them for a while, he allows it to burn, and then escapes from his captors, and with his tail on fire he burns down large parts of Lanka. After extinguishing his flaming tail in the sea, he returns to Rama.
When Hanuman returned from Lanka with news of Sita, an overjoyed Rama embraced him tightly. However a clearly uncomfortable Hanuman stated that his position could only be at the feet of his Lord. The highest reward for him was to serve Lord Rama.
When Lakshmana is severely wounded by Indrajit during the war against Ravana, Hanuman is sent to fetch the Sanjivani, a powerful life-restoring herb from the Dronagiri Mountain in the Himalayas, to revive him. Ravana realises that if Lakshmana dies, a distraught Rama would probably give up, and so has his uncle Kalnaimi tempt Hanuman away with luxury. Hanuman is tipped off by a crocodile (actually a celestial being under a curse) and kills Kalnaimi. When he is unable to find the specific herb before nightfall, Hanuman takes the entire Dronagiri Mountain to the battlefield in Lanka, thus helping others find the herb to revive Lakshmana. An emotional Rama hugs Hanuman, declaring him as dear to him as his own beloved brother Bharat.
He was injured when he was crossing the Ayodhya with the big Dronagiri Mountain on his hands. As he was crossing over Ayodhya, Bharat, Rama’s young brother saw him and assumed that some rakshas is taking this mountain to hurt his brother Rama. So he attacked him with his arrow on his legs and Hanuman was injured. Hanuman landed and told Bharat that he is Hanuman and taking sanjeevni to save Bharat’s brother Lakshman. Bharat was very sorry for his act but Hanuman continued his journey with injured leg.
In another incident during the war (which brought about Hanuman’s Panchamukha form), Rama and Lakshmana are captured by the rakshas Mahiravana and his brother Ahiravana, the former a powerful practitioner of black magic and the dark arts, who holds them captive in his palace in Patalpuri or Patala (the netherworld). Mahiravan keeps them as offerings to his deity. Searching for them, Hanuman reaches Patala whose gates are guarded by a young creature called Makardhwaja (known also as Magar Dhwaja), who is part reptile and part Vanara.
The story of Makardhwaja’s birth is said to be that when Hanuman had extinguished his burning tail in the ocean, a drop of his sweat had fallen into the waters and eventually become Makardhwaja, who perceives Hanuman as his father. When Hanuman introduces himself to Makardhwaja, the latter asks his blessings, but fights him to fulfill the task of guarding the gate. Hanuman defeats and imprisons him to gain entry.
Upon entering Patala, Hanuman discovers that to kill Mahiravana, he must simultaneously extinguish five lamps burning in different directions. Hanuman assumes the Panchamukha or five-faced form of Sri Varaha facing north, Sri Narasimha facing south, Sri Garuda facing west, Sri Hayagriva facing the sky and his own facing the east, and blows out the lamps. Hanuman then rescues Rama and Lakshmana. Afterwards, Rama asks Hanuman to crown Makardhwaja king of Patalpuri. Hanuman then instructs Makardhwaja to rule Patalpuri with justice and wisdom.
When the war ends, Rama’s 14-year exile has almost elapsed. Rama then remembers Bharata’s vow to immolate him if Rama does not return to rule Ayodhya immediately, on completion of the stipulated period. Realizing that it would be a little later than the last day of the 14 years when he would reach Ayodhya, Rama is anxious to prevent Bharata from giving up his life. Hanuman therefore flies to Ayodhya to inform Bharata that Rama is on his way home.
Shortly after he is crowned Emperor upon his return to Ayodhya, Rama decides to ceremoniously reward all his well-wishers. At a grand ceremony in his court, all his friends and allies take turns being honored at the throne. Hanuman approaches without desiring a reward. Seeing Hanuman come up to him, an emotionally overwhelmed Rama embraces him warmly, declaring that he could never adequately honor or repay Hanuman for the help and services he received from the noble Vanara. Sita, however, insists that Hanuman deserved honor more than anyone else, and asks him to seek a gift. Upon Hanuman’s request, Sita gives him a necklace of precious stones adorning her neck. When he receives it, Hanuman immediately takes it apart, and peers into each stone. Taken aback, many of those present demands to know why he is destroying the precious gift. Hanuman answers that he was looking into the stones to make sure that Rama and Sita are in them, because if they are not, the necklace is of no value to him. At this, a few mock Hanuman, saying his reverence and love for Rama and Sita could not possibly be as deep as he implies. In response, Hanuman tears his chest open, and everyone is stunned to see Rama and Sita literally in his heart.
After the victory of Rama over Ravana, Hanuman went to the Himalayas to continue his worship of the Lord. There he scripted a version of the Ramayana on the Himalayan Mountains using his nails, recording every detail of Rama’s deeds. When Maharishi Valmiki visited him to show him his own version of the Ramayana, he saw Hanuman’s version and became very disappointed.
When Hanuman asked Valmiki the cause of his sorrow, the sage said that his version, which he had created very laboriously, was no match for the splendor of Hanuman’s, and would therefore go ignored. At this, Hanuman discarded his own version, which is called the Hanumad Ramayana. Maharishi Valmiki was so taken aback that he said he would take another birth to sing the glory of Hanuman which he had understated in his version.
Later, one tablet is said to have floated ashore during the period of Mahakavi Kalidasa, and hung at a public place to be deciphered by scholars. Kalidasa is said to have deciphered it and recognized that it was from the Hanumad Ramayana recorded by Hanuman in an extinct script, and considered him very fortunate to see at least one pada of the stanza.
After ruling for eleven thousand years when the time came for Lord Rama to return to His eternal abode, most of His close associates, including Sugriva, accompanied Him. However Lord Rama ordered Hanuman to stay back, to protect and inspire His future devotees. Lord Rama gave Hanuman the benediction that he would live for as long as His glories would be sung in any corner of the world.
Hanuman is also considered to be the spiritual brother of Bhima on grounds that both were born with the blessings of Vayudev. During the Pandavas’ exile, he appears disguised as a weak and aged monkey to Bhima in order to subdue his arrogance. Bhima enters a field where Hanuman is lying with his tail blocking the way. Bhima, unaware of his identity, tells him to remove it. In return, Hanuman tells him to remove it himself. Bhima tries this, but is unable to do it despite his great strength and therefore inquires into Hanuman’s identity, which is then revealed. Upon Bhima’s request, Hanuman is also said to have enlarged himself and shown him the same size in which he had crossed the sea to go to Lanka, looking for Sita.
More significantly, during the great battle of Kurukshetra, Arjuna entered the battlefield with a flag displaying Hanuman on his chariot. Hanuman personally resided in the flag on the chariot of Arjuna. During the battle, the fierce cries of Hanuman struck terror in the hearts of the opposition and greatly encouraged the Pandava warriors. The incident that led to this was an earlier encounter between Hanuman and Arjuna, wherein Hanuman appeared as a small talking monkey before Arjuna at Rameshwaram, where Rama had built the great bridge to cross over to Lanka to rescue Sita. Upon Arjuna’s wondering aloud at Rama’s taking the help of monkeys rather than building a bridge of arrows, Hanuman challenged him to build such a bridge capable of bearing him alone, and Arjuna, unaware of the monkey’s true identity, accepted. Hanuman then proceeded to repeatedly destroy the bridges made by Arjuna, who decided to take his own life. Vishnu then appeared before them both, chiding Arjuna for his vanity and Hanuman for making Arjuna feel incompetent. As an act of penitence, Hanuman decided to aid Arjuna by stabilizing and strengthening his chariot during the imminent great battle. Legend goes that Hanuman is one of the three people to have heard the Bhagwad Gita from Krishna, the other two being Arjuna and Sanjaya.
Hanuman is also known as:
Bajrang Bali (his body was hard like a vajra), Pavan-Putra, Vayu-Putra, Marut-nandan (Marut means “wind, air”, and nandan means “son”), Kesari-nandana (son of Kesari), Anjani-putra, Anjaneya (son of Anjani), Maharudra (born of the boon given to Anjana by Shiva), Langra Veer (a warrior but not able to walk properly).
