The item has been added to your cart.5 Things to Know about Hanuman
On August 03, 2023He Personifies Dedication and Devotion
The Ramayana is the story of the exiled Prince Rama (the 7th avatar of Vishnu), who crosses the ocean to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana.
Rama was helped by an intelligent monkey warrior race called Vanaras, and Hanuman was one of them. Hanuman was known for his wisdom, courage, speed, and strength. Rama and Hanuman shared a deep friendship, and Hanuman was very loyal and devoted to Rama.
To show his devotion, Hanuman is often portrayed in a kneeling posture with folded hands in front of Rama, Sita, and Lakshman or tearing open his chest to reveal an image of Rama and Sita in the place where his heart should be.
Hanuman combines bal (strength), buddhi (intelligence), and vidya (wisdom) perfectly. He is a great example of the bhakti yogi, one who uses his abilities to connect to the Divine through his sincere and loving service.
He is the Son of Vayu
Hanuman was the son of a Vanara named Anjana. She worshipped Shiva to have a son like him. Pleased by her penance, Shiva sent his blessing through the Wind God, Vayu, into Anjana’s womb.
Many believe that Hanuman is actually an avatar of Shiva. Like Shiva, Hanuman is also a yogi. He has 8 siddhis (occult powers). They include anima (the ability to become very small), mahima (the ability to become very large), laghima (the ability to become very light), prapti (the ability to travel anywhere at will instantly), prakamya (the ability to achieve all his desires), isitva (the ability to create or destroy anything at will), vasitva (the ability to control the elements of nature), and kamavasayita (the ability to assume any shape or form).
Hanuman had all these abilities because he was a perfect yogi and could connect to the Divine. He does not use them for his own satisfaction but uses them only to serve the divine being, Rama.
He Was Blessed by All Gods
Once, when Hanuman was a young child, he mistook the sun for a ripe orange and sprang upwards to grab it. As he had the powers of his divine father, Vayu, he flew up and came very close to the sun.
Indra, the ruler of heaven, felt threatened by his power. So, he struck Hanuman down with his Vajryudha. Hanuman fell down and became unconscious. On seeing this, Vayu became furious and withdrew the movement of air necessary to sustain life in the universe.
Fearing a cosmic disaster, the gods approached Brahma, the creator god, for help. Brahma knew that Hanuman was destined to help Rama in defeating Ravana. So, he revived the child, and all the prominent gods blessed him with many special abilities to appease Vayu.
Hanuman’s name recalls the broken jaw he incurred when he fell down from the sky ('hanu' means “jaw” and 'man' means “prominent”). It reminds us that unbridled power can be dangerous.
Hanuman’s Curse
Hanuman was very naughty in his youth. He would trouble the temple priests and sages by disturbing their sacrificial ceremonies. His antics made them angry, and they cursed him to forget his powers until someone else reminded him of them.
Many years later, when Hanuman was helping Rama find Sita, he regained knowledge of his powers. Sita was a captive in Lanka, which was across the ocean. The Vanaras were wondering who among them could jump across the sea to reach Ravana’s kingdom.
Jambavan, the intelligent bear king who was also helping the Vanaras, then spoke about Hanuman’s true power. When Jambavan finished speaking, the sages’ curse ended, and Hanuman remembered his prowess. He arose and declared that he would perform the task. Then he expanded his body to 50 times its normal height, squatted down, and sprang upwards with great energy.
Today, Kusthi (traditional Indian wrestling) practitioners invoke Hanuman’s energy), and his leap across the ocean is replicated in yoga as a pose called Hanumanasana (the splits).
Hanuman’s powers are due to his connection to the Divine. We can also gain more power by connecting to God through yoga, meditation, and service.
He exists wherever Rama is glorified
After Sita’s rescue, it was time for Rama and the Vanaras to go their separate ways. But Hanuman found it hard and prayed that his love for Rama would remain constant. As long as people talked about Rama and his exploits, Hanuman wanted to be alive, so he could hear them. This mitigated the pain of not being with him physically.
The fact is, Hanuman is never apart from Rama. Remembering Rama constantly is no different than being with him physically. One can also become more absorbed in thoughts of his divine traits. This is called samadhi. It can deepen the spiritual connection to him.
Rama’s devotees worship Hanuman, hoping to attain such a connection. On Hanuman’s birthday, they recite the Hanuman Chalisa, a very popular devotional hymn to Hanuman, to invoke his strength in both material and spiritual endeavors.
Those who wish to receive Hanuman’s blessings must recite the story of Rama regularly, for Hanuman is present wherever people narrate Rama’s feats.
He is the Son of Vayu
Hanuman was the son of a Vanara named Anjana. She worshipped Shiva to have a son like him. Pleased by her penance, Shiva sent his blessing through the Wind God, Vayu, into Anjana’s womb.
Many believe that Hanuman is actually an avatar of Shiva. Like Shiva, Hanuman is also a yogi. He has 8 siddhis (occult powers). They include anima (the ability to become very small), mahima (the ability to become very large), laghima (the ability to become very light), prapti (the ability to travel anywhere at will instantly), prakamya (the ability to achieve all his desires), isitva (the ability to create or destroy anything at will), vasitva (the ability to control the elements of nature), and kamavasayita (the ability to assume any shape or form).
Hanuman had all these abilities because he was a perfect yogi and could connect to the Divine. He does not use them for his own satisfaction but uses them only to serve the divine being, Rama.
He Was Blessed by All Gods
Once, when Hanuman was a young child, he mistook the sun for a ripe orange and sprang upwards to grab it. As he had the powers of his divine father, Vayu, he flew up and came very close to the sun.
Indra, the ruler of heaven, felt threatened by his power. So, he struck Hanuman down with his Vajryudha. Hanuman fell down and became unconscious. On seeing this, Vayu became furious and withdrew the movement of air necessary to sustain life in the universe.
Fearing a cosmic disaster, the gods approached Brahma, the creator god, for help. Brahma knew that Hanuman was destined to help Rama in defeating Ravana. So, he revived the child, and all the prominent gods blessed him with many special abilities to appease Vayu.
Hanuman’s name recalls the broken jaw he incurred when he fell down from the sky ('hanu' means “jaw” and 'man' means “prominent”). It reminds us that unbridled power can be dangerous.
Hanuman’s Curse
Hanuman was very naughty in his youth. He would trouble the temple priests and sages by disturbing their sacrificial ceremonies. His antics made them angry, and they cursed him to forget his powers until someone else reminded him of them.
Many years later, when Hanuman was helping Rama find Sita, he regained knowledge of his powers. Sita was a captive in Lanka, which was across the ocean. The Vanaras were wondering who among them could jump across the sea to reach Ravana’s kingdom.
Jambavan, the intelligent bear king who was also helping the Vanaras, then spoke about Hanuman’s true power. When Jambavan finished speaking, the sages’ curse ended, and Hanuman remembered his prowess. He arose and declared that he would perform the task. Then he expanded his body to 50 times its normal height, squatted down, and sprang upwards with great energy.
Today, Kusthi (traditional Indian wrestling) practitioners invoke Hanuman’s energy), and his leap across the ocean is replicated in yoga as a pose called Hanumanasana (the splits).
Hanuman’s powers are due to his connection to the Divine. We can also gain more power by connecting to God through yoga, meditation, and service.
He exists wherever Rama is glorified
After Sita’s rescue, it was time for Rama and the Vanaras to go their separate ways. But Hanuman found it hard and prayed that his love for Rama would remain constant. As long as people talked about Rama and his exploits, Hanuman wanted to be alive, so he could hear them. This mitigated the pain of not being with him physically.
The fact is, Hanuman is never apart from Rama. Remembering Rama constantly is no different than being with him physically. One can also become more absorbed in thoughts of his divine traits. This is called samadhi. It can deepen the spiritual connection to him.
Rama’s devotees worship Hanuman, hoping to attain such a connection. On Hanuman’s birthday, they recite the Hanuman Chalisa, a very popular devotional hymn to Hanuman, to invoke his strength in both material and spiritual endeavors.
Those who wish to receive Hanuman’s blessings must recite the story of Rama regularly, for Hanuman is present wherever people narrate Rama’s feats.
