Hanuman
The monkey god Hanuman: his birth, his heroic role in the Ramayana, his devotion to Rama, and the Hanuman Chalisa.
Hanuman is the mighty monkey god of Hinduism and the greatest devotee of Rama. He embodies strength, courage, loyalty, self-discipline and, above all, selfless devotion (bhakti). Temples and roadside shrines to Hanuman are found across India, and he is one of the most popular deities among Hindus worldwide.
Birth and childhood
Hanuman is the son of Anjana, a celestial being born on earth as a vanara (a monkey-like forest people), and her husband Kesari. He is also called the son of Vayu, the wind god, who is said to have carried the divine seed to Anjana. Some traditions regard Hanuman as an incarnation of Shiva.
A well-known story tells that the infant Hanuman saw the rising sun, mistook it for a ripe fruit and leapt into the sky to eat it. To stop him, the god Indra struck him with a thunderbolt, injuring his jaw. The name Hanuman is often explained as “one with a (damaged) jaw”, from the Sanskrit hanu. The gods then blessed him with great powers, including immense strength and the ability to change size at will.
Hanuman in the Ramayana
Hanuman's great deeds are told in the Ramayana, especially in the Sundara Kanda, the fifth book, which is devoted largely to his journey to Lanka:
- Meeting Rama: as minister to the exiled monkey king Sugriva, Hanuman meets Rama and Lakshmana in the forest and becomes Rama's devoted servant.
- The leap to Lanka: searching for Sita, he leaps across the ocean to the island of Lanka. He finds her in the Ashoka grove of Ravana's palace and gives her Rama's ring as a sign of hope.
- Burning Lanka: captured by Ravana's forces, he has his tail set on fire. He escapes, and uses his burning tail to set the city ablaze.
- The healing mountain: when Lakshmana is mortally wounded in battle, Hanuman flies to the Himalaya to fetch a healing herb. Unable to identify it, he brings back the entire mountain.
The devotee
Hanuman is the model of the perfect devotee. A popular story tells that, when questioned about his love for Rama, he tore open his chest to reveal Rama and Sita enthroned in his heart. He is often shown kneeling before Rama with folded hands. Hanuman is also a brahmachari (celibate), and his worship is associated with physical discipline: he is the patron of wrestlers, and images of him are found in traditional Indian gymnasiums (akharas).
Hanuman is counted among the chiranjivis, the immortals who will remain on earth until the end of this age. Devotees believe he is present wherever the story of Rama is told.
The Hanuman Chalisa
The Hanuman Chalisa is a devotional hymn of forty verses (chalisa means “forty”) in the Awadhi language, traditionally attributed to the poet Tulsidas in the sixteenth century. It is one of the most widely recited prayers in Hinduism, believed to grant courage and protection and to remove fear and obstacles. Many Hindus recite it daily, especially on Tuesdays and Saturdays, the days sacred to Hanuman.
Worship and festivals
Hanuman is usually depicted with reddish or orange skin and carries a mace (gada). Devotees often offer him sindoor (vermilion) mixed with oil. His birthday, Hanuman Jayanti, is celebrated on the full moon of Chaitra (March or April) in much of north India, while other regions observe it at different times of year. Famous temples include the Sankat Mochan temple in Varanasi and the Hanuman Garhi temple in Ayodhya.
In the Mahabharata, Hanuman meets his half-brother Bhima (both are sons of Vayu), and his image is said to have flown on the banner of Arjuna's chariot during the war at Kurukshetra.
Sources and further reading
- Philip Lutgendorf, Hanuman's Tale: The Messages of a Divine Monkey (Oxford University Press, 2007).
- Robert P. Goldman and Sally Sutherland Goldman (trans.), The Ramayana of Valmiki, Volume V: Sundarakanda (Princeton University Press, 1996).