I’ve been wanting to write more about deities for a while now, and since its Hanuman Jayanti today (birth of Hanuman) I thought I’d start off with a post about him.
So here goes!
Who is Hanuman?
Hanuman is the son of Anjana and Kesari and is also considered as the son of the wind-god Vayu, who according to several stories, played a role in his birth.
His mother Anjana was an apsara (celestial nymph) who was born on earth as a female monkey due to a curse. The curse only lifted only after giving birth to Hanuman, who was born with a monkey’s face.
Birth and Childhood
As a child, Hanuman was extremely mischievous and possessed supernatural powers, thanks to his divine origins.
One famous story from his childhood includes when he mistook the sun for a ripe fruit and leapt to catch it. Indra, the king of the gods, struck him with his thunderbolt, injuring his jaw (hanu in Sanskrit), which led to his name, Hanuman.
Role in the Ramayana
Hanuman's most notable exploits are documented in the Ramayana, where he plays a major role in helping Rama (the prince of Ayodhya, and a Vishnu Avatar) in his quest to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana, who had abducted her.
Key episodes involving Hanuman include:
The Search for Sita: Hanuman leaps across the ocean to Lanka (modern-day Sri Lanka) where Sita was held captive. There, he encounters Sita, reassures her, and offers to carry her back. However, Sita refuses, preferring to have Rama come and rescue her, to uphold her honor and his.
Burning Lanka: After meeting Sita, Hanuman allows himself to be captured by Ravana's forces. His tail is set on fire, but he uses this to his advantage to escape and set Lanka ablaze. He then returns to Rama with the news of Sita's location.
The Battle in Lanka: During the great battle between Rama and Ravana, Hanuman plays a crucial role, using his powers to help Rama's army. In one significant act, when Lakshmana (Rama's brother) is critically injured, Hanuman flies to the Himalayas to fetch a life-saving herb. When he cannot identify the specific herb, he brings the entire mountain back to the battlefield.
Powers and Attributes
Hanuman is known for his strength, speed, agility, and his ability to transform into giant forms or shrink to the size of a small insect.
He is also a devout practitioner of Dharma (cosmic law and order) and a celibate with the powers of immortality.
You’ll often find his image in taxi cabs in India as a protective talisman of strength.
Legacy
Hanuman is a symbol of devotion and loyalty. His images and idols often depict him as a muscly man with the face of a monkey, typically with a mace and a mountain in his hands, symbolizing his strength and exploits during the Ramayana.
In Jyotish (Vedic astrology), Hanuman is associated with Mars and Saturn. Worshipping Hanuman or chanting specific mantras like the Hanuman Chalisa (a devotional hymn dedicated to Hanuman) on Saturdays, which is the day of the week associated with Saturn, is believed to mitigate the malefic effects of Saturn. This practice is especially recommended during periods when Saturn's influence is particularly strong, such as during the Sade Sati.
Chaitra Pūrṇimā Jayanti
Today is Chaitra Pūrṇimā Jayanti, the third birth of Hanuman which celebrates his enlightenment when he became a guru.
This is the ideal day to worship him and ask for knowledge. You can do so by fasting, making simple offerings to his image, and listening to/chanting Hanuman Chalisa (the first one below picks up speed at 48 seconds).
Here’s another speedy version tied to a superhero movie.
And a final sung version in the Carnatic Indian classical music style from the South of India.
Happy Hanuman Jayanti!