Hanuman

by Vanamali

  Even though Hanuman does not appear in the earlier Shruti Vedas, the two gods from whom he claims paternity are both from these Vedas—Vayu, the god of wind and Rudra, the god of destruction. Rudra is both one and many and is the prototype of the later Puranic Shiva. Hanuman’s association with Vayu is shown in his swiftness. In Ayurveda, or the Vedic science of healing, illness is declared to be the imbalance between the three humors of the body: vata (wind), pitta (sun), and kapha (moon). Of the three, vata plays a crucial role in the upkeep of the body. Many diseases, including rheumatism, gout, epilepsy, and paralysis, are attributed to an excess of the wind factor. Hanuman is closely linked with this essential humor as depicted in the delineation of his characteristics later on. Some of his important names are Vayuputra, the son of Vayu, the wind god, and Vatamaja, born of Vayu. All bodily functions are controlled by the five winds, or vayus. These are prana, apana, vyana, samana, and udana. They take care of the different autonomic functions of the body such as breathing, digestion, excretion, and so on. There is one figure of Hanuman with five heads that correspond to these five winds. Thus it is said that he is in charge of our involuntary functions and so devotion to him will give us health.

  Of course, apart from this, the present-day picture of Hanuman came only after the advent of the Valmiki Ramayana, so his debut in the Hindu pantheon of gods is very recent. He belongs to the category of the “second generation” deities. However, as his devotees point out, in most regions of India there are far more shrines to Hanuman than to his exalted master. Actually, out of the trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, it is only Shiva whose offspring seem to have sprung into prominence and in some cases even usurped their parents’ high status. The three well-known sons of Shiva are Ganesha, Kartikeya, and Dharma Shasta or Ayyappa. Hanuman also claims to be the son of Shiva. In fact, he is said to be the eleventh Rudra, as was mentioned before. Ravana was a great devotee of Shiva, and thus it appears strange that his son could have become his enemy. The story that circumvents this particular dilemma has it that Ravana had once sacrificed his ten heads to Shiva but had not appeased the eleventh Rudra, no doubt because he didn’t have another head!

  All the sons of Shiva seem to have exerted a great fascination on the Indian mind. Ganesha is universally acclaimed and worshipped by all sects of Hindus. He has even gone across the seas, and you see many devotees of Ganesha even in the west. Kartikeya used to be very popular in the north at one time, but now his temples are almost exclusively found in the south and in Sri Lanka. He is known as Skanda, Murugan, and Swaminathan in the south. Ayyappa is a fairly modern advent. His main temple used to be in Kerala alone, in the place known as the Shabari Hills. He is the god for this age of Kali since he is supposed to have been born from both Shiva and Vishnu and has both their powers. His popularity is increasing in many other states in the south and now you find temples even in Delhi. Hanuman, on the other hand, used to be more popular in the north since he is almost the hero of Tulsidas’ Ramacharitamanas (Hindi Ramayan), the sixteenth-century Awadhi version of the Ramayana, perused daily by most Hindi-speaking people. But now we find that his worship is becoming more and more popular in the south. At one time there were no separate temples to him, but now some of his biggest temples are found in the south, like the ones at Namakkal and Suchindram. He displays a versatility that is greater than that of the other second-generation deities. Ganesha has certain specialities, but he is not an embodiment of boundless mercy, self-sacrifice, or ascetic rigor like Hanuman.

  Hanuman has legs in both camps—Shiva and Vishnu. His father is Shiva and he is the greatest devotee of Vishnu in his avatara as Rama. Therefore he became very popular with both Shaivites (those who follow Shiva) and Vaishnavites (those who follow Vishnu). Like the other sons of Shiva, he has a plethora of birth stories. Ganesha, as has been mentioned, is universally adored in both northern and southern India and is perhaps the most popular. However, Hanuman seems to be a close competitor in the popularity polls, though possibly Ganesha has a slight advantage over him since it has been declared in the Puranas that he has to be worshipped first before starting any venture. Of course, Hanuman is a specialist to whom people turn for the specific services in which he excels. He is capable of warding off all evil portents and planetary disturbances, so he is slowly creeping into prominence. In fact, in Maharashtra, which is predominantly a state devoted to Ganesha worship, we find that Ganesha’s shrines are outnumbered almost four-to-one by those to Maruti, as Hanuman is sometimes known, since he is the son of the wind god, and the name Maruti is a form of the Sanskrit word for wind. Many scholars are of the opinion that Hanuman worship is an outgrowth of yaksha worship. The yakshas (nature spirits) are the guardians of the wealth of the earth and are known for their great strength and swiftness. Their figures were often carved outside temples and villages, as dwarapalas, or guardians of the gate, and also as kshetrapalas, or guardians of the temples and villages. Now we find that Hanuman’s figure has replaced the early figures of yakshas and is always found outside temples and villages. Kubera, the king of the yakshas, is always depicted with a mace (gada) in his hands, and of course, this is the only weapon that Hanuman carries. After Rama left the earth, Hanuman retired to the Himalayas, to a place close to a lake owned by the yakshas, thus showing his affinity to them. This is where he met his half-brother Bhima.

  A number of monkey idols have been unearthed in the excavations of the Indus civilization, which might suggest the worship of such a monkey god from those times, but the clues are very slight. The Rig Veda is purported to contain numerous allusions to Hanuman in the Samhitas as well as in the Satapatha Brahmanas. Some of the hymns are thought to contain allusions to the events of the Ramayana. There is one specific Rigvedic passage in which some mention is made of a tawny yellow bull-monkey called Vrishakapi. Indra’s wife complains that this monkey has usurped her husband’s portion of the Vedic offerings. The name Vrishakapi occurs in the Purana known as Harivamsa, in which he is identified with the eleventh form of Rudra. This name is also found in the Mahabharata in the Vishnu Sahasranama (thousand names of Vishnu), as one of the names of Vishnu. Documentation on Hanuman worship dates back only to about a thousand years, and thus he is considered to be only an infant as far as Indologists are concerned. In fact, some of his most significant manifestations have appeared only in the last few centuries.

  The largest amount of material on Hanuman is, however, found in the Puranas. Mention of him is made in the Agni, Vishnu, Kurma, Garuda, Brahmavaivarta, Narasimha, Kalki, and Bhagavata Puranas. The Agni Purana gives instructions for constructing an image of Hanuman with two feet pressing down an asura and with two hands, one of which holds a vajra, or thunderbolt. The elaborate story of Ahiravana, which is not found in Valmiki’s epic, is found in the Shiva Purana. This Purana also includes another variant of his birth in which his mother is impregnated with Shiva’s seed, thus making him an amsa, or portion of Shiva himself. In another passage, he is called an avatara of Rudra. This link with Shiva is mentioned in the Skanda, Padma, and Naradiya Puranas. The last Purana also offers a mantra for Hanuman’s worship and describes the yantra to be used in lieu of an icon. It also says that water made potent with the use of this mantra will have the power to drive away ghosts and cure maladies like fever and epilepsy. The text also identifies Hanuman as the founder of classical music, and musicians are advised to pray to him in order to attain perfection. The Purana also describes Hanuman as the embodiment of the combined power of Shiva and Vishnu. However, it is a fact that the majority of the earlier Puranas do not mention Hanuman, and even if they do, it is only in the context of retelling the Ramayana.

  Mention of him is made more in the group of Puranic texts known as the Shiva Puranas. From early times, his worship has been upheld by the Shaivite ascetics. Like Shiva, he displays ascetic tendencies and does not care for fame or fortune. Shaivites believe that both Shiva and Vishnu descended on earth as Hanuman and Rama to destroy the unrighteous Ravana, who had misused
the power that Shiva had bestowed on him. Without Hanuman, Rama would have been helpless. It was Maruti (Hanuman) who found Sita, built the bridge to Lanka, and helped Rama to fight and kill Ravana. However, he never claimed any honor for himself and always remained in Rama’s shadow. His attributes are most appealing to yogis. He is physically immortal and linked with many herbs, and he has many siddhis sought after by yogis. As we know, he was also held to be a strict celibate, and due to his supernormal powers of strength and fleetness, he is worshipped by wrestlers and athletes.

  Vaishnavites naturally worship Hanuman as the embodiment of bhakti to Rama, the sixth incarnation of Vishnu.

  Shaktas, or worshippers of Shakti, the Divine Mother, worship him since the Devi (goddess) is thought to have been very pleased with him when he helped unite Sita with Rama. Kaali was very pleased with him when he killed the sorcerer Mahiravana and offered his blood to her. He is thought to be the guardian of a woman’s chastity since he never looked on any woman with lecherous eyes.

  In Tantric tradition, Hanuman is seen as the perfect Tantric who has acquired all the eight siddhis. After he rescued Rama from the great sorcerer Mahiravana, he was also considered to be a master of sorcery and also one who can protect people from black magic.

  As we will discuss later when touching upon the Adhyatma Ramayana, Vedanta views Hanuman as the personification of bhakti, which is instrumental in uniting Sita (here representing the jivatma, or individual spirit) with Rama (here representing the Paramatma, or Supreme Soul) after destroying Ravana (here representing ahamkara, or ego).

  Tales of Hanuman reached Southeast Asia through the merchant ships sailing from the east coast of India. Hanuman and Rama are very popular characters in the art of ancient Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, Bali, and Malaysia.

  Buddhist monks took the story of the monkey-hero to China where he became extremely popular as the Golden Monkey. However, his character in these countries is totally different from the Indian Maruti. There he lived a hedonistic life and terrorized everyone, including the gods, and was eventually tamed by the Buddha himself.

  Hanuman is thought to be the original narrator of the story of Rama. Not only was he was an eyewitness to the events he describes, but his motive in telling the tale was purely to extol his Lord Rama. However, tradition has it that this tale survives only in fragments, filtered through the lenses of human storytellers such as Valmiki, Kampan, Tulsidas, and so on.

  Victory to thee, O Hanuman,

  Ocean of wisdom and virtue,

  Hail to thee, O Lord of monkeys,

  Illuminator of the three worlds.

  HANUMAN CHALISA BY TULSIDAS

  Aum Sri Hanumathe Namaha!

  Aum Anjaneyaaya Namaha!

  2

  Anjaneya

  Son of Anjana

  Hanuman Anjana sunu,

  Vayuputro mahabala,

  Rameshta Phalguna sakha,

  Pingaksha amitavikrama,

  Utathikarmanaschaiva,

  Sita—shoka vinashaka,

  Lakshmana prana datha cha,

  Dasagreevashcha darpaha,

  Evam dwadasa naamani,

  Kapindrascha mahatmana,

  Swapakale pateth nityam,

  Yatrakale visheshata,

  Tasya mrityu bhayam nasti,

  Saravatra vijayi bhavet.

  Hanuman, the son of Anjana,

  The powerful son of Vayu,

  Friend of Rama and Arjuna,

  The red-eyed doer of impossible deeds,

  The dispeller of Sita’s sorrow,

  Giver of Lakshmana’s life,

  Foe of the ten-headed one,

  One who meditates on this noble monkey with twelve names,

  In the morning,

  And at the time of travel,

  Will never be frightened of death,

  And will ever be victorious.

  HANUMATH DHYANAM

  The ancient rishis placed great importance on the choice of names. There is a mysterious connection between a word and its meaning, and this is the foundation of the yoga known as japa, or continuous repetition of the names of any deity. Hanuman, is supposed to have gained all his powers from the continuous japa of the mantra “Rama.” The name that he is most commonly known by is Hanuman, and this has two meanings. One meaning is that he has (man), a prominent or disfigured jaw (hanu). This came about as a result of his jumping for the sun as a child. Another meaning is one whose ego or mind (man) has been destroyed (han). His second most common name is Anjaneya, or the son of Anjana, as well as Ajaniputra. He has many names derived from his father Vayu. He is known as Vayuputra, Pavanaputra, and Pavakatmaja as well as Maruti, all of which denote him as the son of Vayu, the Vedic wind god. He is also known as Kesarisutha, the son of Kesari and Kesarinandana, Kesari’s darling, in which he is linked with his simian father, Kesari. Strangely enough, he has no names that link him with Rudra. When he is called on for protection, he is known as Bajarangabali, which is actually a corruption of the Sanskrit word vajra (thunderbolt) along with anga (limb), denoting one whose limbs are as hard as the thunderbolt. Another popular name is Sankata Mochana, or the one who releases us from sorrows and dangers. He is also known as Veera and Mahavira, both denoting his great powers. Sometimes he is referred to as Panchavaktra, or the five-faced one, and Kapiswara, or lord of monkeys.

  There are many stories connected with the birth of Hanuman. He claims paternity to two gods and a simian father also, but there has never been any argument about his mother. Many of his epithets, as we have seen, identify him as the “son” of someone, but he has only one name that connects him with his mother. She has always been accepted as Anjana.

  Even though he is normally considered as the son of the wind god Vayu, one story goes that he was actually the son of Shiva and Parvati and was born from Shiva’s seed.

  Shiva was not present when Vishnu took on the form of Mohini in order to outwit the demons. When he heard of Mohini’s exquisite beauty, he was eager to see her. He went to Vaikunta, the abode of Vishnu, and asked him to reveal her form to him. When he saw Mohini’s world-enchanting form, it is said that even Shiva, the supreme ascetic, fell in love with her. He chased her and embraced her. At that time, his seed, formed out of his great tapasya, slipped out. His semen, which was gleaming on a leaf, was caught by the seven sages, or sapta rishis. When the propitious time came, they gave the seed to Vayu, who took it to the forest where Anjana was doing tapas. She was seated on a hill worshipping Shiva and asking him to bless her with a son. The wind god approached her as a gentle breeze and slipped the celestial seed through her ear into her womb. In due course, the baby monkey who was called Hanumat (in Sanskrit) was born out of Shiva’s seed.

  In the Ananda Ramayana, Hanuman is said to be Rama’s brother, born of the same sacred potion that made Dasaratha’s wives pregnant. Anjana had been worshipping Shiva for many years in order to get an exemplary son. Shiva told her that he was pleased with her tapasya and would be born to her as the eleventh Rudra. He told her to raise her cupped palms to heaven and wait patiently. Meanwhile, Dasaratha, the king of Ayodhya, was performing the putrakamesti yaga in order to have children. As a result, he received a celestial pudding to be distributed among his three wives. Having partaken of the sweet, they gave birth to Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrugna. By divine ordinance, Vayu, in the form of a hawk, is said to have swooped and pecked a bit of the pudding from the hands of the youngest wife, Sumitra. He dropped it into Anjana’s outstretched palms while flying over the hill where she was engaged in worship. She consumed the sweet morsel and Hanuman was born to her as a result. This actually made him Rama’s half-brother.

  Another story goes that Anjana was the daughter of sage Gautama and his wife Ahalya. The latter was seduced by Indra, the king of gods, who approached her in the form of her husband. When Gautama returned, he cursed both of them. Ahalya believed that her daughter had told on her to Gautama and cursed her to become a monkey. Anjana decided to perform aust
erities in order to overcome the effects of the curse. She was so absorbed in her tapas that an anthill started to grow over her. The wind god Vayu took pity on her and fed her regularly through a hole in the anthill. Meanwhile, Shiva and Parvati used to sport in the forest, taking on the form of various animals. Once when they were in monkey form, Shiva’s seed was ejaculated and Parvati could not bear the intensity of his seed. So Vayu picked it up and carried it to Anjana. Three months later, Hanuman emerged from her mouth in the form of a baby monkey. (This story will be elaborated upon in another chapter.)

  The Valmiki Ramayana gives a different version of the birth of Hanuman. The celestial maid Punchikasthala was cursed by a sage and had to be born on earth as a monkey, but she had the power to assume human form at will. Once, when she was wandering along the mountainside in her beautiful human form, her garments were lifted up by the wind. Vayu was enamoured by her lovely limbs and ruffled her clothes and entered into her. Anjana sensed this violation and was about to curse her unseen paramour when the god appeared before her and promised her that not only would there be no loss to her chastity but she would also get a powerful son equal in strength to himself.