Hanuman:-

Hanuman ((Sanskrit: हनुमत्), (Hanuman); nominative singular (हनुमान्), (Hanumān), (Tamil: அனுமன்)), known also as 'Anjaneya' (son of Anjana) or Maruti (or Maruti nandan), is one of the most popular concepts of devotees of God (bhakti) (devotion to God) in Hinduism and one of the most important personalities in the Indian epic, the Ramayana. His most famous feat, as described in the Hindu epic scripture the Ramayana, was leading a monkey army to fight the demon King Ravana. Hanuman is considered as siranjaeevi (to live eternally). He is the monkey God, strong, full of valour, with various skills and powers. At the same time, he is wise, a great gnani, yogi and a brahmachari. He had only one thought that of serving his Lord Rama with utmost humility and devotion. He is known as Siriya Thiruvadi. He is considered to be an amsam of Lord Siva. He is known by various names - Hanuman - (His jaw & cheek had gone in when struck by the Vajrayudha of Indra), Anumandhayya - (in Karnataka), Aanjaneyalu - (in Andhra Pradesh), Aanjaneyan - (son of Anjana), Maruthi - (son of Vaayu - in Maharashtra), Anumandhan, Vaayunandhan, Kesarinandhanan (son of Kesari), Aadhitasishyan and Siriya Thiruvadi (vahanam for Rama).

He is worshipped in the temples as Bhaktha Hanuman & Veera Hanuman. He is seen seated humbly in front of Rama vigrahmas in the Rama sannadhis. There are also separate temples for Hanuman. As Bhaktha Hanuman he is seen holding both hands together in prayer. He is seen as Veera Hanuman, holding the mace in one hand & the sanjeevi parvatham in the other. Devotees are blessed with courage, valour, wisdom, gnanam when they pray to him. He is very happy when he hears the Rama namam. Hence, repeating the Rama namam is one of the best ways to get his blessings.

Birth:-

Hanuman was born to 'Anjana', a female vanara in the Brahmagiri hills near Trimbakeshwar, Maharashtra. According to the legend, Anjana was an apsara or a celestial being, named 'Punjikasthala', who, due to a curse, was born on the earth as a female vanara. The curse was to be removed upon her giving birth to an incarnation of Lord Shiva. 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 Sugreeva and Sri Rama met. There is a temple that marks the spot.

Along with Kesari, her husband, Anjana performed intense prayers to Shiva to beget Him as her Child. Pleased with their devotion, Shiva granted them the boon they sought. Hence, the Hanuman is also known as "Maharudra" because he was born out of the boon given to Anjana by the Shiva who is also known as Rudra. The Valmiki Ramayana, (Yuddha Kanda) states that Kesari is the son of Brihaspati and that Kesari also fought on Rama's side in the war against Ravana.

Different stories are told explaining Hanuman's birth. One is that at the time that Anjana was worshipping Lord Shiva, elsewhere, Dasharatha, the king of Ayodhya, was performing the Putrakama Yagna in order to have children. As a result, he received some sacred pudding, payasam, to be shared by his three wives, leading to the births of Rama, Lakshmana, Bharata, and Shatrughna. By divine ordinance, a kite snatched a fragment of that pudding and dropped it while flying over the forest where Anjana was engaged in worship. Vayu, the Hindu deity of the wind, delivered the falling pudding to the outstretched hands of Anjana, who consumed it. Hanuman was born to her as a result.

Being Anjana's son, Hanuman is also called Anjaneya (pronounced Aanjanèya), which literally means "arising from Anjani".

Sri Aurobindo states that "vanara" does not refer to "monkey": "Prajapati manifests as Vishnu Upendra incarnate in the animal or Pashu in whom the four Manus have already manifested themselves, and the first human creature who appears is, in this Kalpa, the Vanara, not the animal Ape, but man with the Ape nature", i.e. primitive man such as Homo erectus.

Hanuman, in one interpretation, is also considered as the incarnation of Shiva or reflection of Shiva also known as Rudra. Others, such as followers of Dvaita consider Hanuman to be the son of Vayu or a manifestation of Vayu, the god of wind. When Ravana tried to enter the Kailash (the abode of Shiva) called Lord Shiva "a monkey". Lord Shiva in return cursed Ravana that a monkey would burn his Lanka. Shiva took the form of Hanuman.

References to Hanuman in classical literature could be found as early as those of 5th to 1st century BC in Panini's Astadhyayi, Abhiseka Nataka, Pratima Nataka, and Raghuvamsa (Kālidāsa).

Childhood, education, love, and curse :-

As a child, assuming the sun to be a ripe mango, he once took flight to catch hold of it to eat. Indra, the king of devas observed this and therefore threw the Vajra (thunderbolt) at Hanuman, which struck his jaw. He fell back down to the earth and became unconscious. Upset, Vayu went into seclusion, taking the atmosphere with him. As living beings began to be asphyxiated, Indra withdrew the effect of his thunderbolt, and the devas revived Hanuman and blessed him with multiple boons. A permanent mark was left on his chin (hanuhH in Sanskrit), explaining his name.

On ascertaining 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 then moved (backwards, to remain facing Surya) continuously with his teacher, and learned all of the latter's knowledge. When 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, whereupon Surya asked him to help his (Surya's) spiritual son Sugriva. Hanuman's choice of Surya as his teacher is said to signify Surya as a Karma Saakshi, an eternal witness of all deeds. Hanuman was mischievous in his childhood, and sometimes teased the meditating sages in the forests by snatching their personal belongings and by disturbing their well-arranged articles of worship. Finding his antics unbearable, but realizing that Hanuman was but a child, (albeit invincible), the sages placed a mild curse on him by which he became unable to remember his own ability unless reminded by another person. It is hypothesised that without this curse, the entire course of the Ramayana war might have been different, for he demonstrated phenomenal abilities during the war. The curse is highlighted in Kishkindha Kanda and Sundara Kanda when Jambavantha reminds (the quietly wondering) Hanuman of his abilities and encourages him to go and find Sita. The specific verse that is recited by Jambavantha is :

पवन तनय ब्ल पवन समाना बुद्धि विवेक विज्ञान निधाना |

कवन् सो काज कठिन जग माही जो नहि होय तात तुम्ह पाहीं ||

Rough translation:-

You are as powerful as the wind (Hanumanji was the son of Pawan, God of wind);
You are intelligent, illustrious & an inventor.
There is nothing in this world that’s too difficult for you;
Whenever stuck, you are the one who can help.

Presence in the present age :-

Hanuman as depicted in Yakshagana, popular folk art of Karnataka

There have been numerous prophets who claimed to have seen Hanuman in modern times, notably Madhvacharya (13 Century A.D.), Tulsidas (16th century), Sri Ramdas Swami (17th century)and Raghavendra Swami (17th century), Swami Ramdas (20th century).

Others have also asserted his presence wherever the Ramayana is read (in Sanskrit, not translated):

  यत्र यत्र रघुनाथ कीर्तनम् तत्र तत्र क्रित मस्तक अन्जलिं बष्पावरी परीपूर्ण लोचनम् मारुतिं नमश्च राक्षस अंतकम्।

Which means:

  That wherever the deeds of Sri Rama are sung,
  At all such places does Hanuman cry tears of devotion and joy,
  At all such places does his presence remove the fear of demons.

This can be found in many other texts like Vinaya Patrika by Tulsidas, Mahabharta by Ved Vyasa, Anand Ramayan and many others with slight variation in language/Sentence. Even the places where holy function of Ramayanpath is taking place, there is a special puja and space (or asan) reserved for Hanuman.

Temples and worship:-

A temple to Hanuman near Nuwara Eliya in Sri Lanka
The largest Hanuman Murti outside of India, located in Trinidad and Tobago
Temple of Hanuman at Nerul Navi Mumbai

Admired for his great strength, Hanuman is traditionally prayed to by wrestlers and boxers in India and Southeast Asia. There are numerous temples for Hanuman, and his images are usually installed at all temples where images of avataras of Vishnu are installed. Hanuman temples can be found in many places for the reason that the area and the surroundings are free from rakshasas and 'evils'. This was a presentational 'Varam' to him by Rama and Sita. Hanuman idols are found on mountain roads because it is believed that he protects people from accidents.

Sankat Mochan Shri Hanuman Mandir, located in the Punjab town of Phillaur, is Asia's tallest temple of lord Hanuman ji. The total height of temple is 121 feet and Hanuman ji statue's height is 67 feet. This is a very famous temple in Punjab, people from all over the world come to see it.

There is a statue of Lord Hanuman at Nandura[citation needed]. The height of statue is 105 feet high situated besides national highway no. 6. From here Shegaon (temple of Shri Sant Gajanan Maharaj famous in Maharashtra) is around 40 km ahead.

Ragigudda Anjaneya temple is a Hanuman temple located in JP Nagar Bangalore. The temple is located on a hillock.

The Hanuman temple at Nerul, Navi Mumbai, Maharashtra, India is situated inside SIES complex. The Hanuman idol is 33 feet (10 m) tall and is installed on a pedestal of height 12 feet (4 m), bringing the total height to 45 feet (14 m). In the picture shown, Hanuman has silver coverings (Silver Kavasam). The 10 mtr height idol is sculptured out of single granite stone.

Similarly, a 32 feet (10 m) idol of Sri Anjaneyar was entrenched in 1989[2] at Nanganallur in chennai, India. The distinguished factor of the idol is that it was molded out of a single rock.

Other large Lord Hanuman idols:-

A 30 foot Murti of Anjaneyaswamy, in Ponnur near Guntur in Andhra Pradesh.

An 85-foot (26 m) Karya Siddhi Hanuman murthi was installed at Carapichaima-Trinidad and Tobago, by Avadhoota Dattapeetham Pontiff Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda. (Tallest in the Western hemisphere and second tallest in the world)

Panchamukha Hanuman :-

Sri Panchamukha Anjaneya Swami was the main deity of Sri Raghavendra Swami. The place where he meditated on this five-faced form of Hanuman is now known as Panchamukhi, wherein a temple for him has been built. There is also a shrine for Panchamukha Anjaneya Swami at Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, India. A 40 feet (12 m) tall monolithic green granite murti of Sri Panchamukha Hanuman has been installed in Thiruvallur, also in Tamil Nadu. This place was known as Rudravanam in olden times when many saints and seers had blessed this place with their presence. The Panchamukha Hanuman Ashram itself was established by a saint called Venkatesa Battar.

Hanuman assumed this form to kill Mahiravana, a powerful rakshasa black-magician and practitioner of the dark arts during the Ramayana war. Mahiravana had taken Lord Rama and Lakshmana captive, and the only way to kill him was to extinguish five lamps burning in different directions, all at the same instant. Hanuman assumed His Panchamukha form and accomplished the task, thus killing the rakshasa, and freeing Rama and Lakshmana.

This form of Hanuman is very popular, and is also known as Panchamukha Anjaneya and Panchamukhi Anjaneya. (Anjaneya, which means "son of Anjana", is another name of Hanuman).

A 67 foot Murti of Lord Hanuman Ji has been installed at Sankat Mochan Shri Hanuman Mandir, located in the Punjab town of Phillaur.

A 40 foot Murti of Sri Panchamukha Hanuman has been installed at Tiruvallur, near Chennai, India.

A 36 foot Murti of Sri Panchamukha Hanuman has been installed at Panchavatee,Pondicherry, called as Viswaroopa Jayamangala Panchamukha Sri Anjaaneyaswamy.

A 32 foot Murti of Adhivyadihara Sri Bhaktha Anjaneyaswamy,Nanganallur,Chennai which is molded out of a single rock.

A 3 foot Murti of Sri Panchmukha Hanuman has been installed at OKapi farm 15.7 kms west of Lusaka Zambia from New Mumba Road. While the mandir is under construction, daily puja is offered in the mornings and evenings.

Every Face of Sri Panchamukha Hanuman has significance :-

• Sri Hanuman faces east. He grants purity of mind and success.
• The Narasimha faces south. He grants victory and fearlessness.
• The west facing Garuda removes black magic and poisons.
• The north facing Varaha, showers prosperity, wealth.
• The Hayagriva mukha faces the Sky. But since we cannot see it, it is usually tilted and shown above Hanuman's face. Hayagriva gives Knowledge and good children.

Worship & offerings:-

Anjaneyar is worshipped with offerings of butter & Vadaimalai (a garland of vadais). Butter is applied to the mouth & tail of the Hanuman vigrahams in temples. Devotees pray to the Lord & apply dots of kumkumam to his tail (from the starting point to the tip) in the images kept at home.

A simple prayer to Anjaneya

Asaathya Saadhaka Swaamin 
Asaathyam Thavakim vadha 
Raama Dhootha Kribhaa Sindho 
Math Kaaryam Sadhakka Prabho

Shree Hanuman Chalisa :-

Whoever recites Hanuman Chalisa (40 stanzas praising Hanuman), written by Shree Tulsi Das, for 40 mornings, will beget health, wealth, happiness, courage, valour and wisdom. Devotees reading this Chalisa 108 times will overcome all obstacles. 

Hanuman Dhyanam

adhulitha baladhamam swarna sailaaba dheham
dhanu jvana krusaanum jgnaninaa makrakanyamõ |
sakala gunanithaanam vaanaraannamatheesam
raghupathy priyabakthim vaadha jaadham namaami || 

koshpatheekrutha varasim masakeekrutha rakshasam |
ramayana mahamalarathnam vandheh anilaathmajam || 

yathra yathra raghunatha keerthanam
thathra thathra kruthamathookanjjalim |
bashbaqwari paripoorna lochanam
maruthim namatha raksha-shanthakam || 

Shreeguru charana saroja raja
nija manu mukura suDhaari |
varanoun raghuvara vimala yasu
joa dhaayaku phala chaari || 

budhdhiheena thanu jaanikae
sumirou pavana kumaarae |
bala budhdhi viDhyaa dhaehu mohi
harahu kalesa vikaara|| 

jaya hanumaan nyaan guna saagara|
jaya kapeesa thihoon loka ujaagara|| 1 

raama dhootha athulitha bala Dhaamaa|
anjani puthra pavanasutha naamaa|| 2 

mahaveer vikrama bajrangee|
kumathi nivaara sumathi kae sangi|| 3 

kanchana varana viraaja suvaeshaa|
kaanana kundala kunchitha kesha|| 4 

haatha vajra ou dhvajaa biraajai|
kaanDhae moonja janaeoo saajai|| 5 

shankara suvana kesari nandhana|
thaeja prathaapa mahaa jaga vandhana|| 6 

vidhyavaana guni athi chaathur|
raama kaaja karibae koa aathur|| 7 

prabhu charithra sunibae koa rasiyaa|
raam lakhana seethaa mana basiyaa|| 8 

sukshma roopa Dhari siyahin dhikhaavaa|
bikata roopa dhari lanka jaraavaa|| 9

bheema roopa Dhari asura samhaarae|
raamachandhra kae kaaj sanvaarae|| 10

laaya sanjeevana lakhana jiyaayae|
shree raghuveer harashi ur laaye|| 11

raghupathi keenhee bahutha badaayee|
thum mama priya bharathahi sama bhaayee|| 12

sahasa vadhana thumharo jasa gaavain|
asa kahi Shreepathi kanta lagaavain|| 13

sanakaadika bramhadhi muneesaa|
naaradha saaradha sahitha aheesaa|| 14

jama kubaera dhigapaal jahaan thae|
kavi koavidha kahi sakae kahaan thae|| 15

thum upkaara sugreevahin keenhaa|
raam milaaya raja pada dheenhaa|| 16

thumharo manthra vibeeShan maanaa|
lankaeshwar bhayae sab jaga jaanaa|| 17

yuga sahasra yojana para Bhanoo|
leelyo thaahi maDhura phala jaanoo|| 18

prabhu mudhrikaa maeli mukha maahin|
jalaDhi laanDhi gaye achraja naahin|| 19

dhurgama kaaja jagatha kae jaethae|
sugama anugraha thumharae thaethae|| 20

raam dhuaarae thum rakhwaarae|
hoath na aagnyaa binu paisaarae|| 21

sab sukh lahai thumhaari charanaa|
thum rakshak kaanhoo koa darnaa|| 22

aapana thej samhaaroa aapai|
theenon loaka haank sae kaampae|| 23

bhooth pishaash nikata nahin aavai|
mahaaveer jab naam sunaavai|| 24

naashai roga harai saba peedaa|
japatha niranthara hanumatha veera|| 25

sankata sae hanumaan chudaavai|
mana krama vachana dhyaana joa laavai|| 26

sab para raam thapasvee raajaa|
thinakae kaaj sakala thum saajaa|| 27

aura manorath joa koee laavai|
soayi amitha jeevana phala paavai|| 28

chaaron jug parathaapa thumhaaraa|
hei parasidhdhi jagatha ujiyaaraa|| 29

saaDhu santha kae thum rakhwaarae|
asura nikandhana raam dhulaarae|| 30

ashta sidhdhi nava nidhi kae dhaathaa|
asa bara dheen jaanakee maathaa|| 31

raam rasayana thum rae paasaa|
sadha rahoa raghupathi kae daasaa|| 32

thumharae bhajana raam koa bhaavai|
janma janma kae dhukh bisraavai|| 33

antha kaala raghupathi pura jaayee|
jahaan janma hari bhakth kahaayee|| 34

aura dhaevathaa chiththa na Dharayee|
hanumatha saeyeesarba sukh karayee|| 35

sankata katai mitai sab peeda|
joa sumirai hanumatha bala veeraa|| 36

jai jai jai hanumaana goasaayeen|
krupaa karahu gurudaeva kee naayeen|| 37

joa sath baar paaTa kara koiyee|
chootahi bandhi mahaa sukh hoayee|| 38

joa yaha padai hanumaan chaaleesaa|
hoya sidhdhi saakhee goureesaa|| 39

thulalaseedaasa sadhaa hari chaeraa|
keejai naaTha hrudhaya maham daeraa|| 40

bhavana dhanaya sankata harana mangala moorthy roop
raam lakhana jaanaakee boaloa jai hanumaan kee|| 

************ Jai Bajranbali **************