Hanuman: Bajrangbali, the Devotee of Rama
Born of Vayu and Anjana, an aspect of Rudra, leaper across oceans, finder of Sita, burner of Lanka, immortal — Hanuman is bhakti embodied. Where the Ramayana is sung, he is present.
Hanuman: Bajrangbali, the Devotee of Rama
Bajrangbali · Anjaneya · Maruti · Pavan-putra · Mahavira
Who is Hanuman?
Hanuman — Bajrangbali (diamond-bodied), Anjaneya (son of Anjana), Maruti (son of Marut/Vayu), Mahavira (great hero), Pavan-putra, Sankat-mochan — is an aspect of Rudra-Shiva, born of Vayu and the apsara Anjana. He is one of the seven chiranjivins (immortals), and in living Hindu practice the most worshipped deity outside the Trimurti.
Names
- Hanuman — 'with prominent jaw' (struck by Indra's vajra).
- Anjaneya — son of Anjana.
- Bajrangbali — diamond-limbed.
- Pavan-putra / Maruti — son of wind.
- Sankat-mochan — remover of crisis.
- Mahavira — great warrior.
Birth and the Sun-fruit
Vayu carried Shiva's energy into Anjana; Hanuman was born. As a child he leapt at the rising sun thinking it a fruit; Indra struck him with the vajra; Vayu withdrew his breath from the world; the gods restored Hanuman with multiple boons — invulnerability, immense strength, shape-shifting, but with a curse to forget his powers until reminded. This is why Jambavan has to remind him before the Lanka leap.
Meeting Rama at Rishyamukha
When Rama and Lakshmana came searching for Sita, Sugriva sent Hanuman to assess them. Hanuman approached as a brahmin; his speech in flawless Sanskrit and his recognition of Rama as Vishnu marked him forever — Rama said 'his speech is the speech of one who has mastered the Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva' (see the Vedas).
Sundara Kanda — the Lanka leap
Reminded of his powers by Jambavan, Hanuman expanded to a mountain and leapt across the ocean. He defeated the rakshasi Surasa, killed the shadow-grasping Simhika, entered Lanka in a small form, found Sita in the Ashoka grove, gave Rama's ring, accepted her chudamani, destroyed the Ashoka grove, killed Akshakumara, was bound by the Brahmastra of Indrajit, allowed his arrest as courtesy to the weapon, was paraded in court, lectured Ravana, and burned Lanka with his tail before leaping back. The Sundara Kanda is the only book of the Ramayana where Rama does not appear; Hanuman alone carries it.
Bringing the mountain
When Lakshmana fell in the war, Hanuman flew to the Drona-giri in the Himalaya for the Sanjivani herb; unable to identify it, he uplifted the entire mountain. Bharata, mistaking him for a demon, shot him down; Hanuman explained, Bharata sent him on Bharata's arrow back to Lanka. He returned in time. Lakshmana was saved.
After the war
Rama offered Hanuman any boon. Hanuman asked only to live as long as Rama's name was sung on earth — and was granted chiranjivitva. He remained on earth when Rama returned to Vaikuntha. He met Bhima in the Mahabharata forest; he sat on Arjuna's flag at Kurukshetra ('Kapidhvaja'). Bridging both epics.
Symbolism
Hanuman is bhakti in its most muscular form — strength entirely in service. He is also the model brahmachari (celibate yogi) and the model scholar-warrior. The Hanuman Chalisa of Tulsidas (40 verses) is the most-recited devotional text in north India.
Iconography and worship
Hanuman is depicted in many forms — Vira-Hanuman (warrior), Dasa-Hanuman (servant with folded hands), Yoga-Hanuman (meditating), Pancha-mukha Hanuman (five-faced), and carrying the mountain. Tuesdays and Saturdays are his days. Major temples: Sankat Mochan, Varanasi (Kashi) (Kashi), Mahavir Mandir, Patna, Hanuman Garhi, Ayodhya, Salasar Balaji, Rajasthan, Madhva-pratishthapita Mukhya-prana temples (Madhva treats Hanuman as the second Vayu-incarnation, with Bhima as third).
Regional variants
- Tulsidas's Hanuman Chalisa and Sundara Kanda — north Indian devotion.
- Madhva sampradaya — Hanuman as Vayu-incarnation 1.
- Tamil Anjaneya temples by Vaishnava Acharyas.
- Indonesian wayang Anoman — gentle, scholarly.
- Thai Ramakien Hanuman — flirtatious, with multiple wives — a popular character.
- Jain Paumacariya — Hanuman as a vidyadhara king with eleven wives, not celibate.
Legacy
Hanuman is the most living of all classical Indian deities. He is the patron of wrestlers, students, soldiers, travellers, and anyone in crisis. The Hanuman Chalisa is recited daily by tens of millions. He is invoked at the start of every Ramayana recitation.
Related reading
Related articles in Itihasas (Epics)
Driven from his kingdom by his elder brother Vali, sheltering on Rishyamukha with Hanuman, Sugriva struck the alliance with Rama that won the Ramayana war. After Vali's death, with Tara as queen, he ruled Kishkindha and sent his vanaras to the four directions.
Born a rakshasa, raised by a brahmin father, Vibhishana refused his brother's adharma, walked across to Rama's camp, was crowned king of Lanka, and became one of the seven chiranjivins — eternal models of *sharanagati*.
Born to Ravana and Mandodari, master of the Brahmastra, Pashupatastra, and Vaishnavastra, the only warrior who defeated Indra and bound him in chains — Meghanada became Indrajit. His death by Lakshmana broke Lanka's spine.
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