Hanuman Ji
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Hanuman ji
When demons overran the world and started tyrannising mankind, God came down to Earth in the form of Srî Râm, a human. Srî Râm was destined to live the life of an ordinary mortal, with all the attendant suffering and pain. It was when Srî Râm’s fortunes were at their lowest that Hanumân jî breezed into his life. As had been ordained, Hanumân jî was born to the Vânar tribe. This was a clan of semi-deities the menfolk of which wore monkey-like tails ‘as an ornament.’
Srî Râm tapped Hanumân jî’s vast divine powers and enabled him to realise his enormous potential. In turn Hanumân jî helped Srî Râm fulfil his mission on earth. Hanumân jî was as outstanding a scholar as he was a warrior. He was the ideal lieutenant: intelligent, totally committed to his master, selfless and humble. Swami Chinmayanañda writes, “From the moment Anjaneya [Hanumân jî] meets with Rama, [the] Râmâyan distinctly reveals a mysterious [unfolding] of great powers, an explosion of inconceivable merits and beauties.” In other words, the epic takes a new turn and becomes a saga of success and hope after Hanumân jî steps in.
Hanumân jî: some important biographical milestones
Traditional religious scholars like Sundd have estimated that Hanumân jî was born in 880,163 B.C., or the year 12,82,938 of the Trétâ yug. The Lord of the Kapîs spent the first four years of his immortal life with his parents. Between the ages of five and eighteen he was in Ayodhyâ. After that he returned to Kishkiñdhâ for twelve years, and stayed there between the ages of nineteen and forty. Around the age of 41 he met Srî Râm. From then till the time when both were 13,062 years old, Hanumân jî serves Srî Râm—in exile and at Ayodhyâ. After that Hanumân jî shifted to Kimpurvarsh, where he has mostly lived ever since. “In between,’ writes Sundd, Hanumân jî “spent 18 days on the chariot of Arjun in the Mahâbhârat war.” Hanumân jî spent “another 36 years in the service of Lord Krishn at Dwarka [till] the end of [the] Dwapar [age].” Ever since, he has lived on earth, quite anonymously, perhaps in Kimpurvarsh. It is said that he makes a secret appearance wherever the story of Srî Râm is told. For that reason, when the saga Srî Râm is recited in the Hiñdî belt, a seat is reserved for Hanumân jî, just in case he chooses to attend that recitation. Hanumân jî’s birthday is the preferred day of the year for such recitations.
What Hanumân jî stands for
To most Hiñdus, Hanumân jî is a metaphor for i)an obedient servant, who is humble and gives credit for all his successes to his master, ii)one who denies himself all pleasures, especailly sensual ones, and iii)the Supreme Devotee, whose faith never wavers. Since at least the 14th century Hanumân jî has also been the symbol of muscular Hiñdûism. He behaved very nobly towards his opponents. By the 17th century other aspects of the Supreme Devotee, too, got emphasised. In Vijayanagar, for instance, he once again started being seen as a patron of music (with a veenâ in his hands) and, more importantly, as the path to the supreme reality. As a child Hanumân jî was an outstanding student and in his old age a great scholar, writer and composer. His grammar was always perfect. Therefore, he is also the patron deity of students, scholars, grammarians and musicians.
Hanumân jî is also the guardian of the gates of Lord Jagannâth (of whom Srî Râm is a manifestation), Âdi Mâyâ Shakti (a form of Srî Mâtâ Vaishno Devî jî), the Dévî of Pâtâl (who corresponds to Kâli Mâtâ), Srî Krishn (when he was in Dwârkâ) and of the Kâdalî region (mentioned in the Mahâbhârat). In the Krittivâs Râmâyan of Bengal he is also Lord Shiv’s gatekeeper. In the Shûnya Purân of the Buddhists, not only is he a minister in Lord Buddha’s cabinet but is also his gatekeeper. The point is that even the deities feel secure when they know that Hanumân jî guards the gates of their homes and temples.
What is Hanuman ji’s role in Indian religion?
Hanuman ji is i) A bridge between the Vaishnavites and Shaivites. ii) The greatest devotee. iv) A friend of the planets. v) An enemy of ghosts—and black-magic. vi) He who cures the ill. vii) The patron deity of acrobats. viii) The patron of new wells. ix) A liberator from insects and germs. x) He who grants supernatural powers.
What Hanumân jî symbolises
Hanumân jî brings the seeker and the Truth together again. If Srî Râm is the destination, Hanumân jî is the road that we have to take (and the method that we have to adopt) in order to get there.
What Hanumân jî represents
Hanumân jî is a symbol of bhakti (piety), brahmachârya (chastity), namratâ (modesty), nishkâm karm (altruistic deeds or altruism), sévâ (duty or ministration), shakti (energy), vâkpatutv (articulation) and vidyâ (scholarship). He also represents curiosity, intelligence and discipline.
The master of his senses
Hanumân jî is the ultimate jîténdr. He is also a celibate to boot.
The only perfect sanyâsî
The various attributes of a true hermit-saint have been discussed in Advait Védâñt literature, especially Bhâshyakara Shañkarâchârya’s works. Hanumân jî is the only person in the history of mankind who satisfies all the conditions that have been laid down.
How, when and why Hanumân jî is worshipped
Tuesday is the day associated with Hanumân jî in North India. However, in Maharashtra and some other parts it is Saturday when attendances peak at Hanumân temples. Lord Shani is pleased when people worship Hanumân jî with ‘sweet’ oil (i.e. til/ sesame oil) on Saturdays. Tuesday is the day when Srî Râm was born (and, perhaps, Hanumân jî, too). Mañgal (Mars) is the planet that presides over this auspicious day. South Indian idols of Hanumân jî have five heads and many arms. The Hanumat Kavach is recited before them. Such idols are also found in Srînagar and Jammû. The Hiñdî belt’s favourite Hanumân prayer, of course, is the Hanumân Châlîsâ, followed by Sañkat Mochan. In most parts of India, especially in Andhra Pradesh, the massive ‘Volume about Suñdar’ (Suñdar-kâñd) is recited in order to request Hanumân jî for favours. The worship of Hanumân jî is a simple, uncomplicated affair. Tulasi Dâs jî, in his Hanumân Bahuki, writes that all that the devotee need do is praise, revere and mediate upon the Son of the Wind while reciting his name. Hanumân jî rewards all sincere devotees with whatever they ask him for. What are the kinds of things that people pray to Hanumân jî for? Protection—from enemies, ghosts, disease, just anything—is the commonest request. Bodybuilders worship the One with Thunderbolt Limbs for better biceps. Sañkat Mochan: When they find themselves in times of trouble, people worship the Sañkat Mochan (‘distress-remover’). Hanumân jî’s entire life, as we will see, was dedicated to helping Srî Râm, Sugrîv, the Vânars and devotees whenever they were in trouble. He also killed evil people who harassed the innocent. He protects all true devotees from later day demons. However, most devotees pray to Hanumân jî because he is the path to Srî Râm. There is, for instance, no question of beginning a recitation of the story of Srî Râm without first worshipping Hanumân jî.
Iconography
The Pañch-mukhi (‘that which has five mouths/ faces/ heads’) form of Hanumân jî has five heads. There is also an eleven-headed Ékâdash-mukhi Hanumân. These two forms are the result of the popularity of Tâñtricism during the mediæval era. In such idols Hanumân jî has several pairs of arms. The five-headed Hanumân might have as many pairs of arms, or just one pair. The eleven-headed Hanumân normally has ten pairs of arms. There is enough diversity in the iconography of Hanumân jî to fill several picture books, and already there are three coffee-table glossies on the subject. In most sculptures and paintings, Hanumân jî is shown with a human body, a monkey’s face and a tail. The most common kind of Hanumân idol found in North India is a simple sculpture in relief, on a flat stone tablet. Hanumân jî’s faces right He seems to be running from left to right, as if he is about to take off from the ground for his flight to Lañkâ, where Srî Râm anxiously awaits him. Sometimes the Son of the Wind is shown flying, again mostly from left to right. In both cases, his left arm is (invariably) raised upwards, the palm facing the sky and a hill resting on the palm. His right hand holds a club, which might either rest on the deity’s shoulder or might even be lifted above the shoulder. Saffron or vermilion paste is smeared all over the idol, not just on the portion raised in relief but also on the flat base. Such stone sculptures never had many details to begin with. The paste obscures the little that might have been. The second most popular depiction of Hanumân jî in art is sitting or kneeling at the feet of Srî Râm. Another very popular pose that Hanumân jî is shown in is tearing his chest open with his own hands. Srî Râm, Sîtâ jî, Lakshman and, normally, Bharat and Shatrughn, are shown framed in the heart of the Supreme Devotee.
How idols of Hanumân jî should be installed
According to the Prasâd Mañdan, a scripture, icons of Hanumân jî should be installed on the south-western side of temple.
Famous temples
In theory, temples dedicated to Hanumân jî are built near the boundaries of villages and not inside them. In practice, at least in urban areas they are built everywhere. Some miracles associated with Hanumân jî are there for everyone to see. The temple complex at Puri (Orissa) is close to the sea. And yet the sounds of the ocean do not enter the temple of Lord Jagannâth because, it is said, Hanumân jî guards the four corners of the temple. He ensures that his master is not disturbed. The Sañkat Mochan temple of Varanasi is the third most important temple of this, the holiest of Hiñdu cities. (The other two are the Kâshî Vishwanâth and the Annapûrnâ.) Every year this temple celebrates Hanumân jî’s birth anniversary (Hanumat Jayañti) in a five-day festival. Attendances peak on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The Hanumân-garhi (Hanumân’s little fort) of Ayodhyâ is so called because of the tall, rampart-like, walls around the temple. It ‘is the city’s most prominent temple and monastic institution housing five or six hundred resident fighting sâdhus.’ The best-known temple of Hanumân jî’s mother, Añjanã, is at Gurkhri, near Kâñgrâ (Himachal Pradesh). In neighbouring Uttarâñchal, there is a village called Hanumân Chatti, on the way to Yamnotri (Jamnotri). It is said that the incident with Bhîm (of the Mahâbhârat) had taken place here. The Sthânu-malai temple of Suchindram (Tamil Nadu) has an eighteen-foot idol of Hanumân jî. The Hanumân Dhârâ temple of Chitrakoot has been built at the spot where Bharat met Srî Râm immediately after his exile. Vriñdâvan has the famous Simhapur temple, which ahs a huge monkey population. Nearby Goverdhan is where Hanumân jî had left a hillock that he had brought from the Himâlayas. Gokul (Mathurâ) is in the same area and has two important Hanumân temples, the Lutériyâ and the Hathîlau. Hanumân jî is worshipped as Bâlâjî in many parts of Râjasthân. The Bâlâjî temple at Mehñdipur is considered a siddh-pîth. Hampi (Karnâtaka) has been built in what used to be the Pampâ Pushkarni area. The Pampa Sarovar of Mysore and the Mânsarovar of Tibet are two of the five holiest ponds in all Hindudom. Both are associated with the stories of Srî Râm and Hanumân jî.
Srî Hanumân jî as the path to God
Brahmâ jî, Vishnû jî and Mahésh (Shiv) jî are the three supreme Gods of Hinduism. All the seemingly countless Hindu deities emerge from or are incarnations of one of this holy trinity. In turn the trinity merges to form the ultimate Trimûrtî (lit.: three idols) of Godhead. Each of these three great gods has a clearly defined role. Brahmâ jî is the creator, Vishnû jî the preserver and Shiv jî determines the ultimate fate of creation. Srî Brahmâ jî is first among the three. And yet there is just one temple dedicated to Him in the entire world. He has no incarnations either. Which means that He chose not to appear on Earth in human (or animal) form. Srî Vishnû jî, on the other hand, was moved by the condition of human beings because He saw them suffer. Therefore, He chose to be born on Earth as many as ten times, each time to rid the world of sin and evil. His most famous incarnations have been as Râm and Krishn. For a Hindu to reach Râm is to reach Vishnû, and to reach Vishnû is to reach the ultimate Godhead itself. Srî Hanumân jî, a much- loved deity, guards the gates to Srî Râm jî’s divine kingdom. No one can enter without Srî Hanumân jî’s permission. Therefore, for most Hindus, the best way to reach God is through Srî Hanumân jî.
Srî Hanumân jî: the person
Hanumân means ‘a person who has broken his chin.’ Srî Hanumân jî was born to a noble family of the Vânar clan. The word Vânar sounds suspiciously like bañdar, the Hindi word for monkey. Therefore, even devout Hindus often refer to Srî Hanumân jî as ‘the monkey god.’ However, the Vânars were not monkeys.
What does Hanumân jî personify?
Hanumân jî is the symbol of bhakti (piety), brahmachârya (chastity), namratâ (modesty), nishkâm karm (altruistic deeds or altruism), sévâ (duty or ministration), shakti (energy), vâkpatutv (articulation) and vidyâ (scholarship). He also represents curiosity, intelligence and discipline. However, the four best-known divine attributes of Hanumân jî are akhañd brahmachârya (uninterrupted celibacy), physical strength of a kind never known before or after, a mastery of the scriptures (which include grammar and the fine arts) and blemishless dâsya bhakti (worship by serving the lord). As a child Hanumân jî was an outstanding student and in his old age a great scholar, writer and composer. His grammar was always perfect. Therefore, he is also the patron deity of students, scholars, grammarians and musicians.
