🐒
हनुमान् — रामदूत
The most beloved deity in the Hindu world — his birth, his names, his eight divine powers, and why he is the ideal devotee
Anjana was a celestial apsara cursed to take birth as a vanara woman. The curse would end when she gave birth to a form of Shiva. On the full moon day, she sat in deep prayer on a mountaintop. The wind god Vayu — drawn by her devotion — carried the divine power of Shiva into her womb. Hanuman was born from this divine conception, carrying the power of Shiva and the speed of Vayu.
As an infant, he saw the sun and — believing it was a ripe fruit — leapt toward it. Indra struck him with his Vajra, breaking his jaw and sending him back to earth. Vayu, furious at the injury to his son, withdrew from the world — causing all breathing to stop. Brahma and the other gods begged Vayu to return and blessed the child: Indra\'s Vajra would never hurt him again, and he would be immortal. The child\'s broken jaw (hanu) gave him his most common name: Hanuman.
He of the disfigured jaw — from hanu (jaw) + man (prominent/having). His jaw was broken by Indra's thunderbolt when, as a child, he leapt at the sun.
Son of Anjana — his mother's name. From Anjana + eya (born of).
Son of Maruta (the wind god Vayu) — his divine father.
Son of the wind — Pavan (purifying wind) + Putra (son).
Son of Kesari — his earthly father, the monkey-king Kesari.
Vajra-anga-bali — the powerful one with a body like Vajra (thunderbolt). Diamond-limbed, indestructible.
The great hero — Maha (great) + Vira (hero, warrior).
Remover of dangers and difficulties — Sankata (danger) + Mochana (liberator).
Messenger of Rama — Duta (messenger, ambassador). He carried Rama's ring to Sita in Lanka.
The immortal one — Chiram (long, eternal) + Jeevi (alive). Hanuman is one of the eight immortals of Hindu tradition.
The Hanuman Chalisa states: "Ashta Siddhi Nava Nidhi ke Data / Asa bara dinha Janaki Mata" — Mother Janaki (Sita) gave Hanuman the gift of the eight siddhis and nine treasures.
The power to reduce oneself to the size of an atom
The power to expand oneself to infinite size
The power to become infinitely heavy
The power to become weightless — to fly
The power to reach anywhere, acquire anything
The power to realise any desire
The power of mastery over all creation
The power to bring all under one's influence
Who are Hanuman's parents?
Hanuman has both divine and earthly parents. His divine father is Vayu (वायु — the wind god), also called Maruta or Pavana. His mother is Anjana (अञ्जना), an apsara (celestial being) who had been cursed to take birth as a vanara (monkey). His earthly father is Kesari (केसरी), the monkey-king who ruled the region around Sumeru. Hanuman is thus both mortal (born of Anjana and Kesari) and divine (gifted with Vayu's power).
Why is Hanuman depicted as half-monkey and half-human?
Hanuman is a Vanara — a semi-divine being often described as a human with simian features. The Valmiki Ramayana consistently describes the Vanaras as powerful, intelligent beings who can speak, reason, compose poetry, and practice medicine. Modern scholars debate whether "Vanara" refers to forest-dwelling tribal peoples, an extinct species, or divine beings. The monkey iconography emerged gradually in later artistic traditions. In the Ramayana itself, Hanuman's wisdom, eloquence, and grammar are praised more than his simian appearance.
What is the Sundara Kanda?
The Sundara Kanda (सुन्दरकाण्ड — the beautiful book) is the fifth chapter of the Valmiki Ramayana, devoted entirely to Hanuman's journey to Lanka. Sundara means beautiful — and the name refers to Hanuman himself (some say), or to Mount Suvela where he stood before Lanka, or to the beauty of his devotion. It is the most widely recited section of the Ramayana, read independently as a complete devotional text. It is believed that reciting the Sundara Kanda removes obstacles and brings protection.
Is Hanuman still alive?
Yes — according to tradition. Hanuman is one of the Chiranjeevis (चिरञ्जीवी — the immortals): divine beings who remain alive until the end of the current cosmic cycle. The others include Ashwatthama, Bali, Vyasa, Vibhishana, Parashurama, Kripa, and Markandeya. Hanuman is said to be present wherever the Ramayana is recited — a belief reflected in the practice of keeping a seat empty at Ramayana recitations for Hanuman. He is said to be living on Mount Gandhamadana in the Himalayas.
ॐ
VedaLingo teaches Sanskrit through the Ramayana, mantras, and sacred texts. Free forever.