The Mystery of Hanuman - Inspiring Tales from Art and Mythology

August 28, 2004

This was put together by me.

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Once Shiva and Parvati, ever the adventurous lovers, decided to

transform themselves into monkeys and indulge in amorous games in

the dense Himalayan forests. During a climactic moment, the seed

of Shiva found its mark and impregnated Parvati. Since they were

in simian form it was but natural that the offspring born of such

a union too would be a monkey. Not desiring to go against the

laws of nature, Shiva directed the wind god Vayu to carry his

semen from Parvati's womb, and deposit it into that of Anjana - a

female monkey, who at that very moment was praying for a male

child.

Another slightly variant version of this story in the Shiva

Purana states that when Vishnu once disguised himself as the

heavenly beauty Mohini, her charms so impressed Shiva that he

could not restrain his seed. Vayu then carried the seed and

deposited it into Anjana's womb. There was no question of Shiva's

potent discharge resulting in an offspring less than

extraordinary and the child conceived under such exceptional

circumstances was bound to be especial, and so it was. The

resulting bundle of joy was none other than Hanuman, one of the

most celebrated and worshipped figures in Indian thought. Two

exceptional traits further marked his birth. The first was that

unlike ordinary children, Hanuman was born wearing a loincloth.

This was an early pointer to his life-long pursuit of a celibate,

almost ascetic lifestyle. The other significant occurrence was

the presence of elaborate earrings adorning his ears. The latter

has an interesting piece of legend explaining it:

At the time of Hanuman's birth, the undisputed leader of the

monkey-world was Vali, a strong and powerful ape. When Vali came

to know that Anjana was pregnant with a child who was bound to

develop into a powerful rival, he decided to end matters in

Anjana's womb itself. He created a missile using five metals:

gold, silver, copper, iron and tin. When the unsuspecting mother

was asleep, he directed the missile into her womb. A normal child

may have succumbed to this dastardly attack, but not one born of

Shiva's fiery seed. The missile as soon as it touched Hanuman's

body melted, and transformed into a pair of earrings. Thus

wearing the trophies of his first battle, fought while still in

his mother's womb, Hanuman gloriously entered this world.

Indeed, having both Shiva and Vayu as his illustrious fathers, he

was no ordinary child. Hanuman was restless, spirited, energetic

and inquisitive. He was obviously endowed with awesome strength

and the scriptures abound in tales expounding on his remarkable

feats. Once for example he mistook the sun for a ripe fruit

(monkeys are naturally lured by red ripe fruits), and rushed

towards the sky in an attempt to grab it.

Illustration: http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/dd05.jpg

On his way however he saw Rahu the dragon making his way to

devour the sun and thus cause an eclipse. Mistaking him to be a

worm, the restless Hanuman dashed towards Rahu and attempted to

catch hold of him. Rushing for his life, Rahu sought shelter in

the refuge of Indra, the lord of the skies. Indra picked up his

deadly thunderbolt, mounted his white elephant named Airavata and

made off in search of Hanuman, seeking to restrain his seeming

impudence. The clouds rumbled and lightning thundered across the

vast skies in an expression of Indra's wrath. But neither this

scary scenario, nor the mightily armed Indra on his high mount,

was sufficient enough to induce even a trace of fear in the heart

of Hanuman. On the contrary, the spectacle only served to fuel

his excitement and mistaking Airavata for a toy, he made a grab

for the pachyderm, seized its trunk and leapt on its back. Taken

aback by the child's spirited and playful defiance, Indra stuck

at Hanuman with his thunderbolt, and the wound thus inflicted

hurtled him speedily down to the earth. His father Vayu

immediately sprung to his rescue and caught him in mid air.

The sight of his beloved son lying helpless in his arms

infuriated the wind-god. He drew in a mighty breath and sucked

away all the air from the cosmos. "Let all those who have harmed

Anjana's son choke to death," he thought out aloud. Predictably

there was panic in the cosmos. Without air, life on every level

was threatened. The gods, realizing their folly, went in unison

to Vayu and asked for his forgiveness. To make amends they

showered the following blessings and powers on the monkey child:

a). Brahma: "May you live as long as Brahma himself lives."

b). Vishnu: "May you live all your life as the greatest devotee

of God."

c). Indra: "No weapon of any kind will wound or hit your body."

d). Agni: "Fire will never affect you."

e). Kala: "May death never court you."

f). All the Devas (gods): "None will ever equal you in strength

and speed."

Brahma concluded the session by bestowing on Hanuman a power

greater than even Vayu and Garuda, and endowed him with a speed

faster than even the mightiest wind. Thus pacified, Vayu restored

air into the cosmos and Hanuman was returned to his parents.

There was one catch however. It was decreed that Hanuman would

remain blissfully unaware of his own prowess, unless, during the

course of a meritorious deed, his memory would remind him of his

superhuman ability. It will be seen later how this apparently

insignificant matter lays bare the symbolical significance of

Hanuman.

Hanuman's Education

As he grew up, Hanuman sought to educate himself and for this

purpose he chose Surya the sun god as his guru saying: "You see

everything there is to see in the universe and you know

everything there is to know. Please accept me as your pupil."

Surya hesitated. "I don't have the time," he said. "During the

day I ride across the sky, and at night I am too tired to do

anything."

"Then teach me as you ride across the sky during the day. I will

fly in front of your chariot, facing you from dawn to dusk."

Impressed by Hanuman's zeal and determination, Surya accepted him

as his pupil. Thus Hanuman flew before the chariot of the sun

god, withstanding the awesome glare, until he became well versed

in the four books of knowledge (the Vedas), the six systems of

philosophies (darshanas), the sixty-four arts or kalas and the

one hundred and eight occult mysteries of the Tantras.

Having become a master of all that he set out to learn, it was

now time for Hanuman to pay for his education (guru-dakshina).

Surya asserted that watching the devoted pupil study was payment

enough for him but when Hanuman insisted on giving something to

express his gratitude, the sun god asked him to look after the

welfare of his son Sugriva, who was the stepbrother of Vali, the

king of monkeys.

Before Vali became the lord of apes, a simian named Riksha ruled

over them. Once it so transpired that Riksha fell in an enchanted

pool and turned into a woman. Both the sky-god Indra and the

sun-god Surya fell in love with her and she bore each of them a

son. Indra's son was her first born Vali while Sugriva her second

offspring was the son of Surya. After bearing the sons, Riksha

regained his male form.

When Riksha died, in accordance with the law of the jungle, the

monkeys fought each other for becoming the leader. Vali

successfully killed or maimed every other contender to the throne

and became the undisputed ruler of the monkey world. As one who

had successfully earned his dominant place among the apes, Vali

was not obliged to share the spoils of power with anyone, but

being of a magnanimous nature he shared everything with his

younger brother Sugriva. It was in these circumstances that

Hanuman entered the companionship of Sugriva who later became the

king of monkeys himself. It was under Sugriva that the massive

army of monkeys helped Lord Rama reclaim his wife who had been

abducted by the demon Ravana.

Illustration: http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/hc03.jpg

Hanuman The Selfless

A pair of lovebirds, reveling in their natural freedom, was

soaring the boundless skies. Fate however had scripted a cruel

ending to their mating. A hunter's arrow found its mark and the

devoted female lost her male. She did not however escape from the

scene but rather lingered on, circling over the lifeless form of

her mate. Witnessing this poignant episode inspired the

accomplished sage Valmiki to poetry and what came out of his

heart was the Ramayana, one of the greatest epics the earth has

had the good fortune to inherit. Indeed, Valmiki's poem became

renowned in the three worlds as it struck a chord in every heart

that heard it.

Illustration: http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/valmiki.jpg

One day Valmiki came to know that the great Hanuman too had

penned the adventures of Rama, engraving the story with his nails

on rocks. A curious Valmiki traveled to the Himalayas where

Hanuman was residing to partake this version. When Hanuman read

out his narration, Valmiki was overwhelmed by its sheer power and

poetic caliber. It was truly an inspired piece. Valmiki felt both

joy and sorrow. Joy because he had had the chance to hear an

exceptionally beautiful poem, and sad because it obviously

overshadowed his own work.

When Hanuman saw the unhappiness his work had caused Valmiki he

smashed he engraved rocks destroying his creation forever. Such

was Hanuman's selflessness. For him, narrating the tales of Rama'

s adventures was a means to re-experience Rama, not a ticket to

the hall of fame.

Hanuman's name too illustrates his self-effacing character, being

made up of 'hanan' (annihilation) and 'man' (mind), thus

indicating one who has conquered his ego.

Hanuman and Yoga

If yoga is the ability to control one's mind then Hanuman is the

quintessential yogi having a perfect mastery over his senses,

achieved through a disciplined lifestyle tempered by the twin

streams of celibacy and selfless devotion (bhakti). In fact,

Hanuman is the ideal Brahmachari (one who follows the path of

Brahma), if ever there was one.

Illustration: http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/zm03.jpg

He is also a perfect karma yogi since he performs his actions

with detachment, acting as an instrument of destiny rather than

being impelled by any selfish motive.

Hanuman - The First to Teach Pranayama and the Inventor of the

Surya Namaskar

Pranayama is the ability to control one's breath so that the

inhalation and exhalation of air is rhythmic. Vayu, the god of

air and wind, first taught pranayama to his son Hanuman, who in

turn taught it to mankind.

The Surya Namaskar (salutation to the sun) too, was devised by

Hanuman as a greeting for his teacher Surya.

Hanuman and Sorcery

The villain of the epic Ramayana was the mighty demon Ravana.

When he carried away Sita, her aggrieved husband Rama,

accompanied by Hanuman and a massive army of monkeys laid siege

on Lanka, the capital of Ravana's empire. As the battle

progressed, the demon lost all his brothers and sons and it

became clear that he was headed towards defeat. Finally, he sent

for his only surviving son Mahiravana, a powerful sorcerer who

ruled over the underworld (patala loka). Mahiravana was a great

devotee of Goddess Kali from whom he had obtained vital occult

secrets. Initially Mahiravana did not wish to join the fight

against Rama since he felt the latter's cause to be just. But

understanding his weakness for ritual magick Ravana addressed him

thus: "Think of the powers the goddess Kali will grant you when

you offer to her the heads of two handsome and virile youths like

Rama and Lakshmana." Needles to say, Mahiravana agreed.

The great sorcerer Mahiravana managed to kidnap both Rama and his

brother Lakshmana while they were sleeping. He left behind, in

place of their bed, a dark trail stretching deep into the bowels

of the earth. Hanuman immediately dived into the tunnel and made

his way to patala, the subterranean kingdom of Mahiravana. There

he found the two brothers tied to a post, their bodies anointed

with mustard oil and bedecked with marigold flowers, ready to be

sacrificed. Near them, Mahiravana was sharpening the sacrificial

blade and chanting hymns to invoke the goddess.

Hanuman taking the form of a bee whispered into Rama's ear, "When

Mahiravana asks you to place your neck on the sacrificial block,

inform him that being of royal lineage you have never learned to

bow your head. Tell him to show you how." Mahiravana fell for the

trap. No sooner had he bowed his head in the ritually prescribed

manner than Hanuman regained his form, seized the blade, and

decapitated the sorcerer. Thus did Hanuman turn the tables and

sacrificed the demon himself to Mother Goddess Kali. Impressed,

she made Hanuman her doorkeeper and indeed many temples of the

goddess are seen to have a monkey guarding their doorways.

Further, to this day, Hanuman is invoked in any fight against

sorcery, and amulets and charms depicting him are therefore

extremely popular among devotees.

Illustration: http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/hu70.jpg

Hanuman and Astrology

Mahiravana's death filled Ravana's heart with fear. He consulted

the court astrologers who studied his horoscope and decreed that

the alignment of celestial bodies was not in his favor. Now,

Indian astrology is governed by nine planets, known as the

navagrahas. Ravana thought that by changing the alignment of

these heavenly bodies he would be able to alter his destiny.

Mounting his flying chariot he rose to the skies, captured the

nine planets, and herded them to his capital in chains. He then

began a series of rituals which if successful would force the

planets to realign themselves in his favor. When Hanuman came to

know of this ritual, he assembled and led a band of daredevil

monkeys to Ravana's sacrificial hall, intending to disrupt the

proceedings. They found the villain sitting beside a fire altar

with his eyes shut in profound meditation, mouthing mantras. The

group of simians let out a loud war cry and rushed into the hall.

They snuffed out the sacred fire, kicked off the ceremonial

utensils and wiped off the occult diagrams (yantras) painted on

the floor. Unfortunately none of this roused Ravana from his deep

trance and he continued chanting the holy formulas. Hanuman

realized that Ravana would have to be stopped at any cost,

otherwise the villain would succeed in changing the course of

destiny.

Towards this end he devised a mischievous plan, and ordered his

lieutenants to enter the female chambers and scare away Ravana's

many wives. The monkeys did as instructed and attacked Ravana's

queens and concubines, pulling their hair, scratching their faces

and tearing away their clothes. But it was all to no avail; the

immovable Ravana did not stir.

At last the monkeys confronted Mandodari, the chief wife of

Ravana. They bared their teeth, beat their chests and began to

grunt menacingly. Terrified, Mandodari lamented, "Woe is me. My

husband meditates while monkeys threaten my chastity." Her words

ashamed Ravana to open his eyes and rush to her defence. Thus

having successfully distracted Ravana, Hanuman ran back to the

sacrificial hall and liberated the nine planets held captive

there. For having successfully aborted Ravana's misplaced

attempts to subvert fate, Hanuman won the eternal gratitude of

the grahas and is thus believed to exercise considerable power

over them. Correspondingly, he is worshipped by his devotees

whenever they perceive their troubles to be a result of the

unfavorable configuration of celestial bodies. Indeed, Hanuman is

often shown trampling under his feet a woman who is said to

represent Panvati, a personification of baneful astrological

influences.

Illustration: http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/zy53.jpg

Another interesting legend deals specifically with the planet

Saturn (Shani). Perceived to be an unfavorable influence, it is

believed that Saturn visits each individual at least once in

his/her lifetime for a period of seven-and-a-half years. As fate

would have it, Saturn descended on Hanuman when he was busy

building a bridge over the ocean to help Rama and his army cross

over to Lanka. Hanuman requested the planet to postpone his visit

till he had successfully assisted Rama in regaining Sita. But

Saturn was adamant and Hanuman had to bow against the will of

nature. He suggested that Saturn sit on his (Hanuman's) head as

his hands were engaged in serving Rama and his legs were too

lowly for Saturn.

Saturn happily settled on Hanuman's head and the mighty monkey

continued with his work, piling heavy boulders and stones on his

head in an apparently casual manner and carrying them to the

construction site. After a while Saturn found it impossible to

bear the load of the heaped boulders any longer and wished to

climb down. Hanuman insisted that he complete his mandatory

seven-and-a-half years but Saturn pleaded for release saying that

the seven-and-a-half minutes he stayed on Hanuman's head felt

like seven-and-a-half years anyway. Thus speaking Saturn took

leave of Hanuman and since then worshippers of this monkey god

rest assured that the unavoidable ill effects of Saturn's

sade-sati (seven-and-a-half year's stay) can be whittled down by

a true devotion to Hanuman.

Hanuman and the Mother Goddess

We have seen above how Hanuman serves as a favorite of the Mother

Goddess. But the attribute of Hanuman, which impresses the

goddess most, is his brahmacharya. Indeed Hanuman never threatens

the world with his virility unlike say Shiva whose virility often

has to be restrained by goddess Kali. Accordingly, Hanuman gains

her unparalleled appreciation.

Hanuman and Tantra

Tantra represents the occult side of Hinduism. With the aid of

chants (mantras) and diagrams (yantras) Tantriks (practitioners

of Tantra) channelise the powers of the cosmos for the advantage

of humanity.

Tantriks believe that Hanuman is the most accomplished of their

lot having achieved the much-sought after eight occult powers:

1). Anima - The ability to reduce his size.

2). Mahima - Ability to increase his size.

3). Laghima - The ability to become weightless.

4). Garima - Ability to increase weight.

5). Prapti - The ability to travel anywhere and acquire anything.

6). Parakamya - Irresistible will power.

7). Vastiva - Mastery over all creatures.

8). Isitva - Ability to become god like with the power to create

and destroy.

The Ramayana abounds with tales illustrating Hanuman's mastery

over each of these siddhas (occult powers). Not surprisingly, he

is reverently deified as a Mahsiddha (Maha - Great).

Hanuman and the Potency of Mother's Milk

After the annihilation of Ravana, Rama asked Hanuman how he would

like to be thanked for his services. He answered, "My lord, let

me spend the rest of my days in your service." Rama gladly

accepted the request. Thus Hanuman too boarded the chariot, that

was to take Rama and his entourage back to their native Ayodhya.

On the way however, Hanuman thought of visiting his mother Anjana

who lived on a mountain nearby. Rama and all other members of the

party too were curious to meet Hanuman's mother and hence the

chariot was diverted to her dwelling.

On reaching the place Hanuman approached his mother whose

happiness knew no bounds. She embraced her bundle of joy. All

others present too bowed in reverence to the mother of Hanuman.

The worthy son narrated to her the entire sequence of events

ending with Ravana's death on the battlefield. Surprisingly, his

words did not please his mother but rather she became remorseful

and addressed Hanuman thus: "My giving birth to you has been in

vain, and feeding you with my milk has been of no avail." On

hearing her strange words all became panicky and were left

speechless. Hanuman too stared at her in mute incomprehension.

After a brief pause she continued with her tirade: "Shame on your

strength and velour. Did you not have enough power to uproot

Ravana's city of vice Lanka on your own? Could you not have

annihilated the ten-headed monster and his army yourself? If you

were not strong enough to do so it would have been better if you

had at least perished yourself in fighting him. I regret the fact

that even though you were alive Lord Rama had to build a perilous

bridge of stones over the turbulent ocean to reach Lanka and had

to fight the massive army of demons and thus suffer a great

ordeal in order to recover his beloved Sita. Indeed, the

nourishment my breast has given you has proved to be unfruitful.

Go away and don't ever show me your face again." She was

obviously referring to the instance when Hanuman was deputed to

go and search for Sita in the city of Lanka. Only when he had

confirmed Sita's presence in Ravana's custody could a formal

battle be launched to rescue her. Hanuman not only brought news

of her wretched condition in captivity but also during his brief

visit managed to burn down the whole city and thus gave Ravana an

inkling of the times to come. Anjana's annoyance stemmed from the

fact that even though Hanuman was supremely capable of bringing

back Sita on his own during that visit itself, he did not do so

and much effort had to be expended later to accomplish the

mission.

Hence was she trembling with wrath. With folded hands Hanuman

addressed her: "O Great Mother, no way have I compromised on the

sacred worth of your milk. I am but a mere servant. During that

visit I had been instructed only to search for Sita and not kill

Ravana. Had I done so of my own accord it would have amounted to

overstepping my brief. I therefore acted scrupulously and kept my

word." In fact, Hanuman had asked Sita, when he met her in Ravana

's captivity, whether she would prefer to be rescued by him at

that very moment. She replied in the negative stressing that it

was her husband's duty to liberate her and Rama himself would

have to come and take her back.

The entire gathering corroborated Hanuman's version and much

mollified his distressed mother. She spoke to him affectionately:

"Dear son I never knew all this but now that I do it is

comforting that my milk has indeed borne abundant fruit."

The repeated glorification of her own milk by Anjana was not

relished by Lakshmana, who thought it an exaggeration. Sensing

this, she addressed him saying: "Lakshmana, you are wondering why

this apparently feeble monkey-woman is harping on the efficacy

and potency of her own milk? My milk is indeed extraordinary."

Saying this Anjana squeezed her breast and the oozing milk shower

shot to a nearby mountain cleaving it thunderously into two.

Addressing Lakshmana again she elaborated: "Hanuman has been

brought up on the same milk, how could it ever go to waste?"

(This story was narrated in the annual issue of the spiritual

journal 'Kalyan,' published at Gita Press Gorakhpur. (1975, page

327)).

Why Idols of Hanuman are Red in Color

After safely reaching Ayodhya, Rama in no time settled down to a

happy life of kingship and matrimony. Hanuman continued to be a

constant and devoted companion with an unrestricted access to

Rama.

Illustration: http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/hc77.jpg

Life went on normally. Many delightful episodes from this period

establish Hanuman as the ultimate bhakta, and shed much light on

his unique personality.

Every morning Hanuman would observe Sita put a red mark on her

forehead and smear the parting of her hair with vermilion powder,

enacting a ritual which is the exclusive prerogative of married

women in India. Being naturally of a curious bent of mind he

asked her the reason behind this daily ritual. "For the

well-being of my husband," replied she. Hanuman, ever the humble

well-wisher of his chosen lord wondered: "If a virtuous woman

like Sita has to apply vermilion in this manner for the good of

Lord Rama, I, a mere monkey, need to do more." Thus thinking, he

took a bowlful of the paste and smeared his whole body with it.

Needless to say, both Rama and Sita were moved by the purity of

Hanuman's heart. Since then, idols of Hanuman are colored a rich

vermilion red.

Illustration: http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/wd43.jpg

Why Hanuman is Shown Tearing Open his Own Chest

Once Sita gave Hanuman a necklace of pearls. After a while, the

residents of the city observed him breaking the necklace and

inspecting each pearl minutely. Intrigued they asked him the

reason. "I am looking for Rama and Sita," replied Hanuman.

Laughing at his apparent naivety the spectators pointed out to

him that the royal couple was at the moment seated on the

imperial throne. "But Rama and Sita are everywhere, including my

heart" wondered aloud the true bhakta. Not understanding the

depth of his devotion, they further teased him: "So Rama and Sita

live in your heart, can you show them to us?" Unhesitatingly,

Hanuman stood up and with his sharp talons tore open his chest.

There, within his throbbing heart, the astonished audience were

taken aback to find enshrined an image of Rama and Sita. Never

again did anyone make fun of Hanuman's devotion.

Illustration: http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/hanuman.jpg

The Five-Headed (Panchamukhi) Hanuman - An Intriguing Image

Vaishnavas believe that the wind-god Vayu underwent three

incarnations to help Lord Vishnu. As Hanuman he helped Rama; as

Bheema he assisted Krishna; and as Madhavacharya (1197-76), he

founded the Vaishnava sect.

Illustration:

http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/madhavacharya.jpg

It is interesting to note that in his youth Madhavacharya

distinguished himself in physical exercises and field games and

is said to have had a wonderful physique. Truly, physical prowess

is an integral aspect of the cult of Hanuman and he is the patron

deity of wrestlers and body-builders. He is most popularly

referred to as 'Vajra-anga-Bali,' meaning the Powerful One (bali)

with a body (anga) hard as a thunderbolt (vajra).

Illustration: http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/zm24.jpg

The Vaishnavas evolved a syncretic form of Hanuman with five

heads and ten arms, incorporating in the composite image five

important Vaishnavite deities:

At the center a monkey's face (Hanuman).

A lion's visage representing Narasimha gazing southwards.

An eagle's head symbolizing Garuda facing west.

A boar head of Varaha (north).

A horse's face for Hayagriva (facing the sky).

Illustration: http://www.exoticindia.com/artimages/zm38.jpg

Each head signifies a particular trait. Hanuman courage and

strength, Narasimha fearlessness, Garuda magical skills and the

power to cure snake bites, Varaha health and exorcism and

Hayagriva victory over enemies.

The Spiritual Significance of Hanuman

The goal of all mystical yearning is union of the individual soul

with the universal soul. In the Adhyatma ('spiritual') Ramayana,

a Sanskrit text dating from the fourteenth or fifteenth century,

Sita represents the individual (jiva-atma), which has separated

from the universal (param-atma) symbolized by Rama. In a

beautiful interpretation, Hanuman here is said to personify

bhakti, which annihilates the 'ahankara' or ego (Ravana), and

re-unites the two.

The Enduring Relevance of Hanuman

In Hindu symbolism, a monkey signifies the human mind, which is

ever restless and never still. This monkey-mind happens to be the

only thing over which man has absolute control. We cannot control

the world around us but we can control and tame our mind by

ardent discipline. We cannot choose our life but we can choose

the way we respond to it. Hanuman, when he was a child, was

tempted by the sun and he rushed towards it thinking it to be a

delectable fruit. On his way however, he was distracted by the

planet Rahu and changed his path. Thus Hanuman is the

temperamental human intellect, which is unquiet and excitable. It

is only by diverting it to the path of pure bhakti (devotion),

that it can be made aware of its profound and silent essence.

According to the Hindu point of view, there is no objective world

'out there.' The whole manifested world is a subjective

phenomenon created by our own selves. We - as humans - have the

unique ability to condition our minds. In other words, we have

the power to change the way we perceive life. And by changing our

perceptions of life, we have the power of changing our world.

When Hanuman enters Rama's life, he changes Rama's world. He

transforms a crisis (the loss of Sita) into an opportunity (rid

the world of Ravana). He transforms a victim into a hero.

Thus, Hanuman is no ordinary monkey. While embarking on the

search for Sita, the monkeys were confronted by the vast ocean

lying between them and Lanka. They wondered how they would make

their way across this mighty obstacle. Someone suggested that

Hanuman jump and cross over the sea. But Hanuman was doubtful, "I

cannot do that," he said. At that moment, one of his companions

reminded Hanuman of the awesome powers lying dormant within him.

Instantly Hanuman regained memory of his divine strength and he

successfully leaped across the ocean. Thus our mind too needs to

be reminded of its divine potential and of the fact that it can

achieve phenomenal heights provided it believes in its ability to

perform the task in question. Truly Hanuman is symbolic of the

perfect mind, and embodies the highest potential it can achieve.

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References and Further Reading:

Khokar, Ashish and S. Saraswati. Hanuman: New Delhi, 2001.

Nagar, Shanti Lal. Hanuman in Art, Culture, Thought and

Literature: New Delhi, 1995.

Pattanaik, Devdutt. Hanuman an Introduction: Mumbai, 2001.

Shri Hanuman Ank (In Hindi): Gita Press Gorakhpur, 1975.

Tompkins, Ptolemy. The Monkey in Art: New York, 1994.

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Nitin G.

August 29, 2004

(snip)... getting back on track...