HANUMAN IN PARASHARA SAMHITA

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HANUMAN IN PARASHARA SAMHITA

 

Dr V.V.B.Rama Rao

 

hanumaan kalpavrikshO me hanumaan mama kaama dhuk

ChinatamaNisthu hanumaan kO vicharah kutO bhayam

 

Samhita is basically a collection or a compilation. These

are many: Veda Samhitas, Purana Samhitas and Agama Samihitas. These

contain hymns to gods and prayers from important portions of the

Veda and the rituals prescribed therein for regular use. Several

rishis have thus compiled these samhitas. Sage Parashara wrote a

samhita on the Rigveda. This Parashara is different from the

Parshara who was the son of Shakti and grandson of Vyasa. The one

who compiled Parashara Samhita is the disciple of Bashkala, who in

his turn was a disciple of Paila. Paila was the son on Pila. Pila

studied the Rigveda under the sage Vedavyasa. Agama Samhita

contains the mantra or incantation part, set to prosodic structures

with set chandas (metre). Those, who are blessed by the divine,

visualize these.

Paila first initiated and taught Indrapramati and Bashkala

the intricacies and the grandeur of Rigveda. Bashkala taught

Parashara. Parashara Samhita appears to have been of particular

interest to the devotees of Hanuman or Anjaneya. This extends to a

hundred and fifty paTalas

Just as the holy Ramayana is the sum and substance of Sri

Rama's glory and Srimadbhagavatha of the exploits and achievements

of Sr Krishna , Parashara Agama Samhita is the source of the

upasana of the effulgent Hanuman. This great scripture brings out

the sublimity of Sri Anjaneya. Hanumat tatwa is described at

length. Sage Parashara taught this to Maitreyi. It is authentic

beyond doubt. It has been proved that the great composer-poet and

the saintly doyen of Karnatik music, Annamacharya drew heavily from

the scripture Parashara Agama Samhita. The discovery of this samhita

has accentuated the glory of Hanuman already evident in Valmiki's

grand epic. For those who are familiar with this samhita, Hanuman

is the ninth incarnation of Sri Anjaneya.

Besides Hanuman's glorious story, the samhita describes the

deity's incarnations. The mantras with which the deity can be

propitiated and the rituals laid down to win the deity's grace are

all described here. For the sadhakas this is a valuable guidebook

and a road map to reach their goal.

The birthday of Sri Anjaneya is authentically stated here

as the tenth day after the full moon, in Vaishakh, on Saturday,

under the star Purvabhadra, in Vaidhruti Yoga in Karka Lagna, in the

afternoon.

Amighty takes an incarnation for protecting the pious and

righteous and punshing the evil and sinful. Sri Anjaneya, we are

told in this samhita, has taken nine incarnations. Dr Annadanam

Chidambara Sastry has brought out Parashara Samhita – Sri Anjaneya

Charitra. Sixteen volumes of the eighteen planned have so far

been published. He has also written Sri Hanumat Navaavataara

Charita.

The first of the nine incarnations of Sri Anjaneya is that

of Prasannanjaneya. Veeranjaneya is the second. These are familiar

to all. The third is Vimshatibhuaanjaneya, the one with twenty

weapons in twenty hands. The fourth is Pachamukhaanjaneya. The

Murti has five faces, four on four sides and the fifth on the top,

urdhva mukha. The fifth is one with eighteen hands. The sixth is

suvarchalapati, consort of Suvarchala. Suvarchala is the daughter of

the Sun god. Though widely known as a brahmacharin, Sri Anjaneya

was wedded to Suvarchala. In many temples this kalyanam is

celebrated annually. Devout scholars mentioned that Khagendra

Samhita, Saunaka Samhita and Sudarshana Samhita bear testimony to

this. Even as an elaborate mantra sastra, sage Parshara conveyed

this in Shodashakshari, Dvadashakshari. These have immensely

benefited aspirants and practitioners. Upasakas of Sri Anjaneya.

 

Sadhakas and the devout observe many auspicious occasions

associated with this deity as Hanumat Parva Divasas. Sri Suvarchala-

Hanuman wedding is performed on the tenth day before the full moon

day in the month of Jyeshtha. The eighth incarnation is that of the

four-shouldered Hanuman. The eighth is that of the fierce-looking

form bearing thirty-two weapons with thirty-two shoulders. This form

is the deity of hunkaara hanumat mantra. The ninth is the monkey-

form of Sri Anjaneya Sri Rama's trusted servant and emissary.

The 60th paTala gives us in detail as to which incarnation

has been assumed on which occasion in the right order. Sage

Parashara said that there were eleven peethas (seats) of Hanuman

Kaundina, Nagara, Sribhadram, Kusatarpanam, Pampaateeram.

Chandrakonam, Kambhojam, Gandhamadanam, Brahmavarta puram,

Naimisaharanyam, Sundaranagaram and Sri Hanumatpuram. Various

upasakas meditated and did tapas to get Hanumat saakhatkaara.

These were eleven in number and they came to be known as Hanumat

Peethas. Each of these places has its own legend associated with

Sri Anjaneya.

Thjere are a thousand names for Sri Hanuman and the

justification for each has been explained in Paraashara Samhita.

Hanuman is the Bhavishyabrahma, i.e., the future Lord of Creation.

Om bhavishya charuraananaayana mahah is one of the hundred and

eight appellations of Sri anjaneya. This was not suggested

anywhere in the Ramayana. The 46th paTala of the Parashara Samhita

elaborates these naama, names. Hanuman visits Brahmloka for Sr Rama

Mudrika and there shows his viswaroopa and fulfills Sri Rama's

desire. He obtainex the boon to be the future Creator. This is the

boon of Brahma Himself.

In TRETA YUGA a king called Vijaya ruled the city called

Chandrakona. It had been the king's ambition to go on a series of

conquests and he set about his jaitra yaatra. First he went to the

hermitage of Sage Garga and prostrating before the sage told the

sage what his ambition had been. He was given the ashtaakshari

hanuman mantra. The devout repetition of the incantation yielded

him the blessing of hanumat saakshaatkaara. He was told that his

desire would be fulfilled in his next birth by a boon. Vijay was

born as Arjuna in Dwaparayuga. In that birth he pooh-poohed the

bridge constructed by Sri Rama and was challenged by Hanuman.

Arjuna was defeated but with the help of Sri Krishna and the boon in

the earlier yuga given by the sage, with Hanuman on his standard, he

could win over everyone. Parsahara Samhita explains how it came to

be that Hanuman was on the flag of Arjuna's chariot. Treatises like

Saradatilaka, Prapanchasaara and Tantrasaara, deal with the

incantatory details for the propitiation of Hanuman to some extent

but it is Parashara Samhita that gives us the complete details, the

mantras, the ritual associated with the performance of sadhana.

This samhita enumerates and explains the incantatory compositions

like Hanumat Panchadasaakshari, Shodashaakshari, ashtha dasaakshari

with nyasa and the kriyas that should go along with those. It also

has in it the tantra part with the various niyamas (principles,

rules and conditions). The legend regarding the killing of demons

like TrishhlarOma., RaktarOma and MairaavaNa,( MyraavaNa) stand

testimony to Hanuman's exploits in killing the evil and wicked

ones. His extending a helping hand in protecting the good is

revealed in his going to the rescue of Dhwajadatta, Mainda, Kapila

and Kashyapa.

The 13th day before the full moon day in Margashrisha is

the day to perform Hanumat Vrata. We see that this is performed both

individually and in groups. Worshippers wear the sacred band of

thread on the wrist. Parashara Samhita is the source of this

religious, devout observance. It states that Hanuman lives in a

banana grove near the river Pampa and the mountain Gandhamadana. It

states that the camel is His mount and that Surya is His preceptor.

Hanuman was born with the sacred thread of gold and He is known as

boy bachelor, baala brahmacharin. Sage Parashara also gave us the

songs in His praise, the meaning and the efficacy of the mantras and

the ritual prescribed to be performed to propitiate Hanuman. He

explains these to Maitreyi.

Hanuman is a unique deity. For the Shaivites, he is

adorable in that he has Eswaramsha. For the Vaishnavites, he is

equally adorable for he is the most devoted servant of Sri Rama.

Hanuman is accessible to all and adored by all. That he could be

propitiated and prayed to by all irrespective of caste has been

amply proved in the legend of Gala, the bird catcher. What are

needed are only faith and unswerving devotion. Parashara Samhita

shows us Hanuman in all his macro and micro glory. Hanuman could be

so small as the tip of a grain neevaara dhanya – a kind of paddy

grain and so big that even Bhima would swoon seeing his amplitude.

Hanuman is like the all-giving and wish-fulfilling miracles like

Kalpataru, Kamadhenu and Chintamani. Witness the sage Parashara

asking – `Why worry and fear for the worlds?' Hanuman is the one who

dispels all fear and gives all that a devotee prays for.

 

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