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Lord Hanuman
Lord Hanuman (श्री हनुमान)
is the Supreme Lord, for acquiring knowledge, physical and mental strength,
truthfulness, sincerity, selflessness, humility, loyalty, and profound devotion to the Lord. Hanumanji is known by many names as Anjaneya, Anjani Putra,
Bajarangbali, Hanuman, Mahaveer, Marutinandan, Pavanputra etc. Hanuman, worshipped for his strength, valor, agility, is a man of great teaming. Lord Hanuman is fast - the most agile and oriented god.
He has exhibited astonishing physical strength and worked many miracles. His valour, wisdom, knowledge of the scriptures
and superhuman strength attracted everybody who came near him. He had extraordinary skill in warfare. Hanmanji
was a bachelor (brahamachari) and is worshipped in all the temples of India. Every temple of
Shri
Ram (श्री राम) contains an icon of Hanuman. Worship of Sri Rama is complete only with the worship of Hanuman.
References to Hanuman in classical literature could be found as early as those
of 5th to 1st century BC in Panini's Astadhyayi, Abhiseka Nataka, Pratima Nataka and Raghuvamsa (Kalidasa).
Lord Hanuman is remover of all the distress and troubles
to his devotees
संकट कटै मिटै सब पीरा।
जो सुमिरै हनुमत बलबीरा॥
Lord Hanuman is the only deity who may be worshiped in
the event of trouble by evil spirits
भूत पिसाच निकट
नहिं आवै। महाबीर
जब नाम सुनावै॥
नासै रोग हरै सब पीरा।
जपत निरंतर हनुमत बीरा॥
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Lord Hanuman
(श्री हनुमान)
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Childhood of Lord Hanuman
Lord Hanuman
was the son of Anjani and Maruti, born with the blessings of
'Vayu', the wind god (Pavan). He is considered to be an avatar (incarnation) of
Lord Shiva (शिव) .
Lord Hanuman was the only learned scholar who knew the nine Vyakaranas. He learned the shastras from Suryadev, the sun god. He is well
versed with the Vedas and other sacred books.
From his birth onwards, he exhibited extraordinary physical strength and worked many miracles. There are various instances in the scriptures about his childhood. Once as a child, looking at the sun Anjaneya thought it was a fruit. He flew up to eat it, and swallowed the sun. The universe plunged into darkness. Angered by his action, Lord Indra attacked Anjaneya with his
'Vajrayudha' . Anjaneya was hurt on his chin (known as 'Hanu' in
sanskrit). This is how he got the name Hanuman, which is his most commonly used name. Seeing his son hurt, the wind god Pavan was very upset and threatened to withdraw
'Pranvayu' oxygen) from the Universe. Terrified by this threat the gods came to appease 'Vayu'. They each conferred a boon upon the little
Hanuman. He was blessed with courage, superhuman strength and valour.
Hanuman as Ram-bhakta
Hanumanji is the symbol of Devotion and
Service to Lord Rama. Hanuman was the chief of the armies of Sri Ramachandra and
took a prominent part in the war against Ravana, the king of Lanka, in Ramayana. Hanuman helped restore Sita Devi back to Sri
Rama. Worship of Sri Rama is complete only with the worship of Hanuman. |
Hanumanji is the symbol of Devotion and Service to Lord Rama.
Hanumanji is the symbol of Devotion and Service to Lord Rama. |
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Hanuman was the chief of the armies of
Lord Ramachandra and took a prominent part in the war against Ravana, the king of Lanka, in Ramayana. Hanuman helped restore Sita Devi back to Sri Rama.
Hanuman carried Sri Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulder to Sugreeva, the king of all Vanars (monkeys) in Kishkindha and helped them to find Sita. Prior to the war between Sri Rama and Ravana, Anjaneya visited Lanka, met Ravana, created havoc and burnt down the city of Lanka (Lanka Dahan).
During the war, when Lakshmana was injured seriously, Sushena, the surgeon/physician of the monkey army, dispatched Marutinandan to bring herbal medicine, Sanjeevini, from the far-off Sumeru Mountain in the Himalayas, before
sunrise. Hanuman was blessed by Sri Rama with immortality (chiranjeevi) at the end of the war.
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Flying over the Himalayas and unable to identify the particular herb fast, Hanuman uprooted and carried the
entire mountain in time to save the life of Lakshmana along with the rest of the Vanar army. |
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Hanuman in Mahabharta
With the blessing of Lord Rama Hanumanji was a
chiranjeevi (immortal). In Mahabharat. period when the Pandavas were in the forest, Darupadi requested Bhima for the
Saugandika flower of heavenly fragrance. On this way to get this flower, Bhima encountered a monkey lying in the middle of his path. Angered by this delay in his mission, Bhima crossly asked the 'ape' to clear the path and let him pass.
The monkey slowly looked at Bhima, and requested him "I am very old and can't even move, just push my tail to one side and you move on ahead"
Bhima was full of contempt for the monkey, but tried to push the tail away with his mace
(Gadha) but, he could not get the tail to shift. It was then that Bhima realized that this was no ordinary monkey and with folded hands begged his pardon.
On another occasion, when Arjun met Hanumanji, he said "Rama need not have asked the monkeys to build a bridge to Lanka. If it were me, I would simply have made a bridge with my arrows"
Hanumanji replied that a bridge of Arjun's arrows would not be strong enough to carry his weight let alone the whole Vanar army. This developed into a
challenge. It was decided that if Hanumanji managed to walk across the bridge then Arjun would have to jump into the fire, and if Arjun won then Hanumanji would have to bless Arjun during the war with the Kauravs by adorning his flag.
Arjun built a bridge with his arrows, but it broke into
pieces as Hanuman step one foot on it than. Arjun got ready to jump in to the fire. At that very minute, Lord Krishna appeared and asked for the
bridge to be re-built. When it was done, he touched it with his divine hands as if to test it, and then asked Hanumanji to step onto it. This time around, even when Hanumanji danced heavily on the bridge, it did not break.
Hanuman kept his promise and entered Arjun's banner. |
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Stories of Lord Hanuman
When Lakshmana is severely wounded by Indrajit during the war against Ravana, Hanuman is sent to fetch the
Sanjivani, a powerful life-restoring herb from the Dronagiri mountain in the
Himalayas to revive him. Ravana realises that if Lakshmana dies, a distraught
Rama would probably give up, and so has his uncle Kalnaimi tempt Hanuman away
with luxury. However, Hanuman is tipped off by a crocodile (actually a celestial
being under a curse) and kills the Rakshasa. When he is unable to find the
specific herb before nightfall, Hanuman again displays his might by lifting the
entire Dronagiri mountain and bringing it to the battlefield in Lanka, thus
helping others find the herb to revive Lakshmana. An emotional Rama hugs
Hanuman, declaring him as dear to him as his own beloved brother Bharat.
After victory Lord Rama return to Ayodhya and decides to
ceremoniously reward all his well-wishers. Seeing Hanuman come up to him, an emotionally
overwhelmed Rama embraces him warmly, declaring that he could never adequately
honour or repay Hanuman for the help and services he received from
him. Sita, however, insists that Hanuman deserved honour more than anyone
else, and asks him to seek a gift. Upon Hanuman's request, Sita gives him a
necklace of precious stones adorning her neck. When he receives it, Hanuman
immediately takes it apart, and peers into each stone. Taken aback, many of
those present demand to know why he was destroying the precious gift. Hanuman
answers that he was looking into the stones to make sure that Rama and Sita are
in them, because if they are not, the necklace is of no value to him. At this, a
few mock Hanuman, saying his reverence and love for Rama and Sita could not
possibly be as deep as he was portraying. In response, Hanuman tears his chest
open, and everyone is stunned to see Rama and Sita literally in his heart.
Hanuman Sloka
मनोंजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं
जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्टम् |
वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं
श्रीरामदूतं शरणं प्रपधे || |
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Hanuman Jayntee
Shri Hanuman Jayntee
is being observed this year on March 30, 2010. On this day a fast is
observed and Lord Hanuman idol is worshiped with Lord Rama, Mother
Sita and Laxman. Pray the Lord Hanuman with the following Mantra
मनोंजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं
जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्टम् |
वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं
श्रीरामदूतं शरणं प्रपधे ||
Temples of Lord Hanuman
Lord Hanuman is worshipped in all the temples of India. Every temple of Sri Rama contains an
icon of Hanuman. Worship of Sri Rama is complete only with the worship of Hanuman. There are various temples dedicated solely to Lord Hanuman also.
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple Varanasi:
Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple is one of the sacred temples of Hindu god Hanuman
in the city of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, India. The temple is unique in a way that both Rama and Hanuman statues
facing towards each other.
Sri Anjaneyar Temple- Ambur
In this temple Sri Hanuman is stamping his foot on Sani Bhagavan and this is one of the special postures Sri Hanuman gives.
Hanuman Temple, Orcha, M.P.
Orchha’s rulers built the Hanuman Temple in
Orcha near Kishkandhapuri, the place where Rama first met
Hanuman. The Hanuman Temple was built in 1717 by the then Orchha ruler, Raja Sujan Singh.
Salasar ( सालासर)
Sardarshahar (सरदारशहर)
Varanasi
Sri Bal Swaroop Hanumanji, Tulsi Ghat
Sri Hanuman Mandir, Hanuman Ghat
Sri Bal Swaroop Hanumanji, Hanuman Fatak
Lord Hanumanthas Statue
A 61 feet tall mammoth Sanjeevini Hanumantha Statue
is installed in Shree Devi Annapoorneshwari Kshetra at Hosanadu Kodyadka, near
Moodbidri. One can reach Hosanadu Kodiyadka from either Moodbidri or Karkala easily as it is closer to the Mangalore - Moodbidri - Karkala highway. |
Sri Anjaneyar Temple - Ambur:
61 feet tall Hanumantha Statue in Hosanadu. The posture depicts Lord
Hanuman bringing Mount Sanjeevini to bring Lakshmana back to life during the Ramayana war. |
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Lord Hanuman in other countries
Trinidad and Tobago is set to host a 'Hanuman Heritage Festival' next month that
will include cultural events, religious discourses and a global Hindu conference
on the popular monkey god. The festival held from April 10-20 at the Dattatreya
Yoga Centre, Carapichaima, central Trinidad. It is said that Trinidad and Tobago was
"Ramayana Country" as well as "Lord Hanuman Country". The 500,000-strong Indian diaspora comprises 40 percent of Trinidad and Tobago's
population. Indian indentured labourers, who migrated to work on sugarcane plantations, brought with them Hinduism to the Caribbean between 1838 and 1917.
Dattatreya Hanuman Temple: Dattatreya Temple celebrates five years
on Tuesday, May 6, 2008. Standing at 85 feet in Carapichaima, Central Trinidad is the magnificient murti (statue) of Lord Hanuman which is the tallest statue in the
Caribbean. The Tourism Development Company (TDC) of TT has adopted this site as a tourist destination and it is named as one of the popular attractions of this country. |
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