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Haidakhan Samaj (est. 1980) See BABAJI.

Hanuman

The monkey god Hanuman is one of the most

universally worshipped divinities of the Hindu

pantheon. He is the son of Anjana, an APSARAS

(nymph) who was herself born as a monkey, and

VAY U, the god of the wind. In the RAMAYANA story,

Hanuman is a friend to Lord RAMA, the incarna-

tion of VISHNU. He is equally worshipped by Vaish-

navites (worshippers of VISHNU) and Shaivites

(worshippers of SHIVA).

It is said that Hanuman as a child saw the Sun,

thought it was a fruit, and leaped up 300 leagues

to catch it. BRAHMA once gave him the boon that

he would not be slain in battle.

In the Ramayana, Hanuman flies over to the

island of LANKA to see whether Rama’s wife, SITA, is

there. He finds her, but she dissuades him from tak-

ing her back lest he besmirch Rama’s reputation. In

a scene famous in Indian mythology, he is captured

on Lanka by the demons (rakshasas). They march

him through the streets to his execution, humiliat-

ing him by tying an oil-soaked cloth to his tail and

lighting it. Furious, he jumps from building to

building and sets the capital city on fire.

Hanuman fought bravely in the battle against

the demons; he is remembered for going off to

find herbs to revive LAKSHMANA, Rama’s slain

brother. Not knowing which herbs to collect

he took a whole mountain of them; from them

medicine was found that restored Lakshmana to

life. Hanuman follows Rama back to AYODHYA to

serve him; the god gives him the boon of everlast-

ing youth and longevity. Hanuman is seen as the

foremost of the devotees of Rama.

Hanuman is also found in one passage of the

MAHABHARATA, where he meets BHIMA, another son

of his father, Vayu. Bhima, known for his power,

fights with Hanuman and is defeated. Only after-

ward do they realize they are half brothers.

Hanuman is known for his superhuman pow-

ers, his celibacy (though in some parts of India he

is seen as married), his ability to expand and con-

tract himself, and his learning, including grammar

and the Vedic sciences. He is often regarded as

a village protector and is the special divinity of

wrestlers and acrobats.

Iconographically Hanuman is usually depicted

with only two hands, carrying a club, but other

images give him eight hands that hold several

weapons and a shield, for fighting in the war

against the demons. In one hand he holds the

H