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Hanuman ji is an exalted Devotee of the Supreme God.  He is a major character in the Ramayan, the story of God, written by Sant Valmiki ji. His name, Hanuman, comes from his facial feature, and means ‘one with a prominent jaw’.  He is strong, heroic and assertive, always ready to take action, as well as loving, calm and innocent, and immersed in states of pure love.  He is an inspiration for warriors, strongmen and weightlifters, as well as devotees of God, who want to develop compassion.  He inspires us not only to do Meditation, bhakti, but also inspires us to be full of Energy, shakti, to exercise and to stay fit.  Hanuman ji inspires us to remain fully alert and be ready to take action.

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Hanuman ji knew that through the chanting of Ram naam such a state can be achieved and perfected, and he was a master at maintaining such a perfect state.  Ever since I found this out about him, he has become an inspiration for me, as he inspires me to connect to God and access this pool of everlasting peace for myself.

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Hanuman is son of Kesari and mother Anjana.  The various Puranas mentions that mother Anjana and Kesari prayed to Lord Shiva for a son, and Hanuman was born to them from an aspect of Shiva. So we wonder, why is he called Hanuman then?

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The story goes like this: Immediately after birth, Hanuman grew up to a significant size, and asked his mother what he should eat. Anjana pointed to the rising sun, and told him that anything similar to that (i.e. ripe fruits) was his food. Hanuman misunderstood the sun to be a ripe fruit and leapt up in the air to eat. The king of gods, got alarmed and threw his thunderbolt with great force at Hanuman.  Hanuman was one that could not be defeated and born of Shiva, however, to respect the king of gods, he allowed the weapon to scratch his chin and thereby, his chin got disfigured, and came to be known as Hanuman (hanu = chin; man = of, with, bearing, having; hanu+man=he of [broken] chin).  Hanuman learnt Vedas and all other branches of learning by Sun God himself, Surya. He learnt his lessons by trotting alongside the Sun's chariot as it moved across the sky.

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During the 16th CE, Tulsidas, a poet, retold the Ramayana in the vernacular Awadhi language (instead of the Sanskrit which was an academic language) and also composed hymn, the Hanuman Chalisa, and it continues to be recited today by people across India and outside. This chant of 40 verses celebrates all of the qualities that Hanuman came to signify over the centuries: strength, devotion, celibacy, and righteousness.

 

Hanuman is worshipped as a god in India today. It is almost love and etiquette to find small to big temples of him in police stations, wrestling clubs across the country, especially in the northern India. Outside of India, Hanuman is known in Indonesia, Thailand, and Malaysia. Hanuman is a recurring figure in the panels and motifs of the Ramayana that adorn the temples that were built over the centuries in India. He is most often depicted with his favourite weapon, the mace. He is also often depicted as flying across the skies, one hand holding aloft the mountain of herbs and the other a mace. His love and devotion for Lord Ram is unparalleled.

 

Hanuman Chalisa

 

Poet Tulsidas composed Hanuman chalisa in respect to Hanuman, a divine devotee of the Lord Ram and Hanuman Chalisa reminds the devotees of Lord Hanuman's greatness and keeps their mind free from evil.

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Lyrics and meaning

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An Introduction

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Shreeguru charana saroja raja nija mana mukura sudhaari
baranau raghubara bimala jasu jo daayak phala chaari

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"Cleansing the mirror of my mind with the dust from the Lotus-feet of Divine Guru, I describe the unblemished glory of Lord Rama, which bestows four fruits of Righteousness (Dharma),  Wealth (Artha), Pleasure (Kama) and Liberation (Moksha) "

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Buddhiheena tanu jaanikai sumirau pavanakumāra
Bal buddhi bidyā dehu mohi harahu kalesa bikāra

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"Considering this person as intelligence less, I remember Lord Hanuman. Give me strength, intelligence and knowledge, cure my body ailments and mental imperfections"

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Prayer

Jaya hanumāna Jnaana guna saagara
Jaya kapeesha tihu loka ujaagara

"Victory to Hanuman who is the ocean of Wisdom and Virtues,  Victory to the king of Monkeys who is illuminating three worlds"

Rāma dūta atulita bala dhāmā
Anjani putra pavanasuta nāmā

"You are the messenger of Rama (to Sita), You are the abode of incomparable power. You are also called by the names of 'Anjani Putra' (Son of Anjana) and 'Pavana suta' (son of wind god)"
 

Mahābīra bikrama bajarangī।
kumati nivāra sumati ke sangī

"Oh mighty valorous one, of terrific deeds whose body organs are as strong as Diamond (or the weapon of God Indra). Cure my bad mind oh companion of those with pure (good) mind"

Kaanchana barana birāja subesā
kānana kundala kunchita keshā

"You are golden colored, you are shining in your beautiful attire. You have beautiful ear-rings in your ear and curly hairs"

Hātha bajra au dhvajā birājai
kāndhe mūnji janeū sājai

"Vajrayudha (mace) and flag are shining in your hand. Sacred thread made of Munja grass adorns your shoulder"

Shankara suvana kesarī nandana
Teja pratāpa mahā jaga bandana

"O partial incarnation of Lord shiva, giver of joy to King Kesari. Your great majesty is revered by the whole world"

Bidyāvāna gunī ati chātura।
Rāma kāja karibe ko ātura

"Oh one learned in all Vidyas, one full of virtues, Very clever. You are always eager to do Rama's tasks"

Prabhu charitra sunibe ko rasiyā
rāma lakhana sītā mana basiyā

"You enjoy listening to Lord Rama's story; Lord Rama, Lakshman and Sita reside in your heart"

Sūkshma rūpa dhari siyahi dikhāvā
bikata rūpa dhari lanka jarāvā

"Assuming the smallest form you saw (visited) Sita. Assuming the gigantic form you burnt down the Lanka"

Bhīma rūpa dhari asura samhāre
rāmachandra ke kāja samvāre

"Assuming a terrible form you slayed demons. You made Lord Rama's works easier"

lāya sanjīvani lakhana jiyāe
shrī raghubīra harashi ura lāye

"You brought Sanjeevini mountain to save Lakshmana's Life. Lord Rama embraced you in joy"

Raghupati kīnhī bahut badāī
tum mama priya bharata hi sama bhāī

"Lord Rama praised you very much saying 'You are dear to me like my brother Bharata'"

sahasa badana tumharo jasa gāvai
asa kahi shrīpati kantha lagāvai

"'May the thousand headed serpent Adishesha sing of your glory' saying this Lord Rama embraced you"

[Sahasa=thousand; badan=body; Tumharo=your; Jasa=success, glory; Gaavai=sing; asa=like this; kahi=saying; shripati=husband of Goddess shree or Lakshmi, Lord Rama; Kantha=neck; Lagavai=embrace]

14

Sanakādika brahmādi munīsā
nārada sārada sahita ahīsā

"Sanaka, Brahma and other Royal sages, Narad, Saraswati and Adishesha"

Yama kubera dikpāla jahā te
kavi kobida kahi sakai kahā te

"Yama, Kubera, Dikpaalakas, poets and singers; they can not describe your greatness properly"

Tuma upakāra sugrīvahi kīnhā
rāam milāya rājapada dīnhā

"You helped Sugreeva. You made him friends with Rama which gave him his Kingship back"

Tumharo mantra vibhīshana mānā
lankeshvara bhae saba jaga jānā

"Vibheeshana accepted your Suggestion. He became the king of Lanka because of your advice, whole world knows it"

Yuga sahasra yojana para bhānū
līlyo tāhi madhura phala jānū

"You flew towards the sun who is thousands of years of Yojanas away, thinking of him as a sweet fruit"

Prabhu mudrikā meli mukha māhī
jaladhi lānghi gaye acharaja nāhī

"Putting the ring of Rama in your mouth, you jumped and flew over Ocean to Lanka, there is no surprise in that"

Durgama kāja jagata ke jete
sugama anugraha tumhare tete

"All the difficult tasks in the world, become easy if there is your grace"

Rāma duāre tuma rakhavāre
hota na āgyā binu paisāre

"Your the doorkeeper of Rama's court. Without your permission nobody can enter Rama's abode"

 

Saba sukha lahai tumhārī saranā
tuma rakshaka kāhū ko daranā

"All happiness stay with those who take refuge in you. You are the protector, why be afraid? "

āpan tej samhāro āpai
tino lok hānka te kāpai

"Only you can cancel your powers. All three worlds tremble in fear"

bhūta pishācha nikata nahi āvai
mahābīra jaba nāma sunāvai

"Evil Spirits and Ghosts don't come near when your name is heard O great Courageous one"

Nāsai roga harai saba pīrā
japata nirantara hanumata bīrā

"Diseases will be ended, all pains will be gone, when a devotee continuously repeats Hanuman the brave's name"

Sankata te hanumāna chhudāvai
mana krama vachana dhyāna jo lāvai

"Hanuman will release those from troubles who meditate upon him in their mind, actions and words"

Saba para rāma tapasvī rājā
tina ke kāja sakala tuma sājā

"Rama is the king of all, he is the king of yogis. You managed all his tasks" or in other translation "He whoever takes refuge in Rama you will manage all their tasks"

Aura manoratha jo koī lāvai
Soi amita jīvana phala pāvai

"Whoever brings many of their wishes to you, they will get unlimited fruits"

chāro juga pratāpa tumhārā
hai parasiddha jagata ujiyārā

"Your glory is for all the four yugas, Your greatness is very famous throughout the world, and illumines the world"

Sādhu santa ke tuma rakhavāre
asura nikandana rāma dulāre

"You are the guardian of Saints and Good people. You killed demons and you are dear to Rama"

Ashta siddhi nava nidhi ke dātā
asa bara dīnha jānakī mātā

"Mother Sita granted you a boon to become the bestower of 8 Siddhis (supernatural powers) and 9 Nidhis (divine treasures)"

Rāma rasāyana tumhare pāsā
sadā raho raghupati ke dāsā

"You have the sweet devotion to Rama. May you always be a devotee of Lord Rama"

Tumhare bhajana rāma ko pāvai
Janama janama ke dukha bisarāvai

"Singing your name gets us Rama himself and Removes the sufferings of many lives"

Anta kāla raghupati pura jāī
jahā janma hari bhakta kahāī

"He who sings of you, at the end of the life he attains to Lord Rama's abode. Where he will be born as a Devotee of Lord Rama"

Aura devatā chitta na dharaī
hanumata sei sarva sukha karaī

"Not contemplating on other gods, gets his all happiness from Hanuman by serving him"

Sankata katai mitai saba pīrā
jo sumirai hanumata balabīrā

"Pains will be removed, all afflictions will be gone of who remembers Hanuman the mighty brave one"

Jaya jaya jaya hanumāna gosāī
kripā karahu gurudeva kī nāī

"Victory to you O master of the senses. Show mercy on us like a Guru does"

Jo shata bāra pāthakar koī
chhūtahi bandi mahāsukha hoī

"He whoever recits this hundred times, his chains of Bondage will be cut, Great happiness will be his"

Jo yaha padhai hanumāna chālīsā
hoya siddhi sākhī gaurīsā

"He whoever reads these verses on Hanuman, he will get spiritual attainments, Lord Shiva is the witness to this statement"

Tulasīdāsa sadā hari cherā
kījai nātha hridaya mama dherā

"Tulasidas is always a disciple of Lord Rama. O lord make my heart your abode"

Conclusive Doha

pavanatanaya sankata harana mangala mūrati rūpa
rāma lakhana sītā sahita hridaya basahu sura bhūpa

"O Son of wind god, remover of difficulties, oh one of auspicious form. With Ram, Lakshman and Sita  reside in our hearts of King of Gods"

                                                                             Shri Ram, Jai Ram, Jai Jai Ram

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