The Variation in Geographical Perspectives of Hanuman

The name ‘Hanuman’ is one that is known all over the world, festivals are celebrated in various different cultures, and the stories of his amazing life have been translated into many different languages. Yet there are only a small handful of people who really know about his background. To most, he is simply- “The monkey God.” In reality there is much more to him than that. Even today, people still regard Hanuman as a hero, and many look up to him and try to live the same that he did.

Hanuman is known to different people by different names, In China, he is called Shun Wu Kong – “The Wind Monkey.” Even in India, he is known by a variety of names. One of the more prominent ones being Devraja, or King of the Deities.

Hanuman was born to Vayu- God of the Wind, and Punjikasthala- Goddess of the monkey like Vanara community, and was brought up in her village in the absence of his powerful father.

Everything we know about Hanuman comes from the old Vedic texts. In them are descriptions of his early childhood and stories from his life as a warrior. Hanuman was educated by Surya- the Sun God. It is said that because Surya could mot interrupt his work during the day, Hanuman would follow him around the universe during his years of schooling, showing just how motivated he was even as a child.

Hanuman was an adept student, and added many powers to those already bestowed upon him by his mighty father. The Vedic texts describe him as being extraordinarily polite- the gentleman warrior. He was also a great linguist, and was able to converse fluently on the Vedic laws. He was also known to be a great musician and would daily sing songs of Ram and Sita. Some believe that it was his grasp of the writings in the Holy Scriptures that gave him his mystical powers such as the ability to shrink and expand.

His unrivalled prowess in the art of strategy astonished even his enemies. There is a story in the Veda’s that illustrates his superiority among all the warriors fighting in Ram. He had tried gaining access to Ravan- King of Lanka’s city, and had made it right up to the palace walls before he was captured despite the armies of Rakshas’ guarding the city. Even when he was captured, he kept his head. Ravan had ordered that he be paraded through the city with his tail on fire as a lesson to Ram. Hanuman allowed himself to be tied up, and his tail to be burned, because this allowed him to assess his enemies strengths and weaknesses. Only afterwards did he shrink down, escape his bindings, transform himself into a giant, kill his captors and set the city on fire.

His strengths and loyalty also went unchallenged among the ranks of the army. During the course of the battle against Ravan, Laxman, Rams brother, had been wounded. Hanuman offered to fly to the distant Himalayan Mountains in order to procure a particular medicinal herb necessary for the recovery of Laxman. Unable to identify the Sanjeevani, he uprooted the entire mountain and carried it back to the battlefield, where Ram found the plant and healed Laxman.

While all of Hanumans strengths are very impressive and are to be respected, it is his personality that people really worship. They look at his example when trying to lead the life of a devout Hindu. He is looked upon as the perfect Bhakta, or devotee. The Shivapurana states that Hanuman is a form of the Lord Shiva, the Lord of Consciousness. In tribute to this great monkey God, people visit temples dedicated to him and pray to him. They ask that he bless them with good health and spiritual prosperity.