Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 1)
Living in this world, it is almost impossible for any individual to load a life that is above criticism – just or unjust. If we study the great epic, Ramayana, we find that even Lord Rama and Mother Sita could not escape criticism, though unjust, from their own subjects. The only person in Ramayana who succeeded in accomplishing this difficult task is Sri Hanuman – the greatest devotee of the Lord. We do not find a single incident wherein Sri Hanuman has made any mistake and got blamed for it. He is the very embodiment of wisdom, devotion and service. This noble son of Wind God (vayu) has innumerable virtues.
We all very easily recognize the importance and the
service of sun because it is not available in the night. But the wind remains with us all the 24 hours of the days, serving all beings without any desire for recognition and appreciation for its service. Thus we take its existence for granted, without paying much respect and attention to it. Sri Hanuman has imbibed from his father, Wind God this race and noble virtue of serving all without a trace of pride in his heart. He crossed the ocean, entered the formidable Lanka and burnt it. He discovered Mother Sita, killed the demonic forces of Ravana. He served Lord Rama in such numerous ways that the Lord Himself felt overwhelmed with extreme love and gratitude for Sri Hanuman and He gave expression to His feelings as well. But on hearing his own praise, Sri Hanuman, the true devotee of the Lord, fell at His feet with tears in his eyes, giving all credit for his achievements to Lord Rama alone. What a noble and inspiring ideal of service with utmost humility!
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 2)
Generally we are advised that we should imbibe from Sri Hanuman’s character, this rare quality of serving our master with unswerving faith and devotion. But little do we realize that before doing so, it is of extreme importance to know who should really be our Master. He who is the Lord of the total universe and in serving whom our potential divinity comes to shine forth; He alone can be our true Master. This truth is seen revealed in the life of Sri Hanuman. Before meeting Lord Rama he was serving Sugreeva but his powers remained dormant at the time and Sugreeva was not able to bring them out as Lord Rama did by His sheer grace. We see that Sugreeva himself was fraught with mortal fear of death at the hands of his own brother Vali, and was dependent on Sri Hanuman for his own protection. How could such a person ever be anyone’s true Master?
On the other hand when Sri Hanuman saw Lord Rama for the very first time he recognized his Master immediately and, thereafter, not only himself became His loyal and devoted servant but also made Sugreeva follow his example. As soon as Sugreeva surrendered himself to the lotus feet of Lord Rama, he received the fruit of his devotion. In Lanka also, the she-demon Lankini and Vibheeshana were serving Ravana, the mighty but atrocious king. They were under the same notion that they should serve their Master, whoever he may be. It is only Sri Hanuman who made them realize their mistake. After recognizing this, they both became devotees of Lord Rama.
Thus, we see that neither a weakling like Sugreeva nor a mighty person like Ravana can ever be a true Master. Lord Rama alone can be that Master who is great, not because He keeps all beings under His control like Ravana but because He makes His devotees greater than Himself!
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 3)
Hanuman Chalisa is the most popular composition of the great Saint Goswami Tulsidas, the author of Tulsi Ramayan. He composed Hanuman Chalisa when he was very sick. He sang the praise of Sri Hanuman and it is said that he recovered from his illness. The significance of singing the glories of the Lord is to purify your speech and mind. It is impossible to sing all His glories because they are infinite. You should chant those of His glories that are dear to you. In the Sundarakand of Tulsi Ramayan, Saint Tulsidas sings the glory of Sri Hanuman:
Atulita-baladhamam svarna-sailabhadeham
Danuja-vana-kusanum jnaninam-agra-ganyam
Sakala-guna-nidhanam vanaranam-adhisam
Raghupati-priya-bhaktam vata-jatam namami
I salute the son of Wind God, the abode of immeasurable strength, possessing a body shining like a mountain of gold, a fire to consume the forest of the demon race, the foremost among the wise, storehouse of every excellence, the chief of the monkeys, Lord Rama’s noble devotee!
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 4)
The first attractive attribute that you see in Sri Hanuman is that he is the abode of immeasurable and incomparable strength that is not merely physical but also has a splendor (tejas) in it. His splendor is like a golden mountain. It is a rare quality. He uses his strength not to scare ordinary of weak people but to destroy those who give trouble to saintly persons. He not only has the power but also is considered as a wise, noble soul (jnanin). His language as well as the feelings are pure.
The most admirable virtue of Sri Hanuman is his politeness. Ravana was strong but he had pride. Such a person does not really command any respect. Sri Hanuman is truly the king of all Vanaras. To him, Lord Rama is very dear. Also we can say that Sri Hanuman is the favorite devotee of Lord Rama. When one has love for the Lord, Lord embraces His devotee in thousand ways.
Sri Hanuman brought life to all. He helped Sugreeva get rid of his fear of Vali and he inspired Vibheeshana who came away from Ravana to surrender at the feet of the Lord. He saved the life of Mother Sita, by conveying the message of the Lord to her. He brought the sanjivani plant and saved the life of Lakshmana. He proceeded to Ayodhya, much before Lord Rama and conveyed the message of Lord’s arrival to Bharata, who was ready to immolate himself then. It is the glory of Sri Hanuman in the form of Hanuman Chalisa.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 5)
Hanuman Chalisa is sung in various parts of India with great love and devotion. Some people chant it as their daily prayer. People believe that if they have illness or adversity, chanting of Hanuman Chalisa seven times or one hundred times will relieve them of their distress. There are others who consider Saturday or Tuesday to be dedicated to Sri Hanuman and they spend the day in thinking about the glories of Sri Hanuman, going to the temple and chanting Hanuman Chalisa. Thus, we see that this great composition of Saint Tulsidas has become a part of the culture and religious beliefs of a large number of people in India.
The word Chalisa means forty. This composition has forty verses in praise of Sri Hanuman. Those who are familiar with the story of Ramayana know his greatness. As we read individual verses in detail, we shall appreciate his various qualities namely love, devotion, service, velour etc.
In life, it is almost impossible for a person to remain free from blemish. Whether right or wrong, criticisms and accusations are leveled against everyone, It is impossible to escape this and no one is immune from it. even Lord Rama and the divine Mother Sita are not spared. Lord Rama was an incarnation of righteousness and Mother Sita was the incarnation of purity. They also are unfairly blamed and criticized. But there is one character in Ramayana who is above all criticisms and that is Sri Hanuman. He is a great devotee and totally free from all faults and blemish. We shall see this in more detail as we study the text.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 6)
Doha
sri guru carana saroja raja nijamanu mukuru sudhari
baranau raghubara bimala jasu jo dayaku phala cari 1
With a spotless (serene) mind, purified by the dust of the lotus feet of Guru, I now (proceed to) describe the unblemished glory of Sri Hanuman; the most exalted one of Raghu’s family, who is capable of bestowing the four fruits (purusartha-s) on his devotees.
Hanuman Chalisa is composed in the Avadhi language, which is a dialect of Hindi and is spoken in Ayodhya (in Uttar Pradesh, India), where Lord Rama was born. Though an offshoot of Hindi, it has been modified over the years where even students of Hindi may have trouble in understanding a lot of the Avadhi words. The word baranau means – I am going to describe. It comes from the Sanskrit verb varnan ‘to describe’. Saint Tulsidas says that in these verses he is going to describe the holy, pure noble glories (bimala jasu) of raghuvar. Lord Rama belonged to the dynasty of Raghu (raghuvamsa). Raghu was a great king and the entire dynasty was named after him. Raghuvar means the supreme, the best among the descendants of Raghu dynasty – Lord Rama. This particular verse is found in Ayodhyakand of Ramcharita Manas. There we understand that it refers to the glories of Lord Rama. In fact in the second part of Ayodhyakand, the glories of Bharata (younger brother of Lord Rama) are sung. So this verse could also refer to Bharata as raghuvar since he was a noble brother.
Even though Hanuman Chalisa praises Lord Rama, it is essentially being sung in praise of Sri Hanuman. Why would then, Saint Tulsidas address Sri Hanuman as raghuvar? As we all know, he was not born in the Raghu dynasty. He was in the form of a monkey. But there is a beautiful interpretation for this. In Tulasi Ramayan, it is mentioned that he was the adopted son of lord Rama and Mother Sita. When Sri Hanuman went to Lanka to meet Mother Sita, she recognized him as the greatest devotee of Lord Rama and addressed him as Suta, my son. In turn, Sri Hanuman called her as Janani, mother (one who gives birth). And when Sri Hanuman returned from Lanka, Lord Rama also addressed him as ‘son’. It is interesting that Sri Hanuman met Lord Rama first but Mother Sita was the one who addressed him first as son and developed that relationship with him. In human life also it is mother who gets close to the child first and the relationship of father develops later.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 7)
Thus, Lord Rama and Mother Sita’s son becomes ‘one who belongs to the dynasty of Raghu – raghuvamsl. And because of the noble, divine qualities of Sri Hanuman, he is referred to as raghuvar, the supreme and the best. However, Sri Hanuman gives all the credit for his success to Lord Rama. In fact the two are inseparable. Hence these verses describe the glories of the supreme descendants of Raghu.
Saint Tulsidas then goes on to say, “I am describing the glories of Sri Hanuman, because he was not an ordinary person. Don’t take him to be like an ordinary king or divine minister or dictator. He is greater than all those. Singing his glories gives you all the four goals of life. The four goals are: Dharmah arthah, kamah and moksah.
Arthah refers to wealth and prosperity and kamah means worldly joy of sense pleasures. Some people may be very rich but are not able to enjoy their wealth. They may be so sick that they can’t even eat. Their breakfast may be only medicines! What use is such wealth? Others may have wealth and joy, but do not perform any meritorious deeds, dharmah. They do not do things for others and such people suffer in life. Singing the glories of Sri Hanuman gives you dharmah and also punyah (merit) to enjoy heaven. But the most important goal of man's life is liberation from the sufferings of the cycle of birth and death, moksah Sri Hanuman can grant this great goal also to us.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 8)
How does one prepare oneself to sing the glories of Sri Hanuman? It is by purifying one’s mind. A clean, pure mind will be able to relate with the Lord and fell His presence everywhere. Saint Tulsidas says. Sri guru carana saroja raja nijananu mukuru sudhari. The word sudhari signifies perfecting purifying and cleaning. nijamanu mukuru means ‘the mirror of my mind.’ I will clean the mirror of my mind so it will reflect the glories of the Lord. Only in a clean mirror the reflection is clear and in the mind-mirror, Sri Hanuman’s glories can shine. How will I clean this mind-mirror? guru carana saroja raja – with the dust of my teacher’s lotus feet. By surrendering myself at the feet of my teacher and in service to him, I will be able to cleanse my mind of all impurities.
Doha
buddhihina tanu janike
sumirau pavana kumara
bala buddhi bidya dehu mohi
harahu kalesa bikara 2
Knowing that I am ignorant, I pray to you (Sri Hanuman) the son of Wind God, to bless me with strength, wisdom and discriminating knowledge. Banish (all) my afflictions
Sumirau is derived from the sanskrit word smarana – ‘to remember’. In these local dialects, the difficult Sanskrit words become sweeter and easier to pronounce. The verse says, I remember pavana kumarah, son of the Wind-god. Bala buddhi bidya dehu mohi – bless me with strength that include physical, moral and strength of character. Vidya means knowledge and buddhi is the faculty with which we gain knowledge. If I do not have this faculty, how can I know anything or learn? A blind man has physical eyes, but does not have the faculty of seeing. To gain knowledge, I must have the faculty of knowing and understanding and also I must use it. In this world every man is blessed with intellect (buddhih), but not every one is intelligent (buddhiman). A wise man not only learns, but also uses that knowledge to help him others. One man was asked, ‘Why do you always act so foolish, why don’t you use your brains?’ He said, ‘God has given me a limited amount of intellect. I have to live for 70 years. If I use it all right now, it will finish by the time I get older. So, I have to conserve it and use it sparingly!’
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 9)
People do not use their intellect and this is the reason for bondage. Even if they do use it, it is only at the worldly, superficial level. They do not think about themselves, the truth behind this life or this world. Saint Tulsidas says: ‘Bless me with strength and knowledge.’ What will this knowledge do? Harahu kalesa bikara – this knowledge alone can remove my sufferings. Vikara means change or modification which we are afraid of and do not want to accept. Kalesa (in samskrit, klesah) here refer to afflictions that cause misery, perversions and negative tendencies. Five kinds of afflictions are mentioned in the scriptures:
1. Avidya – ignorance
2. Asmita – ego (the product of ignorance) 3. Ragah – things I like
4. Dvesah – things I dislike, and
5. Abhinivesah – fear of death.
Everyone suffers from these five afflictions. The more likes and dislikes you have, the more unhappy you become if you get the things you like you are happy and if not or if you get things you dislike that make you unhappy. However, it is not always possible to have around you, the objects, people and places that you like. In this way we create more sorrows for ourselves. Even things that you like are not permanent and you worry about preserving and multiplying them. All these conditions bring increased sorrow and stress. Saint Tulsidas says that worship of Sri Hanuman frees the devotee from all these five afflictions buddhihina tanu janike – knowing myself to be ignorant. Tanu means body and buddhihina means ignorance, absence of wisdom. To consider oneself only as body is ignorance. The body is only inert matter, has no life and has no capabilities to do anything by itself. It is only when this body is permeated by Lord’s grace, with His power it comes to life and functions. So people who consider this body to be most important are foolish.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 10)
To summarize, first clean your mind by rendering service to your teacher. Once your mind is clean, the glories of the Lord will shine clearly in your heart. With this attitude, you sing the glories of the Lord and you will get all that you seek, i.e. noble virtues (dharmah), prosperity (arthah), joy (kamah) and liberation (moksah). All you sorrows will disappear and your ignorance will vanish. Such is the prayer of Saint Tulsidas.
A simple meaning pavana kumarah is that he was the son of the Wind God. Wind keeps on blowing, and therefore it is a great purifier. For example, if you walk into a room that has all windows and doors shut for a while, it becomes very stuffy. The moment you open the windows, the air blows in and purifies the atmosphere. So the God of Wind is a great purifier. His son Sri Hanuman also moves around from place to place and wherever he goes, he purifies the atmosphere. People who come in contact with him also get purified. The second meaning is that the wind always serves us silently. The sun serves us during the day and the moon illumines the earth at night. We see them when they are present and notice their absence when they are not visible. One the other hand, the wind serves us constantly, day and night. Also it is within us in the form of vital air (pranah), without which we should be dead in a few minutes. However, the invisible wind serves us silently without ostentation. Hence, we often take it for granted. The wind does not have any ego or sense of ‘I –ness.’
Similarly, his son Sri Hanuman’s life is full of service to Lord Rama. He has no sense of pride, arrogance or false ego. His goal is to serve the Lord continuously with humility and devotion. These are the qualities that we need to imbibe in us. Let us always serve others, silently, without expecting praise or reward.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 11)
jaya hanuman jnana guna sagara
jaya kapisa tihuloka ujagara 1
Victory to you, O Hanuman, who is an ocean of knowledge and virtues. Victory to you. O Hanuman (Lord of the monkeys), who is well known in all the three worlds.
Hanu means chin. But anyone who has a chin be called as Sri Hanuman? His chin was cut, cleaved in the middle and the whole mouth is swollen. When he was born early in the morning, he was the rising sun and thought it was a fruit. He had the ability to fly and he flew to the sun and swallowed it. The whole world became dark. Nobody could understand who this little child was that had swallowed the sun?
At that time, Lord Indra, king of all gods came there with his thunderbolt. His thunderbolt is infallible and whoever is struck by it will be dead instantly. Lord Indra struck that little child with his thunderbolt to free the sun. The bolt struck Sri Hanuman on the chin. However, being all-powerful, he did not die but releasing the sun, he fell on the earth and became unconscious. When the Wind God came to know what had happened, he became very angry and stopped the flow air. Everyone was dying without air. They started praying to Wind God and all gods came and sought apology. The Wind God said, ‘All of you will have to bless my son with all your powers and good qualities that you possess.’ Thus Sri Hanuman came to be blessed with all might and strength.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 12)
Sri Hanuman is so strong that he could withstand a blow from the mighty thunderbolt of Lord Indra. Saint Tulsidas says that he is strong and he uses this strength in the service of the Lord and others. Many people who are also strong use their strength to subjugate others and become dictators. Sri Hanuman does not misuse his strength.
jnana guna sagara means, ‘you are an ocean of knowledge and virtue’. Often people who have some knowledge or a degree from some university become very arrogant. They consider themselves superior to others. But Sri Hanuman is the best among all learned people (buddhimatam varistham) and also he has all the noble virtues. The greatest virtues are humility and nobility of character. He is the very embodiment of these virtues.
The greatest knowledge is Self-knowledge. Sri Hanuman has that too. He knew exactly who he was. Lord Rama once asked him, ‘What is your relationship with me?’ Sri Hanuman answered, ‘As a body, I am your servant; as an individual soul, I am a part of you and you are the whole; as the Self, we both are one. This is my firm conviction!’ – (deha-buddhya tu daso’smi jiva-buddhya tvadamsakah atma-buddhya tvamevaham iti me niscita matih Valmiki Ramayana)
Besides, Sri Hanuman is always good in his dealings with everyone and dealt with each person appropriately depending on his rank and stature. Valmiki Ramayan says that he was a scholar and knew 9 kinds of Sanskrit grammar (nava-vyakarana panditah). But at the same time, he is an epitome of humility (guna sagara). jaya kapisa means victory to the Lord of the monkeys.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 13)
In Tulasi Ramayan, at first Bali was the king of the monkeys and then Sugreeva. They were kings, but Sri Hanuman was the Lord who was a kingmaker! When Sugreeva was running around, being afraid of his brother Bali, it was Sri Hanuman’s courage and bravery that gave him strength. And who is a true king? Is it one who rules over a piece of land or a kingdom? Is it one who gets power because the majority of people voted for him? Or is it the one who rules over the hearts of all people? Crowned king is an appointed head of the state. But real Lordship is an uncrowned king who is worshipped and respected by all. Such a king is Sri Hanuman. He is Kapisah (kapi means monkey and isah Lord). Also the word kapi stands for one who drinks the joy of Brahman, which is the true happiness. (ka – joy (sukham) and pi (pipate) – one who drinks).
The Chandogya Upanishad says, ‘That which is infinite, that alone is happiness’. That which is finite is not happiness. So one who knows this and revels in the joy of Brahman is a kapi. Sri Hanuman is not an ordinary monkey and none should insult him by calling him a monkey-God. He is in the form of a monkey, but he is a brahmajnanin, one who has supreme knowledge.
tihuloka ujagara means, he who is well known in all the three worlds. The light of his fame spreads everywhere, everyone knows him and respects him.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 14)
Ramaduta atulita baladhama
Anjani-putra pavana-suta nama 2
You are the envoy of Lord Rama, an abode of incomparable strength, the son of Anjana (popularly) known with the name Pavana-suta (son of the Wind God).
Sri Hanuman is a messenger of Lord Rama. Being a messenger is a difficult job. One has to make sure that one delivers the message promptly and correctly. In Sri Hanuma’s case, the job was more difficult because he had to deliver a message to the enemy, King Ravana of Lanka. The messenger even can get killed in this endeavor! Prior to this, he had to secretly deliver Lord Rama’s message to Mother Sita, concealing himself from all the demon guards. But Sri Hanuman’s greatness is that whatever he undertakes, he does well, with complete devotion and courage.
He is the very epitome of immeasurable strength, strength that you cannot compare with anything (atulita). Saint Tulsidas says, ‘The first thing that one notices is Sri Hanuman’s superhuman powers. His mother’s name was Anjani (also, Anjana), which means pure intellect. So. he was born of pure intellect, the son of a pure hearted mother. Anjana also stands for the beautifying paste that you put in your eyes. Guru’s grace (gurukrpa) is also called Anjana, by which one realizes the whole world to be Lord Rama. Putra means a son who saves his parents from going to hell. Various kinds of heaven and hell are described in our scriptures. One of these is called pum.
A true son is one who saves his parents from suffering and Misery (punnamno narakadyasmat-trayate pitaram sutah. Tasmat putra iti proktah). Such a son was Sri Hanuman. Also he brought so much fame to his parents. If not for him, who would know Anjani?
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 15)
mahabira bikrama bajarangi
kumati nivara sumati ke sangi 3
You, with the body as hard (strong) as diamond, are a great warrior of incomparable valor; you are the remover of wicked thoughts, and (you) grant me the company of the wise.
Virah is a man of courage, strength, and valour. But he is a mahabira, greatest warrior. Lord Rama Himself sang his glories. Some poet or author would glorify an ordinary warrior. But when the Lord Himself honors and praises a person, that person cannot be an ordinary one.
Generally when one hears the word virah one considers him having heroism and courage in the battlefield. But there are five kinds of heroism (virata) are mentioned in the scriptures:
1. Tyagavirah or dharmavirah – Hero in renunciation and sacrifice. For the sake of righteous living, one often has to sacrifice a lot. One who does this to live a life of dharma is called tyagavirah.
2. Dayavirah – Hero in compassion. One who is great even in compassion, cannot stand the sorrows of others, and will do anything to alleviate them is a dayavirah.
3. Vidyavirah – Hero in knowledge and learning.
4. Danavirah – Hero in charity. Sri Hanuman gives you anything you seek (dharmah, arthah, kamah and moksah). But his greatest gift is that he gives you –devotion to Lord Rama (rama-bhaktih).
5. Ranavirah – Brave warrior in the battlefield.
In the world, we may find people who have one kind of heroism. They may be brave in battle, but lacking knowledge (vidya) or compassion (daya). Sri Hanuman is such a hero who has all five kinds of valour, hence he is called mahabira. If all the five are used in the service of the Lord, there can be nothing greater. Such a person is called a Supreme Hero (paramavirah). Lord Rama said to Sri Hanuman, ‘I am forever indebted to you. I will never be able to repay you debt’.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 16)
bikrama – A mighty person, one who has great valour. Sri Hanuman is also known as bajarangi. The original Sanskrit word is vajra-angi. Sri hanuman has a body made up of a steel-like frame, strong enough to withstand the thunderbolt of Lord Indra. So, the word vajra-angi became bajarangi in avadhi language, which is easier to pronounce.
kumati nivara sumati ke sangi – You eliminate all illusions of the mind. kumati means all vicious, negative tendencies of the mind. nivara means, to get rid of. sumati ke sangi – you gave us bright intellect or you are the friend of a person of good intellect. Sri Hanuman gives us good thoughts and eliminates evil thoughts. These words can also mean that Sri Hanuman punishes people who are evil and he supports those who are good.
kancana barana biraja subesa
anana kundala kuncita kesa 4
Your golden complexion shines more in attractive clothes (which you are wearing) and with the glittering earrings and (your) curly hair.
hatha bajra au dhvaja biraja
kandhe munja janeu sajai 5
You have the thunderbolt (in one hand) and the flag (in another), and the sacred thread across your shoulder made of munja grass decorates you.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 17)
Sri Hanuman carries a mace (gada) in his hand that is strong like Lord Indra’s thunderbolt and kills whoever it is used on. The word gada also means ‘to speak’. This weapon is used in the battlefield to eliminate enemies and the other, to flatten and destroy ignorance and ego with the help of words (true knowledge). dhvaja birajai – He carries the flag of Lord Rama in his hand which symbolically shows that he always honors and remembers Lord Rama. Dhvaja also stands for victory to Lord Rama.
Usually flags were flown on warrior’s chariots to identify them to a friend or a foe. But Sri Hanuman’s body itself is like a chariot as he flies from place to place. Thus, he has to carry Lord Rama’s flag in his hand. Saint Tulsidas says that Sri Hanuman carries the flag of truthfulness, good character and faith in God’s name.
kandhe munja janeu sajai – janeu is the sacred thread made of cotton that is worn around the neck when one is initiated into gayatri-mantrah. Originally it was made of munja grass and therefore known as munja janeu. This thread ceremony is carried out when a boy is between 5 and 10 years old to inform him that his playful days are over. Thereafter, he has to begin a life of Study and discipline. The knot in the thread represents Brahman – the Supreme Consciousness. The three threads woven together represent the three qualities (sattva, rajas and tamas) and that they are centered on Brahman. Traditionally, people are advised to hold on to the knot of Brahman while chanting the gayatri-mantrah. Sri Hanuman wears the sacred thread made of munja grass on his shoulder and his attention is always on Brahman.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 18)
sankara-suvana kesari-nandana
teja pratapa maha jaga-bandana 6
You are an incarnation of Shiva and son of Kesari. Everyone in the world respects you because of your luster and great valor.
Sankara-suvana kesari-nandana – Son of lord Shiva and also son of Kesari. One may wonder as to how many people is he the son of? Wind god, Lord Shiva and Kesari? When Ravana’s atrocities were increasing and he was playing havoc in the world, all the gods and ascetics prayed to Lord Vishnu. They appealed to Him that the earth cannot take much more of this misery and requested the Lord to come and save everyone. Lord said, ‘I will take birth as Rama, to free the earth the evil grip of Ravana.’ Lord Brahma said to all gods, ‘Since Lord Vishnu is coming on this earth; we must all serve him there. As He is assuming the form of human (narah), we should all assume the lower form of monkeys (vanarah). So all the monkeys that served Lord Rama were none other than the gods themselves. Vali was the son of Indra, Sugreeva was the son of Surya, etc. Vayu blessed Anjani and Kesari (parents of Sri Hanuman) with his glow (tejas). This power he placed in Sri Hanuman when he was born. Therefore he is called as son of Wind.
Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu are good friends. When one takes birth, the other wants to serve him. Lord Shiva thought, ‘I wish to serve Lord Vishnu when he comes as Lord Rama. If I comes as a member of his family, he may hesitate to take service from me and may want to serve me back. But if I come in a lower (monkey) form there will be no such problem!’ Thinking thus, he placed his tejas in Sri Hanuman to serve Lord Rama Therefore, Sri Hanuman is called as son of Lord Shiva (sankara suvana) and also known as an incarnation of lord Shiva (rudra-avatarah).
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 19)
His father’s name was Kesari, which also means ‘lion’. Therefore, Sri Hanuman is born of a lion-like monkey who is fearless, brave and strong. Sri Hanuman purifies everybody that he comes in contact with, like Wind-God He has the purity of intellect. He blesses everyone, like Lord Shiva.
teja pratapa maha jaga-bandana – His glow or fame is very bright and is praised by the entire world. Everyone glorifies the name of Sri Hanuman.
bidyavana guni ati catura
rama kaja karibe ko atura 7
You are well versed in all the lores: you are fully of virtues: you are highly intelligent. You are ever ready to carry out the missions of Lord Rama.
bidyavana – Man of great knowledge and guni a person of great virtue. ati catura – Extremely wise. There are many people in this world who are very energetic and wise but all their energy is directed into worldly matters. If you ask them to do anything for God, or to go to the temple, they suddenly find all kinds of excuses. They will wake up early in the morning to play tennis, but not for meditation. But Sri Hanuman is ever ready to do the Lord’s work. When Lakshmana was struck by the arrow of Indrajit (Ravana’s son), he fell unconscious. The life saving sanjivani plant (a kind of elixir) had to be brought right away to save his life. Sri Hanuman said, ‘Put mustard seed in boiling oil. In the time that it takes the seed to cook, I will be back with the plant.’ When he went to the Himalayan Mountains, he could not find the plant so he brought the entire mountain. His service for the lord is constant, with full of love and devotion (rama kaja karibe ko atura).
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 20)
prabhu caritra sunibe ko rasiya
ramalakhana sita mana basiya 8
You (always take) delight in listening to the glories of Prabhu (Ramachandra) and you have Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Mother Sita residing (permanently) in your heart.
He takes great delight (rasiya) in listening to the glories of the Lord. Usually, this is not our nature. When a man becomes famous, he wants people to talk about his glory; he does not want to listen to the glories of others. He does not even want to talk about the Lord’s glories. But Sri Hanuman always revels in this joy and he is eager to hear people describe the character and valor of lord Rama. In Sri Hanuman’s heart, Lord Rama, Lakshmana and Mother Sita are ever established. They always dwell in his heart. It also means that Sri Hanuman lives in their heart too! Lord Rama represents Self-knowledge, Mother Sita represents devotion (bhaktih) and Lakshmana stands for sacrifice and dispassion (vairagya). In Sri Hanuman there is knowledge, devotion and dispassion, all of them in great measure!
suksma rupadhari siyahin dikhava
bikata rupadhari lanka jarava 9
You assumed the minutest form (subtle form as small as an atom) when you revealed yourself to Mother Sita, and by assuming a fierce form, you burnt down (the city of) Lanka.
Sri Hanuman had the power to become small or big. When he went to meet Mother Sita, he became as small as a mosquito so he could approach her without being detected by the guards. In general, people who are big do not want to become small. They are too proud to do anything below their false ‘dignity’. But Sri Hanuman has no such ego. He does whatever is required to accomplish the Lord’s work. For him, the work is more important.
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 21)
He assumed a huge form and destroyed and burnt Ravana’s Lanka. This has several meanings. One is that he destroyed Ravana’s places and forts. Lanka also represents the land of sense pleasures, material possessions, etc. during that time the people who lived there were mostly demons (asurah), i.e. those who think they are only the body. They do everything for the body’s comforts, sense pleasures, etc. so he destroyed the land of sensuality. He also had the right knowledge that, ‘I am not this body, I do not have to spend all my time taking care of this body’s pleasures and comforts.’ So, Sri Hanuman’s grace gives us true knowledge. This fire of Self-knowledge removes our body’ identification and attachment. Another fire is the fire of Mother Sita’s sorrow. It is said that when a noble person is tortured, the fire of his or her sorrow that arises cannot be quenched. The fire of Mother Sita’s sorrow burnt Lanka to ashes.
bhima rupa dhari asura samhare
ramacandra ke kaja samvare 10
Assuming a dreadful form to destroy the demons, you accomplished the mission of Lord Rama.
laya sanjivana lakhana jiyaye
sri raghubira harasi ura laye 11
You fetched sanjivani to revive Lakshmana (who had fainted on the battlefield) and made Lord Rama happily embrace you.
The arrow of Indrajit struck Lakshmana and Sri Hanuman brought the life-saving sanjivani plant that brought him back to life. Lord Rama was so delighted by this act that he embraced Sri Hanuman to His heart. It is evident that when the Lord embraces His devotee, He places His heart in the devotee’s heart. So if you want to find the Lord, you have to search for Him in the heart of a true devotee.
raghupati kinhi bahuta badai
tuma mama priya bharatahi sama bahi 12
Lord Rama praised (you) very highly (and said), “You are as dear to me as my brother Bharata”.
sahasa badana tumharo jasa gavan
asa kahi sripati kantha lagavai 13
Embracing you, Lord Rama Said, “Even Shesha, the thousand headed serpent sings your glory”
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 22)
It is believed that everyone meditates on Lord Rama, but He meditates on Bharat, His younger brother. Bharata was so dear to Him. Lord Rama says, ‘I love you as much as my dear brother Bharata, whom I remember at all times with great love.’ asa kahi sripati kantha lagavai – sripatih or lakshmipatih refers to Lord Rama (Lakshmi’s consort being Lord Vishnu). He embraced Sri Hanuman to His heart and praised him.
Saint Tulsidas says, - sahasa badana tumharo jasa gavai – ‘The thousand-headed snake (sesah) is singing your glories and even a thousand mouths are not enough to sing your glories.’ Secondly sesah himself incarnated as Lakhmana and he always sang Sri Hanuman’s glories.
sanakadika brahmadi munisa
narada sarada sahita ahisa 14
The (great) sages like Sanaka, etc., and gods like Brahma, Shesha (the King of Serpents) and Narada and goddess Sharada.
jama kubera digapala jaha te
kabi kobida kahi sake kaha te 15
Yama – the god of death, Kubera – the god of wealth, the eight regents (of the directions), poets and scholars have not been able to praise you adequately.
The Sanat Kumars, Brahma, Indra, Vayu, Kubera (all the gods) and Sages also praise you. The great sages like Nrada, Sharada (sarasvati – goddess of Knowledge) all sing your glories. Yama, God of Death, Kubera, treasurer of gods, dik-palakah, guardian of all the directions, great poets, scholars, pundits – all praise you and sing your glories! These are inexhaustible, how can I enumerate them?
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 23)
tuma upakara sugrivahi kinha
rama milaya rajapada dinha 16
You helped Sugreeva in regaining his (lost) kingdom by making him meet Lord Rama.
Sugreeva was a monkey king. His brother Vali (also known as Bali) drove him out of the kingdom and became king. Sugreeva lived in Rishyamukh Mountain, fearing for his life. When Sugreeva saw Lord Rama and Lakshmana approaching, he was afraid and thought that they were sent by Bali to kill him. They looked so brave and brilliant. He started running away. At that time Sri Hanuman said, ‘Why don’t you find out who they are, before running away? Don’t asume that these mighty warriors are your enemies!’ Thus giving him courage, Sri Hanuman brought Lord Rama to Sugreeva and established friendship between them. Lord Rama then killed Bali and Sugreeva was crowned as the king of Kishkinda. Also by introducing Lord Rama to him, Hanuman gave the knowledge of Supreme Truth to Sugreeva, since the Absolute Reality is the Lord Himself! Sri Hanuman expects nothing for himself and he always remains as a servant of the Lord. This is the greatness of Sri Hanuman.
tumaharo mantra bibhisana mana
lankesvara bhaye saba jaga jana 17
Vibheeshana heeded your advice. The entire world knows that he became the king of Lanka.
In this context, mantra means advice (mantrana). Sri Hanuman asked Vibheeshana (Ravana’s brother) to surrender to Lord Rama. No sooner Vibheeshana did that, Lord Rama appointed him as the king of Lanka. Lord Rama never asked Sugreeva or Vibheeshana to fulfil his task for crowning them as kings. All they had to do was surrender to the Lord and all glory was theirs. This shows that, by surrendering to Lord Rama, you get secular powers and liberation (moksah) too!
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 24)
juga sahasra jojana para bhanu
lilyo tahi madhura phala janu 18
You leaped quite easily at the Sun (who is) thousands of miles away thinking him to be a sweet fruit.
When Sri Hanuman was born, he saw the sun in the sky Thinking it to be a fruit, he flew towards it and swallowed it! Some people say that this is impossible. But he is the son of Wind God. The sun is fire and wind (vayuh) is the cause of fire. After all, fire merges into the air. So, why can’t air swallow the fire? This is a Vedantic principle. Further, Sri Hanuman is not an ordinary monkey. So why do we doubt his power? He had all the powers that ascetics (yogi-s) and gods have i.e., eight-fold powers and nine types of wealth (astasiddhi and navanidhi), which we shall see in a later verse. One more explanation for this is that a child’s mind is always pure and a child’s imagination runs very high. It always asks questions about the sun, the moon and the stars. How does it rain? Where did I come from? It does not ask questions about dollar and monkey until so, a child’s imagination runs as high as the sun. But as adults, we don’t want to answer his question and ask him to shut up. Similarly Lord Indra struck Sri Hanuman with his thunderbolt so that he would not fly high. That is why according to the story, the world became dark until Sri Hanuman released the sun.
prabhu mudrika meli mukha mahi
jaladhi lamghi gaye acaraja nahi 19
Holding the Lord’s (Rama’s) ring in your mouth, you flew over (crossed) the ocean, which is no wonder (as you are capable of any achievement).
When all the monkeys went in search of Mother Sita they came to the vast ocean. On the other side was Lanka. They were not able to cross this ocean. Sri Hanuman put Lord Rama’s ring in his own mouth. With that, he was able to cross that vast ocean and reach Lanka. That is the power of the Lord’s name. Another spiritual meaning is that Mother Sita represents devotion (bhaktih) and to reach devotion or liberation (moksah) you have to cross this ocean. What is this ocean? The feeling that ‘I am this body (dehatmabhavah)’. This feeling is as difficult to get over as crossing an ocean. But chanting the lord’s name, we understand that we are not this body, and this way we cross this ocean of samsara (world). There is no doubt (acaraja nahi), that one can accomplish anything by chanting the Lord’s name and acting with full faith and devotion. Such people are not afraid of anything in this world......24
Hanuman Chalisa
#SwamiTejoyamananda
(Part 25)
durgama kaja jagata ke jete
sugama anugraha tumhare tete 20
By your grace even the most difficult of tasks become easy to accomplish.
Whatever difficulties or obstacles you encounter in life, are overcome by the grace of Sri Hanuman. There are three kinds of people in this world.
1. Those who do not start any new project for fear of obstacles. They keep on imagining all kinds of problems and obstacles, hence they never get started.
2. Those who start a lot of projects, but the moment they encounter difficulty or resistance, they at once quit and move to another project.
3. Those who, when they encounter more obstacles, gain more enthusiasm and courage. Such people do not quit until their work is finished.
Sri Hanuman blesses the third type of people and makes their job easier. Even the most difficult task becomes easy to accomplish.
rama duare tuma rakhavare
hota no ajna binu paisare 21
You guard the door (entry) to Lord Rama’s palace where none dare to enter (or go out) without your permission.
Saba sukha lahai tumhari sarana
Tuma racchaka kahu ko dara na 22
All those who seek refuge in you enjoy every kind of happiness. Why should one be afraid of anything when you are there to protect?
Sri Hanuman is the ever-vigilant guard at the door of Shri Rama. That does not mean that he will prevent you from entering. On the contrary, he pulls people towards Lord Rama. That is his job. Due to this very reason, Sri Hanuman is dearer to Lord Rama, than even Lakshmana. Lord Rama said, ‘By his devotion Sri Hanuman inspires other people to love me and come towards me.’....25
No comments:
Post a Comment