| Hanuman | |
|---|---|
God of Wisdom, Strength, Courage, Devotion and Self-Discipline[1] | |
| Member of Chiranjivi | |
 Hanuman showing Rama and Sita within his heart, illustration from Ravi Varma Press. | |
| Affiliation | Rama devotee, Deva, Chiranjivi, Vanara, avatar of Shiva (Shaivism),[2] son and avatar of Vayu (Vaishnavism).[3] |
| Abode | Kishkindha |
| Mantra | ॐ श्री हनुमते नमः (Oṁ Śrī Hanumate Namaḥ) |
| Weapon | Gada (mace) |
| Day | |
| Texts | Ramayana and its other versions Hanuman Chalisa[4] |
| Festivals | Hanuman Jayanti Diwali |
| Genealogy | |
| Parents | Vayu (spiritual father) Kesari (father) Añjanā (mother) |
| Siblings | Matiman, Shrutiman, Ketuman, Gatiman and Dhritiman (brothers) |
| Part of a series on |
| Hinduism |
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Hanuman (/ˈhʌnʊˌmɑːn/; Sanskrit: हनुमान्, IAST: Hanumān),[5] also known as Maruti, Bajrangabali, and Anjaneya,[6] is a deity in Hinduism, revered as a divine vanara, and a devoted companion of the deity Rama. Central to the Ramayana, Hanuman is celebrated for his unwavering devotion to Rama and is considered a chiranjivi. He is traditionally believed to be the spiritual offspring of the wind deity Vayu, who is said to have played a significant role in his birth.[7][8] In Shaiva tradition, he is regarded to be an incarnation of Shiva, while in most of the Vaishnava traditions he is the son and incarnation of Vayu. His tales are recounted not only in the Ramayana but also in the Mahabharata and various Puranas.
Devotional practices centered around Hanuman were not prominent in these texts or in early archaeological evidence. His theological significance and the cultivation of a devoted following emerged roughly a millennium after the Ramayana was composed, during the second millennium CE, coinciding with the advent of Islamic rule in the Indian subcontinent.[9] Hanuman's abilities are partly attributed to his lineage from Vayu, symbolizing a connection with both the physical and the cosmic elements.[10] Figures from the Bhakti movement, such as Samarth Ramdas, have portrayed Hanuman as an emblem of nationalism and defiance against oppression.[11] According to Vaishnava tradition, the sage Madhvacharya posited that Vayu aids Vishnu in his earthly incarnations, a role akin to Hanuman's assistance to Rama.[12] In recent times, the veneration of Hanuman through iconography and temple worship has significantly increased.[13] He epitomizes the fusion of "strength, heroic initiative, and assertive excellence" with "loving, emotional devotion" to his lord Rama, embodying both Shakti and Bhakti.[14] Subsequent literature has occasionally depicted him as the patron deity of martial arts, meditation, and scholarly pursuits.[15] He is revered as an exemplar of self-control, faith, and commitment to a cause, transcending his outward Vanara appearance.[13][16][17] Traditionally, Hanuman is celebrated as a lifelong celibate, embodying the virtues of chastity.[13][18]
Various scholars have suggested that Hanuman may have influenced the conception of Sun Wukong, the central figure in the Chinese epic Journey to the West.[19][20]
- ^ "Hanuman: A Symbol of Unity". The Statesman. 21 January 2021. Archived from the original on 31 January 2021. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- ^ Brown, N.R. (2011). The Mythology of Supernatural: The Signs and Symbols Behind the Popular TV Show. Penguin Publishing Group. p. 44. ISBN 978-1-101-51752-9. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ Williams, G.M. (2008). Handbook of Hindu Mythology. Handbooks of world mythology. OUP USA. p. 148. ISBN 978-0-19-533261-2. Retrieved 4 January 2024.
- ^ Brian A. Hatcher (2015). Hinduism in the Modern World. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-04630-9.
- ^ "Hanuman" Archived 26 September 2020 at the Wayback Machine, Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary.
- ^ wisdomlib.org (16 January 2019). "Anjaneya, Āñjaneya, Amjaneya: 9 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
- ^ Bibek Debroy (2012). The Mahabharata: Volume 3. Penguin Books. pp. 184 with footnote 686. ISBN 978-0-14-310015-7.
- ^ J. Gordon Melton; Martin Baumann (2010). Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices, 2nd Edition. ABC-CLIO. pp. 1310–1311. ISBN 978-1-59884-204-3.
- ^ Paula Richman (2010), Review: Lutgendorf, Philip's Hanuman's Tale: The Messages of a Divine Monkey, The Journal of Asian Studies; Vol 69, Issue 4 (Nov 2010), page 32
- ^ Lutgendorf 2007, p. 44.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
lele114was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Lutgendorf 2007, p. 67.
- ^ a b c Constance Jones; James D. Ryan (2006). Encyclopedia of Hinduism. Infobase. pp. 177–178. ISBN 978-0-8160-7564-5. Archived from the original on 20 October 2022. Retrieved 26 May 2017.
- ^ Lutgendorf 2007, pp. 26–32, 116, 257–259, 388–391.
- ^ George M. Williams (2008). Handbook of Hindu Mythology. Oxford University Press. pp. 146–148. ISBN 978-0-19-533261-2.
- ^ Lutgendorf, Philip (1997). "Monkey in the Middle: The Status of Hanuman in Popular Hinduism". Religion. 27 (4): 311–332. doi:10.1006/reli.1997.0095.
- ^ Catherine Ludvik (1994). Hanumān in the Rāmāyaṇa of Vālmīki and the Rāmacaritamānasa of Tulasī Dāsa. Motilal Banarsidass. pp. 2–9. ISBN 978-81-208-1122-5.
- ^ Lutgendorf 2007, pp. 223, 309, 320.
- ^ Wendy Doniger, Hanuman: Hindu mythology Archived 15 April 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Encyclopaedia Britannica; For a summary of the Chinese text, see Xiyouji: Novel by Wu Cheng'En
- ^ H. S. Walker (1998), Indigenous or Foreign? A Look at the Origins of the Monkey Hero Sun Wukong, Sino-Platonic Papers, No. 81. September 1998, Editor: Victor H. Mair, University of Pennsylvania