My Hanuman Chalisa (2017)
Devdutt Pattanaik
Hanuman Chalisa is not one of the mainstream holy scriptures used by temple goers in Malaysia. Perhaps it is because Hindus here were mostly immigrants from Southern India and are predominantly Shiva worshippers. In temples where Vishnu or one of his avatars is the chief deity, it is read diligently for guidance and peace of mind.
In a way, it must have been written at a time in India, in the 16th century, when the conflict between Vaishanites and Shaivites had reached a scary pitch that needed reconciliation. The height of Muslim invasion too must have been at its zenith, and the Hindus must be losing congregations. Unification meant power.
Why Hanuman is chosen as an envoy of unity? He is linked to many of the iconic figures of the Vedanta and well as the Puranic era in the Hindu scriptures. His parents, Kesari and Anjana, were devoted Shaivites; Hanuman's birth was His boon to them. Vahyu (God of the Winds) is the celestial father; His conception was wind assisted after his mother conceived after consuming divine offering which came on a kite. Hanuman's teacher is Lord Surya, the Sun, the origin of all power. He is a servant to Lord Ram, an avatar of Vishnu and to Sita, the daughter of Nature is linked to Goddess Shakti. Hence, invoking Hanuman opens the avenues to many possibilities.
Hanuman is revered as the selfless soul who goes beyond the call of duty and literally moves mountains when the situation warrants. He connected Sugriva to Ram when Sugriva needed assistance to defeat Vali. He helped to locate Sita. He carried a hill with the medicinal herb sanjeevani when Laxman was injured. He is restless in wanting to acquire knowledge. He is stoic in standing up against all adversities that befall him and stands up with his Masters when malady strikes. He will help you. He does not judge. He will assist you to overcome. At least that is the hope that the believers have when they seek His blessings.
This last feature is probably the main feature to strikes a chord with his worshippers as they recite the 40 verses that hail the greatness of Hanuman (Hanuman Chalisa; with another three couplets fillers for completion). They seek His guidance when they are at the crossroads of life. Their intention is for the Monkey King to give them the courage to weather the storm and face the negativities.
Hanuman Chalisa was composed by a 16th-century poet, Tulsidas, in an older form of the Hindi language, Awadhi. It, therefore, resonates more with the Hindi-speaking devotees.
It is said, the whole idea of a princely King in exile from the North rescuing his kidnapped wife from the decadent South, as a troop of monkeys helps him, is a metaphor. It does paint a picture of the cultured 'invaders' from North (the protagonist) battling against the barbaric tyrants of the lawless lands of South. Ravan, the antagonist, with allegedly ten heads, is said to be a just and wise king with knowledge in many fields, theology, music, scriptures, medicine, military skills, included. The ten heads denote excellence in a myriad of disciplines of expertise. The monkey troop is no band of simple simians. The name Hanuman may mean a man with deformed jaw.
The whole premise of Ramayana is a symbolic representation of an individual whose actions denotes doing the right things (the dharmic path) that goes beyond the strategic needs of power and richness. The reluctant king in Ram accepts the adversities that come in life but gives a good fight to defend what needs to be protected as a King, a husband, and a person. Ravan embodies a self-indulgent one who is immersed in the physical pleasures of power and wealth despite being a person of high intelligence. The intermediaries, in the form of monkeys, are struggling to strive to make sense of what constitutes the good and avert the bad.
On a related note, Lord Hanuman is said to have transcended all belief systems. In Lucknow, during the rule of the Nawabs, the consort to Nawab Mohammed Ali Shah dreamt of a statue of Hanuman buried in a particular location. As the story goes, sure enough, it was there. Attempts to transport the idol to a shrine temple near Bara Imambara proved futile as the transporting elephant refused to budge from a particular location in Aliganj. A temple, Aliganj Hanuman Temple, which hosts the annual Mangal Mela is the testimony of the Nawabs' faith in Lord Hanuman. Here, Hanuman is seen even as a lubricant between groups of different religions.
In this intriguing world that we live in, the Monkey King, in his own playful monkeying way, tries to make sense of things around us. He, as an icon, gives hope to many a sort of clutch as they swing from one phase of their life to another, from one obstacle to another in the metaphorical tree of life.
Devdutt Pattanaik
Hanuman Chalisa is not one of the mainstream holy scriptures used by temple goers in Malaysia. Perhaps it is because Hindus here were mostly immigrants from Southern India and are predominantly Shiva worshippers. In temples where Vishnu or one of his avatars is the chief deity, it is read diligently for guidance and peace of mind.
In a way, it must have been written at a time in India, in the 16th century, when the conflict between Vaishanites and Shaivites had reached a scary pitch that needed reconciliation. The height of Muslim invasion too must have been at its zenith, and the Hindus must be losing congregations. Unification meant power.
Why Hanuman is chosen as an envoy of unity? He is linked to many of the iconic figures of the Vedanta and well as the Puranic era in the Hindu scriptures. His parents, Kesari and Anjana, were devoted Shaivites; Hanuman's birth was His boon to them. Vahyu (God of the Winds) is the celestial father; His conception was wind assisted after his mother conceived after consuming divine offering which came on a kite. Hanuman's teacher is Lord Surya, the Sun, the origin of all power. He is a servant to Lord Ram, an avatar of Vishnu and to Sita, the daughter of Nature is linked to Goddess Shakti. Hence, invoking Hanuman opens the avenues to many possibilities.
Hanuman is revered as the selfless soul who goes beyond the call of duty and literally moves mountains when the situation warrants. He connected Sugriva to Ram when Sugriva needed assistance to defeat Vali. He helped to locate Sita. He carried a hill with the medicinal herb sanjeevani when Laxman was injured. He is restless in wanting to acquire knowledge. He is stoic in standing up against all adversities that befall him and stands up with his Masters when malady strikes. He will help you. He does not judge. He will assist you to overcome. At least that is the hope that the believers have when they seek His blessings.
This last feature is probably the main feature to strikes a chord with his worshippers as they recite the 40 verses that hail the greatness of Hanuman (Hanuman Chalisa; with another three couplets fillers for completion). They seek His guidance when they are at the crossroads of life. Their intention is for the Monkey King to give them the courage to weather the storm and face the negativities.
Hanuman Chalisa was composed by a 16th-century poet, Tulsidas, in an older form of the Hindi language, Awadhi. It, therefore, resonates more with the Hindi-speaking devotees.
It is said, the whole idea of a princely King in exile from the North rescuing his kidnapped wife from the decadent South, as a troop of monkeys helps him, is a metaphor. It does paint a picture of the cultured 'invaders' from North (the protagonist) battling against the barbaric tyrants of the lawless lands of South. Ravan, the antagonist, with allegedly ten heads, is said to be a just and wise king with knowledge in many fields, theology, music, scriptures, medicine, military skills, included. The ten heads denote excellence in a myriad of disciplines of expertise. The monkey troop is no band of simple simians. The name Hanuman may mean a man with deformed jaw.
The whole premise of Ramayana is a symbolic representation of an individual whose actions denotes doing the right things (the dharmic path) that goes beyond the strategic needs of power and richness. The reluctant king in Ram accepts the adversities that come in life but gives a good fight to defend what needs to be protected as a King, a husband, and a person. Ravan embodies a self-indulgent one who is immersed in the physical pleasures of power and wealth despite being a person of high intelligence. The intermediaries, in the form of monkeys, are struggling to strive to make sense of what constitutes the good and avert the bad.
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In this intriguing world that we live in, the Monkey King, in his own playful monkeying way, tries to make sense of things around us. He, as an icon, gives hope to many a sort of clutch as they swing from one phase of their life to another, from one obstacle to another in the metaphorical tree of life.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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