Sai Baba's Teachings

Sai Baba of Shirdi is the epitome of reverence a guiding force who generates supreme faith and confidence among his devotees looking for salvation and in quest of coming out of the drudgery of living. As a divine mother he is saturated with love for those who seek him. With his mission of making people about the divine consciousness and transcending the limits of mortal body, his teachings are guiding his devotees to the path of salvation. People are blessed who follow his teachings.

Among the teachings of Sai Baba of Shirdi there are the cardinal principles of Sai Path called 'Shraddha' and 'Saburi'. Sai Baba looks for these two qualities in his devotees. Here are the teachings and philosophies of Sai Baba of Shirdi.

Shraddha

'Shraddha' is a Sanskrit word, which roughly means faith with love and reverence. Such faith or trust is generated out of conviction, which may not be the result of any rational belief or intellectual wisdom, but a spiritual inspiration. According to Sai Baba of Shirdi, steadfast love in God is the gateway to eternity. Baba's teaching, both direct and indirect explicate the significance of 'Shraddha'. Baba reiterates the spiritual guidance of Shri Krishna to Arjun - "Whosoever offer to Me with love or devotion, a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, that offering of pure love is readily accepted by Me". 

Saburi 

'Saburi'; means patience and perseverance. Saburi is a quality needed throughout the path to reach the goal. This quality must be ingrained in a seeker from day one, least he looses his stride and leaves the path half way

Purity 

For Sai Baba it was not the purity of the body but inner purity that mattered. No amount of physical and external cleansing would serve any purpose if the man remained impure in mind and heart. Therefore, Baba cautioned His devotees not to make austerity as an end itself, lest they should indulge in physical mortification.

Compassion

Himself an epitome of compassion and love, Sai Baba taught compassion among his disciples. Baba often told His devotees, 'Never turn away anybody from your door, be it a human being or animal'. 

Complete Surrender to the Guru

Sai Baba put Guru on a high pedestal of reverence. For Him Guru was the profound base of the path of devotion. Pointing to his physical frame, "This body is my house. I am not here. My Guru (Master) has taken me away". He asked for complete surrender to the 'Guru'.

Sai Baba's Teachings through 'Udi' and 'Dakshina'

Udi

Udi or the sacred ash was produced from the perpetual fire called 'dhuni' lit by Sai Baba in Dwarkamai at Shirdi. Explaining the meaning of life He would refer to Udi and taught that like Udi all the visible phenomena in the world are transient. Through this example Sai Baba wished to make his devotees understand the sense of discrimination between the unreal and the real. Udi taught the devotees discrimination or vivek.

Dakshina

Sai Baba would demand 'Dakshina' or alms from those who visited him. This explained the sense of non-attachment to worldly things. Hence Dakshina taught the devotees non-attachment or Vairagya. 

Miracles of Shirdi Sai Baba

Sai Baba of Shirdi is an epitome of spiritual perfection and has been the guiding source for the mankind leading to salvation. As a spiritual guru and savior Shri Saibaba was no ordinary fakir but an avatar of high order. This was evident through his miracles and sayings that exhibited his purpose and intention for which he had come. He would often say, "My Leela is inscrutable". Saibaba's Leela's (miracles) were plenty and varied; here are a few of the miracles of Shirdi Saibaba, for his devotees and those interested in his philosophies. 

Baba's Leelas (Miracles)

Lighting Lamps with Water

This is among the earliest evidences of Saibaba's miracles. Baba was fond of lighting earthenware lamps in his masjid and other temples. For this he needed oil, which he got from the grocers of Shirdi, as small donations. But there came a time when the grocers got tired of giving him oil for free. And so they refused him any oil saying they had no fresh stocks. Baba didn't say a word and returned to his masjid. But the masjid was not to remain in dark, as Sai Baba lit his earthenware lamps pouring water instead, which burnt deep into the midnight. Such was the miraculous power of Saibaba who lit fire out of water! When grocers came to know about it they rushed to him with apologies. Sai Baba pardoned them, but he warned them never to lie again. "You could have refused to give me the oil, but did you have to say that you didn't have fresh stocks?" he admonished them. But he had made his point. 

Premonition of Burning Fields 

Once, harvesting in Shirdi had been completed and the foodgrains of the entire village had been stored in a yard. Blistering summer was ferocious. One afternoon Saibaba summoned Kondaji Sutar and asked him to better rush to his field as it was on fire. Fear struck Kondaji ran to his field but there was not a trace of smoke. He got back and said so to Saibaba. Unfazed Baba asked him to look again and as the luck would have it, a part of corn was indeed afire and smoke was beginning to billow from it. With strong wind fanning the fire, Kondaji became jittery and asked Saibaba to do something. At this Baba walked to the yard and sprinkled some water and the fire immediately got extinguished. 

Stopping the Rain

There goes a story that one Rao Bahadur Moreshwar Pradhan s wife had come for Sai Baba's darshan. As the couple was about to leave, it began to rain heavily with thunder and lightening. Seeing the Pradhan couple in trouble, Saibaba invoked the God and asked the rain to calm down, which surely did and the Pradhan were able to reach their destination safely.

Raising the Water Level in Well

When Sai Baba first came to Shirdi it had of no basic facilities. There was a well put only in name, with no natural spring water. Villagers had tough time fetching water from a distance. When the villagers were to celebrate Baba's birthday on Ramnavami, there was obviously crisis of water in the region. But Saibaba with his miracles had solution for this problem as well. He showered some leaves into the well and lo and behold the level of water rose fulfilling the dire wish of the villagers.

Saving a Child from Drowning

Once a 3-year-old daughter of a poor man named Babu Kirwandikar had fallen into a well and got drowned. When the villagers rushed to the well, they found to their utter disbelief that the child was suspended in midair as if some invisible hand was holding her. This again was one of the many miracles of Saibaba that saved people from distress. 

Flow of Godavari (river) from Baba's Feet

As recounted by Das Ganu, one of the disciples of Shri Saibaba, once he sought permission from Baba to visit a place called Singba on the banks of Godavari to have a holy bath. Saibaba refused and said what was the use of going that distance when Godavari was right under his feet. Das was puzzled. Realizing the doubt in Das's mind Saibaba asked him to come closer and hold the hollow of his palms at Baba's feet. As soon as he did so water flowed freely out of the toes of the master's feet and filled the hollow of Das Ganu's palms in no time. His joy knew no limits. He sprinkled the water on his head and his body and distributed some more among the assembled devotees as tirtha (holy water).

History of Indian Food

History of Indian Food – Introduction

Once considered the shining jewel in the British Empire’s crown, India can today be easily deemed as the huge, 60-carat diamond in the World’s flavored cuisine ring. The large variety of dishes, appetizers, snacks, side dishes and desserts have found numerous fans on an international scale, as Indian restaurants spread at an incredible rate, with an enormous success in every possible culture and in every possible corner of the World. Combining all tastes possible, the Indian cuisine is bound to satisfy spice-lovers, “salty” people and persons with a sweet tooth alike (although the latter will feel right at home, since India is a “sweet” country).

Some say that the Indian cuisine is almost as diverse as the entire European cuisine, because of the four different main regional styles: the North Indian cuisine (the regions Benaras, Kashmir, Mughlai, Punjab and Rajasthan), the South Indian cuisine (regions Andhra, Kannada, Kerala and Tamil), East Indian cuisine (regions Assamese and Bengali) and Western Indian cuisine (regions Gujarat, Maharashtrian and Malwani). The northern part of India is mostly rural, although it contains large cities such as Delphi or Calcutta, thus its cuisine is more agricultural than anything, wheat being a primary constituent of this region’s dishes. Southern regions however tend to be more exotic, more spicy in their dishes and rice is a constant ingredient in their food. To give the taste of their main dishes, North Indians use onions and coriander whilst southerners use a more exotic coconut base for their dishes.

The history of Indian food tells us that during the reign of the British Empire in India (the British Raj), the local cuisine was considered by the Europeans closely to what Gods taught of ambrosia: a delightful, heavenly and delicate dish. Many times, we ask how the Indian cuisine grew to be so popular, so diverse and so delightful. In truth, the question is quite dim…from a population of one billion people, is it really that hard to believe some of them are great cooks?…

But let’s take a closer look at what Indian dishes and snacks have to offer, providing a history of Indian food and a few related legends alongside. Ready your taste buds, because it’s going to be one juicy ride!

History of Indian Food - Indian Appetizers and Snacks

The history of Indian food and especially of Indian appetizers is closely related to the country’s culture and traditions. The Indian cuisine is as diverse as the Indian people and it has a large (and extremely rich) selection of appetizers, hors d'oeuvres, and snacks. Besides being extremely tasty and actually stimulating your appetite rather than diminishing it like some other cuisines’ appetizers, these fast snacks are also quite low in fat, since they are based on a number of spices and herbs, such as ginger, cinnamon, garlic, cloves, asafetida, aniseed or coriander, rather that the fat appetizers you’ll find mostly anywhere else in the World.

The majority of Indian appetizers and snacks are based on potatoes, combined with different spices. The Alu Ki Tikki for example, which is one of the oldest snacks recorded by the history of Indian food, is made out of mashed potatoes coriander and onions. Another snack greatly enjoyed by the British during the Raj period, the Samosa appetizer, made out of steamed potatoes, peas and vegetables, is one of the many Indian recipes that was passed on from ancient times.

Although most appetizers and snacks usually follow the same ingredients for each particular recipe, it should be noted that authentic Indian dishes can never be limited to a strict formula, since they differ from household to household. For example if you go to the North, in Punjab for instance and try out a Dahi Barra yogurt and fritter appetizer, it will definitely taste and even look slightly different than a similar Dahi Barra appetizer dish in Southern India’s Tamil region.

Because of this, when the British armies set foot in India, their cooks were dazzled by the sheer number of variations of the same dish. One legend stands out of the crowd from the history of Indian food, namely that of the British cook William Harold. William was quite an experienced chef, working for a rather successful restaurant in central London, when he was sent to India to help the war effort with his meals. Because his dishes were so delightfully well done, he was promoted to be the personal cook of a high ranking officer in the British Empire’s Army. One day, the officer ordered William to get the recipe for a local dish he ate and thoroughly enjoyed that day, named by the locals Bhel Puri, in order to mass-cook it for the troops

Because there were very few written recipes in India back then (locals were passing on their cuisine with each generation, usually orally) William started walking from home to home, knocking from door to door, in order to find the recipe for the Bhel Puri, which, even today, is quite a complicated appetizer. With every house he went to, he got another recipe, another kind of spice to put on top of the potatoes and rice (seemingly the only ingredients that remained constant in the dish) and another kind of oil to use.

After a long day of inquiries in which the poor cook was unable to find a stable recipe for the wonderful snack, he returned to the barracks, beaten and amazed by the variety of semi-recipes he managed to pile up. Seeing that he is back, the officer asked if he could serve the first portion of Bhel Puri that night, but William told him he couldn’t get any real recipe in his hands and ironically stated that “we’ll have to stick to French fries again tonight, Sir!”. Legend says that the officer, berserk with fury, took out his handgun and shot the cook dead, causing a mutiny amongst the barrack’s soldiers, who were both fed up with the officer’s cruel and disrespectful ways and in love with William’s heavenly cooking. That’s how a small bowl of Bhel Puri (or should I say the lack of it) shook an entire British barracks and caused a long night in the Court Martial offices…

All legends aside, we now know an approximate recipe to the Bhel Puri (somehow thanks to poor William too). The tasty Indian snack is made out of crispy puris, puffed rice, Indian sevs, chilli powder, potatoes, red onion, chat masala, coriander and lemon or mango juice. It comes in two dish “versions”, spicy or sweet. The spicy chutney includes garlic cloves, mint leaves, salt and green chilies, while the sweet chutney’s ingredients are cumin seeds, jaggery, sugar, tamarind pulp and boiled dates pulp.

History of Indian Food – Indian Sweets

Indian cuisine is known throughout the entire World as a sweet cuisine and this tag doesn’t come along without some extremely solid arguments. How else would you call a country’s cuisine if almost half its dishes are either sweets or desserts? Actually, Indian sweets have not only made Indian food famous throughout history, but they have been acquired and accommodated to European and North American dishes, finding great success in fancy “Baltic” restaurants through-out England, France, the United States or Spain.

The Rasgulla for example, one of the most popular relished sweetmeats in India, originating from the Eastern part of the country, has an interesting modern history. This dish produced by the boiling of small pops of casein in sugar syrup has become emblematic of the quintessentially effeminate stuff of ridicule of the Bengali people. This sweet dessert can be found in almost all Eastern Indian households, while global malls sell it like there’s no tomorrow.

Another Indian dessert that blends with the Hindu culture is the Payasam (or Kheer as it is called by the Hindi). This dessert has been an essential dish throughout the history of India, being usually found at ceremonies, feasts and celebrations. In Southern India, ancient traditions tell that a wedding is not fully blessed if Payasam is not served at the wedding feast, this tradition being kept alive with each generation, still being practiced by newly wedded couples, mostly in the southern regions, from where the tradition started in the first place.

The best and most popular Payasam dishes are found in the temples of Guruvayoor and Ambalappuzha. In the Ambalappuzha temple, Payasam is served as part of a tradition, based on an ancient legend. The legend states that Lord Krishna (the eight avatar of Vishnu, playing a major role in the Hindu religion) took the form of an old sage and challenged the great king who ruled over that region to a game of chess. Being a true chess player and a master of the mind game’s tricks, the king gladly accepted the sage’s invitation. Asking what the sage wanted in case he wins the game, the king remained bedazzled by the sage’s request: an amount of rice grains for each square of the chess board, each pile having double the number of grains than the previous pile. So the first square would have only one grain of rice, the second would have 2 grains, the third would have 4 grains, the fourth would have 8 rice grains and so on, each pile growing at a geometrical progression from the past pile of rice grains. Hearing this request, the king was shocked that the sage wanted only what he taught were a few piles of grain, when he could have betted for his whole kingdom or the immense riches that he held.

Naturally the king lost, (because playing chess against a God is not that easy, mind you) so he started placing grain piles on each square, starting with only one grain. He soon realized that the sage’s demand was not entirely what he thought of, when the number reached one million grains of rice by the 20th square. By the 40th or so square, the entire kingdom’s rice reserve was depleted and when he got to the last square he calculated that he would have to pay the sage 18,447,744 trillions of tons of rice, which he could have never paid off. The sage then revealed his true form, that of Lord Krishna, and said that the debt does not have to be paid immediately, but the king will have to serve Payasam freely in the temple of Ambalappuzha, to pilgrims, homeless or whoever comes there for peace of mind and prayer or for those seeking shelter. This is how the Payasam became famous, integrating in the Hindu culture. The tradition of freely serving Payasam in Ambalappuzha still lives today and pilgrims all over India have an easier ride knowing that a hot bowl of the sweet dessert awaits them at the end of their journey.

Western India also does a great job on satisfying the sweet tooth of its inhabitants, with one of the most delicious desserts you will be able to find throughout the history of Indian food: the Shrikhand. The Shrikhand is a creamy dessert made out of strained yogurt, from which all water is drained off, leaving the thick yogurt cream by itself. Adding exotic dry fruits like mangos only enhances the Shrikhand’s delightful taste to newer limits. This great dessert is one of Western India’s most popular traditional dishes, since it has ancient roots in the Indian cuisine. Comparisons of this dessert to the Indian people have stated that Indians are a people who like to extract the best of things from everything, leaving everything else behind, their true and hospitable nature being a result of the fact that they dry out every spiritual detail that has no substance or meaning.

Other important traditional Indian sweets and desserts, famous throughout the history of Indian food, include the following: Gulab Jamun (a popular Indian dessert made out of fried milk balls in sweet syrup), Mysore Pak (a delicious dessert made out of ghee, sugar and chick pea flour), Halwa (or Halva in modern English spelling; made out of semolina and sugar, the Halwa is one of the most popular Indian desserts that have spread in every corner of the World), the Kulfi (often referred to as Indian ice cream, the Kulfi is made out of boiled milk and a wide variety of mango, kesar or cardamom flavors), the Jalebi (a common sweet dish from North India, the Jalebi is basically a pretzel-shaped fried batter, which is soaked in syrup) and the Jangiri (the South Indian look-alike of the North Indian Jalebi).

History of Indian Food – Conclusion

As we can easily conclude, the Indian cuisine is closely related to the Indian history, each historical region developing a unique set of dishes, using diverse ingredients. However, a constant remains for all regions: the affinity for sweet desserts and spicy snacks. Besides being closely related to history, Indian cuisine is also strongly influenced by the Indian religion, Indian culture and traditions and the Indian people themselves.

If you can appreciate the facts behind the history of Indian food, the setting in which this great country’s cuisine was formed, the influences it took and the diversity it created, then you will surely appreciate one of their sweet desserts or one of their spicy snacks and appetizers. No other country has a wider selection of exotic dishes and no other country can offer such a large variety of impulses for your taste buds.

Lord Shiva

Lord Shiva represents the aspect of the Supreme Being (Brahman of the Upanishads) that continuously dissolves to recreate in the cyclic process of creation, preservation, dissolution and recreation of the universe. As stated earlier, Lord Shiva is the third member of the Hindu Trinity, the other two being Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu.

Owing to His cosmic activity of dissolution and recreation, the words destroyer and destruction have been erroneously associated with Lord Shiva. This difficulty arises when people fail to grasp the true significance of His cosmic role. The creation sustains itself by a delicate balance between the opposing forces of good and evil. When this balance is disturbed and sustenance of life becomes impossible, Lord Shiva dissolves the universe for creation of the next cycle so that the unliberated souls will have another opportunity to liberate themselves from bondage with the physical world. Thus, Lord Shiva protects the souls from pain and suffering that would be caused by a dysfunctional universe. In analogous cyclic processes, winter is essential for spring to appear and the night is necessary for the morning to follow. To further illustrate, a goldsmith does not destroy gold when he melts old irreparable golden jewelry to create beautiful new ornaments.

Lord Shiva is the Lord of mercy and compassion. He protects devotees from evil forces such as lust, greed, and anger. He grants boons, bestows grace and awakens wisdom in His devotees. The symbolism discussed below includes major symbols that are common to all pictures and images of Shiva venerated by Hindus. Since the tasks of Lord Shiva are numerous, He cannot be symbolized in one form. For this reason the images of Shiva vary significantly in their symbolism.

• The unclad body covered with ashes: the unclad body symbolizes the transcendental aspect of the Lord. Since most things reduce to ashes when burned, ashes symbolize the physical universe. The ashes on the unclad body of the Lord signify that Shiva is the source of the entire universe which emanates from Him, but He transcends the physical phenomena and is not affected by it.
• Matted locks: Lord Shiva is the Master of yoga. The three matted locks on the head of the Lord convey the idea that integration of the physical, mental and spiritual energies is the ideal of yoga.
• Ganga: Ganga (river Ganges) is associated with Hindu mythology and is the most sacred river of Hindus. According to tradition, one who bathes in Ganga (revered as Mother Ganga) in accordance with traditional rites and ceremonies on religious occasions in combination with certain astrological events, is freed from sin and attains knowledge, purity and peace. Ganga, symbolically represented on the head of the Lord by a female (Mother Ganga) with a jet of water emanating from her mouth and falling on the ground, signifies that the Lord destroys sin, removes ignorance, and bestows knowledge, purity and peace on the devotees.
• The crescent moon: is shown on the side of the Lord's head as an ornament, and not as an integral part of His countenance. The waxing and waning phenomenon of the moon symbolizes the time cycle through which creation evolves from the beginning to the end. Since the Lord is the Eternal Reality, He is beyond time. Thus, the crescent moon is only one of His ornaments, and not an integral part of Him.
• Three eyes: Lord Shiva, also called Tryambaka Deva (literally, "three-eyed Lord"), is depicted as having three eyes: the sun is His right eye, the moon the left eye and fire the third eye. The two eyes on the right and left indicate His activity in the physical world. The third eye in the center of the forehead symbolizes spiritual knowledge and power, and is thus called the eye of wisdom or knowledge. Like fire, the powerful gaze of Shiva's third eye annihilates evil, and thus the evil-doers fear His third eye.
• Half-open eyes: when the Lord opens His eyes, a new cycle of creation emerges and when He closes them, the universe dissolves for creation of the next cycle. The half-open eyes convey the idea that creation is going through cyclic process, with no beginning and no end. Lord Shiva is the Master of Yoga, as He uses His yogic power to project the universe from Himself. The half-open eyes also symbolize His yogic posture.
• Kundalas (two ear rings): two Kundalas, Alakshya (meaning "which cannot be shown by any sign") and Niranjan (meaning "which cannot be seen by mortal eyes") in the ears of the Lord signify that He is beyond ordinary perception. Since the kundala in the left ear of the Lord is of the type used by women and the one in His right ear is of the type used by men, these Kundalas also symbolize the Shiva and Shakti (male and female) principle of creation.
• Snake around the neck: sages have used snakes to symbolize the yogic power of Lord Shiva with which He dissolves and recreates the universe. Like a yogi, a snake hoards nothing, carries nothing, builds nothing, lives on air alone for a long time, and lives in mountains and forests. The venom of a snake, therefore, symbolizes the yogic power.
• A snake (Vasuki Naga): is shown curled three times around the neck of the Lord and is looking towards His right side. The three coils of the snake symbolize the past, present and future - time in cycles. The Lord wearing the curled snake like an ornament signifies that creation proceeds in cycles and is time dependent, but the Lord Himself transcends time. The right side of the body symbolizes the human activities based upon knowledge, reason and logic. The snake looking towards the right side of the Lord signifies that the Lord's eternal laws of reason and justice preserve natural order in the universe.
• Rudraksha necklace: Rudra is another name of Shiva. Rudra also means "strict or uncompromising" and aksha means "eye." Rudraksha necklace worn by the Lord illustrates that He uses His cosmic laws firmly - without compromise - to maintain law and order in the universe. The necklace has 108 beads which symbolize the elements used in the creation of the world.
• Varda Mudra: the Lord's right hand is shown in a boon- bestowing and blessing pose. As stated earlier, Lord Shiva annihilates evil, grants boons, bestows grace, destroys ignorance, and awakens wisdom in His devotees.
• Trident (Trisula): a three-pronged trident shown adjacent to the Lord symbolizes His three fundamental powers (shakti) of will (iccha), action (kriya) and knowledge (jnana). The trident also symbolizes the Lord's power to destroy evil and ignorance

• Damaru (drum): a small drum with two sides separated from each other by a thin neck-like structure symbolizes the two utterly dissimilar states of existence, unmanifest and manifest. When a damaru is vibrated, it produces dissimilar sounds which are fused together by resonance to create one sound. The sound thus produced symbolizes Nada, the cosmic sound of AUM, which can be heard during deep meditation. According to Hindu scriptures, Nada is the source of creation.
• Kamandalu: a water pot (Kamandalu) made from a dry pumpkin contains nectar and is shown on the ground next to Shiva. The process of making Kamandalu has deep spiritual significance. A ripe pumpkin is plucked from a plant, its fruit is removed and the shell is cleaned for containing the nectar. In the same way, an individual must break away from attachment to the physical world and clean his inner self of egoistic desires in order to experience the bliss of the Self, symbolized by the nectar in the Kamandalu.
• Nandi: the bull is associated with Shiva and is said to be His vehicle. The bull symbolizes both power and ignorance. Lord Shiva's use of the bull as a vehicle conveys the idea that He removes ignorance and bestows power of wisdom on His devotees. The bull is called Vrisha in Sanskrit. Vrisha also means dharma (righteousness). Thus a bull shown next to Shiva also indicates that He is the etemal companion of righteousness.
• Tiger skin: a tiger skin symbolizes potential energy. Lord Shiva, sitting on or wearing a tiger skin, illustrates the idea that He is the source of the creative energy that remains in potential form during the dissolution state of the universe. Of His own Divine Will, the Lord activates the potential form of the creative energy to project the universe in endless cycles.
• Cremation ground: Shiva sitting in the cremation ground signifies that He is the controller of death in the physical world. Since birth and death are cyclic, controlling one implies controlling the other. Thus, Lord Shiva is revered as the ultimate controller of birth and death in the phenomenal world.

Lord Vishnu

The peace-loving deity of the Hindu Trinity, Vishnu is the Preserver or Sustainer of life with his steadfast principles of order, righteousness and truth. When these values are under threat, Vishnu emerges out of his transcendence to restore peace and order on earth.

The 10 Avatars:

Vishnu’s earthly incarnations have many avatars. 

His ten avatars are Matsyavatara (fish), 

Koorma (tortoise), 

Varaaha (boar), 

Narasimha (the man lion), 

Vaamana (the dwarf), 

Parasurama (the angry man),

 Lord Rama (the perfect human of the Ramayana), 

Lord Krishna (the divine diplomat and statesman),

 and the yet to appear 10th incarnation called the Kalki avatar.

In his commonest form, Vishnu is portrayed as having a dark complexion – the color of passive and formless ether, and with four hands.

Sankha, Chakra, Gada, Padma:

On one of the backhands he holds the milky white conch shell or ‘sankha’ that spreads the primordial sound of Om, and on the other a discuss or ‘chakra’ - a reminder of the cycle of time - which is also a lethal weapon that he uses against blasphemy. It is the famous Sudarshana Chakra that is seen whirling on his index finger. The other hands hold a lotus or ‘padma’, which stands for a glorious existence, and a mace or ‘gada’ that indicates punishment for indiscipline.

The Lord of Truth:

Out of his navel blossoms a lotus, known as Padmanabham. The flower holds Brahma, the God of Creation and the embodiment of royal virtues or ‘Rajoguna’. Thus, the peaceful form of Lord Vishnu discards the royal virtues through his navel and makes the Sheshnag snake that stands for the vices of darkness or ‘Tamoguna’, his seat. Therefore Vishnu is the Lord of ‘Satoguna’ - the virtues of the truth.

The Presiding Deity of Peace:

Vishnu is often depicted as reclining on a Sheshanaga – the coiled, many-headed snake floating on cosmic waters that represents the peaceful Universe. This pose symbolizes the calm and patience in the face of fear and worries that the poisonous snake represents. The message here is that you should not let fear overpower you and disturb your peace.

Garuda, the Vehicle:

The vehicle of Vishnu is the Garuda eagle, the king of the birds. Empowered with the courage and speed to spread the knowledge of the Vedas, Garuda is an assurance of fearlessness at the time of calamity.

Vishnu is also known as Narayana and Hari. The devout followers of Vishnu are called Vaishnavas, and his consort is Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and beauty.

History of Lord Sri Hanuman

The divine Story of Sri Hanuman

Sri Hanuman who is praised as SRI RAMA SEVA DURANDHARA or the one greatly devoted to the service of Sri Rama, is known for his extra ordinary capabilities. He would not be universally worshipped if he were to be a mere servant. He has many temples dedicated to him.

Lord Brahma told Hanuman: ”PRATI GRAMA NIVASASCHA BHUYADRAKSHO NIVARINE”(O Hanuma!, you would reside in every village to protect from devils, demons etc.,) Thus Hanuman has temples dedicated to him in tiny villages also. Hanuman is installed in every temple of Sri Rama. Temples are exclusively built for Sri Hanuman. Sri Hanuman is worshipped as the one who relieves his devotees from many problems peculiar to the Kali Age.

Sri Hanuman has many specialties. By birth he belonged to Vanara (Monkey) race – a beastly tribe. He was with Sri Rama, Narottama or the best among human beings. Sri Hanuman infact is God. There is a saying in Sanskrit, which proclaims that if one worships Sri Hanuman, all Gods are worshipped (ANJANEYAH PUJITASCHET PUJITA SSARVA DEVATAH).

Sri Hanuman is a personification of all that is divine. He is an extra ordinary state. Sri Hanuman’s life is a divine message. By birth, every one is beastly. Every being could become divine, through refined living.

It is common perception that brain and brawn do not exist together.  Body builders tend to eat more. They exercise well to get the food digested and sleep well. One who eats well and sleeps well may tend to become dull and stunted.

Like wise people dedicated to spiritual pursuits eat less and sleep less, thereby remaining bodily weak.

Sri Hanuman is an exception. His strength is incomparable. He is said to be the storehouse of immeasurable strength, shinny like a mountain of gold (ATULITA BALA DAMAM SWARNA SAILABHA DHEHAM). He has been the idol of strong people. Even in modern age, body builders establish a Hanuman Vyayama Sala (Hanuman Gym) or Maruthi Vyayama Sala (Maruthi Gym). He eliminated many demons. Jambumali, Aksha, Kalanemi, Mainavana etc., were the demons slain by him. Since his strength cannot be measured, he was described as the one with immeasurable strength (ATULITA BALA DAMAM).

Sri Hanuman is also bestowed with matching intelligence. He is described as the best among intelligent people and the first among the spiritual evolvers. (BUDHI matam varishtA, gynanena agraganyA)

Sri Rama himself recognized the intellectual brilliance of Sri Hanuman. Sri Rama recognized Sri Hanuman’s worth in their first meeting itself.

Sri Rama and Lakshmana reach the banks of Pampa, searching for Sita. Sugriva gets worried. Were they sent by his brother Vaali to kill him? Sugriva sends Sri Hanuman to find out. Sri Hanuman goes to Sri Rama and Lakshmana and puts a few questions to them. Sri Rama praises Sri Hanuman’s intelligent speech. Sri Madhava Charya explains that the word Hanumantha denotes only an intelligent person. Thus Sri Hanuman is an epitome of physical strength and intellectual capability.

There have been differences between Saivites (the devotees of Lord Siva) and Vaishanavites (the devotees of Lord Vishnu) in the past leading to great strife. 

Many saints and poets tried to bring about harmony between the two sects. They proclaimed that in essence Siva was Vishnu and Vishnu was Siva; while Siva was the heart of Vishnu, Vishnu was the heart of Siva. Telugu Poets like Tikkana (One of the authors of Mahabharata in Telugu) and Nachana Somanatha dedicated their literacy works to Hariharanatha, the lord who is both Hari (Vishnu) and Hara (Siva). Both Saivites and Vaishanavites commonly worship Sri Hanuman.

Sri Hanuman is a devoted Vaishnava. He is recognized as the one born with the aspects of Siva. Sri Hanuman is the greatest devotee of Sri Rama (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu). Every hair follicle on Sri Hanuman’s body is said to chant Sri Rama’s name. Vaishnavism recognized the importance of service devotion (DASA BHAKTI). Sri Hanuman is great example of Dasa Bhakti. We find his idol installed in temples dedicated not only to Sri Rama but also to other incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Sri Hanuman is worshipped with many names. One of them is “OM RUDRA VEERYA SAMUDBHAVAAYA NAMAHA” (The one who is born with the aspect of Rudra). Sri Hanuman is an incarnation of Lord Siva (or Rudra). Panchamukha Anjaneya (Sri Hanuman or Anjaneya with five faces) is recognized as the complete incarnation of Sri Siva. Like Siva, Sri Panchamukha (Five faced) Hanuman has three eyes on each of his faces. Some Saivites temples also have the idols of Sri Hanuman.

Lord Vishnu is said to be fond of ornaments and adornment while Lord Siva is said to be fond of bathing (Abhishekham) (ALANKARA PRIYO VISHNU ABHISHEKA PRIYO SIVA). Sri Hanuman is described as the one fond of “Alankara” (Adornment) and “Abhisheka” (Bathing). Sri Hanuman grants many a boon, if bathed with the chanting of “Manyu Sukta”.

Sage Saunaka observed: “Where there is a Bhoga (Enjoyment), there is no Moksha  (Bliss or Salvation) and vice versa. But those who worship Sri Hanuman are blessed with Bhoga and MOKSHA”. Is there any thing more a human being can aspire for?

Sage Parasara asserted that the worship of Lord Hanuman ensures happiness and prosperity.

In an ancient age named Radhantara Kalpa, there lived a Brahmin named Kasyapa. He was a Vedic scholar and a pious person. His wife Sadhya was a pious woman. Kasyapa and his wife went to Kailasa, the abode of Lord Siva, where Kasyapa performed a penance, bearing heat and cold. Kasyapa’s penance attracted the fire God “Agni” and the wind God “Vayu”, and they began providing him with food and material for worship. Lord Siva was pleased with the penance of Kasyapa. He appeared before Kasyapa in his fire faced form, along with his concert Parvathi. Lord Siva sought Kasyapa to seek any boom of the latter’s choice. Kasyapa who was overwhelmed with joy, said with folded hands: “Lord!, I want you to be born as my son”. The benevolent Siva said: “Yes. I shall be born to you as your son with the name of Hanuman”. Agni and Vayu who were present their sought Lord Siva to bless them with a similar boon. Lord Siva promised that he would become their son as well. Kasyapa reincarnated as Kesari, a vanara (monkey). His wife Sadhya took birth as Anjana, the daughter of sage Goutama and his wife Ahalya.

There was a demon by the name “ Gardhaba Nisvana”. He performed a great penance and Lord Siva was pleased with it. The demon sought a boon that no God or demon or yaksha should kill him. Siva granted the boon. Siva’s boon emboldened the demon Gardhaba Nisvana (the one who brays like a donkey). The demon used to bray very loudly killing the listeners. He tormented sages and disturbed their holy activities

Unable to bear the deeds of Gardhaba Nisvana, many sages and Indra (the Lord of heaven) went to complain Brahma, the creator of the universe. Brahma said that since the demon was a devotee of Lord Siva, it is better to seek Lord Siva’s advice. Lord Siva said that he couldn’t kill the demon devoted to him. The sages Indra, Brahma and Siva than went to Lord Maha Vishnu. Lord Vishnu assured them that he would kill the demon. Lord Siva interrupted: “It would be difficult to kill the demon Gardhaba Nisvana as he is protected by my grace”. Lord Vishnu replies: “The demon’s strength is diminishing, due to his misdeeds and I shall surely kill him”.

Lord Siva said emphatically: “It would be impossible to kill Gardhaba Nisvana. If you do kill him, I shall serve you”. Lord Vishnu replies: “If I don’t kill the demon, I shall become the servant of the Siva and stay at Kailasa it self”.

After these proclamations, Lord Vishnu once again took the form of Mohini, the celestial beauty. Lord Vishnu in his female form, entered the garden where Gardhaba Nisvana was resting, carrying a vessel filled with an intoxicating drink. The demon was attracted by Mohini and sought her to be with him. She sought him to drink the wine she was carrying as a prelude to their enjoyment. The demon started drinking and soon fell down, unconscious. Lord Vishnu left his form as Mohini and took the form of a Wolf and tore the abdomen of the Gardhaba Nisvana, killing him instantaneously.

Having lost his wager, Lord Siva got ready to serve Lord Vishnu. Lord Vishnu dissuaded Lord Siva, saying that their wagers were intended for the welfare of the universe. “You will serve me incarnated as a Kapi Veera (Monkey Hero) when I incarnate as Sri Rama in Treta Yuga”, asserted Lord Vishnu.

Thus Lord Siva incarnated as Sri Hanuman to serve Sri Rama, to fulfill his word to serve Lord Vishnu.

In Treta Yuga, there lived a Vanara Veera (Monkey Warrior) by name Kunjara. He was married to Vindhyavali. The couple was unhappy, as they had no children. With a view to get progeny, Kunjara set to perform a penance, worshipping Lord Siva. Lord Siva was pleased with the penance of Kunjara. When Kunjara sought progeny, Lord Siva said: “you are not destined to have children. But due to your good luck, you would get a foster daughter and your clan will be blessed through her progeny”. Having thus blessed Kunjara, Lord Siva disappeared. Kunjara told Vindhyavali of Lord Siva’s blessing and was eagerly waiting for his foster daughter.

Sage Gowtama and his wife Ahalya had two children – a son named Satananda and a daughter named Anjana. Gowtama cursed Ahalya, as she was duped by Indra and Surya (The sun God). Gowtama was worried about the upbringing of his young children.

Sage Narada visited Gowtama and told him: “O! sage no one can change destiny. You may not in position to bring your children up. You send your son to the philosopher king Janaka, so that your son can become Janaka’s state priest. There is a monkey warrior by name Kunjara. He is child less. Let your daughter Anjana become Kunjara’s foster daughter.” Sage Gowtama acted as advised by Sage Narada. Anjana became the foster daughter of Kunjara and was brought up fondly. As days went by she became a beautiful maiden.

There was a Kapi Veera of eminence in those days named Kesari, the monkey warrior helped the gods by slaying the demon known as “Samba Sadana”. He also helped the sages by killing two rogue elephants, Sankha and Sabala. The gods and sages wanted to suitably help Kesari, who was leading a life of celibacy. It was felt by them that Anjana would be the ideal wife of Kesari. They made Kesari to agree to get married. Then, they went to Kunjara and told him of Kesari. Thus, Kesari wed Anjana. They were a very happy couple.

As years passed by lack of progeny was bothering Kesari and Anjana. Anjana wanted to perform a penance, seeking children. She sought Kesari’s permission for her endeavor. He agreed. She took his leave as she was proceeding to perform penance, Sage Matanga appeared before her. Knowing of her resolve, he advised her to go to Vrishabhadri (the present Tirumala Hills) to perform penance. She used to take bath in Akasa Teertha and was worshipping the Almighty. The Wind God Vayu, used to give her a fruit every day. One day he dropped a special fruit in the hands of Anjana. It was no ordinary fruit for it contained the essence of the aspects of all Gods, passed on by Lord Siva to his consort Parvathi, who in turn gave it to the fire god Agni, from whom Vayu took it.

Anjana was not aware of the specialty of the particular fruit. As was her practice, she ate the fruit provided by Vayu. As a result she became pregnant. She was greatly worried as she was the devoted wife f her husband. She was ashamed as well. A terrible fear engulfed her.

A divine voice (Aakasa Vani) told Anjana: “ O! Anjana, your sanctity is intact. You have nothing to feel sad. By the Almighty’s grace, you are going to deliver a great person”.

Anjana narrated her experience to Kesari. The couple was very happy.

The birth of Sri Hanuman

It was the dasami (tenth) tithi in the dark half (Krishna Paksha) of the lunar month of Vaisakha. The star of the day was Purvabhadra, with Vaidhniti yoga. It was in that afternoon, Anjana delivered Sri Hanuman, in Karkataka lagna, at a very auspicious time.

Sri Hanuman was infact an incarnation of all Gods. Accordingly he took birth at a very auspicious time. He took birth decked in silk dress, diamond earrings, a golden YAJNPAVEETHA (sacred thread), diamond studded anklets, a kaupina (loin cloth) fixed to his skin. He had a mountain like body. He had broad shoulders. He had diamond crown and matching ornaments on the shoulders. He had auspicious signs on his soles. He had a huge tail and prominent cheeks.

He appeared as if he was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, due to his luminescence.

To celebrate the birth of the divine child, the gods showered flowers. Divine drums started ringing in the Heavens. Gods and other celestial beings danced in happiness. Nature became very pleasant. There were pleasing winds. Sages who were involved in fire worship found good omens. Flowers started oozing honey and spread their aroma all round.

While the virtuous had pleasant experiences, the demons had unpleasant experiences. They encountered bad omens. Diamonds fixed on the crowns of the demons fell to ground. They experienced a great turbulence. Foetuses in the wombs of the demon women trembled.

The divine child born to the Anjana was called “Anjaneya”. As he took birth due to the kindness of VAYU, he was called Vayunandana, Pavanasuta, or Anilakumara (the son of Vayu). As he was born as an aspect of Lord Siva he was called Sankarasuta (Son of Sankara) and Parvathi nandana (Son of Parvathi).

He was also called Kesari Nandana (the son of Kesari). Since he took birth with Yajropavita (sacred thread), he was called Bala Brahmachari (the child celibate) He could verily be called with any divine name, as he is an incarnation of all that is divine.

Where did Sri Hanuman take birth?

It was at Tirumala. PURANAS and PARASARA SAMHITA support this opinion. It is stated in BRAHMANDA PURANA that since Anjana delivered a child through a great penance at the hill, the hill was blessed to be known as “Anjanadri”. Anjanadri indeed is one among the seven hills that make the Tirumala Hills.

Sri Hanuman went to Kishkinda, as per his mother’s advice, to become the minister of Sugriva. Sage Jabali performed penance at Sri Hanuman’s birthplace atop Tirumala and Sri Hanuman revealed himself at the spot. It is known as JAPALI HANUMATH KSHETRA. The spot is on the way to Akasa Ganga from Tirumala. It was in a very inhospitable state.

I (Annadanam Chidambara Sastri) made many representations to the endowments department of the government of Andhra Pradesh and the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams authorities. It is heartening to note that the sacred spot is now easy to reach and worship. It is requested that those devotees who under take Hanumad Deeksha relinquish their deeksha at the sacred birthplace of Sri Hanuman atop Tirumala Hills. It would be only a matter of time before this sacred place gets renowned as a renowned Kshetra of Sri Hanuman. All devotees who undertake a pilgrimage of Tirumala must visit the sacred birthplace of Sri Hanuman.

Puranas differ on arriving at the birthday of Sri Hanuman. They mention CHAITRA BAHULA CHATURDASI, CHAITRA SUDDHA EKADASI, VAISKHA BAHULA DASAMI or MARGASIRA BAHULA DASAMI as per different Puranas. While some say it is a Saturday, others feel that the day was either a Tuesday or a Wednesday. VAISAKHA BAHULA DASAMI is recognized as the birthday of Sri Hanuman. VAISAKHA BAHULA DASAMI occurs in May. MARGASIRA SUDDHA TRAYODASI is observed as HANUMADVRATAM. It occurs in December. Some people observe the day as the birthday of Sri Hanuman.

A hymn in RIGVEDA proclaims: ----------. It indicates that the day on which the birth of the star of a god occurs has to be reckoned as the birthday of the god. Sri Hanuman’s birth star is PURVABHADRA. But his “Adhisthana” star is Swathi. The birth of the star of Sri Hanuman occurs on VAISHAKHA BAHULA DASAMI and the day has to be observed as his birthday.

It is appropriate to celebrate Sri Hanuman’s birthday in May.

How Sri Hanuman got his Name?

It was VAISAKHA BAHULA AMAVASYA (New Moon Day). Anjaneya was five days old. The divine child was feeling hungry. He asked his mother to feed him. She replied: “I will get you some ripe fruit. You can also look for any ripe fruit and eat them”. So saying, she left. Anjaneya looked up. It was about to dawn. The rising sun appeared to be a ripe red fruit. Anjaneya felt very happy. He spontaneously sprang into skies and caught hold of the rising sun. A solar eclipse was to occur on the particular new moon day. Rahu was just than moving to capture the sun. Rahu was astonished to see the capture of the sun by some one else. He went near Anjaneya and cautioned: “you… monkey boy, why are you grabbing the Sun – contrary to nature?”

Perhaps the black colored Rahu looked like a black colored fruit to Anjaneya. He wanted to grab Rahu as well. Rahu was terrified. He swiftly moved away and went to Devendra. Rahu told Devendra: “An extra ordinary boy is about to swallow the image of the Sun contrary to the established practice of my eclipsing the Sun. Stop the danger and let the established practice take place”.

Devendra left at once on his elephant Iravata. The white elephant attracted Anjaneya. He quickly moved towards it. Indra was astonished by the strength of the extra ordinary boy who was holding the sun. He threw his weapons, the Vajrayudha at Anjaneya. Anjaneya stopped it with a hair follicle. Angered Indra set the Brahmastra at the boy. Anjaneya pushed it aside with another hair follicle. All the gods were astonished. Brahma and other gods arrived at the scene and started to pray Anjaneya thus: “ Dear child of Anjana, one of valor, the one who took birth because of Parvathi and Parameswara, O great warrior, the one with great strength and powers, you have taken birth to benefit human beings, gods and sages. O Anjaneya, you have taken birth as the son of Vayu who provides life to the World. Since you have grabbed the Sun, all sacred activities including those prescribed by the Vedas, have come to a halt. So please leave the Sun”.

On hearing the prayer, Anjaneya released the Sun. Indra who was looking at the astonishing event was enraged as Anjaneya belittled the Vajrayudha. He wanted to have the upper hand. He noticed that Anjaneya was distracted. Using the opportunity he struck at Anjaneya’s jaw with the Vajrayudha. Anjaneya fainted and fell on the rock ground. His jaw area became blood red. Vayu saw the plight of his dear child.

Vayu was pained. His pain led to anger. He withdrew the life winds from all living beings and nature and remained motionless. With the withdrawing of the wind, all life activities of the Universe came to a halt. All the celestial beings, sages and Gods including Devendra and the trinity came to Vayu. The Gods realized that Vayu had to be pleased to save the Universe. Brahma sprinkled holy water from his kamandala on Anjaneya, to awaken the boy. Anjaneya awakened. Brahma wanted all the Gods to bless Anjaneya and grant him boons to pacify and please Vayu deva. The gods bestowed special and unique boons to Anjaneya. Such boons were never given to any one in the past. The boons bestowed on Anjaneya included Longevity, strength, valor, health, piety, intellect, knowledge, gift of good speech, compassion, bravery, equanimity, devotion to Lord Vishnu, ability to bear any onslaught, celibacy, ability to withstand attack by any divine or demonic arms and many others. Indra asserted that Anjaneya would not be slain by the Vajrayudha. Since Anjaneya was bestowed with strong jaws, which with stood the blow of the Vajrayudha, Indra said that the boy would be known as HANUMANTHA. Thus Anjaneya came to known as HANUMANTHA.

We have already noted that Madhavacharya explained the word Hanumantha as the name of one who is “Gnani”.

Chanting the name of Hanumantha results in many a boon.  

Sri Hanuman’s education and Marriage

The boons granted by the gods made Hanuman invincible. The monkey child became uncontrollable. He became very mischievous. His pranks irritated many. He did not spare the sages even. He would pounce on them and tear their dress. He would throw fruit and leaves, perched atop trees. They bore with him patiently being aware of his future. One day a sage was very much disturbed by Hanumantha. The sage went into a rage and cursed Hanumantha: “ May you forget your strength with which you have caused us so much of pain”. The curse changed the life of Hanuman altogether. He became very calm and inert. The change pained the sages. They altered the curse on him. They blessed him thus: “If any one reminds you of your strength, you would recognize your strength and abilities and succeed”.

This boon chastened Hanumantha. He became a well-behaved child and an epitome of virtuousness.

Hanuman was growing older. His mother told him: “Son! It is time to get educated. There is no better teacher than Surya, the Sun god, who dispels all darkness. Go to him and gain knowledge.”

Even though he was omnipotent, Hanuman obeyed his mother. He reached the Surya Mandala and humbly prayed the Sun god: “O! Surya Deva, I want to learn Vedas, Vedangas, and Upangas from you. Please teach me.” Surya replied: “O! Boy of Anjana, I am always on the move, as ordained by Almighty, how can I teach you? ”

Hanuman was angered. He blocked the path of Surya. Surya pacified Hanuman. He said: “I have no objection to teach you. But you have to find a way to learn”.

Hanuman stood facing the sun and started walking backwards. Surya was moving forward and was teaching Hanuman. Lord Siva is said to know all and Hanuman, who is Lord Siva’s incarnation, proved to be one who knows all as well. With in a week of his education, he astonished Surya. Surya praised Hanuman. Hanuman wanted to continue his education. Instead of walking backward, he put one foot on the rising hill and the other one on the setting hill to face the Sun god. Hanuman’s interest and devotion pleased the Sun god. Surya taught all that is to be taught to Hanuman.

Surya was married to Sanjana, a daughter of Viswakarma. Sanjana was devoted wife but was unable to bear the heat emanating from the Sun’s rays. She was suffering with anguish. Her mother noticed the daughter’s plight and sought to know as to what the problem was. Sanjana explained her problem to her mother. Her mother in turn told Viswakarma of Sanjana’s problem. Viswakarma told Surya that he would polish off some of the luminescence of Surya. Surya agreed. Viswakarma was able to polish off some luminescence of his son-in-law. The luminescence thus separated took the form of young woman. Her beauty and grace astonished even gods. Indra wanted to know as to who would marry that shinning brilliant young women. Brahma thought for a while and replied: “Hanuman who is essence of Lord Siva’s fiery power will marry the young woman. Since Hanuman tried to grab the ever glowing Sun god, he alone can bear this glowing young woman”.

Surya remembered Brahma’s utterance. By than Hanuman’s education was complete. He was ready to graduate. He bowed to Lord Surya and said: “O! My divine teacher! Thanks to you I am educated now. I would like to take your leave now. I would like to offer you an appropriate fee as Guru Dakshina. Kindly order me”. 

Surya immediately replied: “O Hanuman, you are the incarnation of Lord Siva who bore the poisonous HAALAAHALA to save the universe when the ocean was churned. You are also son of Agni, the fire god. Viswakarma separated a part of my luminescence and the world is unable to bear it. You are the only one who can bear it. So I want to offer you my daughter Suvarchala formed from my ‘VARCHAS’ (luminescence), in marriage. Marry my daughter. Since husband is the one who is to bear, you also bear my ‘Suvarchas’ by marrying Suvarchala. Your marrying her shall be my Guru Dakshina”.

Hanuman listened to his teacher and replied politely: “O Lord! I have decided to follow Brahmacharya through out my life. How can I marry?” Surya replied: “O Hanuman, this Suvarchala is a divine one, Ayonija. She would be a devoted wife. I am giving you the boon that you would still be a Brahmachari even after marriage. You would continue to be a Prajapatya Brahmachari. Your marriage is only for the welfare of the Universe and it would not affect your chosen course of celibacy. You were a born Brahmachari with a Yajnopavita (Sacred thread). Brahmacharya will be your eternal pursuit. Since you are going to be a Brahma in future, Suvarchala will then occupy the place of Vani”.

Hanuman obeyed his preceptor’s advice. Surya presented Suvarchala to Hanuman. It is stated in PARASARA SAMHITA, that Surya offered his daughter Suvarchala in marriage on JYESTHA SUDDHA DASAMI. It was a Wednesday under the star UTTARA. Those who respect tradition, even to this day, observe “HANUMAT KALYANAM” (Hanuman’s Marriage) on JYESTHA SUDDHA DASAMI day.

Sri Hanuman’s First Meeting with Sri Rama

On the completion of his education, Hanuman prayed his mother to advise him on his future course of action. She was pleased with her son’s good intentions. She said: “Son! I am the daughter of Ahalya and sage Gowtama. My mother who was duped by Indra and Surya bore two sons. My father, who knew the truth, threw the children into a river and cursed them to be monkey shaped. The cursed duos are Vali and Sugriva. Vali is born due to Indra and Sugriva is born due to Surya. Both are my brothers. Sugriva is pious. Vali has misunderstood Sugriva and took away Sugriva’s wife. Vali is following an evil path and he is intending to kill Sugriva. You go to Sugriva and be his minister and saviour. Even though my two brothers are at logger heads, you don’t fight with Vali”. She added further: “My child! In your call of duty, you would meet your Lord. You would recognize him at once, as his very sight would induce inexplicable feeling in you. You serve him and fulfill your life mission”.

Devoted son that he was, Hanuman prostrated at the feet of his mother and sought her blessings to succeed in his future endeavours. Anjana bade a tearful but resolute fare well to her son.

Anjana’s advice set Anjaneya on his own mission, the mission of his Lord and the mission of his teacher Surya. Since Sugriva was Surya’s progeny, serving Sugriva was like serving his Guru. As advised by his mother, Anjaneya became Sugriva’s minister.

Ravana abducted Sita. Sri Rama and Lakshmana set in search of her. They saw Jatayu, who was about to die. Jatayu told them of Ravana’s misdeed. He informed that Ravana traveled south. Accordingly Sri Rama and Lakshmana traveled south and reached the banks of river Pampa. It was than Sugriva saw them. He thought: “were they sent by Vali?” He was worried. He shared his worry with Hanuman. Hanuman tried to reason with Sugriva. He said: “They do not appear to be dangerous. Further Vali or his followers cannot come to our place. You are suffering from the ever wavering attitude peculiar to the monkey race”. Sugriva was restless. He wanted Hanuman to go to the two strangers, in the guise of a mendicant.

The strangers Sri Rama and Lakshmana were GRUHASTHAS (married men). Hanuman was in the guise of a mendicant. As per established practice, the married men must pay respects to a mendicant, but not other wise. Contrary to tradition, Hanuman, who was in the guise of mendicant paid his respects to Sri Rama and Lakshmana, by folding his hands in a NAMASKARA.

The very sight of Sri Rama made Hanuman very happy. He was experiencing strange feelings of devotion. He at once recalled his mother’s words. Hanuman recognized his Lord in Sri Rama.

He started to speak: “Great men! You are dressed like sages, but wear swords, bows and arrows. Your shoulders suggest that they deserve royal insignia. Please tell me who are you. I am born to a Vanara Veera by name Kesari and his wife Anjana through the blessings of Vayu Deva, the wind god. My name is Hanumantha. I am a follower of Sugriva”. After telling everything about himself, Hanuman proclaims: “I have spoken so much and you don’t respond”.

Hanuman’s words astonish Sri Rama. He shares his astonishment with Lakshmana when he says: “Lakshmana, only a person well versed in four Vedas alone can talk like this. He could not have spoken so well, if he were not a scholar in the nine types of grammar. Who is this great person?”

Thus Sri Rama praises Hanuman’s capabilities in their very first meeting. That is why Anjaneya gained popularity as ATHI VAKRA NIPOORNAHA KAPIHI - the kapi who is the great exponent of speech.

Beginning the service of Sri Rama

 Hanuman listened to the Sri Rama in rapt attention. When he knew that Sri Rama came in search of Sita, Hanuman thought that Sugriva should forge a friendship with Sri Rama. He carried Sri Rama and Lakshmana on his shoulders and reached RUSHYAMUKA PARVATA, the hill abode of Sugriva. He made them seated comfortably and went to Sugriva. He told Sugriva everything he learnt about Sri Rama. Sugriva accepted Hanuman’s advice. He went to Sri Rama and politely welcomed him. Hanuman made proper seating arrangements for them with leaves and branches of trees.

Sri Rama and Sugriva exchanged notes. Sugriva offered to serve Sri Rama. He said: “Sri Rama, from now you will be my master and the master of my followers. All of us would search for your wife”. Sri Rama assured Sugriva that he would help the latter. Hanuman churned the fire sticks and started a fire. Sri Rama and Sugriva entered into a bond of friendship with fire god as witness. Thus the NARADHIPA (The king of men) and the VANARADHIPA (The king of monkeys) were brought together by Hanuman.

As he was talking to Sri Rama, Sugriva remembered of a bundle of ornaments, which fell before the Vanaras, a few days earlier. Hanuman shows the bundle to Sri Rama and Lakshmana. They recognize the ornaments as belonging to Sita. Sri Rama’s anguish increases. Sugriva assures Sri Rama that he would search for Sita and unite her with the Lord.

Sri Rama, the epitome of Dharma slew Vali as per his promise. Tara, Vali’s wife was greatly dedicated to her husband. She was bitterly crying for her husband. Hanuman did not want Tara to curse Sugriva, to ensure that the purpose of Dharma was not defeated. He endeavors to pacify Tara. With great foresight, he gains her confidence and advises her to act with fortitude for the sake of her son Angada. Tara relents. With his great ability of precise speech, Hanuman saves Vanaras.

Sugriva was crowned as the king of Vanaras. As he was bound by his filial dictate of residing in the forests, Sri Rama did not attend the coronation of Sugriva. He stays in a cave in the PRASRAVANA hills. Sugriva, who had a very difficult time when Vali was alive, was tempted to taste the pleasures of life. As it was rainy season, Sri Rama allowed Sugriva to enjoy. Even after the rainy season, Sugriva continued to be indifferent to his promise to Sri Rama. Hanuman was disturbed. He went to Sugriva to advise. He said: “Sri Rama fulfilled his promise to kill Vali. You have forgotten his help. You cannot be indifferent. If Sri Rama gets angry, no one can save us”.

Hanuman’s advice prompted Sugriva to call Neela. He ordered Neela to send word to Vanaras from all over. Having ordered Neela, Sugriva continued to indulge in pleasures.

The indifference of Sugriva vanished the moment he learnt of the visit of Lakshmana, sent by Sri Rama to remind Sugriva. Lakshmana was seething with anger. Sugriva humbly submitted to forgive his folly. He went to Sri Rama along with his followers and promised him of immediate action.

The Vanaras from all over congregated at KISHKINDA. Sugriva drew plans to search for Sita. It was decided that Hanuman should go south along with Angada, Neela and Jambavanta. Sugriva provided description of different areas to his followers. He had a special advice for Anjaneya: “Hanuman, you are bestowed with great physical strength and rare intellect. You know how to behave properly in different situations. You are also very virtuous. You would definitely achieve the mission.”

Sri Rama was assessing the capabilities of Hanuman ever since he met the latter. He observed Sugriva praise Hanuman. Since Ravana traveled southwards, Lanka was certainly in that direction. Sri Rama recognized Hanuman’s ability to achieve. He handed over his ring, which was imprinted, with his name to Hanuman. Hanuman took Sri Rama’s ring with great reverence. He took leave from Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Sugriva and departed to search Sita.

JAYA SRI RAM

JAYA SRI RAM

JAYA SRI RAM