Hanuman Jayanti is being celebrated by Hindus all over the world on Tuesday, April 23, 2024 to mark the birth of Lord Hanuman. An incarnation of Rudra, Lord Hanuman took birth to serve and assist Rama (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu) in His quest to annihilate the demon Ravana and establish Dharma on earth. Hanuman is thus the supreme devotee of Lord Ram.
On this sacred occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, let us look at Lord Hanuman’s life and see what we can learn from his earthly incarnation.
What Hanuman signifies
Know that Hanuman signifies the training and surrender of the senses. This is done to serve your Dharma, which is Lord Ram or the life purpose for which you have taken birth. Your senses are like monkeys, who, if not trained, can make your mind totally distracted and fragmented. However, when trained, this monkey will be very powerful and will serve all your worthy desires.
In the battle of Ramayana, when Lakshman was grievously injured by Indrajit’s weapon and was on the brink of death, Hanuman was asked to bring the Sanjeevani herb from the Himalayan peaks to revive the dying prince. Unable to figure which herb was needed, Hanuman lifted the entire mountain and flew back to Lakshman’s aid. This is the power of the senses once they have been tamed.
Ravana’s golden kingdom of Lanka signifies the illusionary castle of dreams in which the mind sometimes gets trapped. Hanuman was instrumental in destroying that castle and bringing the consciousness (Sita) back to her Dharma or Lord Rama to serve its life purpose.
Bondage of the senses
Your distractions could be due to sensory pleasures. You might be overly attached to the company of friends, television, mobile phone, or have addictions like alcohol, tobacco or drugs. Know that every distraction of life – be it wealth, wine or women – serves to take you away from your life purpose and make you weak and powerless, and a virtual slave.
Lord Hanuman is the son of Vayu, which is the wind and he represents the five senses – namely, smell, taste, sight, touch and hearing. Lord Hanuman had mastered all the five senses which also represent the five basic elements of the universe – earth, water, ether, fire and air.
Learn from Lord Hanuman
On this birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman, it’s time to become aware of your senses and practice discipline. Train your senses so that they help you devotedly follow your life purpose or dharma.
Lord Hanuman, in his incarnation as Panchmukhi Hanuman, extinguished the five lamps in five different directions to kill Ahiravan. Again, the five lamps symbolized the five senses.
Mastering these five senses through the control of breath (pranayama) or through meditation, mantra chanting and wearing of the 14 mukhi Rudraksha helps one attain self-control, knowledge and power, while adhering to one’s life purpose.
Fulfil your Dharma
Lord Hanuman was blessed with immense strength, knowledge and power. Even today He is worshipped by people for good physical and mental health, wisdom and knowledge and for protection against misfortune and evil. Lord Hanuman is the essence of pure devotion, complete surrender to the divine and complete absence of ego.
When Lord Ram ascended to heaven, he asked Hanuman to stay back and watch over Mother Earth and Hanuman agreed to stay back.
In this way, when you have followed your life purpose and the time comes for you to leave your mortal body, the experience of your life purpose will remain. The world will benefit from it in the years to come. Just as Hanuman stayed back forever, the fruits of your life’s work will live long after you have left the earth. Legends such as Md Rafi continue to be remembered and appreciated by the world long after they have passed from earth. In this way, only Hanuman remains when the mortal body has perished.
Praying to Lord Hanuman
Hanuman Chalisa is very powerful text for attaining the grace of Lord Hanuman and invoking his blessings. At the conclusion of this poem, the last verses state:
Jo Yah Paddhai Hanumaan Chalisa |
Hoy Siddhi Saakhii Gauriisaa.
Meaning: those who read this text with devotion, will come out of bondage and attain perfection (become a Siddha).
