Hanuman Chalisa: (Deluxe Silk Hardbound)

shrī guru charana saroja raja,

nija mana mukuru sudhāri

baranau raghuvara bimala jasu,

jo dāyaku phala chāri

With the dust of the lotus feet of the Guru,

I cleanse the mirror of my mind and then

I sing the glories of Raghuvara, who bestows

the four-fold fruits of life.

Blessings invoke auspiciousness. Anything begun with the seeking of blessings becomes most auspicious. Tulsidas begins the Hanuman Chalisa by seeking blessings of Sri Guru. This could mean Sri who is Guru or Guru who is empowered by Sri. Sri refers to Sita, the divine mother who is the essence of the Ramayana. Sita is considered to be the most important Guru in the Ramayana and an epitome of mercy and grace. In her presence, Rama never killed a demon. In fact the worst of the demons who deserved to be killed were forgiven by Mother Sita, beginning with Kakasura. Hanuman learnt so much from Mother Sita during his meeting with her in Lanka. With her blessing, anything was possible. Tulsidas, thus begins the auspicious narration of the Hanuman Chalisa with the divine guru Sita’s blessings. Sita is not just a guru but capable of empowering anyone qualified to act as guru. The entire Sri Sampradaya, a bonafide Vaishnava Sampradaya, falls under the disciplic succession of Lakshmidevi who is an expansion of Mother Sita.

The lotus is used extensively in Vedic parlance. This is because the lotus grows in muddy water and yet blooms into a beautiful flower lending purity to its surrounding. Tulsidas refers to the feet of the guru as lotus. However negative the surroundings and circumstances, the guru not only remains unaffected but enlightens the environment.

Tulsidas says that the mirror of my mind has become dirty and contaminated and I am unable to see myself. He asks his guru to give him the dust of his feet to clean it. Charana saroja raja refers to the dust from the feet of Sri Guru. How will the dust clean? But divine dust has the power to clean. Nija mana mukuru sudhāri; he wants the dust from the lotus feet of his guru to clean his eyes and clean the mirror of the mind in order to see Rama as well as himself.

Taking dust from the feet of the spiritual master also refers to serving Sri Guru with a menial disposition. To love means to serve and to serve means to please. The most important way to serve Sri Guru is to sit at the feet of the spiritual master and hear from him. But what does one hear from Sri Guru?

Baranau raghuvara bimala jasu, which means one hears the glories of the Supreme Lord Rama, the great descendent of the Raghu dynasty. The greatest mercy of the Spiritual master descends from his mouth. Though Tulsidas has written the Hanuman Chalisa, which is technically supposed to be the glorification of Hanuman, but in truth it is the glorification of Lord Rama. Because whatever Hanuman does is to only bring glory and good name to Lord Rama. In every action of Hanuman’s, Rama is hidden. Hanuman is most happy when Lord Rama is glorified and Lord Rama is most happy when his devotee Hanuman is glorified. Tulsidas, in glorifying Hanuman, is hoping to attain the mercy of Rama and Sita. The path to enter and understand the master’s heart is through understanding and entering the servant’s heart.

Raghuvara means a descendent from the lineage of Raghu dynasty. Usually the title is reserved for Rama. However, Tulsidas could also be referring to Hanuman. When Hanuman finds Sita in Lanka, she is overwhelmed with emotions of relief and joy and calls him ‘son’. Rama too gets emotional many a times, when Hanuman brings the sanjivani herb to revive Lakshmana, and lovingly calls him ‘son’. By referring to Hanuman as Raghuvara, Tulsidas alludes to the high esteem which Rama and Sita had for him.

When one hears the words of Sri Guru glorifying the Supreme Lord or his supreme devotee’s activities, one attains perfection of four most important fruits of human life. The exalted commentator on the Hanuman Chalisa, Rambhadracharya, explains that the four goals of human life vary, depending on who you are. For a materialistic devotee, the four goals are dharma, artha, kama, and moksha. For a person seeking liberation, the four goals are salokya mukti, samipya mukti, sayujya mukti, and sarupya mukti. For a person seeking only devotion and nothing else, the four goals are dharma, gyana, yoga, and japa, all centred on cultivation of devotion to the Supreme Lord.

buddhihīna tanu jānike,

sumirau pavanakumāra

bala budhi vidyā dehu mohi

harahu kalesa vikāra

Knowing my body to be devoid of intelligence,

I remember you, the son of Vāyu.

Grant me strength, intelligence, and knowledge

and remove all my miseries and impurities.

Tulsidas begins this verse with an attitude of humility. Spiritual life begins with the acceptance that ‘I am weak and I need help’. In this acceptance lies the humility that is needed to grow spiritually. Material life makes one proud of even those things that one has not. Spiritual life makes one humble of even those things that one has. Because spiritual life helps one understand that one’s strengths are not one’s own. If one’s strengths are not one’s own and we are awarded them by some higher source, then why won’t that higher source help us deal with our weaknesses also? That knowledge which makes us receptive to new learnings is the beginning of spiritual life.

Weakness here refers to not physical but spiritual. Spiritual weakness makes one susceptible to temptations of various kinds. When succumbed to, these temptations create miseries and pains. Tulsidas is helping us understand the importance of acceptance of this fact in this doha. He is not just exposing us to our greatest problem but also helping us find a solution for it.

When we accept that we are devoid of spiritual intelligence to deal with our shortcomings, we also simultaneously accept that we need help of someone who is higher in spiritual intelligence. Who is that person who is so evolved in spiritual intelligence and if taken shelter of can uplift us too? Tulsidas introduces Hanuman in that capacity into our lives. He is the one who can give us bala or strength, buddhi or intelligence, and vidya or knowledge, needed to help us deal with our shortcomings.

Rambhadracharya comments on this doha that our shortcomings are not one or two in number but are eleven in all. Tulsidas calls our shortcomings as kalesha and bikara. The word kalesha, according to the Patanjali Yoga Sutra, refers to five types of faults: avidya (mal-perception), asmita (egoism), raga (attachments/ indulgences), dwesha (aversions), and abhinnivesa (fears/insecurities). The word bikara refers to six types of vices: Kama (lust/ desires which are born in the mind), krodha (anger which manifests from frustrated desires), lobha (greed which manifests from insatiable desires), moha (illusion which manifests from ignorance), mada (pride which manifests from the ego), and matsarya (envy which manifests from ingratitude).

Dealing with these five types of faults or kaleshas and six types of vices or bikaras is not easy. Together these eleven make one spiritually weak and ignorant. We need strength, intelligence, and knowledge to overcome these eleven impurities that are spiritually weakening us. Tulsidas recommends us to remember Hanuman who, according to him, is the best person who can easily help us overcome these eleven maladies and help us become spiritually strong and connect deeply with the Supreme Lord.

Tulsidas uses an interesting word here, ‘tanu’, referring to self or body. By using ‘tanu’, he reiterates the source of his ignorance which is his identification with the physical self. He claims that though one knows there is an inner eternal self, one still identifies himself with the outer changing physical body. He prays to Hanuman to bring about a change in that ignorant state by connecting him to divine and dynamic qualities.

Ramabhadracharya substantiates this even further by telling us why Hanuman is the best choice. Being the eleventh Rudra, Hanuman is the most equipped to help us overcome these eleven flaws. Not only is he the eleventh Rudra, he is also the personification of immense strength, intelligence, and knowledge. The entire the Hanuman Chalisa substantiates how Hanuman is actually the reservoir of unlimited strength, intelligence, and knowledge. When we take shelter of Hanuman, he can easily offer us all of these, thus helping us remove (harau) those deficiencies, and re-establishing us in our constitutional position as eternal servants of Lord Rama.

jaya hanumāna gnyāna guna sāgara

jaya kapīsa tihu loka ujāgara 1 

Hail Hanuman, an ocean of

knowledge and virtues

The Lord of monkeys who illuminates

the three worlds. (1)

It is said that a fool is recognized the moment he opens his mouth. And a wise man remains unnoticed unless he opens his mouth. Speech reveals the level of your knowledge. Hanuman was such an ocean of knowledge that it was through his speech that Rama realized what a powerhouse Hanuman was! The first sentence of the first doha of the Hanuman Chalisa brings out the profound abundance of knowledge and virtues packed in Hanuman.

When Lord Rama and Lakshmana met Hanuman for the first time on the foothills of the Rishimukha Mountains, Hanuman captured Rama’s heart with the first few words he uttered. On hearing only a few words from Hanuman, Rama pulled Lakshmana aside and extolled the glories of Hanuman.

Rama shared with Lakshmana that Hanuman was an ocean of knowledge and virtues. He had yet to meet someone like Hanuman who was as vaakya kushala or a magical weaver of words. Rama estimated that Hanuman must have spent a large quantum of time studying under expert masters. The quality of his speech reflected the quality of his education. Hanuman must have been so highly qualified that Rama couldn’t detect a single flaw in either his speech or his body language, which is simply an extension of one’s speech.

Rama was convinced that Hanuman had complete mastery over the Vedas. Why? Because mastery over the Vedas manifested itself through expertise in different aspects of communication and self-expression. Mastery over Atharva Veda brings in natural humility that reflects in one’s words and gestures. Mastery over Yajur Veda is indicated by lavishness in one’s vocabulary and a great retention power conferred by Yajur studies. Mastery over Rig Veda gives one the power of reproducing things verbatim on hearing just once. Mastery over Sama Veda adds a charm, suppleness, and melody to one’s voice. Eloquence in speech is strength derived from digested knowledge.

Definitely Hanuman knew vyakrana or grammar to perfection. He was expert in mimamsa as he made no mistake in sentences. He was definitely proficient in tarka or logic, as he made no mistake in the tone in which different words were spoken. While talking, his body was so still that the listener was entirely focused on his speech alone. He knew which words were to be uttered from his palate, which to be uttered from the stomach, and which to be uttered from the nasal passage. The effect of producing sound from different locations created different emotions and had desired effects on the listener at subtle levels.

Rama deciphered all this simply by hearing a few words from Hanuman! In fact, Rama was of the opinion that if a cruel enemy with a raised sword heard Hanuman speak, he would drop his weapons. Hanuman could win hearts just by speaking a few words.

When Hanuman was a small child, he expressed his desire to gain knowledge from the best teacher in the universe. His father Kesari directed him to Surya, the sun god, whom Hanuman had intuitively and spontaneously selected as a storehouse of knowledge that he could devour. When Hanuman approached the sun god for admission into his school, Surya declined him stating lack of place in the classroom as the reason. There were already six million sages occupying the orbiting chariot which was Surya’s mobile classroom. But nothing could deter Hanuman. When there is intense eagerness, there can be no obstacle big enough to stop you. Hanuman reasoned with his teacher that he didn’t really need a place to sit. All he needed was his permission. Surya, of course, happily gave permission to such an enthusiastic student.

For Hanuman, hearing was the most important part of education. As long as he could hear his teacher, nothing else mattered. Any inconvenience was a price he was willing to pay for the good fortune of hearing from a great preceptor. As the flying school floated around the earth’s orbit, Hanuman flew outside the classroom, parallel to them, facing his teacher. Sometimes Hanuman had to fly forward and sometimes backward, depending on the orientation of the chariot. Though faced with constant inconveniences, Hanuman paid rapt attention to the lessons being imparted and absorbed every word like a sponge. The master had no need to repeat a single concept and the student did not forget a single lesson. In a matter of just sixty orbits of the sun, Hanuman had mastered all the Vedas and their auxiliaries. In addition, he had mastered the nine vyakranas or rules of grammar in just a matter of nine days, what would take years for normal students.

But the most amazing aspect of Hanuman was his humility. Although he was amongst the most knowledgeable people in the world, he served Sugriva who possessed not even a fraction of that knowledge. He served Sugriva simply because his teacher wanted him to do so. To serve someone who is inferior to you in every way requires real humility.

It is often seen that those with vast knowledge tend to become arrogant. They develop a sense of superiority that eclipses humility. But not so with Hanuman. Though he was most erudite even amongst the greatly learned (buddhimatam varistham), his humility stole Rama’s heart. Hanuman was not just an embodiment of knowledge but also the embodiment of every virtue, as a result of having digested that knowledge. He was not just gyana sagar or an ocean of knowledge but also guna sagar or an ocean of virtues. jaya hanumāna gnyāna guna sāgara

The word kapi means vanara or monkey. When Lord Vishnu was about to incarnate as Lord Rama, he had instructed all devatas to take birth on the earth as vanaras. When he heard of this, Lord Shiva also became extremely eager to appear as a vanara. Lord Shiva explained to his wife Sati that he had been waiting for an opportunity to serve Lord Rama. Since his desire was to serve the Lord who was to appear in a human form, Shiva felt that it would be best to take a form that was less than a human form. Thus a monkey form would be most apt. A human being may hesitate to engage another human in menial service, but a monkey’s service would be acceptable unhesitatingly. Thus Lord Shiva chose the form of a monkey to make his contribution to Rama lila. Since he wanted to focus on his service and not be distracted by the presence of his wife, he decided to remain a celibate in that role.

Sati became sad and dejected at not being able to participate and assist her husband in this incarnation. Then she was suddenly struck by a brilliant idea that would satisfy both of them. She proposed to Lord Shiva that she could incarnate as the tail of the monkey that Shiva became. Shiva agreed and thus Hanuman was born who was Rudra and Shakti combined together.

The word kapi also has another underlying meaning. This is in connection with its Sanskrit roots. Pi in Sanskrit means to drink and ka means joy. So kapi in this connotation means to drink joyfully. But drink what? Kapi refers to Hanuman as the one who joyfully drinks the nectar of Rama katha.

The word kapish is derived from the words kapi and isha, which means king of monkeys. This verse refers to Hanuman as Kapish, the king of monkeys, when he was clearly not the king. When Vali was alive, Vali was the king of monkeys and after his death, Sugriva became the king. Hanuman was not a king but a kingmaker. Whosoever stood by his side, that person became the king. Then why is Hanuman called the king of monkeys?

This is because true leadership is always measured by influence. Vali and Sugriva only sat on the throne, but Hanuman sat in every heart. Sitting on a throne is easy, but to rule hearts is difficult. Not only did he rule over the hearts of every citizen of Kishkinda, he also ruled over the hearts of Sita and Rama. Not only did he rule over the hearts of Sita and Rama, but by their blessings, continues to rule over the hearts of unlimited beings even today. Thus he is rightly addressed as kapish or king of Vanaras. jaya kapīsa tihu loka ujāgara

The universe was trembling thanks to Lord Vishnu’s pastimes. Because of this, Lord Brahma who was sitting on the lotus and meditating, opened his eyes. The ewer (kamandalu) slipped from his hand. Now this was not an ordinary kamandalu. It held all future events within it. The kamandalu falling meant all the future events stored inside it also fell out. Brahma being alert, gathered all of them meticulously and filled them back in the kamandalu. No harm done, so he thought.

Meanwhile, Indra discovered two galaxies missing from the universe. He informed Lord Vishnu and the two of them went to Brahma to find the cause behind it. Brahma revealed to them how the kamandalu had fallen from his hand and future events had scattered too. Lord Vishnu requested Lord Brahma to check if anything was missing from there. Searching through, Brahma recalled that a demon named Kaalant had also been stored inside the ewer but was missing now. Kaalant was to be born at the end of Brahma’s life, 33 years later. But the mishap had released him much before his time. He had the power to eat all the universes including galaxies, planets, and stars. He could also swallow Adityas, Arun Deva, and celestial chariots belonging to Indra and Surya. His release could create a dangerous situation for one and all.

Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma wondered what to do. Unfortunately, Lord Shiva was deep in meditation and could not be disturbed. Pushed into a corner, Lord Vishnu remembered Hanuman. Hanuman was one person who could save the world for sure! Lord Vishnu left to meet Hanuman who was at that time an adolescent.

As usual, Lord Vishnu found Hanuman in meditation on his master Lord Rama. Being an emergency, he apprised him of the situation faced by the universe. Things were so bad that Kaalant had even swallowed the Kaal Chakra. Without wasting a minute, Hanuman knew what he had to do and set off in search of Kaalant. All the demigods blessed Hanuman and empowered him to overpower Kaalant. However, Kaalant was not an ordinary demon. He was made of antimatter. When he swallowed matter, it collided with antimatter and both got destroyed. That was the secret of his strength.

Hanuman first tried to persuade him to go back to the kamandalu and come when it was the right time. Kaalant refused point blank. He challenged Hanuman to a duel. During the fight, Hanuman stepped into the Kaal Chakra and got transported to Fairyland. Fairyland was also in chaos. A demon had kidnapped the queen’s daughter and all the angels were wallowing in sorrow. Hanuman went to the demon to rescue the damsel in distress. The demon shared his woes with Hanuman about a curse upon him by a vampire. To undo the curse, he needed a special pearl from the queen of angels. The glow of the pearl was sufficient to release him. But the queen had refused to part with her pearl leaving the demon with no option but to kidnap her daughter.

From the queen of angels Hanuman learnt that her pearl was in safe custody in Chal loka, the world of cheats. Hanuman reached there too but the planet had been captured by dwarfs. Hanuman fought the dwarfs and restored Chal loka to its original king who happily gave Hanuman the special pearl. Hanuman dropped the dwarfs to their planets but being in a hurry, he reached the wrong planet which was underwater. He saved the king of that planet too who in turn gave him a compass, a direction indicator. Hanuman used it to come out of the Kaal Chakra and go back to his universe.

Back home, he pursued Kaalant and engaged in another battle with him. Kaalant being antimatter, Hanuman thought of a novel strategy to defeat him. He allowed Kaalant to swallow him. Diving into his stomach, he found all the galaxies and planets that had gone missing. He also found Arun Deva and requested him to rotate the Kaal Chakra in a clockwise direction. Not surprisingly, everything started falling back in its place. Everything but Kaalant who started experiencing severe pain in his abdomen vomited Hanuman out. Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma then reasoned with Kaalant that if he kept Surya Deva hidden then he would also die before time. Everything should happen in its own time. Kaalant had suffered enough so he understood their logic and agreed to go back into the kamandalu. Before that, he released Surya Deva, the galaxies, planets, and stars and normalcy was restored. Hanuman had saved the world once again. jaya kapīsa tihu loka ujāgara

rāma dūta atulita bala dhāmā

anjani putra pavanasuta nāmā 2 

Rama’s envoy, a reservoir of unsurpassable power,

Renowned as Anjana’s son and ‘son of the wind’. (2)

Early in his childhood, Hanuman’s mother Anjana had told him a secret that remained etched in his mind. The moment he met his master, he would have a bone-melting experience. And as predicted, the moment Hanuman came in front of Lord Rama for the first time, the very first glance of his eternal master convinced him that this was his eternal shelter. Every bone in his body had begun to melt.

But what really hit him the hardest was the first question that Lord Rama asked him. Because Hanuman was disguised as a beggar sanyasi, Rama asked him why a beggar was wearing a diamond necklace around his neck. Hanuman was stunned with that question because he had worn that invisible necklace all his life, and it had not been visible