Lord Hanuman is a popular deity in Hinduism. He has many devotees who worship him for protection from evil spirits and for resolving problems related to health, marriage, mental or psychological issues like fear, lack of confidence, depression, anxiety, negative attitude, and timidity. Hanuman worship can bring discipline and self-control in life. He is the patron god of wrestlers in India. Hanuman is also worshipped by those who wish to overcome bad habits like laziness, corruption, fickle mindedness, adultery, procrastination, etc. Hanuman’s blessings can help reduce the effects of Shani Dosha. Tuesdays or Saturdays are ideal for Hanuman worship. Chanting Hanuman Chalisa can also help one to get his blessings. Hanuman’s birthday is celebrated as Hanuman Jayanthi.
Hanuman’s name means ‘disfigured jaw’. His jaw was disfigured due to Lord Indra’s thunderbolt, Vajra, when he was a child. Another meaning is ‘one who has destroyed his pride’. A lack of arrogance and ego is necessary for success in life. It’s one of the many lessons that Hanuman teaches us.
Here are some more valuable life lessons from Hanuman.
Achieve Self-Control
Hanuman symbolizes strength of the body, mind, and intellect. He can lift mountains, leap across oceans and defeat anyone because of his prowess. His body is like Vajra (diamond). He can complete a task at the speed of thought. He has immense knowledge and intelligence. Uncompromising discipline and the ability to resist temptations are also needed to achieve our goals in life. Sleeping too much, lack of exercise, gluttony, laziness, and procrastination are all due to a lack of self-control. Hanuman had discipline and self-control; hence he achieved success in all his endeavors.
Be Dedicated and Committed
Hanuman wanted to acquire knowledge, and he chose Lord Surya (Sun god) as his Guru. But Surya refused, saying that he was too busy to teach Hanuman. But when Hanuman insisted, he agreed on the condition that Hanuman should ride in front of him, tolerate his heat and walk backward at a pace equal to the constantly moving Sun while learning his lessons. Hanuman agreed. In this manner, he learned all the Vedas and Shastras quickly.
Acquiring knowledge is not easy. It requires hard work, dedication, commitment, and the ability to overcome obstacles. Hanuman had all these traits, and so he became a great scholar.
Believe in Yourself
As a child, Hanuman had received many boons from the gods. Hence, nothing was impossible for him. But some Rishis had also cursed him to forget his powers until someone reminded him of them. So, Hanuman grew up without any awareness of his true potential. Many years later, it was the bear king, Jambavan, who reminded him of his abilities and powers. On hearing Jambavan’s words, Hanuman awakened to his powers. It was after this that he leaped across the ocean to reach Lanka and look for Sita. Never did he doubt that he could do it. Like Hanuman, we, too, can achieve our goals if we believe in ourselves. It also helps if we have good mentors like Jambavan was to Hanuman.
Cultivate the 5 Traits of Panchamukhi Hanuman
During the battle against Ravana, the demon king’s brother, Mahiravana, captured Rama and Lakshmana and held them captive in Patala. Hanuman arrived there to rescue them. He had to take the form of Panchamukhi (5-faced)Hanuman to kill the demon. The demon could be killed only by simultaneously extinguishing 5 lamps burning in 5 different directions. The 5 faces were Varaha (facing north), Narasimha (facing south), Garuda (facing west), Hayagriva (facing the sky), and his own (facing the east). The 5 faces had their own significance. His own face signified a pure and sinless mind. Ethics and integrity are essential for success in life. Narasimha’s face signifies the courage to face challenges. Garuda’s face signifies mental and spiritual power. Varaha’s face represents the ability to overcome negative influences. Hayagriva’s face signifies knowledge, a good spouse, and good children. All these are essential for success in life.
Devotion to God
After returning to Ayodhya, Rama wanted to reward all his well-wishers. Sita gave Hanuman a necklace of precious stones. But Hanuman took it apart and examined each stone with great care. When the others asked him why, he replied that he wanted to see if Rama and Sita were in the stones or they had no value to him. Some mocked him on hearing this and said that his devotion to Rama and Sita could not be so deep. Hanuman then tore his chest open, and everyone got a shock to find Rama and Sita in his heart.
This indicates the depth of Hanuman’s love, dedication, and loyalty to Lord Rama and Sita. Devotion to God is essential if we wish to succeed in all our endeavors. Without divine blessings, we cannot achieve anything in life.
Humility
It is from Valmiki’s Ramayana that we come to know a lot about the life of Hanuman and his exploits. But there was another Ramayana that was composed by none other than Hanuman. It was the Hanumad Ramayana and was written in a script that was undecipherable. This work was composed on stone and was discovered by the poet, Kalidas. It is said that Hanuman composed it to remember Rama and all the incidents that happened in Rama’s life.
Valmiki himself recognized the amazing quality of Hanumad Ramayana and felt dejected, thinking that his own work was not as good as Hanuman’s. On seeing this, Hanuman decided to destroy his own work.
This incident reveals Hanuman’s humility. Hanuman gave more importance to Valmiki’s feelings than his own ego. He is not proud that he created a work superior to Valmiki’s, nor does he seek fame. Humility is also an essential attribute for successful people.
Hanuman’s birthday is celebrated as Hanuman Jayanthi. The festival of Lord Hanuman’s Jayanthi is celebrated with great fervor all over India.
