Buddhir Balam Yasho Dhairyam, Nir Bhayatvam Arogata
Ajatyam Vak Patutvam Cha, Hanumat Smaranat Bhavet
By remembering Hanuman, one can gain wisdom, strength, success, courage, fearlessness, lack of ill health, lack of sluggishness, and Oratory skills.
How did Hanumaan come to acquire such great powers? As baby AanjanEya was sleeping in the cradle, his mother Anjana stepped out to gather some fruits for the child. Quite unexpectedly, the child woke up and feeling very hungry got out of his bed and searched for something to eat. He saw the Sun rising like a red apple. Desiring to pluck it, the baby pounced over the skies to reach the Sun. That was about the time when Raahu was to catch Surya being the day of Solar eclipse. Finding a rival in AanjanEya, Raahu complained to Indra. On recieving the call, Indra rushed to the spot mounted on his Airaavatam. To AanjanEya’s eyes, Raahu appeared more attractive than the Sun and Airaavtam even more so. So, he gave up his ‘hot pursuit’ of the Sun and turned instead to Airaavatam. Enraged, Indra struck AanjanEya with his Vajraayudham. AanjanEya’s cheeks got disfigured and he fell down. Incidentally, “Hanu” means cheek and because of this incident, AanjanEya came to be known as Hanumaan.
Vaayu was overwhelmed with grief on seeing the plight of his dear son who had been mercilessly hit by Indra unmindful of the fact that AanjanEya was a baby. He gathered up his son and hid within a cave. With the movement of air coming to a standstill, the entire world suffered asphyxiation.
The Devas reported the matter to Brahma who rushed to the spot with all the Devas. He gently massaged Hanumaan. At the touch of Brahma, AanjanEya regained his normalcy. Brahma told all the Devas that AanjanEya was a Mahaapurusha who had a mission to accomplish in assisting Raama in his Avataara Rahasya and ordered that all the Devas should shower their blessings on AanjanEya. Indra was the first to declare that AanjanEya would never again be bothered by his Vajraayudha; VaruNa likewise vowed that AanjanEya would never be troubled by his VaruNa Paasam or by any water related accidents; Yama declared that he would be free from his Yama Paasam, would ever be victorious in war and free from all diseases flesh is heir to; Sun God blessed him with supreme valour and his own brilliance; Viswakarma agreed that none of the warheads in his arsenal would ever torment AanjanEya; Rudra offered him immunity from his own Trisoolam, Paasupatham and other weapons; Finally, Brahma himself guaranteed protection against his own most powerful Brahmaastram. Thus, the Devas vied with each other in blessing the child.
Every Tuesday evening devotees gather in the temple and chant Hanuman Chalisa, Sankata Mochan Ashtakam and Nama Ramayana. Hanuman Chalisa was composed by Sant Goswami Tulsidas to provide a powerful prayer which extols Hanuman’s virtues as well as the protection provided to all those who seek Him. Hanuman’s life is all about serving our master with unswerving faith and devotion. It is said that when Lord Rama was leaving the earth He invited all his followers to join Him, at which point Hanuman is said to have declined the invitation for the simple reason that he always wanted to be His servant and not be one with Him. Hanuman Chalisa is widely recited by Hindus all over the world. Hanuman is also thought of as one who relieves the mortals of dangers and troubles. Sankata Mochana Ashtakam is the prayer chanted to seek the protection. Nama Ramayana is a concise description of Ramayana, which gives an opportunity for the person chanting to think of the Lord at every sentence (opportunity). Chanting of Nama Ramayana is equal to reciting the whole Ramayana.