Lively Legends about Hanumanji

Glory or Rama Nama

When Bhagavan Ramchandraji was building a bridge to cross the ocean to Lanka, his dedicated army of monkeys and other creatures brought rocks of all sizes on which they lovingly wrote the name of Rama, and then cast them into the sea. Instead of sinking, the rocks floated to the surface and slowly the bridge took place.

            The news spread to Lanka and the rakshasas were frightened. Ravana was worried that they were getting demoralised even before the war. How would they ever be able to fight! So he resolved to do something. He instructed them to gather at the sea shore and said, “He built a bridge, so what? Rocks float because of his name, so what? I also have the power to make them float. Look at this!” The rakshasas were doubtful, but they watched as Ravana proceeded to pick up a rock, brought it close to his mouth, whispered something and then threw it into the sea. Lo and behold! The rock was floating. He commanded some of the rakshasas to sit on the rock and everyone watched in amazement as the rock continued to float! Then Ravana boasted to his army, “See! I am as strong as Rama. There is no reason for fear or worry.” The rakshasas were reassured and returned home.

            However, Queen Mandodari was not convinced so easily. She approached Ravana in his private chamber and said, “Oh Lord, tell me the truth. I can believe that Sri Rama’s name can make the rocks float, but your name…? I have grave doubts!” Though Ravana was not pleased a her apparent lack of faith in him, due to her insistence on knowing the truth, he admitted reluctantly, “Well, you are dear to me, and so I will tell you. I said to that rock, ‘In the name of Rama, I am throwing you in to the sea. See that the prestige of Rama Nama is kept up!”.

The Greatest Devotee

Once, Narada Muni came to know that Lord Narayana kept a list of His devotees. Bering very keen to get hold of that list, he invoked the right to information and insisted that Bhagavan should show it to him. When he went through the list, he found to his surprise that Hanumanji’s name was not included! So he promptly went and showed the list to Hanumanji. “Did you notice your name is not there? Everybody says that you are a great devotee of the Lord, but your name is missing in the list!” Hanumanji remained unperturbed and responded, “If it’s not there, it’s not there! You know that I don’t do anything to get my name included in any book of records.” Naradaji was a little disappointed at this lack of reaction. He decided to ask Lord Narayana directly about the reason behind this apparent oversight. As he was about to leave, Hanumanji remarked casually, “Naradaji, I have heard that Bhagavan has one more list. Perhaps you can enquire about that one too.”  Narada Muni went straight to Lord Narayana and confronted Him.

            “Bhagavan, I heard you have one more list.”

   “Yes,” smiled Bhagavan.

   “Why didn’t you give me that?”

   “You did’nt ask for it”, quipped Bhagavan.

            “What do you mean? I asked for a list of your devotees!”

            “That is what I gave you,” Bhagavan replied gently.

            “Then what is that other list?” asked Naradaji in a puzzled tone.

            Bhagavan smiled and showed him the other list.

            Naradaji was still confused and enquired about the difference between the two lists.

            Bhagavan replied lovingly, “Don’t you see the difference? The earlier list was the list of devotees who love me. This is a list of the devotees whom I love!”

And Hanumanji’s name was on top of the list!

Left Foot First in Lanka

Hanumanji took off from Mahendrachal to Lanka and faced many obstacles and challenges on the way. Mainaka mountain offered him the temptation to rest for a while. But he firmly refused it. “How can I rest before accomplishing Rama’s work – rama kaju kinhem binu mohi jkaham bisrama” Later he met Surasa, Nishichari, Simhika and Lankini. He tackled each one of them bravely and intelligently. Then he set foot on Lanka.

            It is said that when he was taking off, his friend had advised him, “When you reach Lanka, first place your left foot on the land, not the right foot.” Generally, the right part of one’s body is considered auspicious . We give or accept prasada with the right hand. When you enter a place with  right foot first, it invokes welfare and well-being for everyone there. So Hanumanji was cautioned to enter with the left foot first. Perhaps this is the reason why the army marches with  left foot first: “Left, right, left, right, left, right….’ And not “Right, left, right, left….!”

Ravana’s Beard on Fire

Hanumanji reached Lanka, met Sita Devi in Ashoka Vatika, conveyed Sri Rama’s message and gave her His mudrika. Having completed all his work, he looked around, saw the beautiful trees loaded with succulent fruits and suddenly felt very hungry. After all, he had not eaten anything en route being single-pointed in his efforts to reach Sitaji as quickly as he could. When Hanumanji expressed his desire to Mother Sita, she cautioned him because Ravana was very possessive about the trees in Ashok Vatika and advised him to eat only fruits that had already fallen on the ground. Hanumanji agreed, but there were not many fruits lying on the ground. How could these possibly satisfy his voracious appetite? So he simply extended his tail, encircled a few trees and shook them vigorously so that they shed their load of ripe, juicy fruits on the ground and them began to eat to his heart’s content.

            Hearing the commotion, the guards came, bound him and took him to Ravana’s court. They informed him of Hanumanji’s antics, and Ravana ordered his tail to be set on fire. The attendants brought pieces of cloth dipped in oil and wound them around his tail. Hanumanji kept elongating his tail so that they struggled to cover it with cloth and oil. Finally, they tried to set it on fire. They huffed and puffed, but all in vain. The tail would not catch fire. Finally, Hanumanji gave a naughty hint, “If Ravana comes and blows, then it will light up,” Ravana rose to the bait, went near Hanumanji, bent his head towards the tail and blew hard. Suddenly a huge ball of fire rose up and Ravana’s beard caught fire. What a sigh t it was! He waved his twenty hands in all directions trying to put out the fire! Hanumanji roared with laughter. Even the rakshasas, unable to contain themselves, laughed helplessly!

Many Hanumans

            Having accomplished his mission, Hanumanji was retuning to Sri Rama with Sitaji’s cudamani. Suddenly a thought came to his mind. “See what great work I have done! I went to Lanka, fought the rakshasas gave Ramachandraji’s mudra to Sitaji, burnt Lanka…. How much work I have done!” Then felt very thirsty and noticing a kutiya on the way, he decided to halt there. He approached the muni seated there and demanded some water. The muni gestured silently towards a kamandalu. But Hanumanji was extremely thirsty and wanted more water. So the muni pointed towards a lake. Hanumanji asked him where to keep the cudamani while he drank water, and the muni indicated the kamandalu. So he dropped it in the kamandalu, went to the lake and drank plenty of water.

            He returned to collect the cudamani, and to his utter surprise, he found many cudamanis inside the water pot. So he asked the muni, “Which is mine? Which is the cudamani I brought?” The muni replied, “How do I know? Up till now, so many Hanumans have come and put their cudamanis here and there!” Hanumanji was stupefied! So many Hanumans? He thought he was the only one! Suddenly his EP- Ego Pressure –went down. The muni smiled and helped him to locate the cucamani, and Hanumanjji continued on his way.

            Much, much later, once the war was over, Hanumanji asked Bhagavan one day, “Bhagavan, how many Hanumans have there been up till now?” Bhagvan smiled, “Why, what happed?” Then Hanumanji narrated the incident and concluded, “I don’t know who that muni was. Bhagavan said with a smile, “I was that muni! I did the whole play to remove that thought which came to your mind.”

            This beautiful story shows us that however great our devotion may be, sometime or other such a thought is likely to surface. But God and Guru, in their compassion, make sure that something happens to remove that ego. However, we should be very alert to recognize it immediately and remain ever devoted to the Lord so that He will remove any such pride from our minds and draw us closed to Him. 

Lord and His Devotee

            Lord Raman wanted to install a Siva Linga in Rameshwaram.  At that time the place was not even known by this name. Ramachandraji instructed Hanumanji to bring a Siva Linga from Varanasi. The auspicious time (muhurtam) for installation neared, but there was no sign of Hanumanji. So Lord Rama created a Siva Ling a from the sand on the sea shore and installed it with all the rituals.When Hanumanji returned with the Siva Linga and saw that all the rituals have been completed, he became angry with Bhagavan. “What is this? You sent me all the way to Varanasi unnecessarily. I have brought the Siva Linga with so much difficulty, but it is not even required!”

            Sri Ram just smiled. “Hanuman, don’t get angry now. Do one thing. Just uproot this Siva Linga which I have installed. Pull it off and replace it with the one you have brought.” Hanumanji immediately curled his tail around that Siva Linga, and tried to lift it off. But try as he might, withy all his strength, the Siva Linga would not budge. Then suddenly, in a flash, Hanumanji realized his mistake. “What am I doing! I am getting angry with my Lord! I am trying to uproot the Siva Linga which has been installed by my Lord!” In all humility and shame, he bowed down to the Lord and offered his sincere apologies. With regret, he enquired what was to be done with the Siva Linga that he has brought. Bhagavan, in all kindness, told him to place it along side the one already installed.

            Even today, the two Siva Lingas can be seen in  Rameshwaram. It is said that the Siva Linga made by Sri Rama still bears the mark of Hanumanji’s tail.

            This story shows the beauty of the relationship between the Lord and His devotee. Their closeness is such that the devotee can even get angry with the Lord! Sometimes pride also rears it head, but Bhagavan’s love is unconditional. Sitaji had already blessed Hanumanji. “Oh Hanuman, Ramachandraji will love you as his own child” Hanumanji was overwhelmed with joy and replied, “Oh Mother! I am blessed; everyone knows your boon always comes true. So Bhagavan Ramachandraji loved Hanumaji dearly, and that is why Hanumanji’s name was right on top in the list of people who the Lord loved. Tulsidasji says, “mahaabeera bhinavaum hanumaanaa, raama jaasu jasa aapa bakhaana- I pray to Hanumanji whose glories were sung by Sri Rama Himself.”