Lord Hanuman Gayatri:

Om Anjaneeyaya Vidhmahe

Ati Veeraya Dheemahi

Tanno Hanumath Prachothayat

MANTRA

‘BUDHIR BHALAM YESHO DAIRYAM NIRBHAYATHVAM AAROGATHA AJATYAM VAAKBADUTHVAM CHA HANUMANTHA SMARANATH BHAVETHU’

“BUDHIR” - Intelligence “BHALAM” - Strength YESHO “DAIRYAM”- Bravery “NIRBHAYATHVAM” - Fearlessness “AAROGATHA”-Health AJATYAM VAAKBADUTHVAM CHA “HANUMANTHA SMARANATH BHAVETHU” - Be bestowed on me by Lord Hanuman

Sri Hanuman is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Brihaspati had an attendant by the name of Punjikasthala who was cursed to assume the body of a female monkey. The curse was to be removed on her giving birth to an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Accordingly, she was born as Anjana and, together with her husband Kesari, lived a life of chastity and purity. She performed intense Tapasya for many years, during which period she worshipped Lord Shiva who being pleased with her granted her a boon.

Hanumanji is known by many names as Anjaneya, Vayuputra, Vayukumara, Hanumantha, Anjali Putra, Bajarangabali, Mahaveer, Maruti, Pavanputra, etc. He is a great yogi(mystic) having transcended the five senses(Pancha Indriyas). Hanuman, the Monkey God, is the son of Vayu or Marut, the Wind God. Hanuman’s mother is Anjana. Hanuman is fast, the most agile and oriented God. Hanuman, worshipped for his strength, valor and agility, is a man of great teaming. He is considered to be an avatar (incarnation) of Lord Shiva. It is said that when Lord Shiva decided to take birth as Anjaneya His consort Goddess Parvati expressed Her wish to accompany Him. Lord Shiva conceded and asked Her to accompany Him as His tail when He took birth as Sri Anjaneya. Devotees worship Anjaneya by smearing sindoor on the tail of Anjaneya’s idol because the tail of Anjaneya is regarded as Goddess Parvati. The extra ordinary power of Anjaneya’s tails is attributed to the presence of Goddess Parvati. Hanuman, a great devotee of Sri Rama, is the symbol of devotion and dedication. He was blessed by Sri Rama with Immortality (Chiranjeevi). He is the only character that appears in two great epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha, which are set apart by several millenniums. He was a bachelor and is worshipped in all the temples of India. Every temple of Sri Rama contains an icon of Hanuman. Worship of Sri Rama is complete only with the worship of Hanuman. Saint Tulsidas composed 40 stanzas of Hanuman Chalisa in praise of Hanuman. Hanuman Jayanti is the birth anniversary of Lord Hanuman. One cannot understand Hindu Dharma unless one knows Hanuman.

His Prowess and Greatness

He was blessed by Sita Devi with the ashta maha sidhis, the eight supernatural powers, and the nine wealth. The eight supernatural powers are: Anima: the power to reduce the body to the size of an atom, Mahima: the power to expand one’s body to infinitely large size, Garima: the power to become infinitely heavy, Laghima: the power to become infinitely light, Prapti: the power of unrestricted access to any place, Prakamya: the power to realize any desire, Isitva: the power of absolute lordship and Vasitva: the power of subjugating all. The nine wealth are the nine types of devotion namely, daasya bhakthi, sravana bhakthi, vandana bhakthi, smarana bhakthi, paada sevana bhakthi, sakhya bhakthi, keertana bhakthi, aatma nivedana bhakthi, and archana bhakthi. Scholars, exemplify Anjaneya for His daasya bhakthi.

Sani and Anjaneya

As per Indian astrology, the seven and half year period (refereed to as the ezhara Sani, ezharattu Sani or dade sathi) during which Saturn moves through the 12th, 1st and 2nd from the natal moon as well as the period when it moves through the 4th, 7th and 10th from the natal moon are bound to be very bad for the individuals. The period when Saturn becomes retrograde is also considered inauspicious. Astrologers suggest, among other remedial measures, praying to Anjaneya during such periods. According to a legend, when Sani approached Anjaneya to bring Him under his spell, Anjaneya caught him by the hair, dangled him in the air, and blew air on him. Anjaneya let him go only after a promise from him that he would never harm Him or those who pray to Him.

Important days

The days significant for worshiping Sri Hanuman are Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

Persons going through the seven and half period of Saturn, the period of ashtama sani (Saturn in the eighth position from the natal moon) or kandaka sani (Saturn in the fourth, seventh or the tenth from the natal moon), are advised to worship Sri Hanuman on Saturdays.

Others may worship Him on Tuesdays or Thursdays.