Posted on: 06 Feb 2005
I received your question today, which is a Tuesday and which is dear to Lord Hanuman. Today two stars [constellations relating to astrology] exist. The first star is ‘Mrigashira’, which indicates the period of Mars [mangal] and Mars again represents Tuesday. The second star is ‘Aarudra’, which indicates Lord Rudra or Shiva. Hanuman has the head of an animal, which is the meaning of Mrigashira. Hanuman is the incarnation of Lord Rudra, which is indicated by the star Aarudra and which occupies the second part of the day. This indicates that though you see Him with the head of animal externally in the beginning, if you carefully analyze, you can gradually realize that He is Lord Shiva Himself. I have elaborated all this to tell you that the time to answer your question is very congenial and therefore I will reveal the essence of Lord Hanuman. Unless time favours, even divine knowledge cannot come out. The divine knowledge comes out only at the appropriate time.
Hanuman represents a total institution that preaches from L.K.G. [kindergarten] to the highest postgraduate class. His appearance as an animal and the body of a human being, indicates that there are plenty of animals among human beings. The head represents the brain and mental set up. Several human beings behave like animals though they have the form of human beings. Therefore, starting from such kindergarten students, who are like animals in their mental set up, Hanuman stands as the Guru and leads them to the Lord Shiva who represents the postgraduate class. Hanuman is the incarnation of God Shiva. He stands representing both the path and the goal. He acted as a servant of the God, which is the path. It indicates that only service to God can please God. If you take an X-ray photograph of His face, you will find four more faces embedded in His face. The four faces are:
1. Hayagriva. This is the face of a horse that represents knowledge. Hayagriva is very famous for granting knowledge. This represents the face of Brahma, who represents the Veda or knowledge.
2. Varaha. Lord Varaha represents Vishnu because He lifted the earth and maintained it on His mouth. Vishnu is famous for maintenance.
3. Narasimha. This is the face of a lion that represents Lord Shiva. Narasimha destroyed the enemy against all obstructions. Thus it represents total destruction, which cannot be opposed by any force. These three heads represents Lord Datta.
4. Garuda. Garuda represents the highest position in the devotees because none can fly to that height. He has the strength of the bull (Nandi) and the tremendous velocity of the Swan. This shows that Garuda is again another form of Datta with three faces. The Swan represents the knowledge of discrimination because the swan separates milk from water and thus represents Brahma. Garuda is always associated with Lord Vishnu and the mark on His forehead (Tilaka) indicates Vishnu. The bull represents tremendous power, which is Lord Shiva. Thus Garuda is another form of Lord Datta representing service or the path. Thus Hanuman represents Lord Datta along with His most powerful and faithful servant called Kalabhairava. In fact Garuda is another form of Kalabhairava. Thus Hanuman represents a total picture of the path and the goal. Kalabhairava is servant of Lord Datta and since Hanuman is Datta, Kalabhairava is also associated with Hanuman. Moreover, Hanuman and Kalabhairava are the incarnations of God Shiva, who Himself is God Datta. In this way, all divine forms are connected with each other finally resulting in God Datta only.
Hanuman, is the best example for the Yoga given by Patanjali. The first five steps in Yoga refer to perfect physical health and perfect mental health. A sound mind exists in a sound body. Both mind and body are interrelated and affect each other. The ‘Yama’ and ‘Asana’ are related to the exercises of physical body. The monkey form of Hanuman represents good physical exercise because the monkey is always doing the exercise of long and short jumps. The physical exercise and good strength of the body is essential for both worldly life and spiritual life. The Niyama and Pratyahara represent mental exercises and the control of mind.
Hanuman had no family and had left His parents permanently. He was waiting in Kishkindha as per His mother’s instruction to meet the Lord. Thus, He had no selfish mental tensions. Pranayama indicates inhaling fresh oxygen. The air is inhaled for a long time and is stored for a long time. The air should be fresh oxygen. Otherwise if the air contains polluted gases, there is no use of Pranayama. People misunderstand Pranayama and go on doing it in their houses. The very purpose is lost because fresh oxygen is not available in the house. You should at least go to a nearby park containing many trees in the morning. Only in the morning fresh oxygen is released from trees because the photosynthesis takes place only in the presence of sunlight and the water drops that have collected on the leaves during the night. As the sun becomes hot the water evaporates and there is no photosynthesis. Therefore, early in the morning, you should go to a park and do physical exercise. While doing that you can chant devotional songs and let your mind be absorbed in God. Otherwise, worldly matters will spoil the mind. Thus the first five stages represent good physical and mental health, which is essential for efforts in this world as well as in the upper world. Thus Hanuman represents the success of the efforts in this world as well as the success of spiritual efforts in the upper world. He is a complete personality, both materialistic and divine.
The sixth stage is Dharana, which is the formation of the bond with the Lord. The Lord came to Him in the form of Lord Rama, and the bond was formed. The 7th stage is Dhyana, which is strengthening this bond. The eighth and final stage is Samadhi, which is complete determination. Hanuman decided that Rama is the Lord. He never became egoistic by His super powers and even if the Lord did not show the super powers. Ravana who had enough super powers did not attract Him. Thus Hanuman gives us a message that we should not decide the Lord by mere super powers.
The best point in the spiritual effort of Hanuman is that He selected the living human incarnation for worship. This alone is service. In the entire Ramayana there is no single reference where you can find Him doing Japam or Bhajans etc; He only does service to the Lord. He never worshipped statues or energetic forms of God, like Brahma, Vishnu etc., Thus He gives us the message that one should select the human incarnation present in his time. He also worshipped Lord Krishna and heard the Bhagavad Gita by standing on the flag of the chariot. This shows that He believed in the the human incarnation of the Lord coming again and again. His path is the best and the real one because He was given the post of the creator (Brahma).
He never served the Lord expecting anything in return. He served only to please the Lord. With that aim only He chewed all the pearls in the chain given by Sita to find Rama in the pearls. Again Hanuman gives a message here that the Lord does not exist in inert objects because inert objects are not independent whereas the Lord is independent. Thus Hanuman is the best and complete personality to show the path and also the goal. When Hanuman fought with Rama for the protection of Yayati, He acted like that to show that even the highest devotee slips. Hanuman left His mother permanently in search of Rama. For Him the Lord was far greater than His mother and He did not fight with Rama really for the sake of His mother. It was only a role that he played to give us the message that the Lord should be higher than any individual soul in this world. Blessed are the people who follow Hanuman. Simple worship and devotional songs of Hanuman to solve your worldly problems are of no use. Analyse the personality of Hanuman and keep Him as an ideal for your spiritual effort.