The full moon day of Chaitra masa (Indian Lunar calender-March 19 - April 17) is the day when mighty lord Hanuman ji's birthday is celebrated, i.e. today 02 April, 2007, on this day he took birth in a cave on the Rushyamuk mountain to mata Anjani and Kapiraj Kesari.It is very interesting to note that, As "Shri Ramachandra", comes to one's mind when ever one is stuck in some difficult situation, Shri Hanuman's name also comes to one's mind when one is faced with grave danger, but the name "Hanuman ji", means different to different age groups.
The birth of Lord Hanuman was due to many factors and reasons,
1. Angira rishi's curse and subsequent blessings to Hanuman ji's mother Anjani.
2. Anjani's prayers
3. Shri Mahadeva's (Shiva's) blessings
4. Attainment of Shiva's divine shakti by Vayu deva
5. The fruit of a Putreshti Yagna
Rishi Angira was summoned in the court of Indra and a beautiful Apsara named Punjikshtala was asked to dance for the entertainment of the rishi, as the Apsara started dancing, the rishi went into meditation, as she finished dancing lord Indra asked the rishi, did you like the dance, O rishi, rishi replied, these things does not interest us, to this the Apsara commented, "How does a rishi know the value of dance in heavens", to this the rishi cursed her, that she would be born as a female monkey in mountain forests, when she asked for forgiveness, rishi told her, not to worry, a great devotee of Shri Vishnu will be born to you and he will have limitless powers.
Hence Shri Hanuman (Result of Shiva's desire to serve Shri Vishnu, hence Hanuman is one of the 11 Rudras forms of Shiva) was born to the monkey queen Anjani and Monkey king Kapiraj Kesari of Mount Sumeru.
He learned everything from Surya deva (Sun), Once when Hanumanji was young Surya deva blessed him with knowledge of countless weapons and mantras. However, Hanuman wanted to swallow the red fruit-the Sun! Indra hit him with his Vajra( Lightening). but later he was blessed by Indra to remain eternally undefeated, victorious. and Varuna deva (water deity) and Yama - deity of death also blessed him with victory and immortality.
From Brahma, he obtained the power of inducing fear in enemies, of destroying fear in friends, to be able to change his form at will and to be able to easily travel wherever he wished. From Lord Shiva he obtained the boons of longevity, scriptural wisdom and ability to cross the ocean by flying.
As a result Hanumanji attained a supremely formidable form but being a monkey started harassing rishis and as a result Bhrigu and Angira rishi's cursed him that he would forget all his powers, and his powers will return to him only when a divine person (Lord Rama) will remind him of his powers.
Then Hanumanji lived an ordinary life in Kishkindha, on Mount Hrushyamuk as Sugriva's advisor. and when Shri Ramachandra and Lakshman reached Kishkindha in search of Sita, they meet Hanuman and the actual spiritual jouney of Lord Hanuman begins.
Hanuman ji is a confluence of integrity, intelligence, patience, strength,valor, wisdom, bhakti, he has taken the Dasa Bhakti to its heights, no one else has reached the heights of dasa Bhakti lord Hanuman has reached and he continues to do so, Dasa Bhakti is the bhakti form, where GOD is the master and the devotee is the servant, once Lord Rama offered him a pearl necklace, Hanuman ji chewed on to every pearl in the necklace and tried to hear something in it and throwed it away, Lord Rama got little upset with this behaviour and asked him, Why he destroyed the necklace, Hanuman ji said, "not a single pearl chanted your name", then he plucked a hair from his body and brought close to Lord Rama's ears and the hair folicle happened to chant Shri Ram, Shri Ram, Shri Ram............., such is the devotion and Bhakti of Hanuman.
For a common man, Hanuman is a symbol of strength and courage, and lot of commedy has been depicted in movies combining the ghosts and the power of Lord Hanuman to ward of the evil forces, but in reality, Hanuman induces limitless powers in the devotee to stand unperturbed in the face of any kind of upheavals or disturbances.
For yougsters and unmarried men he is source of inspiration to maintain their celebacy and even some married men follow this very seriously, for women he is a source of protection limitless purity, while searching for Sita in Lanka, Hanuman had to look at lots of women including Ravana's wife, for a moment he doubted, will this peeping in to women quarters cause any problem to his vow of celebacy (Brahmacharya), then he corrected himself, by saying I am doing this for the lord, so should not be a problem.
Swami Tulsidas, after his broken heart and other episodes of hopelessness, was searching for GOD, then someone pointed towards a particular temple and suggested that every time when there is a prayer of Shri Rama, you will see a begger sitting near by that temple, go to him he is none but Hanuman, later Tulsidas swami got Hanuman's blessing and the result was "Ram Charitra Manas", such is the devotion.
I personaly feel him everywhere in my home, everyday, his warmth and love for Shri Ram flowing through my heart and my sorrounding, Hey Ram! Hey Bajrang bali!
Every Tuesdays and Saturdays are the days when it is very appropriate to worship Hanuman,
Fasting without even water, reading of Hanuman Chalisa, begin reading Hanuman chalisa 100 days before Hanuman Jayanti and end the ritual on this day with sure blessing of Hanuman, you can also read Atha Bajrang Bali Baan, Hanuman Astakam, end with Tulsidas ji's Hanuman Aarti, whatever you read, read with devotion and try to understand each and every word, its meaning and power.
Aarti Kijey Hanuman Lala Ki Dushtdalan Raghunath kala Ki..........................Tulsidas
Sometime back (1991) in India I had a muslim landlord and he was very scared of dark and ghosts etc, in front of our home we had a small Hanuman temple, being a muslim he would not go anywhere near the temple, but one night as I was sleeping on the terrace, he came to me and asked , are you not afraid of dark and ghosts, I said as long as lord Hanuman's temple is in this locality, no evil spirit will come anywhere near you, the next day I saw him standing in front of the Hanuman temple and then onwards he also started sleeping on the terrace and never complained of fear of dark or ghosts, all psychological fear vanished, and I also told him Allah and Shri Hanuman are very deep friends, he was a simple soul, after that, every day he would touch the temple wall while walking past it, though his devotion for Allah remained intact.
For old men and women Shri Hanuman is source of Health and longevity, a direction of life for true devotion and bhakti.
ॐ आन्जनेय विद्महे
महा बलाया धीमहि।
तन्नो हनुमानः प्रचोदयात
ॐ हूँ हनुमते रुद्रात्मकाया हूँ फट
जय बजरंग बलि की जय ||
ॐ नमः शिवाय!
Surya Ianala
On the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti in Montreal, 02 April 2007.
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