Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 13

    

  Shri Hanuman Chalisa

By RahulKSaini - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113402769

दोहा
श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज, निजमन मुकुरु सुधारि। बरनउं रघुबर बिमल जसु, जो दायक फल चारि।।
बुद्धिहीन तनु जानिके, सुमिरौं पवन-कुमार। बल बुधि बिद्या देहु मोहिं, हरहु कलेस बिकार।।
चौपाई
जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुन सागर। जय कपीस तिहुं लोक उजागर।।
राम दूत अतुलित बल धामा। अंजनि-पुत्र पवनसुत नामा।।
महाबीर बिक्रम बजरंगी। कुमति निवार सुमति के संगी।।
कंचन बरन बिराज सुबेसा। कानन कुण्डल कुँचित केसा।।
हाथ बज्र औ ध्वजा बिराजे। कांधे मूंज जनेउ साजे।।

शंकर सुवन केसरी नंदन। तेज प्रताप महा जग वंदन।।

बिद्यावान गुनी अति चातुर। राम काज करिबे को आतुर।।

प्रभु चरित्र सुनिबे को रसिया । राम लखन सीता मन बसिया।। 

सूक्ष्म रूप धरि सियहि दिखावा । बिकट रूप धरि लंक जरावा  ।। 

Please find the links to the previous posts here - 

1. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 1 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
2. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 2 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_21.html
3. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 3 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_22.html
4. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 4 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_24.html
5. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 5 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
6. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 6 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_5.html
7. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 7 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_19.html
8. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 8 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/02/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
9. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 9 - Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 9
10. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 10 - Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 10
11. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 11 - Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 11
12. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 12 - Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 12

Today, let us look at the tenth couplet or Chaupai of Shri Hanuman Chalisa -  

भीम रूप धरि असुर संहारे ।  रामचंद्र के काज सँवारे ॥

"Bhim roop dhari asur sanhaare

Raamchandra ke kaaj sanwaare."

"You took fearsome forms to kill demons. You accomplished Ramchandra's task.”

In this couplet, Goswami Tulsidas is continuing to praise Hanuman for his various forms specially to bring destruction on demons or problems and his virtue of accomplishing the tasks given to him by Shri Ram. 
 
In the Hindu scriptures we have seen many gods taking various forms. Some with multiple heads, multiple limbs carrying weapons and musical instruments and even flowers. Tulsidas is portraying Hanuman in one such method by praising his multiple forms. Across India, we can find various forms of Lord Hanuman, with one of them being his viral-swarup or his cosmic form. In this form he is depicted to have multiple heads. The most popular of them being the 5 headed Hanuman or Panchamukhi Hanuman. The heads other than his monkey form being - that of Horse (representing Wisdom), Lion (representing Valour), Eagle (representing Vision) and Boar (representing Tenacity). This story comes from the Adubhuta Ramayan. The different heads of Hanuman represents a different animals, and a different attributes of Hanuman that all come together to form him as one. Also representing the integration of various elements and power in one simple form that the devotees can understand - Lord Hanuman. This form of Hanuman is called Mahabali and is usually seen independent of Shri Ram. 

Continuing from the previous verse, Tulsidas is praising Hanuman for taking a fearful violent form to destroy the various demons on his path to Lanka and creating obstacles for Hanuman and possibly for Shri Rama when he would approach Lanka. In a very popular form of Hanuman, he is depicted to lift a mountain in one hand and crushing a demon (sometimes two) under his foot.

On his way to Lanka, Hanuman encounters four obstacles - Simhika, Sursa, Mainak  and Lankini. Simhika was a water demon who had the power to capture her prey by catching the shadow in water. She grabs Hanuman's shadow while he was on his way to Lanka and tries to eat Hanuman. Though Hanuman does not resist his capture, he reduces his size so that Simhika could swallow him as a whole. And once inside Simhika's belly, Hanuman escapes by expanding his form so large that Simhika's belly exploded and kills her. 

Sursa on the other hand was a goddess who wanted to test the intellect of Hanuman. She blocks Hanuman's path in the middle of the sea and tells him that can not pass until he enters her mouth. Since this is a boon given to her by the gods, and hanuman recognizing her actual form, bows to her and expands his size larger and larger. Sursa also opens her mouth as wide as possible to be able to swallow the expanding form of Hanuman. Suddenly, when her mouth has been widened a lot, Hanuman takes a very small form, enters her mouth and comes out telling that his promise is completed. 

Mainak parvat or a underwater hill appears in the water from nowhere and offers Hanuman a place to sit while he is flying to Lanka. Mainak was instructed by the ocean to emerge and offer a resting place. Hanuman so determined determined to complete Shri Ram's task given to him, punched Mainak to clear his way. It is said that ever since, the underwater hill has gone back to its underwater state only. 

Finally, when Hanuman reached the island of Lanka he was met by Lankini - the guardian goddess of Lanka. Lankini was the guard of Lanka and fights Hanuman. Upon her defeat she realizes that Hanuman is no ordinary monkey and the end of Lanka is near.

Thus in the four stories, Hanuman is shown to clear obstacles through brute force, cunning and involvement and defeating the problems. 

Finally when Hanuman was captured by Ravana's demons and was brought to Ravana's court, Hanuman takes a fearful form to defeat the demons who tried to catch him or harm him. All this happens only after Hanuman tries to pass on Ram's message to Sita and tries to reason with Ravana. In this transformation, he always kept the task given to him as the supreme priority. This is the epitome of devotion and focus. 

Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 12

   

  Shri Hanuman Chalisa

By RahulKSaini - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113402769

दोहा
श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज, निजमन मुकुरु सुधारि। बरनउं रघुबर बिमल जसु, जो दायक फल चारि।।
बुद्धिहीन तनु जानिके, सुमिरौं पवन-कुमार। बल बुधि बिद्या देहु मोहिं, हरहु कलेस बिकार।।
चौपाई
जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुन सागर। जय कपीस तिहुं लोक उजागर।।
राम दूत अतुलित बल धामा। अंजनि-पुत्र पवनसुत नामा।।
महाबीर बिक्रम बजरंगी। कुमति निवार सुमति के संगी।।
कंचन बरन बिराज सुबेसा। कानन कुण्डल कुँचित केसा।।
हाथ बज्र औ ध्वजा बिराजे। कांधे मूंज जनेउ साजे।।

शंकर सुवन केसरी नंदन। तेज प्रताप महा जग वंदन।।

बिद्यावान गुनी अति चातुर। राम काज करिबे को आतुर।।

प्रभु चरित्र सुनिबे को रसिया । राम लखन सीता मन बसिया।। 

Please find the links to the previous posts here - 

1. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 1 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
2. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 2 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_21.html
3. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 3 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_22.html
4. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 4 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_24.html
5. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 5 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
6. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 6 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_5.html
7. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 7 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_19.html
8. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 8 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/02/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
9. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 9 - Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 9
10. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 10 - Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 10
11. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 11 - Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 11

Today, let us look at the ninth couplet or Chaupai of Shri Hanuman Chalisa -  

सूक्ष्म रूप धरि सियहि दिखावा । बिकट रूप धरि लंक जरावा ॥

"Sukshma room shari Siyahi dikhava

Vikat room shari Lank jaraava."

"You took a small vulnerable form before Sita. You took a giant fearsome form to burn Lanka.”

In this couplet, Goswami Tulsidas is praising Hanuman for his various forms and the ability to change according to the situation. 
 
In all the initial part of the Hanuman Chalisa this far, we have seen a lot of emphasis being placed on the origin, form, attributes, roles and preferences of Shri Hanuman. There is a reference to his mother, earthly and celestial fathers, his appearance, symbols; his love for Shri Ram and his desire to serve Shri Ram.

In this verse, Tulsidas is presenting Lord Hanuman to us with his ability as a shape shifter who knows what shape other respond to. Tulsidas praises Hanuman for his ability to read the situations and his ability to contract and expand himself physically to adapt to the scenario and providing everyone what they need (NOT WHAT THEY WANT). 

The transformation of Hanuman described in this verse comes from the chapter Sundar-kand in the Ramayana. The chapter is named beautiful (Sundar) as it evokes HOPE; the possibility of Sita and Ram reuniting, thanks to to the intervention of Hanuman. It is also thus named as it is the only place where Hanuman experiences the tenderness of Ram's love for Sita and Sita's love for Ram. Hanuman conveys Ram's sorrows to Sita and Sita conveys her feelings to Ram through Hanuman. 

When Hanuman approaches Sita in Lanka, he approaches her with caution. He realized that Ravana had abducted Sita while disguising himself as a sage. Thus, if Hanuman approaches Sita as a monkey who is able to converse in sanskrit or a sage or his large form that he used to get to Lanka, Sita will not be able to trust him. Hanuman realizes that he is but a messenger of Shri Ram and his utmost duty is to convey the message. Hence he takes a form of a small puny monkey who is playful and approaches Sita to gain her trust and make a dialog. Hanuman has this knowledge of understanding the other's mindset and he represents himself in the form that the other can accept. 

Hanuman’s puny form makes Sita wonder how he could possibly have leapt across the sea. So Hanuman reveals his giant form and reassures her. Later, Hanuman lets himself be caught by Ravana’s soldiers so that he gains an audience with the rakshasa-king. Hanuman is astute enough to realize that sensible words will not work with one such as Ravana who is consumed by his own self-importance, and is so frightened that he constantly feels the need to dominate those around him. Unable to break free from his animal nature, Ravana only understands the language of force. So when Ravana refuses to treat Hanuman as a messenger and give him due respect by offering a seat to him, Hanuman creates his own seat, extending and coiling his tail; only Hanuman’s seat is at higher level than Ravana’s throne, forcing Ravana to look up rather than down, a humiliation that Ravana cannot bear. Furious, unnerved, the king of Lanka orders his soldiers to set Hanuman’s tail on fire. Hanuman responds by twirling his tail in every direction, setting fire to Ravana’s beautiful palace and the city of Lanka around it, before leaping off the island-kingdom.

Drawing parallels from this, think how you would dress up when going for an interview as an interviewee or an interviewer! Similarly how we would dress up when we go for a party where we know everyone or where only a few knows us? Different dresses, ornaments that we adorn represent a different form of us. It is important for us to be able to transform ourselves in a manner that we can have a conversation with the other, and allow the other to open up. As humans we have the ability to converse and have a dialog with the other. If we are not able to have a dialog, we are not ready to accept other, there is no difference in us or the animal within. Lord Hanuman shows us the way to transform to a vulnerable yet trustful form that Sita can open her heart to. 

We need to learn from Lord Hanuman, to be able to adapt to the situations. He is an affirmation of the thought that the Change is the only constant. While situations change, the people change and their desires change, one must be able to handle themselves and transform to remain relevant. Relevance is yet another important aspect for having a dialog. 

Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 11

  

  Shri Hanuman Chalisa

By RahulKSaini - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113402769

दोहा
श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज, निजमन मुकुरु सुधारि। बरनउं रघुबर बिमल जसु, जो दायक फल चारि।।
बुद्धिहीन तनु जानिके, सुमिरौं पवन-कुमार। बल बुधि बिद्या देहु मोहिं, हरहु कलेस बिकार।।
चौपाई
जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुन सागर। जय कपीस तिहुं लोक उजागर।।
राम दूत अतुलित बल धामा। अंजनि-पुत्र पवनसुत नामा।।
महाबीर बिक्रम बजरंगी। कुमति निवार सुमति के संगी।।
कंचन बरन बिराज सुबेसा। कानन कुण्डल कुँचित केसा।।
हाथ बज्र औ ध्वजा बिराजे। कांधे मूंज जनेउ साजे।।

शंकर सुवन केसरी नंदन। तेज प्रताप महा जग वंदन।।

बिद्यावान गुनी अति चातुर। राम काज करिबे को आतुर।।

Please find the links to the previous posts here - 

1. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 1 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
2. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 2 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_21.html
3. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 3 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_22.html
4. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 4 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_24.html
5. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 5 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
6. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 6 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_5.html
7. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 7 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_19.html
8. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 8 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/02/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
9. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 9 - Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 9
10. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 10 - Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 10

Today, let us look at the eighth couplet or Chaupai of Shri Hanuman Chalisa -  

प्रभु चरित्र सुनिबे को रसिया । राम लखन सीता मन बसिया ॥

"Prabhu charitra sunibe ko rasiya.

Ram Lakhan Sita man basiya."

"Ram’s stories  you enjoy listening.

Ram, Lakshman  Sita as well, always reside in your heart.”

In this couplet, Goswami Tulsidas is praising Hanuman for his devotion to Lord Ram. 
 
Per the Hindu traditions, one can expand their mind and discover the divinity within themselves by listening to the stories of the divine. This puts an emphasis on the process of Shravana. The stories from the Purana literature are the containers(patra) of Vedic wisdom (Atma-Gyan or Knowledge of Self). Stories may be of different types – 

• Memoirs (Itihaas or Historical), 
• Chronicles (Purana)
• Epics (Maha-Kavya)
• Narratives (Akhyana)
• Glories (Mahatmya)
• Biographies (Charitra)
• Songs (Gita)
• Prose-poetry (Chhand or Kavya)

Hanuman nourishes himself intellectually and emotionally by listening to the stories of Ram. 
 
Traditionally, in gatherings where Ram’s story is read out, one seat is always left vacant. Hanuman is described as rasika, one who enjoys the aesthetic juices (rasa) of Ram’s tale. As per Hindu aesthetics, a good story is like good food. It needs to have multiple flavours that stir the senses and arouse emotions, for only then can it incept thoughts that can help expand the mind.
 
In folk tradition, Hanuman grows up listening to stories of Ram narrated by his mother. How is that possible? How can Hanuman hear stories of events that he himself participated in? In the Hindu worldview, the world goes through cycles of re-birth and re-death, just like any other living creature. In each of its lifetimes (kalpa), “there has been a Ramayana, everyone in every age knows the story of Ram. Anjana narrates to Hanuman stories of Ram from an earlier kalpa.

Hanuman is so excited to hear the story of Ram that he desires to meet Ram. And so he goes to the city of Ayodhya where he learns that Ram, the prince, is craving for a pet. Hanuman lets himself be captured by the soldiers who gift him to the prince. That way Hanuman becomes Ram’s pet and also spends his childhood as Ram’s companion. Thus, in local oral traditions, Hanuman is with Ram throughout his life, not just after Sita’s abduction as narrated in various Sanskrit and regional texts.
 
In the Valmiki Ramayana, when Ram and Sugriv meet for the first time, they exchange stories. Ram tells him his tragedy, how Ravana abducted his wife. Sugriv tells him his tragedy, how Vali usurped his kingdom. Hanuman realizes that Ram’s story has a solution for Sugriv’s problem, and Sugriv’s story has a solution for Ram’s problem. If Ram helps Sugriv get his kingdom, Sugriv will help Ram find his wife. Listening to each other’s stories reveals mutual benefit. Had stories not been shared, “neither would the problem be understood nor would a solution have been found.

To see the other is to hear their stories. Brahma, the creator of all living organisms, and his children, such as Indra, are not worshipped because they do not care for other people’s stories; they are consumed by their own. In exasperation, Shiva beheads Brahma, which is why Shiva is called Kapalika. Shiva has learned the importance of storytelling from Shakti. Together they establish their relationship by telling each other stories, stories that overheard by birds and fish and shared with the rest of the world.”
 
Vishnu hears the stories of Brahma’s children, and nudges them to hear the stories of those around them. But reciprocity is not easy. By listening to Sugriv’s story, Ram not only understands his problem, he also understands Sugriv’s personality. He realizes that Sugriv sees him as an ally but has doubts. So Ram shoots a single arrow through seven trees, earning Sugriv’s admiration and trust. Ram also realizes that after getting his kingdom, Sugriv will forget his end of the bargain, not because he is a cheat, but simply because he is so consumed by what he wants from others, that he is unable to see what others want from him. Still, he gives Sugriv the benefit of the doubt and helps him overpower Vali.

When Sugriv hears Ram’s story, he sees a prince in distress and a potential ally in his fight against Vali. He sees what value Ram brings to him; he does not see Ram for what Ram is. By contrast, just by hearing Ram’s story, Hanuman realizes that Ram is no ordinary human: his story has no villains, or victims, or heroes, just hungry and frightened humans seeking meaning. Hanuman recognizes Ram as the embodiment of divine potential, of atma, of dharma, all that is referred to in the Vedas, all that was taught to him by Surya.

Hanuman does Ram’s darshan each time he hears Ram’s story. He wants to participate in it, even as a minor character, for he relishes the idea of being part of Ram’s story. One day, he narrated the story of Ramayana to his mother: how the monkeys and he built the bridge to Lanka, fought the rakshasas, killed Ravana and reunited Sita with Ram. Anjana was not impressed, for she felt her son was not living up to his potential. ‘You could have just swung your tail and defeated the demons and rescued Sita without this whole charade of building a bridge and fighting a war. Why didn’t you?’ she asked. Hanuman replied, ‘Because Ram did not ask me to.’ Hanuman knew the Ramayana was Ram’s story, not his. He did not want to control or appropriate or overshadow Ram’s story. It was about Ram, not him.

It is significant that the very first narrator of the Ramayana is Hanuman himself: he describes Ram to Sugriv, he tells the story of Ram’s adventures to Sita when he meets her in Lanka and does the same when he meets Bharat in Ayodhya. Later, he writes the first biography of Ram known as Hanuman Nataka, but destroys it so that Valmiki gets the credit of writing the first epic on Ram.

In stories, Hanuman observes Ram’s relationship with Lakshman and Sita, and realizes how Ram’s brother and Ram’s wife complete him, and how he completes them. When Hanuman places all three of them in his heart, he is essentially placing in his heart the idea of relationship: that the self is incomplete without the other; that the self exists in an ecosystem of others. That is why in Hindu temples, no deity is placed alone: the deity always has a spouse, or a child, or a companion, or an attendant. Even Hanuman, who has no relatives, is not placed alone; we know that in his heart is present his master, who in turn is accompanied by his brother and his wife.

This value placed on relationship between the self and the other is key to Hindu stories. Most mythologies, ideologies and philosophies around the world can be broadly classified into two categories: individualistic and collectivist. Individualistic mythologies value the one over the group. Collectivist mythologies value the group over the one. Greek and Taoist ways, for example, are individualistic; Abrahamic and Confucian ways are collectivist. One can even classify Shaivite mythologies as individualistic and Vaishnavite mythologies as collectivist. However, that is not quite accurate. Hindu mythologies are best understood in terms of relationship: Shiva’s relationship with Shakti and Vishnu’s relationship with Lakshmi. Instead of the binary of the individual and the group, Hinduism focuses on the relationship between two individuals (dvait). Shiva tends to withdraw from the other; Vishnu engages with the other.

When we relish the stories of the gods as Hanuman does, we see the gods truly, and recognize their presence or absence in us, just like Hanuman.

* Many thanks to Hanuman Chalisa by Devdutt Pattnaik

Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 10

 

  Shri Hanuman Chalisa

By RahulKSaini - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113402769

दोहा
श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज, निजमन मुकुरु सुधारि। बरनउं रघुबर बिमल जसु, जो दायक फल चारि।।
बुद्धिहीन तनु जानिके, सुमिरौं पवन-कुमार। बल बुधि बिद्या देहु मोहिं, हरहु कलेस बिकार।।
चौपाई
जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुन सागर। जय कपीस तिहुं लोक उजागर।।
राम दूत अतुलित बल धामा। अंजनि-पुत्र पवनसुत नामा।।
महाबीर बिक्रम बजरंगी। कुमति निवार सुमति के संगी।।
कंचन बरन बिराज सुबेसा। कानन कुण्डल कुँचित केसा।।
हाथ बज्र औ ध्वजा बिराजे। कांधे मूंज जनेउ साजे।।

शंकर सुवन केसरी नंदन। तेज प्रताप महा जग वंदन।।

Please find the links to the previous posts here - 

1. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 1 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
2. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 2 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_21.html
3. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 3 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_22.html
4. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 4 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_24.html
5. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 5 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
6. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 6 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_5.html
7. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 7 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_19.html
8. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 8 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/02/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
9. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 9 - Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 9

Today, let us look at the seventh couplet or Chaupai of Shri Hanuman Chalisa -  

बिद्यावान गुनी अति चातुर। राम काज करिबे को आतुर।।

“Vidyavaan guni

ati chatur.

Ram kaj

karibe ko aatur.”

Goswami Tulsidas is continuing to praise Lord Hanuman and his qualities. In the same theme, the poet describes some more qualities of Hanuman and his actions.

Tulsidas ji praises Hanuman for his knowledge as well as his smartness. He says that you are so smart and full of knowledge and always ready to do the actions for Ram. This is a quality we all should imbibe.

In one of the stories, Hanuman asks his mother that he wants to learn and gain knowledge. With her understanding, his mother suggested him to go to the Sun god who is supposed to travel all over every day and probably has all the knowledge possible. Inspired, Hanuman goes to the Sun requesting knowledge. Sun suggested that he continuously travels East to West and takes no breaks. Hence he has no time to sit down and teach Hanuman. Hanuman then comes up with two different solutions per various stories - 

1. Hanuman flies in front of the Sun's chariot facing the Sun continously and absorbing the knowledge in this process
2. Hanuman stands tall with one leg towards east and the other towards west, following the Sun's chariot all the time to learn from Sun

Looking at Hanuman's methods, not only Sun gave all the knowledge, but also praised Hanuman for his smartness. 

The lesson to learn from this portion of the couplet is to have the smartness along with the knowledge from the books. A person may have read all the books and could be called learned as he knows how to read, but unless he knows how to utilize his learnings he can not be called as knowledgeable. Along with smartness, the will to learn is also very important. Hanuman shows all the traits - he has the will to learn, he is ready to pay the price for learning, he finds his teacher and he is ready to apply his learnings.  This is the definition of an ideal student. 

Hanuman's cleverness is also seen in another story from Ramcharitmanas, when he jumps over the ocean to go to Lanka in search of Sita. While he was flying over the ocean, a serpent named Sursa looks at him hoping to catch him for her food. She had supernatural powers and hence is successful in catching Hanuman. Hanuman requests her to leave him as he is on a task for his Lord Ram. Sursa wanted to test Hanuman's intellect and says that she has been hungry for a long time and it would not be correct for Hanuman to go without satiating her hunger. She suggested she would only leave Hanuman if he could go inside her mouth and come out. Hanuman then prays to Sursa that he is too small to satiate her hunger. He recommends to grow his size so that Sursa can have a sumptuous meal. Just as he grows his size, Sursa opens her mouth widely to consume Hanuman. When Sursa's mouth was open too large that she could not see him, Hanuman shrunk himself and flew inside Sursa's mouth and came out. He bows down to Sursa who then blessed him with all praises for his smartness, tact and devotion towards Ram. 

Hanuman's knowledge and smartness is also coupled with another facet - self-awareness. Hanuman is so self aware that he does not looks at others to gain his powers or energy. He is not looking for anything as he has overcome his own hunger. He is so devoted that he is always known as a servant to Ram, despite of his knowledge and power.Hanuman has offered himself and all his identity to Ram. Contrasting Hanuman is another learned person in the forest - Ravana. Ravana has all the knowledge of the Vedas and Puranas. yet, he is looking at others to praise him, boost his ego. Ravana expels his brother when he praises Rama over Ravana. 

There are a few folk stories as to how Ram and Hanuman met each other. 

In Ramcharitmanas, we know that Ram and Lakshman were in the forest looking for Sita when Ravana had abducted her. During their search, they met Hanuman who took them to the exiled monkey king - Sugreeva. 

In another folk tale, when Ram was a little boy, he felt lonely and wanted a pet. knowing his desire Shiva came to Ram's palace as a juggler with a pet monkey - Hanuman. On Kaushalya's (Ram's mother) insistence, the juggler gave the pet to Ram. When Vishwamitra takes Rama to the forests for learning, Hanuman goes to kishkindha waiting for Ram's return. 

Later in Ramayana, when Ram defeats Ravana and returns to Ayodhya, Hanuman accompanies Ram. He continues to serve Ram and stays with him till his last time on the earth. When Ram was returning back to Vaikunth as Vishnu's time on the earth was over, he requested Hanuman to stay back on the earth and carry his name and legacy forward. Ram suggested Hanuman to stay and support when he comes back as Krishna and later help humans when they worship Ram. 

 

Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 9

  Shri Hanuman Chalisa

By RahulKSaini - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113402769

दोहा
श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज, निजमन मुकुरु सुधारि। बरनउं रघुबर बिमल जसु, जो दायक फल चारि।।
बुद्धिहीन तनु जानिके, सुमिरौं पवन-कुमार। बल बुधि बिद्या देहु मोहिं, हरहु कलेस बिकार।।
चौपाई
जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुन सागर। जय कपीस तिहुं लोक उजागर।।
राम दूत अतुलित बल धामा। अंजनि-पुत्र पवनसुत नामा।।
महाबीर बिक्रम बजरंगी। कुमति निवार सुमति के संगी।।
कंचन बरन बिराज सुबेसा। कानन कुण्डल कुँचित केसा।।
हाथ बज्र औ ध्वजा बिराजे। कांधे मूंज जनेउ साजे।।

Please find the links to the previous posts here - 

1. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 1 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
2. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 2 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_21.html
3. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 3 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_22.html
4. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 4 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_24.html
5. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 5 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
6. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 6 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_5.html
7. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 7 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_19.html
8. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 8 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/02/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html

Today, let us look at the sixth couplet or Chaupai of Shri Hanuman Chalisa -  

शंकर सुवन केसरी नंदन। तेज प्रताप महा जग वंदन।।

“Sankar suvan

Kesari nandan.

Tej prataap

maha jag bandan.”

Goswami Tulsidas is continuing to praise Lord Hanuman and his qualities. In the same theme, the poet connects Hanuman with Shiva and praises the greatness of Lord Hanuman.

In this couplet, the poet suggests a connection between Hanuman and Shiva. By saying that though Hanuman is known as Kesari Nandan - the son of Kesari, Hanuman is also a part of Lord Shankar or Shiva. Hanuman's asceticism and disconnect from the worldly affairs makes this connection plausible. At the same time, this connection is also very important from the very fact that it tries to connect the divide between the Shaivite and Vaishnav sects of Hinduism. 

In the Ramayana, Ram who's is an incarnation of Vishnu kills Ravana who is a devotee of Shiva. This angers the people following the Shaivite thoughts. To counter, they suggested Hanuman is form of Shiva as he is celibate, content and has no wants and needs of his own. Hanuman's color is also white like camphor representing the white color of Shiva. There has always been a difference of opinions amongst the two sects, but during the Ramcharit Manas, Tulsidas has deftly shown occasions where Shiva is seen to be worshipping Rama who is a form of Vishnu. And Rama sets up the Shiva idol for worshipping at Rameshwaram. In the Hanuman Chalisa, Tulsidas ji continues this attempt displaying how Hanuman, being a form of Shiva is a devotee of Rama and considers himself in a perennial service of his Lord Rama. 

As the stories have it, when Shiva saw the Mohini incarnation of Vishnu, he got invigorated. The wind god Vayu, collected the Shiva's sweat and poured it in the ear of Anjana - a vanara woman. Anjana later gave birth to Hanuman and her husband Kesari brought him up as his own. Thus Hanuman has the names - Aanjaneya and Kesari nanadan. Besides a mortal father (Kesari) and a Vedic father (Vayu), Hanuman also has a Puranic father (Shiva). Besides a mortal mother (Anjani), Hanuman also has a celestial mother (Shakti).

According to the Shaivites, Shiva himself descended to kill Ravana - an errant Shiva devotee. As per their stories, Ravana offered his ten heads to Shiva and thus gained boons that made him very powerful. However, Rudra is the eleventh form of Shiva and Ravana's ten heads only satiated ten forms of Shiva. As the eleventh unhappy form Rudra took the form of Hanuman. Hence, Hanuman is also known as Raudreya. 

Vishnu worshippers argued that Hanuman obeyed Rama's orders or wishes. However, Shiva worshippers counter argue that Ram would've never been able to find Sita if Hanuman did not come to rescue. In one of the Telugu retelling of Ramayana, though Rama was informed that Ravana's life resided in his navel, Rama's nobility did not allow him to shoot the arrow below the neck. Thus when Ram shot the arrow at Ravana's head, Hanuman sucked the air into his nostrils causing the arrow to shift direction and hitting Ravana's navel. 

Hanuman's celibacy has also encouraged his association with Shiva, thus reinforcing him to be a great idol for the various ascetic schools of Hinduism, including the Natha-yogis, Vedantic maths who followed Madhavacharya and also Sant Ramdas who inspired Maratha warriors 400 years ago. It was later during the Bhakti movement, that Shiva became a householder Shankara and even ascetic Hanuman became an obedient devotee of Rama for the benefit of the society. 

At one point, women were not allowed to enter a Hanuman temple. It was said that his celibate radiance is so strong that it can make the women pregnant. Though the masculine nature of Hanuman has toned down over the centuries, the stories of his radiance are still boundless. Since there is no Shiva without Shakti, it is said that Hanuman's tail is a form of Shakti. She follows him wherever he goes and accompanies him always. 

Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 8

 Shri Hanuman Chalisa

By RahulKSaini - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=113402769

श्रीगुरु चरन सरोज रज निज मनु मुकुरु सुधारि

बरनऊं रघुबर बिमल जसु जो दायकु फल चारि

बुद्धिहीन तनु जानिके सुमिरौं पवन कुमार

बल बुद्धि बिद्या देहु मोहिं हरहु कलेस बिकार

जय हनुमान ज्ञान गुन सागर

जय कपीस तिहुं लोक उजागर

रामदूत अतुलित बल धामा

अंजनि पुत्र पवनसुत नामा

महाबीर बिक्रम बजरंगी 

कुमति निवार सुमति के संगी 

कंचन बरन बिराज सुबेसा 

कानन कुण्डल किंचित केसा 

Please find the links to the previous posts here - 

1. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 1 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
2. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 2 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_21.html
3. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 3 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_22.html
4. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 4 - https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2024/12/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_24.html
5. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 5 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to.html
6. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 6 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_5.html
7. Shri Hanuman Chalisa - an attempt to explanation - 7 -https://nitswe.blogspot.com/2025/01/shri-hanuman-chalisa-attempt-to_19.html

Today, let us look at the fifth couplet or Chaupai of Shri Hanuman Chalisa -  

हाथ बज्र अरु ध्वजा बिराजे ।

काँधे मूँज जनेऊ साजे ॥

Hath Vajra Aur Dhuvaje Viraje

Kaandhe moonj janehu sajai

In the previous couplet, the poet praised Shri Hanuman Ji for his looks and the features he got through his birth. 

In this couplet, the poet proceeds to praise Shri Hanuman ji for his adornments and the symbolism of what he is carrying himself. The poet is praising Hanuman carrying a Vajra (Lighnting bolt) in one hand and a flag in the other. 

Tulsidas ji is praising Hanuman for carrying a lightning bolt or a vajra in his one hand. A Vajralooks like a lightning bolt or a stick. Over a period of time, the stick has been modified to be a mace or a gada which has a round weight at one end and a stick not he other to hold it in place. It is said that when Hanuman was a kid, he was hit by Indra with his weapon - the Vajra or the lightning bolt. Later realizing his own mistake, Indra had revived Hanuman and had gifted his own weapon to Hanuman which is what Hanuman adorns as a lightning bolt or a mace. Lord Hanuman carrying a weapon in this couplet also signifies his relation to the warrior clan or the Kshatriya class of people. 

The poet proceeds to praise Hanuman ji for carrying a flag. It is customary for the warriors to carry their own flag. A flag signifies their presence and every warrior is supposed to have a unique flag as their own identification. However, though Hanuman is carrying a flag, he is not carrying his own. Instead he is carrying the flag of Lord Ram, signifying his devotion to his master and carrying out escapades in Lord Ram's name. Hanuman never fought or did any act for his own self, but for his idol, master, god - Lord Ram. In this couplet, the significance is towards the devotion and the sevient nature of Hanuman, thus compiling him with the servant class of people. 

Goswami Tulsidas ji continues further in praising Lord Hanuman for adorning a thread over his shoulders signifying a Janeyu. A Janeyu is a sacred thread worn by the brahmins when the go through the education and the rituals of being initiated as a brahmin. A thread through the body shows the person is a learned one and has the knowledge far more superior than an ordinary human. A learned person can see and think beyond himself and can see through the others too. Adding to the sanctity of the thread worn by Hanuman it is said to be made of the moonj grass which is very strong. The moonj grass is found only in the Tarai region of India along the banks of rivers Ganga and Yamuna. Signifying that Lord Hanuman belongs to the northern region of India and has brahmanical qualities. 

The poet has connected Hanuman with every facet of the Indian society and has described him to be a pan-caste god who adorns everyone and everything equally in his quest for serving his lord - Shri Ram. 

While praising Lord Hanuman for what he is, the poet is now shifting towards his devotion and is trying to tell us the meaning of devotion for all of us.