Hanuman
From Association of Independent Readers and Rootworkers
| ||||||||
Hanuman is the friend and devotee of the deva Rama and his consort Sita, who is usually understood as an avatar of the devi Lakshmi. Among adherents of Hindu traditional religions he has a central role in "The Ramayana," a heroic tale describing Rama's war against the evil demon Ravana, who has abducted Sita. Hanuman is a general among the martial varanas, an ape-like race that dwells in the forest where much of the Ramayana takes place.
There are variations in scripture concerning the origin of the Hindu gods and goddesses. In the case of Hanuman, according to one tradition, his mother was an Apsara, a fairy-like creature, who was cursed to be born as an ape-like varana. but was then told that her curse would be lifted when she gave birth to a child who was an incarnation or avatar of Shiva. After devoted prayer and austerities Hanuman was born and she was freed of the curse. In another tale of Hanuman's birth, he is the son of Vayu, the deva of the wind. In keeping with his divine origina, Hanuman has a variety of supernatural abilities, among them the ability to make his body rock-hard, so that no weapons can penetrate his skin. He can change his size from very small to very large, and when he is at his largest size, he can lift mountains. His association with the deva of the wind accounts for his ability to fly, and also in his ability to hold and then exhale huge amounts of breath, causing windstorms. As the general of the monkey-army, Hanuman is a strong protector of the hero Rama and his wife Sita as they battle the evil demon king Ravana. When Sita is kidnapped by Ravana, it is Hanuman who gets word to Lord Rama. He then leads the varanas in battle against Ravana, and he stays by Rama's side until Sita has been retrieved.
Within the Hindu religious tradition, Hanuman is always depicted as having a monkey face and usually has a human body. On his head he often wears a martial helmet and the armour of a general, including a breast plate, loincloth, and necklaces. He is sometimes shown lifting a Himalayan mountain and flying with it to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) to bring a rare magical herb to Rama, which was needed to restore Sita to life. He may also be shown kneeling in devotion before Rama, bearing his breast to show his beating heart in a gesture that resembles Catholic representations of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
Hoodoo psychic readers, spirit workers, and root doctors who petition the Hindu deities on behalf of clients may work with Hanuman when there are pending issues concerning Spirituality, safe travel, especially by air, and matters of Success, Personal Power, Mastery, and Wisdom.
Credits
This page is brought to you by the AIRR Tech Team:
- Author: Miss Bri
- Contributors: cat yronwode
- Image: Unknown artist; art sourced by cat yronwode
