Sri Anjaneya Swamy
Specialties:
Rudra Avatar: He is the 11th manifestation of Lord Shiva, born to Anjana and Vayu Deva.
Ultimate Devotee: He is the epitome of selfless service and devotion to Lord Rama.
Great Scholar: Beyond physical strength, he is a master of grammar and Vedas. He is known as 'Buddhimataam Varishtham' (wisest among the wise).
Master of 8 Siddhis: He possesses supernatural powers like changing size at will (Anima and Mahima), which he used while searching for Sita in Lanka.
Chiranjeevi (Immortal): He is one of the seven immortals who are believed to be still present on Earth in their physical or subtle forms.
Remover of Obstacles: Known as 'Sankat Mochan', he protects devotees from evil spirits, planetary defects (Shani Dosha), and fears.
Panchamukha Hanuman: Represents the warrior aspect (Virarupa). He manifested this form to kill the demon Ahiravana by extinguishing five lamps in five different directions simultaneously.
The Five Faces:
1). Hanuman (East): Grants purity and removes sins.
2). Narasimha (South): Removes fear and grants victory.
3). Garuda (West): Drives away evil spirits and heals diseases.
4). Varaha (North): Bestows prosperity and removes planetary defects.
5). Hayagriva (Upward): Grants supreme knowledge and wisdom.
Father: Kesari
Mother: Anjana Devi
Divine Consort: Suvarchala Devi
Children:
Sons: Makaradhwaja
Siblings: Matimaan, Shrutiman, Ketuman, Dhritimaan, and Nandu.
Abode: Mount Gandhamadana in the Himalayas
Vehicle: Ostrich (camel)
Aliases: Hanuman, Pavanaputra, Ramabhakta, Anjaniputra, Bajrangbali, Maruti, Sankatamochan, etc.
Weapon: The Gada (Mace): His primary weapon, symbolizing physical and moral strength. It represents the destruction of ego and the establishment of Dharma.
Birth Secret: To help Lord Rama in the destruction of Ravana, Lord Shiva decided to take birth as Hanuman in his 11th Rudra form. That is why Hanuman is called "Ekadasa Rudra". Hanuman was born due to the energy (power) of Lord Shiva reaching Anjana Devi.
Festivals of Anjaneya: Hanuman Jayanti, Hanumad Vratham
Death: Chiranjeevi (the immortal)
Biography:
Divine Origin and Birth: Anjaneya was born to Anjana, a celestial nymph living as a vanara, and Kesari, a powerful chieftain. His birth was the result of intense penance and the grace of Vayu, the Wind God, who delivered the divine essence of Lord Shiva to Anjana’s womb. Because of this, he is revered as Vayuputra (Son of the Wind) and the Rudra Avatar (an incarnation of Shiva). From his birth, he possessed extraordinary physical power and the ability to fly.
Youth and Intellectual Mastery: As a child, Hanuman was known for his restless energy. In one famous incident, he mistook the sun for a ripe fruit and leaped into the sky to swallow it. This led to an encounter with Indra, the King of Gods, whose thunderbolt struck Hanuman on the jaw (Hanu), giving him his name. To appease the Wind God, the deities granted Hanuman numerous boons, making him invincible to all weapons and elements. He later sought education from Surya, the Sun God, following him across the sky to master the Vedas and the nine systems of grammar in record time.
Meeting Lord Rama and the Quest for Sita: Hanuman’s life took its most significant turn when he met Lord Rama and Lakshmana in the forests of Kishkindha. Acting as the minister to the vanara king Sugriva, Hanuman immediately recognized Rama's divinity and dedicated his life to his service. His most legendary feat occurred during the search for the abducted Sita; he was the only one with the strength and faith to leap across the 100-yojana ocean to Lanka. There, he located Sita in the Ashoka Vatika, gave her Rama’s ring as a token of hope, and famously burned the city of Lanka with his tail to demonstrate his power to Ravana.
Valor in the Great War: During the war against Ravana, Hanuman was Rama’s most vital warrior. When Lakshmana was mortally wounded, Hanuman flew to the Himalayas to retrieve the Sanjeevani herb. Unable to identify the specific plant, he displayed his "Mahima" (the power to increase size) and carried the entire Dronagiri mountain back to the battlefield. His presence was so formidable that he served as the emblem on the flag of Arjuna’s chariot during the later Mahabharata war, symbolizing protection and certain victory.
Immortality and Eternal Presence: Unlike other deities who left the earthly realm, Hanuman was granted the boon of Chiranjeevi (immortality). He chose to remain on Earth as long as the name of Rama is chanted. He is considered the "living god" of the current age (Kali Yuga), representing the perfect synthesis of Bhakti (devotion), Shakti (strength), and Jnana (knowledge). To this day, he is worshipped as the ultimate protector who removes obstacles and provides the courage to overcome any fear.