{"id":853,"date":"2019-04-18T07:14:04","date_gmt":"2019-04-18T07:14:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chinmayaupahar.in\/blog\/?p=853"},"modified":"2019-04-28T12:01:11","modified_gmt":"2019-04-28T06:31:11","slug":"the-hanuman-chalisa-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/2019\/04\/18\/the-hanuman-chalisa-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"The Hanuman Chalisa &#8211; Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many fantastic stories that we hear of the power of singing the Hanuman Chalisa with faith and devotion. All the \u2018Beeja Mantras\u2019 are included within the Chalisa. This further enhances the potency of this most renowned devotional poem.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Every time we chant the Hanuman Chalisa, we have the opportunity of remembering the amazing personality of Sri Hanuman, the greatest devotee of Lord Rama. Read about <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.chinmayaupahar.in\/blog\/life-leadership-lessons-hanuman\/\">Life &amp; Leadership Lessons from Hanuman<\/a><\/span><\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Benefits of Hanuman Chalisa:<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It makes us more efficient in our work by removing mental obstacles.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It fills us with rich values and virtues required in spiritual life.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It gives all abilities needed for success in spiritual and material endeavour.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It grants us success in whatever we undertake.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It bestows peace of mind and happiness.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It helps us to overcome difficulties in life; problems miraculously disappear.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It helps seekers to practice Brahmacharya or celibacy.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Watch <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_ifs_i1kMu0\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\">Shri Hanuman Chalisa &#8211; Chinmaya mission<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> here.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Regular chanting of the Sri Hanuman Chalisa will bring about a spiritual transformation in this world. Thus, it is a service to humanity to chant it regularly.<\/b><\/p>\n<h3>Doha 1: The Grace of the Guru<\/h3>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sri guru charana saroja raja, Nija mana mukuru sudhaari;<\/span><\/i><br \/>\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Baranaun raghuvara vimala jasu, Jo daayaku phala chaari.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a spotless (serene) mind, purified by the dust of the lotus feet of my Guru, I now proceed to describe the unblemished glory of Sri Hanuman, the most exalted one of the Raghu family, who is capable of bestowing the four Purusharthas (attainments) on his devotees.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We do not start any project without first seeking the blessings of the Guru. Everything is possible only with the Grace of Guru and the Lord. All our shortcomings are removed by the grace of Guru. In the Guru, all Deities are present. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Ego has the cunning ability to poison even the most noble of ventures. If it creeps into our endeavours it is like a cancer. Therefore, we invoke the blessings of the Guru to protect us from this biggest obstacle coming in the way of all our endeavours.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only humility can break the chains of our Ego. Therefore, the devotee seeks to place himself at the dust of the Guru\u2019s feet! A devotee of Krishna visiting Brindavan said that he felt blessed because he was treading the ground on which the cows of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.chinmayaupahar.in\/Kids\/Little-Gods-Keychains\/Moulded-Krishna\">Krishna<\/a><\/span><\/span> had walked! Such was his feeling of humility that everything associated with Krishna\u2019s life was sacred.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once Rishi Narada saw Krishna in meditation, and became filled with a strange curiosity. When Krishna got up, Narada asked him, \u201cLord, the whole world meditates on You. Tell me, on whom were You meditating?\u201d Krishna then answered, \u201cI meditate on the feet of saints and sages, wishing that some of the dust of their feet falls on Me!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Why is Hanuman called here as part of the Raghu family? <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He was indeed the \u2018son of Rama\u2019. Even before Rama Himself called him as His son, Mother Sita had addressed him as Her son when Hanuman met Her in the Ashoka Grove in Lanka. So he was accepted as a \u201cRaghu-vamshi\u201d. True to this place of honour in the Raghu family, he fulfilled all his duties as a son would.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A legend has it that when Dasaratha distributed the divine Payasam to his three wives so that they will bear him children, one kite flew into Sumitra\u2019s room and took some of it and flew off. The kite dropped this Prasad in the air; the Wind-god carried it and gave it to Anjani-Devi, who then gave birth to Hanuman. So Hanuman also can be regarded as the brother of <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.chinmayaupahar.in\/blog\/rama\/\">Lord Rama<\/a><\/span><\/span>, not just His son!<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Doha 2: Remover of All Afflictions<\/h3>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Buddhi heena tanu jaanike, Sumirau pavana kumara;<\/span><\/i><br \/>\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bala buddhi vidyaa dehu mohin, Harahu kalesa bikaara.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Knowing that I am ignorant, I pray to you, Sri Hanuman, the son of the Wind-God, to bless me with strength, wisdom and knowledge. Do banish all my afflictions. Due to the dust over a mirror we cannot see clearly a reflection in it. Similarly, due to impurities covering our heart, we cannot access the treasures that are within us. Strength, wisdom and knowledge are within; we need to banish all the afflictions which cover it up. This is what we pray for to Sri Hanuman.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sensuality is the biggest affliction that a human being suffers from. If that is removed, our \u2018mirror\u2019 will get cleared and God can be reflected clearly in it. To live in this world without having the \u2018dirt\u2019 of criticism flung at us is almost impossible. Even great ones like the Prophets faced their share of critics. Perhaps the only great personage in history who did not go through that was Hanuman. No one could find a single fault in him! <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even if people did find fault in him, he would not have been affected because he did everything in Sri Rama\u2019s Name. So, Hanuman becomes the ideal for us to banish afflictions from our life.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Swamiji told us that most people pray with an incorrect attitude to God. They are not praying for good qualities, but they are \u2018preying\u2019 on God for things they wish to have. Most people\u2019s prayers fall into one of these three categories: i) a shopping list; ii) a demand list; or iii) a complaint list!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What makes a prayer effective? <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The most essential quality in prayer is humility. In Indian culture this is built-in through the \u00a0practice of bowing down to all elders. Bowing is a tradition in India. It signifies humility. One puts aside his pride when he bows before others.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Chowpais 01 \u2013 02: Victory to Hanuman!<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jaya hanumaana jnaana guna saagara,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jaya kapisha tihu loka ujaagara;<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Raama doota atulita bala dhaamaa,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Anjani putra pavana suta naamaa.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Victory to you, O Hanuman, who is an ocean of knowledge and virtue! <\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Victory to you, O Lord of the monkeys, who is well known in all the three worlds!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You are the envoy of Lord Rama, an abode of incomparable strength, the son of Anjani, and popularly known by the name Pavanasuta (son of the Wind-god). <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first word of the Hanuman Chalisa is significantly Jaya, meaning \u201cvictory\u201d. The highest victory is the attainment of Paramatman. Hanuman\u2019s life is itself the greatest inspiration for victory. He succeeded in everything that he did, because everything he did was done as an instrument in the hands of Sri Rama. He gave all credit to Rama for whatever he did. That is why he was successful.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The name Hanuman comes from an incident with Indra. When Hanuman had leapt up towards the sun, Indra\u2019s jealousy was aroused. He threw his thunderbolt at Hanuman. But Hanuman was so strong that he did not get any serious injury \u2013 only his chin broke on landing on the ground. Hanu means \u201cchin\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A proud man is known to lift his chin in pride. Hanuman had no pride; this is also the spiritual meaning of having a \u2018broken chin\u2019, he had no ego. When someone asked Pujya Gurudev to show his chin (which meant he would have to shave off his beard) he said, \u201cMy chin, too, is broken, if that is what you want to know!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is an anecdote about a wife and husband. She would always ask him for money. But when she went with him to the temple, she would pray for wisdom, intelligence, virtue, etc. The husband asked her why she did not ask him for these things, too. She replied, that she could only ask for something which she knew the person had!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This answers why we ask Hanuman for knowledge and virtues? Since he is an ocean of knowledge and virtue, he will have no difficulty in giving us these. We may have \u00a0knowledge, but if it is without virtue, then it is a great obstacle. Hence the two have to go together always.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>What is the secret of victory or success? <\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To remain free from anxieties of the future; and free from regrets and conditionings of the past. This is the path of optimum stress, neither too much nor too little. The way Hanuman achieved this was by surrendering everything to the Lord. He dedicated all deeds to Rama. He was Rama\u2019s true envoy.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Chowpais 03 \u2013 04: His Magnetic Personality<\/h3>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mahaabeera bikrama bajarangee,<\/span><\/i><br \/>\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kumati nivaara sumati ke sangee;<\/span><\/i><br \/>\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kanchana barana biraaja suveshaa,<\/span><\/i><br \/>\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kaanana kundala kunchita keshaa.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a body as strong as a thunderbolt, you are a great warrior of incomparable valour. Do remove my wicked thoughts and grant me the company of the wise. Your golden glow of your complexion is like the attractive garment (which you wear); (your virtues are like) your glittering earrings and your curly hair. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Mahaveer:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This refers not only to the physical strength of a warrior, but also the strength derived from knowledge, virtue and renunciation (Vidya, Dharma and Tyaga). Hanuman, who possessed all these strengths, is therefore called a Mahaveer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kumati and Sumati: \u2018Ku\u2019 is a prefix which stands for that which is ignoble, vulgar, detestable and wicked. \u2018Su\u2019 stands for the opposite, that is, all that is noble, inspiring, worthy and beneficial. Mati means the intellect. Hanuman is the Deity who can bless us to give up the former and acquire the latter. The intellect is the \u2018boss\u2019 of the mind. If the intellect is adjusted correctly, everything functions well.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Going from \u2018Ku\u2019 to \u2018Su\u2019 requires Satsang, the good company of the wise. When Hanuman entered Lanka, the security officer in charge there was a lady, a \u2018Lankini\u2019. Being very alert and vigilant, she caught Hanuman and wanted to have him for her food. Hanuman used his Buddhi to make himself as small as a mosquito. When Lankini put him into her mouth, he blew himself up to a mighty form and felled her. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Lankini at once bowed to him with respect and submission. She considered the blow she received as a blessing. She was really blessed by Satsang \u2013 the good, ennobling presence of Hanuman. Kanchana Barana: Hanuman\u2019s beauty was very attractive to others, both physical and spiritual beauty. The beauty of virtue gave him a golden aura. The real power of attraction possessed by Hanuman was in his love for God. That drew others to him. The earrings and curly locks of nobility is what attracted people to him.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Chowpais 05 \u2013 06 : Hanuman\u2019s Ornaments<\/h3>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Haatha bajra au dhvajaa biraajai,<\/span><\/i><br \/>\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kandhe moonja janeu saajai;<\/span><\/i><br \/>\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sankara suvana kesaree nandana<\/span><\/i><br \/>\n<i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Teja prataapa mahaa jaga vandana.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You have the thunderbolt in one hand and the flag in the other, and the sacred thread across your shoulder made of munja grass decorates you. You are the son of Shiva and also of Kesari. Everyone in the world respects you because of your luster and great valour.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Gada or thunderbolt we see Hanuman carrying is a symbol that was added later to represent his power. Actually Hanuman\u2019s weapons were quite primitive. What would a monkey use to protect himself? Stones, boulders, uprooted trees, etc is what he used.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He used his tail, too, as a weapon. When it was set alight by Ravana to mock him, he used that very insult to cause havoc in Lanka. He jumped about with his burning tail and set the whole of Lanka alight.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Janeu:<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This is the sacred thread worn by Brahmins. It also tells us that Hanuman was well-versed in the scriptures, for the sacred thread ceremony initiates a person into formal study of the scriptures. Here the thread as an ornament means that Hanuman\u2019s chief ornament was his wealth of knowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If people are born with a \u2018silver spoon\u2019 by inheritance, they do not appreciate the acquisition of knowledge, which has to be earned the hard way. Wealth that comes to one without effort does not stay for long. Only knowledge can make wealth remain with one. This truth applies to ordinary secular knowledge as well as spiritual knowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Lineage of Hanuman: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lord Shiva, Kesari and Pavana were the three fathers of Hanuman. In the same way we all have three \u201cfathers\u201d. We have our physical father (Pavana) who bring this body into the world. We have our mental father (Kesari), who trains our intellect and mind. This is the Guru. Then we also have a spiritual father, the Supreme Brahman (Lord Shiva) who is the cause of our very existence.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>To be continued&#8230;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.chinmayaupahar.in\/blog\/the-hanuman-chalisa-part-2\/\">The Hanuman Chalisa &#8211; Part 2<\/a><\/p>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Reference: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chinfo.org\/images\/userupload\/Reflections\/24_Hanuman_Chalisa.pdf\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">https:\/\/www.chinfo.org\/images\/userupload\/Reflections\/24_Hanuman_Chalisa.pdf<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>There are many fantastic stories that we hear of the power of singing the Hanuman Chalisa with faith and devotion. All the \u2018Beeja Mantras\u2019 are included within the Chalisa. This further enhances the potency of this most renowned devotional poem. Every time we chant the Hanuman Chalisa, we have the opportunity of remembering the amazing&#8230; <\/p>\n<div class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/2019\/04\/18\/the-hanuman-chalisa-part-1\/\">Read More<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":854,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=853"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/853\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":866,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/853\/revisions\/866"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.chinmayaupahar.in\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}