10 Interesting Facts About Lord Hanuman

Ten Fascinating Facts Regarding Lord Hanuman

Among the most renowned and revered figures in Hindu mythology, the god Hanuman is worshipped by countless individuals seeking resilience and bravery. Even though most of us have a good idea of the Lord’s life story, there are still a lot of things we don't know about our beloved Bajrangbali, including:

1. Meaning of the name Hanuman

Because he thought the sun was a ripe mango, little Lord Hanuman once took flight into space to eat it. He swallowed the sun, and then the world went dark. The god-king, Lord Indra, came to save the Sun and defeated Hanuman with his weapon, the Vajra. Vajra struck Hanuman on the jaw, deforming it. His name, Hanuman, literally means "one with a disfigured jaw," because of this.

2. Hanuman’s promise to Lord Rama

Lord Rama invited all of his devotees to accompany him to his eternal abode, Vaikuntha when the time came, but Hanuman declined. According to him, reciting the sacred name "Rama" is more pleasant than being in heaven. Therefore, he made a solemn vow to Lord Rama, promising to remain on Earth and shield those who chant his Lord's name from harm for as long as there are any.

3. Hanuman prohibited Yama from claiming Rama

Despite Rama's request, Hanuman would not let Yama into Ayodhya to claim Rama before he departed to his eternal home. In order to let Yama in, Rama had to trick Hanuman to make him understand that it was time for him to leave.

4. Lord Hanuman and Bhima were brothers

One of Hanuman's alternate names is Vayuputra, which means ‘son of the wind God’. The mantra of Lord Vayu brought Bhima into this world for Kunti. That makes him a Vayuputra as well. Because of this, Bhima and Lord Hanuman were brothers.

5. Hanuman applied sindoor all over his body for Rama’s long life

Hanuman once saw Mother Sita apply sindoor to her hair. He asked Mother Sita why she was doing so. Mother Sita responded that it was for the long life of Lord Rama. Hanuman reasoned that if a pinch of sindoor in the hair could increase Lord Rama's longevity, why not apply it to the entire body? Thus, he is also known as Bajrang Bali.

6. Hanuman also created his version of Ramayana

After Lord Rama won the battle against Ravana, Hanuman went to a mountain and began writing the Ramayana with his nails. When Valmiki learned of this, he asked Hanuman about it. Hanuman lifted him onto his shoulders, showed him what he had written, and asked for his feedback. Valmiki's eyes welled up with tears because it was so genuine, so perfect, and far superior to Valmiki's. He responded by saying, "Now who would care about my Ramayana?” Hearing this, Hanuman destroyed his version without hesitation.

7. Despite being a Brahmachari, Hanuman had a son named Makardhwaja

When Hanuman dipped his tail in the sea to cool off after burning Lanka with the fire on his tail, a drop of his sweat fell into the mouth of Makardhwaja, a mighty fish. This fish gave birth to Hanuman's son, Makardhwaja.

8. Once, Lord Hanuman discarded Mother Sita's gift

Mother Sita once offered Lord Hanuman a beautiful pearl necklace as a gift, but he politely declined because anything without Rama's name is useless to him. To demonstrate his eternal love for Lord Rama and Goddess Sita, he ripped off his chest, revealing that both are always present in his heart.

9. Hanuman is an incarnation of Shiva

Hanuman's mother, Anjana, and father, Kesari, prayed to Lord Shiva for a child. Lord Shiva was moved by their prayers and asked Vayudev to channel his divine energy into Anjana's womb. As a result, Lord Hanuman is known as both Vayuputra and an incarnation of Lord Shiva.

10. Hanuman’s insatiable hunger

When Mother Sita was living in Sage Valmiki's cottage, she invited Hanuman to a lunch prepared by her. Sita was overjoyed when she saw Hanuman and prepared several dishes for him. He enjoyed the food so much that he finished it all in one go. All of the groceries were almost over, but he was still hungry. Mother Sita, in despair, prayed to Lord Rama for help. Rama advised her to include a Tulsi leaf in the food being served to Hanuman. Sitaji did the same, and Hanuman's hunger was satisfied.