How Sri Hanuman got his Name ?

It was VAISAKHA BAHULA AMAVASYA (New Moon Day). Anjaneya was five days old. The divine child was feeling hungry. He asked his mother to feed him. She replied: “I will get you some ripe fruit. You can also look for any ripe fruit and eat them”. So saying, she left. Anjaneya looked up. It was about to dawn. The rising sun appeared to be a ripe red fruit. Anjaneya felt very happy. He spontaneously sprang into skies and caught hold of the rising sun. A solar eclipse was to occur on the particular new moon day. Rahu was just than moving to capture the sun. Rahu was astonished to see the capture of the sun by some one else. He went near Anjaneya and cautioned: “you… monkey boy, why are you grabbing the Sun – contrary to nature?”

Perhaps the black colored Rahu looked like a black colored fruit to Anjaneya. He wanted to grab Rahu as well. Rahu was terrified. He swiftly moved away and went to Devendra. Rahu told Devendra: “An extra ordinary boy is about to swallow the image of the Sun contrary to the established practice of my eclipsing the Sun. Stop the danger and let the established practice take place”.

Devendra left at once on his elephant Iravata. The white elephant attracted Anjaneya. He quickly moved towards it. Indra was astonished by the strength of the extra ordinary boy who was holding the sun. He threw his weapons, the Vajrayudha at Anjaneya. Anjaneya stopped it with a hair follicle. Angered Indra set the Brahmastra at the boy. Anjaneya pushed it aside with another hair follicle. All the gods were astonished. Brahma and other gods arrived at the scene and started to pray Anjaneya thus: “ Dear child of Anjana, one of valor, the one who took birth because of Parvathi and Parameswara, O great warrior, the one with great strength and powers, you have taken birth to benefit human beings, gods and sages. O Anjaneya, you have taken birth as the son of Vayu who provides life to the World. Since you have grabbed the Sun, all sacred activities including those prescribed by the Vedas, have come to a halt. So please leave the Sun”.

On hearing the prayer, Anjaneya released the Sun. Indra who was looking at the astonishing event was enraged as Anjaneya belittled the Vajrayudha. He wanted to have the upper hand. He noticed that Anjaneya was distracted. Using the opportunity he struck at Anjaneya’s jaw with the Vajrayudha. Anjaneya fainted and fell on the rock ground. His jaw area became blood red. Vayu saw the plight of his dear child.

Vayu was pained. His pain led to anger. He withdrew the life winds from all living beings and nature and remained motionless. With the withdrawing of the wind, all life activities of the Universe came to a halt. All the celestial beings, sages and Gods including Devendra and the trinity came to Vayu. The Gods realized that Vayu had to be pleased to save the Universe. Brahma sprinkled holy water from his kamandala on Anjaneya, to awaken the boy. Anjaneya awakened. Brahma wanted all the Gods to bless Anjaneya and grant him boons to pacify and please Vayu deva. The gods bestowed special and unique boons to Anjaneya. Such boons were never given to any one in the past. The boons bestowed on Anjaneya included Longevity, strength, valor, health, piety, intellect, knowledge, gift of good speech, compassion, bravery, equanimity, devotion to Lord Vishnu, ability to bear any onslaught, celibacy, ability to withstand attack by any divine or demonic arms and many others. Indra asserted that Anjaneya would not be slain by the Vajrayudha. Since Anjaneya was bestowed with strong jaws, which with stood the blow of the Vajrayudha, Indra said that the boy would be known as HANUMANTHA. Thus Anjaneya came to known as HANUMANTHA.

We have already noted that Madhavacharya explained the word Hanumantha as the name of one who is “Gnani”.

Chanting the name of Hanumantha results in many a boon.  

********* JAY HANUMAN**********