Hanuman An Introduction

Hanuman, the lord of monkeys, is one of the few gods in Hinduism to be worshipped across caste lines by followers of the Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakta orders. He is admired for his strength, scholarship, wisdom, humility and celibacy.

This book is an attempt to understand the imagery, ritual and philosophy associated with Hanuman worship in our time. At its heart is a single narrative on the life of the monkey- god woven out of plots and ideas found in the Valmiki Ramayana, Mahabharata, various Puranas and several vernacular Ramakathas. Also included are tales found in Jain Ramayanas and the Ramayanas of South East Asia.

Highlights include lucid explanations, a map showing the traditional journey of Rama to Lanka through Kishkinda, the text and translation of the Hanuman Chalisa, and over 100 illustrations, many of them in colour.

Let me meditate on Hanuman, Rama's eternal servant, the embodiment of devotion, whose body is as strong as thunder, whose mind is as sharp as lightning, who holds in his arms the mountain of herbs and a mace, who crushes malefic demons under his feet, who solves problems, takes away worry, inspires strength, gives hope and confidence, and who helps the devotee make his journey to Godhead.

About the Author

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik (b. 1970), MBBS, graduated in medicine from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, and went on to specialize in the field of medical writing and health communication.

With a passion for mythology, he topped the Mumbai University course in comparative mythology (PGDCM) and has published three books as part of the introduction series: Shiva: An Introduction; Vishnu: An Introduction; and Devi: An Introduction. His articles have been published in Parabola, journal of myth, tradition and the search for meaning; the Times of India 'Speaking Tree'; and in guest columns of the New Indian Express. His unorthodox approach has been widely appreciated.

As part of Sabrang, a cultural organization that demystifies the arts, Dr. Pattanaik has lectured extensively on the relevance of mythology to modern man.

Dr. Pattanaik lives in India.

Contents:

Acknowledgement

About this Book

I       The Hanuman Heritage
II      Birth of Hanuman
III     Hanuman Befriends Sugriva
IV      Hanuman Meets Rama
V       Hanuman Leaps Across the Sea
VI      Hanuman Finds Sita
VII     Hanuman Builds the Bridge
VIII    Hanuman Battles Ravana
IX      Hanuman in Ayodhya
X       Hanuman After Rama
XI      Many Facets of Hanuman
XII     Attributes of Hanuman
XIII    Worship of Hanuman
XIV     Relevance of Hanuman Today

Hanuman Chalisa

Select Bibliography