Five Reasons We Love Hanuman

“Covered with flowers, Hanuman, the son of the wind, became brilliant in the middle of the Ashoka grove, looking like a mountain of flowers.” (Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 14.11)

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पुष्पावकीर्णश्शुशुभे हनुमान् मारुतात्मजः
अशोकवनिकामध्ये यथा पुष्पमयो गिरिः

puṣpa avakīrṇaḥ śuśubhe hanumān māruta ātmajaḥ
aśoka vanikā madhye yathā puṣpamayo giriḥ

In a particular region of the world the imagery is practically ubiquitous. The names might vary. Hanuman in one place. Sankat Mochan in another. He is the son of the wind, after all. Anjana is his mother. He is the chief minister to the king of Vanaras named Sugriva. He is the one who carried a mountain to bring much-needed medicine to the injured warrior named Lakshmana. He is the star of the book of beauty, the Sundara-kanda, of the Ramayana of Valmiki. In case someone new to the game might ask, here are some reasons why Hanuman would be beloved to so many, stretching across thousands of years.

1. What is not to like?

We begin by flipping the tables. Rather than stay on the defensive, we can ask the skeptic to point out any flaws. Just why wouldn’t Hanuman be held in the highest regard? Consider our personal experience. Who are our friends? Who are our enemies? Which people do we like? Which people do we not like?

Well, an obvious line of division is the presence of favor. We like people who favor us. They do nice things for us. They go out of their way to help. They make sacrifices. We don’t like the people who are against us. These people tend to be petty, vindictive, hypocritical, and mean-spirited. They are not happy when good things happen to us. Rather, they are pleased only when we find difficulty.

Hanuman has the best qualities. He is ready to help. He is unselfish. He is not sitting around waiting for bad things to happen. Rather, he is always ready to step in and take on a difficult task. Shri Rama accurately assessed the value right at the first meeting. How could any leader accomplish their tasks without someone like Hanuman helping them?

एवं विधो यस्य दूतो न भवेत्पार्थिवस्य तु
सिद्ध्यन्ति हि कथं तस्य कार्याणां गतियोऽनघ

evaṃ vidho yasya dūto na bhavetpārthivasya tu
siddhyanti hi kathaṃ tasya kāryāṇāṃ gatiyo’nagha

“O sinless one, certainly, how can any king accomplish his objectives if he doesn’t have such a messenger working for him?” (Lord Rama speaking to Lakshmana about Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Kishkindha Kand, 3.34)

2. He has the most strength

In one sense, it is easy to be viewed as nice. People think you are kind when you are agreeable, when you don’t have many requirements, when you don’t put up a fight. But sometimes, doing the nice thing involves difficulty. It might mean making people upset; at least for the time being. Imagine, then, if you have a genuinely kind person who also happens to be strong. They do not buckle under pressure. They are not weak at heart. They do not get discouraged at the first sign of adversity. Rather, it takes a lot to get them to finally give up. Hanuman is like this. Even if he might be depressed for a moment or two, he takes a step back to assess the situation soberly and rationally. He has both physical and mental strength.

न विनश्येत्कथं कार्यं वैक्लब्यं न कथं भवेत्
लङ्घनं च समुद्रस्य कथं नु न वृथा भवेत्

na vinaśyetkathaṃ kāryaṃ vaiklabyaṃ na kathaṃ bhavet
laṅghanaṃ ca samudrasya kathaṃ nu na vṛthā bhavet

“How can I ensure that the purpose of my task does not get destroyed? How shall I avoid mental disparity, and how do I ensure that my crossing of the ocean does not go for naught?” (Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 2.41)

3. He does not exploit

We have likely run into such people. They were previously weak. They used to get picked on. They were bullied in school. This was the trigger to a change in lifestyle. A modification in diet and exercise. After a few months, they emerge much stronger. They are so powerful, in fact, that they want to exploit their newfound position. They become the bullies that they previously despised. They soon forget how it felt to be on the other side.

Hanuman is not like this. He has the most strength, in fact. Who else can cross over a massive ocean in a single leap? Who else can carry two adult princes on his shoulders and leap to the top of a mountain? Hanuman utilizes his attributes for the most righteous purpose. He is not after personal accolades.

4. He is courageous

What does it feel like to look evil straight in the eyes? What if their faces match their character? What if they are not afraid of breaching the established protocols of formal conflict? What if their leader has taken an innocent princess against her will, holding her in isolation, while female attendants harass her day and night? Just imagine what they will do to you if you should ever cross them.

Hanuman faced such evil and did not flinch. He succeeded in finding that missing princess. He could have then left the area undetected, with the mission completed successfully. Instead, Hanuman decided to go against all of the powerful Rakshasas by himself. He was not afraid. He was going to teach them a lesson. He was going to give them a glimpse of the massive pain soon headed their way, in the relentless march of the army led by the mighty Shri Rama.

5. He stays here to help people

In a hypothetical case, I have been chanting the holy names for a long time: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. I have been following the regulative principles, as established by the acharya. I have tried my best to explain the science of self-realization. According to any objective analysis, I have done a good job. At least visibly, one could say that I have the vow in dedication, dridha-vrata, referenced in Bhagavad-gita.

सततं कीर्तयन्तो मां
यतन्तश् च दृढ-व्रताः
नमस्यन्तश् च मां भक्त्या
नित्य-युक्ता उपासते

satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ
yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ
namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā
nitya-yuktā upāsate

“Always chanting My glories, endeavoring with great determination, bowing down before Me, these great souls perpetually worship Me with devotion.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 9.14)

At this point, I am ready for my reward. I wonder how much God must be pleased with me. I think about how to respond if ever He should appear in front of me and ask me to take a boon. Just what gift will be perfect? Just what reward will suit me? I feel I deserve it, after all. I am not ashamed.

Meanwhile, someone like Hanuman can accurately say that he has done what no one else could do. He would be at the front of the line, in taking the biggest prize as a reward for his devotion. Instead, he asks to remain here, in this world. He stays back in order to help others. He takes the greatest pleasure in hearing the glories of Sita and Rama. How can there be anyone more dear? Even the birds in the Ashoka grove in Lanka find a way to pay homage. They clip the branches with their wings, causing flowers to fall profusely on top of Hanuman. He then looks like the Spring season coming to life, giving us yet another reason to love him.

In Closing:

Dear to Rama and His wife,
Appearing like Spring coming to life.

In that Ashoka grove on trees,
Where success finally sees.

But not afraid enemies to confront,
To evade tricks and their stunts.

All then without a reward to take,
Hanuman the dearest to make.