Why Lord Hanuman Is Devoted To Lord Rama

Whenever the word devotion and devotee are mentioned, the name ‘Hanuman’ is one that comes to the mind of most Hindus. Lord Hanuman’s devotion for Lord Rama is legendary and unparalleled. It is said that the mere mention of Lord Rama’s name is enough to bring Lord Hanuman’s presence. It is also mentioned in some legends that Lord Hanuman is an avatar of Lord Shiva. Folktales vary from region to region and present different ideas.

There is a folktale regarding Lord Hanuman’s birth which explains the reason behind his closeness with Lord Rama, though they meet only later in life. According to the folktale, King Dasaratha conducts a yagnya/pooja under the guidance of sage Agastya to beget children. After the pooja, a divine being appears carrying a pot, and advices the King to give the contents of the pot to his wives. The King paid his respects and started dividing the contents of the pot onto a plate. As the King was about to take the final handful of content from the pot, an eagle swiftly came and carried the pot away. The King tried but was unsuccessful in stopping the eagle. In a nearby forest, the queen (Anjana) of a monkey tribe was doing severe penance to beget a suitable child as their heir. On the advice of Lord Shiva, Lord Vayu (Wind God) stopped the eagle (Lord Garuda) and asked him to transfer the contents of the pot into Lord Vayu’s hand. Lord Vayu then carried the pot to Anjana and advised the queen to consume the contents. Thus making Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman brothers, which explains their legendary friendship.

This is just one out of many folktales, please do share any other legends/folktales you know which lead to Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman being so close.Om

Diwali/Deepavali - Continuation Of Rituals - Vishnu and Lakshmi Pooja

I would like to repeat that though the post may  seem long, the ritual is quite simple and quick.

Now let us move on to the pooja of Lord Mahavishnu (Satyanarayana).

Hold the copper pot with water in your right hand and cover the mouth of the pot with your left hand while  chanting the following sloka 3 times :

Om shanthakaram bhujagashayanam padmanabham suresham

Viswakaram gaganasadrisham meghavarnam shubhangham

Lakshmiikantham kamalanayanam yogihridyanagamyam

Vande vishnumbhavabhayaharam sarvalokaikanatham

Now pour the water over the idol while chanting ‘Om namo narayanaya’ 11 times

Then make every family member take flowers in their right hand and chant the following sloka 21 times (the sloka is by Adi Sankara ). Shower the idol with flowers after each recital..

Vidham shum vidhannirrmalannirvikalpam

Niriihannirakaraomkargamyam

Gunatheethamavyakthamekanthuriyum

Param brahmam yum veda thasme namasthe

Now we shall perform the Diwali pooja for Lakshmi devi. Firstly invoke Lakshmi devi by chanting the following famous sloka 3 times :-

Diwali/Deepavali - Rituals Initiation and Ganesha Pooja

 The rituals that may be practiced during Diwali/Deepavali are the theme of this post. Diwali/Deepavali is an appropriate divine occasion to atone for one’s sins and bring the mind closer to God’s feet. The lamps symbolize divinity and auspiciousness, and the light it emits is to spread these noble forces into our life.

Though the post may seem long, the ritual is very simple and takes little time.A thorough cleaning of the household is the first practice in the initiation of the Diwali/Deepavali celebrations. [I would also like to add that it hasn’t been specified in any scripture that works like cleaning should only be done by women. So please do help your mother and wife to make it a happy and unified effort J ]. It is a common custom to throw away old clothes and unwanted items lying around in the household [I would suggest donating it to needy people who would greatly benefit from even such little things].

Now choose a suitable spot at home where you plan on performing the pooja. Wipe the area with a wet cloth and place a clean cloth on the ground. Place a suitable stool or any similar elevated platform.

As with any ritual in Hindu tradition, after bathing, place an idol of Lord Ganesha on the platform. Then place two clay lamps (diya) on either sides of the idol and keep one main lamp in front of the idol. Then place idols/photos of Lakshmi Devi and Lord Vishnu on either side of Lord Ganesha. [Idols of other gods/goddesses may also be kept according to whom the family believes most in]. A separate lamp may also be kept to represent the family deity (if it is known).It would be advisable to place a suitable plate or utensil under the idols so as to avoid spillage of the pooja items.

Now take water in a small copper/silver pot and pour it slowly over the idol of Lord Ganesha while chanting the following well-known sloka 3 times :-

Overcome Death And Misfortune This Diwali

Though Lord Krishna or Lord Rama are mostly associated with the celebration of Diwali/Deepavali, it is also an appropriate time to appease Lord Shiva and get his blessings to overcome impending misfortunes. Diwali/Deepavali is a very auspicious time to atone for your sins, rejuvenate the soul and be closer to god.

On the holy day of Diwali/Deepavali, it is most fitting to perform Mrityunjaya Pooja and pacify Lord Shiva. As with any ritual in our Hindu tradition, after having a bath, start the pooja process by invoking Lord Ganesha, by chanting the following well-known sloka 3 times :-

Om vakratunda mahakaya kotisurya samaprabha

Nirvighnam kurume deiva sarvakaryeshtu sarvadha

Then place a suitable clay pot in front of you. The clay pot should be able to withstand high levels of heat. We shall be performing a simple ‘yagnya’ in this pot.

Now place suitable dry wood pieces in the clay pot. Take a little copper pot full of pure ghee and keep it near you. Keep a clean tablespoon ready with you. Then dip the handle of the tablespoon into the ghee pot and pour the drops of ghee into the clay pot while chanting the following mantra 7 times :- Om gum ganapathaye namaha . Drop ghee into the clay pot each time you chant the mantra.

Then pay respect to Lord Agni (Fire God) by pouring 3 drops of ghee while chanting Om agnidevaya namaha each time.

Diwali/Deepavali - Lord Krishna's 16,000 Wives

 Another commonly believed legend about the origin of Diwali/Deepavali is about the murder of Narakasura. Narakasura was the son of Mother Earth, who terrorised the world with his evil ways. He had captured more than 16,000 women and held them in his palace. Lord Krishna came to the rescue of these women (who were his devotees), and freed the world from the tyranny of Narakasura. It is said that Diwali/Deepavali originated as a celebration of this freedom from evil. When these freed women returned to their households, but their husbands and families refused to accept them, doubting their dignity . The freed women went to Lord Krishna for help. Lord Krishna allowed the women to live in his palace and gave them the status, respect and protection equivalent to that given to his wife. This allowed the women to live with dignity and they continued to be great devotees of Lord Krishna.

Hence Diwali/Deepavali is also a glorification of Lord Krishna’s infinite compassion for his devotees. Diwali/Deepavali is a reminder that injustice and evil will only lead to one’s destruction.

This legend is one which many atheists and anti-hindus alter and blabber that lord Krishna was a ‘flirt’ and other such disrespectful things. But, I would like to point out that these criticisms are due to the lack of positive understanding. The fact that Lord Krishna provided a shelter to his devotees has been misinterpreted as flirtatious behaviour. Hence I wished to make special mention of this legend.

Please do let me know of your views about this legend in the comments.