The name ‘Hanuman’ is one that is known all over the world, festivals are celebrated in various different cultures, and the stories of his amazing life have been translated into many different languages. Yet there are only a small handful of people who really know about his background. To most, he is simply- “The monkey God.” In reality there is much more to him than that. Even today, people still regard Hanuman as a hero, and many look up to him and try to live the same that he did. Hanuman is known to different people by different names, In China, he is called Shun Wu Kong – “The Wind Monkey.” Even in India, he is known by a variety of names. One of the more prominent ones being Devraja, or King of the Deities. Hanuman was born to Vayu- God of the Wind, and Punjikasthala- Goddess of the monkey like Vanara community, and was brought up in her village in the absence of his powerful father. Everything we know about Hanuman comes from the old Vedic texts. In them are descriptions of his early childhood and stories from his life as a warrior. Hanuman was educated by Surya- the Sun God. It is said that because Surya could mot interrupt his work during the day, Hanuman would follow him around the universe during his years of schooling, showing just how motivated he was even as a child. Hanuman was an adept student, and added many powers to those already bestowed upon him by his mighty father. The Vedic texts describe him as being extraordinarily polite- the gentleman warrior. He was also a great linguist, and was able to converse fluently on the Vedic laws. He was also known to be a great musician and would daily sing songs of Ram and Sita. Some believe that it was his grasp of the writings in the Holy Scriptures that gave him his mystical powers such as the ability to shrink and expand. His unrivalled prowess in the art of strategy astonished even his enemies. There is a story in the Veda’...
