Hanoman fighting a Naga
Hanoman fighting a Naga
The Monkey God Hanuman is the deity in the Hindu pantheon who once helped the god Rama in the rescue of his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana, the king of the Rakshasas. Hanuman appears in the millennia-old heroic epic the Ramayana, he symbolizes bhakti (devotion) and is especially popular in the north of India.
- According to some researchers, the Chinese mythological figure Sun Wukong (Son Goku) was inspired by Hanuman.
- The Legend of the Lawu tells how Hanuman acquired the appearance of a monkey.
In the Ramayana, Hanuman is the son of an Apsara, a celestial figure called Punjikasthala, who became Anjana, a female monkey, through a curse. Hence Hanuman is also called Anjaneya. According to the Vedas, including the Ramayana, he obtained the blessings of all kinds of gods.
In the epic Hindu poem the Ramayana, God descends to Earth as the Lord Ramachandra who does battle with an evil Demon King named Ravana. During this battle he is aided by an army of "Ape Men" the leader of which was Hanuman.
In the story Hanuman is the son of the wind god and is able to leap across the ocean in order to spy on the demon king and provide the information Ramachandra needs in his fight.
There are many other tales of the Monkey King Hanuman and he is famous for his fighting with the Nagas or serpent beings.
More info:
