Hanuman

In Hinduism, Hanuman is a vanara who aided Rama (an avatar of Vishnu) in rescuing his wife, Sita, from the Rakshasa king Ravana. He symbolizes the pinnacle of bhakti, and is seen by some to have also been an avatar of Shiva. He is more well-known as the son of Vayu deva, or the wind god. He is more popular in the north of the Indian subcontinent than in the south. He is believed by some scholars to be a source for the Chinese mythological character Sun Wukong.

Related Topics:
Hinduism - Vanara - Rama - Avatar - Vishnu - Sita - Rakshasa - Ravana - Bhakti - Shiva - Vayu - Deva - Indian subcontinent - Chinese - Mythological - Sun Wukong

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Hanuman epitomizes virtue, strength, humility, siddhi and courage. Casual observers have found it amazing to notice the worship of a monkey as God in Hinduism and some have used this to denigrate the Hindu faith.

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He is symbolized in Hinduism for his unwavering dedication to righteousness, unstinting performance of entrusted duties, and unfailing talents in serving his master Rama. He is given the role of a guru in several South Indian traditions, for his uniting Rama with Sita is likened to that of a teacher helping an individual soul realize the divine.

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