Hanuman
Hanuman Leader of the invading armies of Rama, as portrayed in
the epic Ramayana, Hanuman, the monkey god, is the son of Vayu
or Marut, the wind. Hence he is also called Maruti. His total
single-minded devotion and loyalty to Rama and Sita bestows upon
him the blessings of immortality, eternal youth and vibrant health.
He is the most agile and speed-oriented of all the gods. His power
is described by a quaint legend which says that at birth, he leaped
up to catch the sun and chased him into the firmament. In surrender,
the sun bestowed upon him golden clothing which could be seen
only by Rama. In the Ramayana Hanuman takes a prominent part in
Rama's war against Ravana, the demon king of Lanka and in rescuing
Sita, the abducted queen. He set fire to Lanka and when Lakshmana,
Rama's brother lay dying, he flew to the Himalayas to bring back
the life-giving Sanjeevani herb. Not being able to identify the
right herb, Hanuman lifted the entire mountain and brought it
to Rama. Portrayed as a bachelor he is worshipped as a god of
strength, health and agility as Mahavir, Pavanputra, Maruti, Anjaneya.
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