Hanuman Bahuk

He who crossed the ocean, who removed Sita's grief, whose body is bright as the young sun; whose arms are vast, whose form is awesome — as if Death to Death itself. Who burned the dense forest that was Lanka, fearlessly, with ever-bent bow; who humbles the pride of the powerful demon hosts — son of the Wind. Says Tulsidas — easy to serve, ever near and beneficent to devotees. Count his virtues, bow, remember, chant his name — destroyer of all terrible calamities.

Blazing like a golden mountain, with the radiance of crores of young suns; vast of chest, his arms like iron maces, his nails hard as the thunderbolt, his body hard as a diamond. Tawny-eyed, fierce of brow, enormous of tongue and face. Rough-haired, long-tailed — a sun to the darkness of evil hosts. Says Tulsidas — in whose heart dwells the terrible form of the Wind's son — to that man, sorrow and sin do not approach even in dreams.

Matchless in battle against the five-faced, the six-faced, Bhrigu and the chief fighters of gods and demons — equal to all and victorious in war. The heroic one, whose chain of heroic titles is chanted by the Vedic bards, the fulfiller of vows. Whose deeds Raghunath himself recounts, by whose strength the ocean of the world dries up with longing. Who is the destroyer of enemy hosts? Says Tulsidas — it is the valiant Rajput, the noble son of the Wind.

When Hanuman went to learn from the Sun, he cleverly made the journey a child's game — walking backwards through the sky, absorbed in mind, step by step, without confusion, sporting like a child. Seeing this wonder, the guardians of the world — Hari, Hara, Brahma — were dazzled in their eyes and astonished. Is it strength, or heroic spirit, or patience, or courage? Says Tulsidas — in his body dwells the very essence of all these.

In the Mahabharata, the great monkey Hanuman appeared on Arjuna's chariot banner; at his roar the Kaurava army was shaken and confused. Drona and Bhishma said of the mighty son of the Wind — he is the ocean of heroic valor. In his monkey nature, sporting from earth to sun like a child, he cleared the sky and earth with his leaps. Warriors bowing their heads, joining hands — to see Hanuman is the fruit of worldly existence.

He made the vast ocean like a cow's footprint, burned Lanka as Holika was burned — utterly fearless in the enemy's city. He uprooted a mountain like Drona's hill with a casual arm, and played with it like a ball. When crisis surrounded Rama's kingdom and there was confusion, in the palm of his hand were the tasks of many ages. The courageous and mighty one — in whose arm Tulsidas's lord trusts — by him the guardians of the world found their firm ground again.

The ocean became like the hollow of a tortoise's back at his knees — filled only to the brim of measure. It became a fortress for the fleeing demons, and a haunt of great fish and sea creatures. For Kumbhakarna and Ravana — thunderclouds full of roar and fuel — Tulsidas says his glory was a mighty fire. Bhishma says — in my estimation, never in three ages or three worlds has there been such great strength as Hanuman's.

You are the emissary of Lord Rama, the worthy son of the pure Wind, the son of Anjani — radiant as the sun in glory. Remover of Sita's grief, destroyer of sin and fault, protector of those who take refuge — dear as life to Lakshmana. You appeared as the great enemy of the ten-faced Ravana, the destroyer of intolerable poverty, revealed as the treasury of the three worlds. Says Tulsidas — knowing, virtuous, mighty, vigilant in service — bring such a master, the wise Hanuman, into your heart.

The destroyer of enemy hosts, his strength known in all the worlds — the Vedas sing his glory, the divine bards proclaim him as the liberator of the imprisoned. Expert at diminishing the darkness of sin, affliction, and cold — like the morning sun, giver of joy to servant-lotuses. In this world and the next, free from sorrow — not even in dreams does grief come. In Tulsidas's heart there is faith in this one alone. The beloved servant of Rama, in whom Shiva (Vamadeva) dwells — whose name in the Kali age is the wish-granting tree — the young son of Kesari.

The summit of great strength, supremely terrible, the great warrior — renowned and praised by Raghuvira (Rama). His body hard as a thunderbolt, mighty and tumultuous in battle, yet his heart full of compassion — religious and steadfast. Terrible as Death to the wicked, protector of the righteous — remembering him removes the sorrow of Tulsidas. The giver of joy to Sita, beloved of Raghunayaka (Rama), helper of servants — this courageous son of the Wind.