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Portrait of Hanuman, Hindu deity
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Hindu

Hanuman

The Monkey God of Devotion

Domain
Strength, Courage & Devotion
Alignment
Lawful Good
Element
Air
Relics of Power
Gada Mace
Speak with Hanuman

The full Codex

5 sections of this entry are open to everyone: the summary, the people, the symbols, the lineage and the sources. The other 9 (Name and epithets, In the ancient sources, The myths, Worship and archaeology, How the god was depicted, What scholars debate, After antiquity, Did you know?, Codex relic) are part of the full Codex: PRO opens the whole study of all 500 deities, and without a subscription you can read one full entry a day, just like in the app.

The People

People
Hindu peoples
Region
Indian subcontinent
Period
c. 1500 BC – present

The Hindu deities have been worshipped for over three thousand years across the Indian subcontinent, from the Vedic hymns to the living Hinduism of today. Billions of devotees dedicate to them temples, festivals such as Diwali and Holi, and daily rituals in the home. It is one of the largest religious traditions still practiced in the world.

Diwali lights up India with oil lamps in honor of Lakshmi, and Holi celebrates spring with clouds of colored powder. At the Kumbh Mela, the largest pilgrimage on Earth, tens of millions bathe in the sacred rivers, and daily puja brings flowers, incense, and food to the altars.

At a glance

Hanuman is the vanara who serves as Rama's envoy in the Ramayana. Son of Anjana and associated with the wind Vayu, he crosses the sea to find Sita, brings proof that she is alive and seeks herbs for those wounded in the war in Lanka. His portrayal joins strength, prudent speech and service.

8 min read · Reviewed on October 14, 2026 · How we research

Sacred symbols

The mace, the lifted mountain, the monkey form and the heart bearing Rama's image

Family

Parents
AnjanaVayu (wind)Kesari, Anjana's husband
Hanuman
Genealogy according to Ramayana, Kishkindha-kanda 66

Sources and further reading

Primary sources

  • Valmiki (attributed), Valmiki's Ramayana, English translation by Hari Prasad Shastri. translation: Hari Prasad Shastri, 1952. read
  • Valmiki (attributed), Ramayana of Valmiki, English translation by Hari Prasad Shastri. translation: Hari Prasad Shastri, 1952. read
  • Valmiki (attributed), Ramayana of Valmiki, English translation by Hari Prasad Shastri. translation: Hari Prasad Shastri, 1952. read
  • Tulsidas (attributed by tradition), Hanuman Chalisa. read
  • Valmiki (attributed), Ramayana of Valmiki, English translation by Hari Prasad Shastri. translation: Hari Prasad Shastri, 1952. read
  • Valmiki (attributed), Ramayana of Valmiki, English translation by Hari Prasad Shastri. translation: Hari Prasad Shastri, 1952. read

Studies

  • Metropolitan Museum of Art, Hanuman Revives Rama and Lakshmana with Medicinal Herbs. open
  • Metropolitan Museum of Art, Notable Acquisitions 1982–1983. open
  • District Ayodhya, Government of Uttar Pradesh, Hanuman Garhi. open
  • Himachal Tourism, Temples: Jakhu Temple. open

Name and epithets

The name Hanuman identifies the vanara hero allied with Rama. Jambavan connects it with the jaw injured by Indra's thunderbolt when recalling his childhood.

In the ancient sources

Valmiki's Ramayana, Composed in stages; dating of its layers is debated.. Meeting Rama, the ring and Jambavan's speech. Valmiki's Ramayana, Composed in stages; dating of its layers is debated..

The myths

Childhood before the sun. Jambavan recalls Hanuman's origins as the vanaras hesitate before the ocean. He calls Anjana an apsara, presents her as Kesari's wife and attributes the son's conception to the wind Vayu.

Worship and archaeology

Devotion to Hanuman has different places and practices. The Ayodhya district government records Hanuman Garhi as a temple dedicated to him and describes an image of the child in Anjana's lap.

How the god was depicted

A monkey's body and tail make Hanuman recognizable in narrative scenes. A Metropolitan Museum folio presents the herb quest and shows the mountain peak beside the scene of the wounded.

What scholars debate

Epic and devotional tradition. Valmiki's Ramayana supplies passages for childhood, the mission in Lanka and the herb quest. The Hanuman Chalisa, attributed to Tulsidas, is a later hymn.

After antiquity

Hanuman moves from epic to devotional poetry, sculpture, painting and temple worship. The Hanuman Chalisa praises the son of the wind as Rama's servant.

Did you know?

The explanation of the name through the jaw struck by Indra's thunderbolt occurs in Jambavan's speech. Rama praises Hanuman's manner of speaking at their first meeting.

Codex relic

Gada Mace. A powerful mace, symbol of his superhuman strength and unwavering loyalty.

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