1. Who is Hanumaan?
2. Hanumaan in the Service of Raam
3. Hanumaan Meets Vibheeshan and Seetaa
4. Meeting With Raavan and Burning of Lankaa
5. Hanumaan Saves Life of Lakshman
6. Hanumaan Again Saves Raam and Lakshman

Hanumaan is a Raamaayan character, although he appears in Mahaabhaarat also very briefly. First we meet Hanumaan in Kishkindhaa Kaand when Sugreev asks him to find about Raam and Lakshman, lest they were sent by Baali to kill him. Hanumaan was one of the ministers of Sugreev. His father's name was Kesaree and mother's name was Anjanee. Kesaree used live on Sumeru Parvat. Hanumaan is also known as "Bajrang Balee", "Bajrangee", "Mahaaveer". When he grew up he studied Shaastra from Soorya.

Although Hanumaan took the vow to remain lifelong Brahmchaaree (celibacy), but as the legend goes on: He had a son named Makardhwaj: when Hanumaan jumped into the sea after setting fire to Lankaa to put out his own tail's fire, a drop of his sweat fell in the sea which was swallowed by a fish. When that fish was brought to Ahiraavan's kitchen, she gave birth to a son. His name was Makardhwaj. He helped his father to save Raam and Lakshman from Ahiraavan's place. (see Hanumaan Again Saves Raam and Lakshman)

Dev Guru Brihaspati had an attendant named Punjikaasthalee Apsaraa.  She had a Shaap to assume the body of a female monkey. But this Shaap was supposed to be over when she would give birth to Shiv's Avataar. So she was born as Anjanee in Mahaatmaa Kunjar Vaanar's house, got married to Vaanar Kesaree, and lived with purity. She did severe Tap to please Shiv Jee and asked Him the Var to have His incarnation as her son to become free from The Shaap.

Since she could take any form at her wish, once she was roaming around wearing yellow silken clothes with red border on a mountain. Vaayu saw her and lifted her clothes. He found her beautiful, so he hugged her dearly. Anjanee felt the hug, so she said - "Who is that who is trying to break my vow of "one man one wife (Paativrat)?"

Hearing this Vaayu Dev said - "I am not breaking your Paativrat so you need not to fear me. I am the all-permeable Vaayu Dev. My hug will give you a brave and mighty son. That on will be like me in jumping and swimming etc." Anjanee got very happy to hear this from Vaayu Dev. Then Hanumaan was born in a cave.

When Dashrath, the king of Ayodhyaa, was doing Yagya to get a son; and Agni Dev gave him a pot of Charu (divine Kheer), a bird took out some Charu from it and while flying over a forest dropped it. Pavan Dev helped putting it in outstretched hands of Anjanee, and Anjanee ate it soon. Then she gave birth to Hanumaan. Thus Hanumaan was the incarnation of Shiv, in a monkey's physical form through the grace and blessings of Pavan Dev. Anjanee and Kesaree were his earthly parents.

As Hanumaan was born to Anjanee, she was released from the Shaap. Then she wanted to go to heaven. Hanumaan asked his mother as what would happen to him and how he would live on? She said - "Don't worry. You will never be destroyed and fruits as ripe as rising Sun will be your food."

So thinking rising Sun as his food Hanumaan, he took only one leap and came near Sun. Devtaa got surprised to see him running like this because his speed was faster than Garud Jee. Seeing his son running towards Sun, Pavan covered him to protect him from Sun's heat. He came to the Sun with his own might. Soorya also didn't burn him considering a brave child.

He was only 1600 miles far from the Sun, that he saw Raahu wanted to eat Soorya, so he climbed up the Soorya's chariot and hit him with his foot. Raahu came to Indra and said - "You gave me Soorya and Chandra to eat, but then why did you send another Raahu to eat Soorya?" Indra got very surprised to hear this and came there following Raahu. Seeing Raahu coming, Hanumaan took him also as fruit and ran to eat him. Raahu ran back to Indra. Hanumaan saw Airaavat elephant, he took him also as a fruit so he ran to eat it also. Indra didn't get angry at him but just touched His Vajra to his chin softly. This broke his left side of chin and he fell unconscious. Seeing this Pavan got angry and he stopped all his movements in all beings, took Hanumaan to Paataal (nether worlds) and sat down in a cave carrying Hanumaan in his lap.

Because of no movements of air all beings got lifeless, then all Devtaa went to Brahmaa Jee. Brahmaa Jee said - "Indra has hit Pavan's son with His Vajra that is why Pavan has stopped his movements, so let us go to Pavan. Brahmaa Jee found Pavan sitting in a cave with his son in his lap. Seeing Brahmaa Jee coming to him, Pavan greeted Him. Brahmaa Jee gave life to Hanumaan by touching him. Seeing his son alive, Pavan also started flowing.

Brahmaa Jee said to all Devtaa - "This Putra will do your work, so bestow him with Vardaan." Indra took off His lotus flower garland and gave it to Hanumaan and said - "Because my Vajra's hit broke his chin (Hanu), that is why he will be called Hanumaan from today. I give him one more Var that he wouldn't die with Vajra." Soorya gave him his 1/4th part of his grace and said - "When he will be able to learn Shaastra, I will teach him Shaastra."

Varun bestowed him with millions of years of age and said - "He should not be afraid of water and my Paash." Yam Raaj said - "My Kaal Dand will not be able to kill you, and you will always be healthy." Kuber said - "My Gadaa will not be able to kill you." Shiv Jee said - "He cannot be killed by my weapons." And in the last Brahmaa Jee said - "You will not be killed by Brahm Dand. And Hey Pavan, Nobody will be able to win your son in war, and he will be able to go anywhere. Brave Hanumaan will almost defeat Raavan in the war and will do wonderful actions to please Raam."

Thus Hanumaan has powers from all Devtaa.

When Hanumaan grew up, as decided before, he went to Soorya to study. Soorya said - "Look, It is not possible for me to stop in-between while teaching you because this will create havoc in the Universe." Hanumaan was not scared of this. He was very mighty. So he got his lessons facing Soorya, at the same time going backwards traversing the sky with the speed of Soorya. Within a short period of 60 hours Hanumaan had attained all knowledge of scriptures. The Sun was very pleased the way Hanumaan got his education and considered it his Guru Dakshinaa, but Hanumaan wanted to give something more. Then Soorya asked him to assist his son Sugreev who was living in Kishkindhaa by being his minister and a constant companion.

After getting so powerful Var Hanumaan started troubling Rishi Muni. When Hanumaan didn't stop his activities in spite of being warned by Kesaree and Pavan, Rishi gave him Shaap - "Hey Vaanar, Because of Vardaan you trouble us, that is why we give you this Shaap that you will not remember your powers until you will be reminded." Now Hanumaan lived in the Aashram like an ordinary Vaanar. After the death of Riksh Raaj, Vaanar appointed Baali as their king, Sugreev was exiled, but nobody reminded him of his powers at the time of enmity of Baali and Sugreev, otherwise there was no reason for Sugreev to go in hiding like this.

His mention is made in Mahaabhaarat also. While Paandav were spending their time in 12 years of Vanvaas. Bheem was going somewhere that he saw a Vaanar's tail lying across the path. Bheem was very proud of his might. Bheem didn't consider proper to jump over it, so he said politely, "Vaanar Raaj, please move your tail from my way." Hanumaan Jee said - "Brother, I am old, taking some rest. Why do you trouble me? Please help yourself, move it yourself. It is only a Vaanar's tail not a huge mountain."

Hearing this Bheem requested him a couple of times more but got the same reply, so he thought to move it by himself, thinking "really it is only a tail and not a huge mountain. And even if it were mountain I could move that also." So he tried to move it in a playful mood. But it didn't move even an inch. Next time he put his all efforts to move it but he could not move it. 

Then he asked the Vaanar - "Who are you Vaanar Raj? I beg you please move your tail from my way." Then Hanumaan Jee stood up and showed Bheem his huge form and introduced himself as his elder brother, because both were Pavan's (Vaayu) sons. Both embraced each other, talked for a while. Hanumaan assured Bheem to help Paandav in Mahaabhaarat war. He positioned himself on the flag of Arjun's Rath (chariot) to keep stabilize his Rath and to keep his mind stabilized.

1. "Why Hanumaan was sitting alone far from the group of monkeys when they were discussing as who could cross the sea to search Seetaa?"
2. "Parables About Hanumaan"