HANUMAN TALES TOLD IN 100 WORDS
This is a story about why the Hanuman (Langur) monkey has a black face:
Hanuman and Surya
As he grew, Hanuman sought wisdom. He learned all he could from books and wanted to learn more.
He asked Surya, the sun-god, to be his guru, but Surya remembered how Hanuman had once attacked him. "I must travel all day; I don't have time to stop for lessons," Surya said.
"I will run backwards, never stopping, so that I may learn from you," said Hanuman.
Thus Surya became Hanuman's guru, and Hanuman's face was burned black.
Having completed his studies, Hanuman wanted to give Surya the guru-gift.
"Look after my monkey son, Sugriva," said Surya.
So Hanuman befriended Sugriva.
This is a folktale about Rama's childhood:
Shiva and the Dancing Monkey
When the god Shiva heard that Vishnu had been born in human form, Shiva wanted to pay his respects. Shiva thus became a street performer, playing his drum while a monkey danced to the beat. Hanuman was that monkey.
The drummer performed for King Dasharatha and his family, and little Rama was enchanted by the dancing monkey. "Let me keep the monkey!" Rama pleaded, and so Hanuman became Rama's pet.
When Vishvamitra took young Rama away to fight the rakshasas, Rama told Hanuman to go to Kishkindha, where they would meet again later, for Vishnu knew what was to come.
This story takes place when Rama's army is waiting to cross over to Lanka:
The Woman in the Seaweed
The monkeys saw something floating in the water... a woman's body, tangled in seaweed.
Hanuman ran up. "It's Sita!" he wailed in horror.
Lakshmana then came running, and Rama. The princes wept, stricken with grief. But Hanuman was suspicious. He built a pyre, put the body on top, and then lit the fire.
"Hanuman!" shouted Rama. "What are you doing in such haste?"
Before Hanuman could answer, the supposed corpse rose up and screamed.
"This is not Sita!" said Hanuman. "This is Benjakai; I saw this evil sorceress in Ravana's palace."
Howling in defeat, Benjakai fled back into the ocean.
This mermaid is one of the most famous characters in the Thai Ramakien:
Hanuman and the Mermaid
The bridge reached halfway to Lanka, much to Rama's delight.
But the next morning sea-serpents and other monsters were splashing in the ruins of the bridge, dragging away the rocks.
"I'll find out who did this!" Hanuman shouted. He dove down into the water. There he saw an underwater palace, and inside the palace he found the mermaid Suvannamaccha.
"Ravana asked me to destroy your bridge," she said. "But you are a very handsome monkey. I like you!' My creatures will help repair the bridge. Forgive me, please!"
Hanuman smiled at the mermaid. Later, she would bear his son: Macchanu.
This is another famous episode from the Thai Ramakien:
The March to Lanka
The bridge was finished at last, and Rama led his army of monkeys and bears on their way to Lanka.
But Ravana was watching! Before Rama and his army could enter Lanka, he shot two massive arrows that destroyed each end of the bridge.
Rama's army could not go forward or backward, and hungry sea-monsters were swarming in the waters around them.
"Help us, Hanuman!" shouted Rama.
The mighty Hanuman leaped to Lanka and then enlarged himself, expanding his tail to span the gap. Rama's army then marched over Hanuman's tail into Lanka. They had thwarted Ravana's plans once again.
Devdutt Pattanaik wrote a children's book based on this story::
The Ramayanas of Valmiki and Hanuman
Valmiki finally finished his Ramayana. The goddesses and gods all praised his poem; Valmiki was proud.
But then Narada said, "Hanuman's is better."
Valmiki stared in disbelief.
"Go read it yourself! He lives in a banana orchard in the Himalayas, and he wrote his Ramayana on the banana-tree leaves."
Valmiki climbed the mountains to reach Hanuman's orchard, and there he read Hanuman's Ramayana on the leaves. "Hanuman's is better," Valmiki admitted, weeping.
Then Hanuman appeared. "Why are you weeping?" he asked.
Valmiki explained.
Hanuman grabbed the leaves and swallowed them. "Now your Ramayana is the best," Hanuman told Valmiki, smiling.
Hanuman learns about the cycles of time; this has all happened before:
Hanuman Seeks Rama's Ring
Rama dropped his ring, and it fell through a crack.
"I'll get it!" shouted Hanuman.
He jumped down into the crack and found himself in Naga-Loka.
The Nagas then brought Hanuman to Vasuki, their king.
"I seek Rama's ring," said Hanuman.
Vasuki offered Hanuman a platter of rings: hundreds of identical rings!
"Which one is Rama's?" asked Hanuman.
"They all are," Vasuki explained. "There have been as many Ramas as there are rings. When a Rama incarnation ends, his ring falls down. By now, your Rama will have departed."
Hanuman rushed back to Ayodhya.
What Vasuki had said was true.
Author's Notes:
Hanuman and Surya. This story is found in the Uttara Kanda, the (controversial) seventh book of Valmiki's Ramayana which contains backstories for many of the characters, including Hanuman. More information.
Shiva and the Dancing Monkey. There are many different legends that associate Shiva and Hanuman, thus weaving Shiva's presence into the story of Rama; this is one of those legends. More information.
The Woman in the Seaweed. The episode comes from the Thai Ramakien where Benjakai is the daughter of Vibhishana, and Ravana has forced her to engage in this plot. She later becomes Hanuman's lover. More information.
Hanuman and the Mermaid. In the Thai Ramakien, Hanuman and Suvannamaccha become lovers, and Hanuman later meets his son Macchanu when he goes to rescue Rama and Lakshmana from Mahiravana. More information.
The March to Lanka. This episode is found in the Thai Ramakien and other southeast Asian Ramayana legends. More information.
The Ramayanas of Valmiki and Hanuman. In some versions, Hanuman writes his Ramayana on rocks; in other versions he writes it on palm leaves. More information.
Hanuman Seeks Rama's Ring. This famous story appears in Ramanujan's essay, Three Hundred Ramayanas. More information.
Image Information:
Hanuman and Surya. Hanuman Langur monkey.
Shiva and the Dancing Monkey. Young Rama and Hanuman.
The Woman in the Seaweed. Benjakai levitates; Ramakien mural.
Hanuman and the Mermaid. Painted embroidery from Thailand.
The March to Lanka. Hanuman becomes a bridge.
The Ramayanas of Valmiki and Hanuman. Cover of Hanuman's Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik.
Hanuman Seeks Rama's Ring. Hanuman "namaste" posture.