Beyond Brawn: Hanumān, the Nava-Vyākaraṇa-Pāṇḍita

When we think of Hanuman, the first image that comes to mind is one of immense physical power and unwavering devotion. He is the hero who crossed an ocean in a single leap, carried a mountain on his palm, and stood as a paragon of strength in service to Lord Rama. This popular image, while true, is only part of the story.

But what if this image, as powerful as it is, obscures a more profound truth? What if his greatest weapon wasn't his mace, but his mind? The Valmiki Ramayana, paint a far more detailed picture of Hanuman, revealing an intellect as formidable as his body.

In many devotional and traditional accounts,  Hanumān is celebrated not only as a mighty warrior and devoted servant of Rāma, but also as an erudite scholar — especially a master of Sanskrit grammar. Because of this, he is often given the title “Nava-Vyākaraṇa-Pāṇḍita,” meaning “master of the nine vyākaraṇas (grammars).”  

When Rama and Lakshmana first encountered Hanuman in the Kishkindha forest, he was disguised as an ascetic. He had been sent by his king, Sugriva, who was terrified that these two powerful warriors might be assassins sent by his brother and mortal enemy, the mighty Vali. While Hanuman spoke to ascertain their identity, Rama wasn't just listening; he was conducting a deep analysis. Rama shared his stunning evaluation with Lakshmana, a well-read prince himself. 

Kishkindhā Kāṇḍa — 4.3.28

नानृग्वेदविनीतस्य नायजुर्वेदधारिणः । 

नासामवेदविदुषः शक्यमेवं विभाषितुम् ॥

nānṛgvedavinītasya nāyajurvedadhāriṇaḥ |

 nāsāmavedaviduṣaḥ śakyam evaṃ vibhāṣitum ||

Meaning:  "One not trained in the Ṛgveda, nor a knower of the Yajurveda, nor learned in the Sāmaveda, cannot possibly speak in such a refined manner."

Rama concluded that Hanuman was profoundly learned in the three core Vedas. But it was how Rama reached this conclusion that reveals the depth of his insight. He noted that Hanuman’s command of the poetic Rigveda was flawless. His grasp of the prose-based Yajurveda was equally perfect, which Rama knew required an immense and excellent memory, as prose is far more difficult to memorize word-for-word than poetry. Finally, his understanding of the sung Samaveda, with its complex pitches and meters, pointed to a sharp, scholarly bent of mind. (As for the Atharva Veda, its formats are covered by the other three, so its mastery was implicit.)

Beyond this, Rama was astonished by Hanuman's expertise in grammar. He noted that in a lengthy and detailed speech, Hanuman did not make a single grammatical error (apashabdam).

Kishkindhā Kāṇḍa — 4.3.29

नूनं व्याकरणं कृत्स्नमनॆन बहुधा श्रुतम् । 

बहु व्याहरतानॆन न किञ्चिदपशब्दितम् ॥

nūnaṃ vyākaraṇaṃ kṛtsnam anena bahudhā śrutam | 

bahu vyāharatānena na kiñcid apaśabditam ||

Meaning: "Surely he has studied well the entire science of grammar in many ways. In all that he has spoken, there was not even a single faulty expression."

Tradition holds that Hanuman had mastered nine different ancient systems of grammar—a Herculean task by any measure. This first impression reveals an intellectual prowess that is just as awe-inspiring as his legendary physical strength.

In fact Sri Rama enlists great qualities of Hanuman as a communicator and its a master class in communication skills: 

In Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Chapter 36 of the Uttara Kāṇḍa, Mahaṛṣi Agastya said to Śrī Rāma:

सर्वासु विद्यासु तपोविधाने प्रस्पर्धते ऽयो हि गुरुं सुराणाम् ।
सोऽयं नवव्याकरणार्थवेत्ता ब्रह्मा भविष्यत्यपि ते प्रसादात् ।। ७.३६.४८ ।।

sarvāsu vidyāsu tapovidhāne praspardhate ’yo hi guruṃ surāṇām |

so’yaṃ navavyākaraṇārthavettā brahmā bhaviṣyaty api te prasādāt || 7.36.48 || 

Meaning: Hanumāna rivals the preceptor of devas (i.e., Brihaspati) himself, in all branches of learning and austerities. He is well versed in 'the Nine-Grammars' (i.e.,navavyākaraṇārthavettā), and by your grace he will become the next Brahmā.

The term “Vyākaraṇa” refers to the study of Sanskrit grammar and linguistics — one of the six Vedāṅgas (limbs of Vedic studies).  

Modern Sanskrit studies recognize that there were several grammatical traditions before and alongside Pāṇini, though most of their texts are lost. Pāṇini’s Aṣṭādhyāyī remains the only complete grammar from the ancient period that has survived.  

According to tradition, these nine grammar systems were taught to Hanuman by Surya (the Sun God). A verse mentioning these 9 forms of grammar  from Shritattvanidhi - a 19th CE treatise on iconography and iconometry is:

ऐन्द्रं चान्द्रं काशकृत्स्नं कौमारं शाकटायनम् ।
सारस्वतं चापिशलं शाकलं पाणिनीयकम् ॥

We summarise what is known about each of the nine grammars, what surviving evidence we have (or lack), and how modern scholarship views these claims. 

The Nine Grammars (Nava-Vyākaraṇa)

Here are the nine grammars traditionally listed — with whatever scholarly information is available about each:

#	Name of the grammar	Attributed author / origin	Known historical / textual notes
1	Āindraṃ	Attributed to Indra (i.e. “Indra-deva”)	Traditional claim only. Some traditions list Aindra vyākaraṇa among the nine ancient grammars.
2	Cāndraṃ	Attributed to Chandra (i.e. “Candra-deva”)	Traditional attribution; no extant text or manuscript known under this name.
3	Kāśakṛtsnaṃ	Attributed to a grammarian named Kāśakṛtsna	Mentioned (by name) in the ancient commentary tradition. The name appears in references to older grammarians in works such as the Mahābhāṣya.
4	Kaumāraṃ	Attributed to Śarvavarman, said to be inspired by Kārtikeya (also called “Kumāra”)	Traditional narratives link this grammar to Kātantra-type grammar (a simpler system).
5	Śākaṭāyanam	Attributed to Śākaṭāyana	He is known in early Sanskrit grammar tradition; his work Śākaṭāyana-śabdānuśāsana is referenced by later grammarians, though the full text is lost.
6	Sārasvataṃ	Attributed to a grammarian named Narendra, inspired by Sarasvatī	Traditional attribution; no surviving text under the name “Sārasvata vyākaraṇa” is known in mainstream Sanskrit literature.
7	Āpiśalaṃ (or Puṣkaraṇam)	Attributed to a sage Āpiśali	Name appears among ancient grammarian-lists; considered one of the pre-Pāṇinian schools.
8	Śākalaṃ	Attributed to Śākalya (the founder of Śākalya-śākhā)	He is among the ancient grammarians listed by scholars; associated with one of the Vedic Śākhās (branches).
9	Pāṇinīyakam(i.e. the grammar of Pāṇini)	Pāṇini himself	This is the only one among the nine for which a comprehensive and extant text survives — the seminal Aṣṭādhyāyī with around 4000 sutras, systematically codifying classical Sanskrit grammar.

What do we really know — and what remains speculative?

• It is well documented that there existed multiple pre- and para-Pāṇinian grammatical traditions. Scholars like those mentioned in Pāṇini’s own works (and later commentators) list names such as Āpiśali, Śākaṭāyana, Śākalya, Kāśakṛtsna, and others.  
• Among these, only Pāṇini’s grammar has come down to us in its full, systematic form: the Aṣṭādhyāyī. 
• For the others — e.g. Āindra, Cāndra, Sārasvata, Kaumāra — there is no known extant text in modern manuscript tradition under those names. Their attribution rests on later lists or traditional references, rather than on surviving documentation. This means that claims about their content, scope, and internal rules are not verifiable today.

On Pāṇini and the survival of Sanskrit grammar

The survival of grammar from ancient India is almost entirely due to the work of Pāṇini. His Aṣṭādhyāyī is the most comprehensive and systematic grammar we possess; it codified Sanskrit morphology, syntax, phonetics, and linguistic rules in an astonishingly compact and precise system — roughly 4000 sūtras (aphorisms).  

Later grammarians and commentators, including those responsible for the great commentary Mahābhāṣya (by Patañjali), acknowledged earlier traditions and grammarians whose works are lost.  

In that context, those older grammarians — like Āpiśali, Śākaṭāyana, Śākalya, Kāśakṛtsna and others — are real historical figures (or believed to be) whose grammatical treatises once existed. Their names survive in lists and references. But because the actual works have not survived (or have not been identified as such), modern scholars cannot reconstruct their grammatical rules.

The Significance of the Tradition — What “Navavyākaraṇa-Pāṇḍita” Symbolises

The symbolism is powerful:

• It underscores the deep respect ancient (and later) Indians had for grammatical mastery and linguistic discipline. Grammar was not a marginal skill — it was fundamental to the correct understanding and transmission of sacred texts (the Vedas).
• By attributing mastery of all nine vyākaraṇas to Hanuman, the tradition honours him not only as a divine hero but as a supreme scholar. This elevates him — in spiritual imagination — to the ideal of śabda-brahman (realization of the sacred power of sound and language).
• For devotees and traditional scholars alike, the title Nava-Vyākaraṇa-Pāṇḍita becomes a metaphor for perfection in speech, learning, memory, and devotion — combining strength, devotion, and erudition in one exemplar.

In short: even if one cannot historically “prove” the nine grammars today, the tradition reflects a worldview in which language, grammar, and sacred knowledge are deeply interwoven.

Conclusion: Honouring Tradition, Respecting History

The claim that Hanuman was Nava-Vyākaraṇa-Pāṇḍita captures a beautiful synthesis of devotion, reverence for knowledge, and recognition of Sanskrit’s ancient scholarly lineage. Nevertheless, from a purely historical and philological perspective, we must carefully distinguish between:

• what we know from surviving texts and manuscripts (i.e. Pāṇini), and
• what comes to us through tradition, legend, and devotional literature (i.e. the full list of nine grammars, plus divine transmission).

Acknowledging both — the tradition and the history — allows us to appreciate the spiritual and cultural value of the narrative, while remaining honest about the limits of our evidence.