For countless devotees, BhagavanHanuman is the unwavering hero of the Ramayana—an icon of selfless devotion, superhuman strength, and perfect celibacy. This is the Hanuman of the epic, the puranic hero, a figure central to the path of bhakti, or devotion.
But what if this image, as profound as it is, represents only one tradition’s understanding? What if an ancient text revealed a deeper, more esoteric reality—a view of Hanuman as a multifaceted deity with specific forms for specific purposes? That text is the Śrī Parāśara Samhitā, a dialogue between the great sages Parāśara and Maitreya. It invites us on a journey beyond the familiar hero to explore the divine archetype in all its complexity. Let us uncover a few of its most surprising revelations.
1. Hanuman Has Nine Different Incarnations (Navāvatāra) for Worship
While most devotees are familiar with one primary form of Hanuman, Śrī Parāśara Samhitā, specifically the 60th Chapter titled "The Story of the Incarnation" (Avatārakathanam), reveals that his incarnations are as infinite as the universe itself. However, it specifically designates nine of these forms as sacred objects of worship. These are not merely different statues, but living archetypes of divine power, each waiting to be invoked for a specific purpose.
Among His very many incarnations, only nine are to be worshipped. Upāsakas or devoted worshippers of Hanumān, venerate nine distinct forms (nava-rūpa) of Vāyuputra, each highlighting a particular aspect of his śakti.
आद्यः प्रसन्नहनुमान् द्वितीयो वीरमारुतिः ।
तृतीयो विंशतिभुजश् चतुर्थः पञ्चवक्त्रकः ॥
पञ्चमोऽष्टादशभुजः शरण्यः सर्वदेहिनाम् ।
सुवर्चलापतिः षष्ठः सप्तमस्तु चतुर्भुजः ॥
अष्टमः कथितः श्रीमान् द्वात्रिंशद्भुजमण्डलः ।
नवमो वानराकार इत्येवं नवरूपधृत् ।
हनुमान् पातु मां नित्यं सर्वसम्पत्प्रदायकः ॥
ādyaḥ prasannahanumān dvitīyo vīramārutiḥ |
tṛtīyo viṃśatibhujaḥ caturthaḥ pañcavaktrakaḥ ||
pañcamo’ṣṭādaśabhujaḥ śaraṇyaḥ sarvadehinām |
suvarchalāpatiḥ ṣaṣṭhaḥ saptamastu caturbhujaḥ ||
aṣṭamaḥ kathitaḥ śrīmān dvātriṃśadbhujamaṇḍalaḥ |
navamo vānarākāraḥ ityevaṃ navarūpadhṛt |
hanumān pātu māṃ nityaṃ sarvasampatpradāyakaḥ ||
Meaning
Hanumān (Hanumān), the son of Vāyu, is hymned here as manifesting nine exalted forms:
(Please note that the images are not exact representations but only suggestive, created using Artificial Intelligence)
The serene, ever-pleased form, radiant with kṛpā and dayā.
• Scriptural Context: Identified as the first incarnation, this is the "Pleasant or Happy Hanumān".
• Significance & History: This form is the remover of sorrow. The text recounts that Vijaya, a great warrior and ruler, meditated upon Prasannāñjanēya and successfully crossed the "ocean of this mundane world" (samsāra).
2. Vīra Māruti (vīramāruti)
The heroic son of the Wind, embodying śaurya (valour) and parākramā (prowess).
• Scriptural Context: Listed as the second incarnation, the "Heroic or Valorous Hanumān".
• Significance & History: This form grants the power to overcome impossible physical obstacles. Mainda, a supreme scholar of the Vedas, meditated upon Vīra-Māruti and was surprisingly able to cross a river in a boat filled with many holes.
• Scriptural Context: The third incarnation, distinguished by twenty shoulders/hands.
• Significance & History: This form represents supreme creative authority. The Creator Brahma himself worshipped this form with great enthusiasm and, through this worship, attained the status of Prajāpati (the Lord of Creatures).
4. Pañcavaktraka (pañcavaktraka)
• Scriptural Context: The fourth incarnation is the Pañcamukhāñjanēya or Five-Faced Hanumān.
• Significance & History: This form is linked to the acquisition of abundance. Nīla, the son of Vibhīṣaṇa—who was always worshipped by saintly people—worshipped this form and subsequently "earned everything in plenty".
The eighteen-armed refuge (śaraṇya) of all embodied beings (sarvadehinām), signifying complete guardianship.
• Scriptural Context: The fifth incarnation, explicitly described in the text as śaraṇyas sarvadehinām ("auspicious refuge to all devotees").
• Significance & History: The iconography of this form is vast, holding weapons such as the sword, axe, mace, trident, and thunderbolt (śakti), marking him as a "killer of demons". The sage Durvāsā worshipped this form and gained such power that he could drink the entire sea "like a miser," achieving great fame.
6. Suvarchalāpati (Suvarchalāpati)
The Lord of Suvarchalā Devī (Suvarchalā), reflecting the gṛhastha-like consort aspect of Hanumān found in certain āgamic and Saṃhitā traditions.
• Scriptural Context: The sixth form is the "husband of Suvarchalā".
• Significance & History: This form is specifically associated with material prosperity. A learned Brahmin named Dhwajadatta, skilled in weaponry, worshipped Suvarchalāhanumān and became rich.
7. Caturbhuja (caturbhuja)
The four-armed form, reminiscent of classical Viṣṇu-rūpa-s, bearing weapons and mudrā-s of protection.
• Scriptural Context: The seventh incarnation possesses four shoulders/hands.
• Significance & History: This form is a vimuktidaḥ (giver of liberation). The sage Kapila, a brilliant Vedic scholar, worshipped this form and achieved success in both worldly and other-worldly goals.
8. Dvātṛṃśad-bhujamaṇḍala (dvātriṃśadbhujamaṇḍala)
A majestic thirty-two-armed form, an icon of overflowing divine energies and upacāra-s.
• Scriptural Context: The eighth incarnation is the majestic thirty-two-shouldered form, referred to as Śrīmān.
• Significance & History: This form restores lost sovereignty. Emperor Sōmadatta, who was frightened after being driven out of his kingdom, regained his throne by worshipping this thirty-two-armed manifestation.
9. Vānara-ākāra (vānarākāra)
The simple monkey-form, compassionate and accessible, which is the most beloved to bhaktas.
• Scriptural Context: The ninth form is the Vānarākāra (Monkey form).
• Significance & History: Despite its humble appearance, this form is potent for health and spiritual perfection. A forest dweller named Gāla worshipped this form and attained great health along with the "ultimate best achievement" (siddhi).
The verse concludes:
“Thus, assuming these nine forms (navarūpadhṛt), may Hanumān (Hanumān) ever protect me and bestow all kinds of prosperity (sarvasampat-pradāyaka), both material and spiritual.”
This revelation suggests a deity far more multifaceted than commonly portrayed. It shows Hanuman's divine ability to manifest in the specific form a devotee needs, whether they seek pleasant grace, heroic courage, or awe-inspiring power.
Different Forms Were Worshipped for Specific Results
The text doesn't just list Hanuman's different forms; it provides concrete examples of how ancient kings and sages worshipped specific incarnations to achieve specific goals. This points to a highly specialized spiritual science where the deity's form was understood to correspond directly to the devotee's need.
This practical, results-oriented approach shows that the worship of Hanuman was not just an act of abstract devotion but a precise spiritual technology, employed by the wisest figures of antiquity to manifest tangible outcomes in their lives.
The Śrī Parāśara Samhitā pulls back a veil, revealing that the Hanuman we know from the epics is but one magnificent expression of a deity of infinite complexity. From his nine sacred forms and his role as a husband to the precise, purpose-driven science of his worship, these ancient verses paint a picture of a deep and sophisticated spiritual tradition. They show us that the devotional hero of the Ramayana also exists as a powerful deity, where every form has a purpose and every practice holds a unique power.
Śrī Parāśara Samhitā Chapter 60 begins with the following 2 verses:
पाशं पद्म त्रिशूलंहलमुसलघटाटंकशक्त्यक्षमालाः
दण्डं वा कुंतचर्माचलितकुशवरान्पट्टिशं चापबाणान्
खेटं मुष्टिं फलं वा डमरुमभिभजे बिभ्रतं वायुसूनुम् ।। 1
I am reverentially serving Hanuman, the son of Wind God, holding a sword, a leg of an wooden cot (khatwanga), a mountain, a tree, an axe, a mase, a book, conch and wheel, a rope lasso (pńśa), a lotus, a trident, a plough, a pounding pole (musala), an earthen pot, a chisel, power (śakti), rosary, stick or a throwing weapon (javelin), skin or hide of animal, a bundle of sacteddharba grass (Desmotachya bipinnata), a dagger, a bow and arrows, a protecting disc, a clenched fist, a fruit and a small hand drum (dhamaruka). (1)
गांडीवं चर्मपद्मद्विनदभुजवरे खड्गमप्यादधानम्
वन्देऽहं वायुसूनुं सुररिपुमथनं भक्तरक्षासुदक्षम् ।। 2
I worship Hanuman, the son of Wind God holding power (śakti), rope lasso, sharp throwing weapon (stick), axe, plough, whip, protecting disc, conch, wheel, trident, pounding pole, mace, dagger, club or mallet, bow, animal skins, sword in His great eighteen shoulders, killer of demons and an expert in saving devotees. (2)
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