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Hanumaan is Still Living

Hanumaan has the Var of "Ichchhaa Mrityu", means 'death at his wish...' that is why he is not yet dead, believably, for he is "Chiranjeevee", means 'eternal existence on earth...'. When Raam was crowned as emperor after His exile and eliminating Raavan, Raam and Seetaa gave gifts to all of their friends. When it was turn of Hanumaan to choose a gift, shunning the heavens or other higher planes or other things, he asked only for living in this mortal world as long as the name "Raam" is audible. Then Seetaa blessed Hanumaan with that gift saying "O Hanumaan, Wherever you are, there will be plenty of fruits and eatables, and further, in villages, public shelters, temples, houses, gardens, cowsheds, cities, and at riversides, crossroads, pilgrimages, water tanks, trunks of banyan trees, and on mountains, caves, peaks and wherever people stroll, your image will be installed, so that you can always listen to Raam's name, uttered by the people from all corners of the earth...". 

Thus Hanumaan is believed to be still living, as the name of Raam is still audible. He is also seen in Mahaabhaarat times (see " Hanumaan and Bheem") as an old monkey living from ages till now. Even Bheem could not lift the tail of this old monkey, on his way in forests. Even today one can see huge images, statues of Hanumaan at all these places, as said by Seetaa, installed either ages ago, or recently.

Hanumaan is Only for Raam

After Lord Raam was crowned as the King of Ayodhyaa everyone was returning to their home - Sugreev, Angad, Vibheeshan etc. Irrespective of what was happening around, Hanuman was sitting in one corner closing his eyes and was meditating on Raam with tears flowing in his eyes. Seetaa noticed this and informed Ram about Hanuman sitting in the corner and meditating and crying. Seeing this Raam and Seetaa went to Hanuman. Smelling the fragrance of Raam and Seetaa Hanuman opened his eyes. Seeing tears in Hanumaan's eyes Raam said to Hanumaan, "I cannot give you anything in return for your devotion you have for me, only thing I can do is that I can take you along with me to Vaikunth." At this Hanuman asked - "If you [Raam] will be there in Vaikunth, I am ready to go." Raam replied - "I won't be there as Raam but I will be there as Mahaa Vishnu. Mahaa Vishnu is the cause and Raam is the effect." Hanuman replied - " Then I wont come with you where my Raam is not there. I will stay back in this world and keep mediating on you, O Raam." And he continued his meditation on Raam staying back in this world.

Who Saw What in Raam

Dasharath  saw a son in Raam so in separation he suffered and died.
Kaikeyee saw a rivalry in Raam for her Bharat so she separated Raam from the palace so that her son can get all the rights.
Seetaa saw a husband in Raam, so she took part in all his sufferings.
Lakshman saw a brother in Raam, so he did all his services to his brother till his death.
Raavan saw an enemy in Raam so he died.
A Vaanar saw a GOD in Raam and become a GOD himself in the process - Hanumaan.
How you see a thing does not make any difference to the thing but it make a huge difference to you.
[Spiritual Discourse by Mr. TT Rangarajan in one of his recent lectures at http://www.almamater.com/home.htm]

Hanumaan Wrote Raamaayan

Dejected by the slighting away of "his great deeds as simple acts of duty" by Raam, Hanumaan brought those clay tablets to seashore, recited each verse, and broke each tablet on his knee and threw them into the sea. This writing is called "Hanumad Raamaayan".

Another Version
After Raam became the King of Ayodhyaa and all had come back from there, Hanumaan went to Himaalaya to continue his worship of Raam. There he read Vaalmeeki's Raamaayan and thoroughly enjoyed it but still thought that there was some scope of writing Raam's account of life. After all he had the first hand knowledge of Raam's life.

So he wrote the account of Raam's life on stone using his nails recording every detail of His deeds. Hanuman lost himself in creating his own version of Raamaayan. He forgot food, water and sleep and wrote it on the stones of the mountains. The word spread and reached Vaalmeeki who got worried. He decided to visit Hanumaan. Vaalmeeki arrived at the mountain where Hunumaan was busy in writing. But Hanumaan was overjoyed to receive Vaalmeeki and embraced the sage warmly.

Hanuman took him around the huge mountain and showed the stones on which the beautiful Shlok were written. Vaalmeeki went around patiently and read the complete Raamaayan of Hanumaan. It is said that it took Vaalmeeki a thousand years to go through the massive work. The sage was visibly moved. He was full of praise for Hanuman. "But…."  Vaalmeeki could not say anything further, tears betrayed his sentiments.

"But what, my dear Sage? Please feel free to tell me…." Hanumaan said, unable to understand Vaalmeeki's true feelings. The sage said - "My version of Raam's deeds is no match to your version of His deeds, and would therefore go unnoticed. Who will read my Raamaayan now?" . It took a while for the whole purport of the sage’s word to sink in Hanumaan's mind. Hanuman could see the point now. If the Hanumaan Raamaayan became available, who will ever read anything written by other poets and devotees?

At this, Hanumaan immediately discarded his own version - he looked at the massive mountain and millions of stones in front him all holding his creations majestically. He quickly made up his mind. and uprooted the entire mountain containing his Raamaayan and moved at lightning speed to the nearest ocean and sunk the mountain in the ocean. Vaalmeeki was taken aback so much at his this action, that he said he would take another birth to sing the glory of Hanuman which he had understated in his version of Raamaayan.
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Later, one tablet is said to have floated ashore during the period of Mahaakavi Kaalidaas  [Kaalidaas was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language] and hung at a public place to be deciphered by scholars. Kaalidaas is said to have deciphered it and recognized that it was from the Hanumad Raamaayan recorded by Hanumaan in an extinct script, and considered himself very fortunate to see at least one Pad of the stanza.

This work is unavailable since that time. On that tablet only one foot of a stanza is available. That foot says "O Raavan, Those your ten heads, on which you lifted off Mount Kailaash, the abode of Shiv, are now bumped on battlefield by the claws of crows and eagles, know what has happened to your high-headed Decahedral pride, at the hands of virtue...". Only after deciphering the tablet, Kaalidaas could inform the public that it was from Hanumad Raamaayan, recorded by Hanumaan, but now an extinct script. It is said that none can conclusively narrate about Hanumaan, for he is many faceted. He is symbolic for unwavering dedication to righteousness, unstinting performance of entrusted duties, unfailing talents in service.

So the tradition says many a parable about Hanumaan...
[Taken from - Vaalmeeki Ramayan 4/66]

There are no Raam and Seetaa in These Pearls?

When Raam had returned to Ayodhyaa and was crowned as the King of Ayodhyaa, He was distributing gifts to all as a token of gratitude. He gave one or the other thing to everybody but did not give anything to Hanumaan. He just embraced Hanumaan and said - "Dear Hanumaan, I have seen the whole world, and I have reached on the conclusion that I cannot be indebted from your debt by giving anything to you." Seetaa Jee asked Him - "Why didn't you give anything to my son?" Shree Raam said - "Seetey, I thought and thought but I could not think of anything which is worth to give to him. But if you think that there is something for him, you give it." Seetaa Jee said - "Yes, If you have not given him anything, I will give him something." And she took off a gem necklace from Her neck and gave it to Hanumaan. Hanumaan took it with great joy and started taking out its jewels one by one and bit it. He hoped to find something in it but could not find what he wanted to find, so he started throwing them one by one.

Sugreev didn't like his behavior, so he said to him - "Hanumaan, What are you doing this, O Hanumaan? You have spoiled such a valuable necklace given by Seetaa Jee?" Hanumaan Jee said - "O King, This is no use to me as its jewels do not have the name or picture of my Raam and Seetaa on it. That is why I have broken it and threw it." Sugreev was very surprised to hear this reply from Hanumaan, he asked him - "Hanumaan, Do you have Raam and Seetaa inside your body?" "Yes" And he ripped off his chest to show him Raam and Seetaa. Everybody was surprised to see this.

Why Hanumaan's Whole Body is Covered with Sindoor?

You must be wondering why Hanumaan's body is covered with Sinddor and why it is so holy to offer Sindoor to him. Once Hanumaan Jee went to Seetaa Jee and saw Her putting Sindoor in Her hair in the center of Her head. He asked Her - "Hey Maa, What are you doing this?" Seetaa Jee said - "Putra, I am putting Sindoor in my hair as this pleases Shree Raam and wishes for His long life." Hearing this Hanumaan Jee thought, "What is this? If only a little bit of Sindoor can please Shree Raam and wish for His long life, then I can put this Sindoor on my whole body." Seetaa said - "No Hanumaan, This is only for women." But Hanumaan didn't agree with Her and he covered his whole body with Sindoor.

When he went in Raam's court next day, Shree Raam asked him - "What is this Hanumaan? Why have you covered your whole body with Sindoor?" Hanumaan Jee said - "Naath, Seetaa Maataa told me that She puts it on for your long life and to please you, that is why I have also put it on to wish for your long life and to please you." Shree Raam could not say a word after that, except that "Whoever will offer you Sindoor, he will get my Bhakti."

Who Has Caught Whom?

When Raam was going towards Rishyamook Parvat to meet Sugreev, and Sugeev saw them coming towards him, he sent Hanumaan to find out as who were they; because if they were Baali's people then he had to run away from there. So Hanumaan Jee assumed the guise of a Braahman and went there to find out. He asked them who were they, and when he had recognized them as his master, he told them to sit on his shoulder so that he could take them to Sugreev. He made them sit on his shoulders and took them to the top of the mountain where Sugreev lived.

As Hanumaan was carrying them and he was flying fast, he aked Raam to hold him tightly so tht don't fall down. So Raam held him tightly so that He does not fall down. Hanuman Jee smiled at Shree Raam and said, "Prabhu, It is proper and expected of a devotee servant to hold on tightly to his Lord with all his strength but in my case it is reversed. The Lord Himself is clinging on to His servant with all His might."

Why Raam Calls Hanumaan His Brother?

You must have read at many places Raam calling Hanumaan as His brother. How is he His brother? As people know that King Dasharath was childless for long time, he asked Rishyashring Rishi to do Putreshti Yagya for him. he did that and a man appeared from the Yagya carrying a pot of Charu. He gave that pot to Dasharath, told the method to distribute it to his wives and disappeared. When Dasharath had distributed the Charu to his wives, an eagle came and flew away with a bit of Charu carrying in his beak. Anjanee Devee (mother of Hanumaan) was meditating upon Shiv that this eagle dropped that Charu in her open palms. When Shiv granted her the boon of being born as her son, he instructed her this also that when you find Charu in your palms, you should eat it. So Anjanee ate it immediately. That is how Hanumaan was born to her. Since both Ram and Hanumaan were born from the same Charu, he is called Raam's brother.

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