हनुमान
Major God · Sacred Day: Tuesday
Hanuman is the vanara (monkey) god and the most devoted bhakta of Lord Rama. Son of Vayu (the wind god) and Anjana, he possesses immense strength, the ability to fly and change size, and unwavering devotion. In the Ramayana, he leaped across the ocean to Lanka, found Sita, burned the city with his tail, and later brought the Sanjeevani mountain to save Lakshmana. Hanuman is worshipped as the embodiment of strength, devotion, celibacy, and selfless service. Tuesdays and Saturdays are especially sacred to him. The Hanuman Chalisa by Goswami Tulsidas is one of the most recited devotional works in India.
Orange-red complexion with a powerful monkey form, mace (gada) in one hand, sometimes a mountain in the other, tail raised behind him. Often shown tearing open his chest to reveal Rama and Sita seated in his heart. Wears a dhoti and a janeu. Sindoor smeared across his body — a reference to the story of Sita's sindoor application.
ॐ हं हनुमते रुद्रात्मकाय हुं फट् ॥
मनोजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठम् । वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं श्रीरामदूतं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥
ॐ आञ्जनेयाय विद्महे महाबलाय धीमहि । तन्नो हनुमत् प्रचोदयात् ॥