Hanuman

Hanuman (/ˈhʌnʊˌmɑːn, ˈhɑːnʊ-, ˌhʌnʊˈmɑːn, ˌhɑːnʊ-/; Hanumān in IAST); also known as Mahavira or Bajrangbali, is a Hindu god and an ardent devotee of the god Rama. He is a central character in the Hindu epic Ramayana and its various versions. He is also mentioned in several other texts, including Mahabharata, the various Puranas and some Jain texts. A vanara (monkey), Hanuman participated in Rama's war against the demon king Ravana. Several texts also present him as an incarnation of the god Shiva. He is the son of Anjana and Kesari, and is also described as the son of the wind-god Vayu, who according to several stories, played a role in his birth.

Etymology and other names

The Sanskrit texts mention several legends about how Hanuman got his name. One legend is that Indra, the king of the gods, struck Hanuman's jaw during his childhood (see below). The child received his name from the Sanskrit words Hanu ("jaw") and -man (or -mant, "prominent" or "disfigured"). The name thus means "one with prominent or disfigured jaw". Another theory says the name derives from the Sanskrit words Han ("killed" or "destroyed") and maana (pride); the name implies "one whose pride was destroyed". Some Jain texts mention that Hanuman spent his childhood on an island called Hanuruha, which is the origin of his name.