Hanuman Pancharatnam

Background

Hanuman pancha-ratnam is a set of five stanzas that talk of Hanuman's characteristics, teach bhakti of Hanuman and through that bhakti, teaches us to inspire ourselves and acquire jnAna.

vRsa-kapi

Hanuman is called vRsa-kapi, which means 'strong masculine monkey' or alpha-male (roughly). An alpha-male is a monkey that leads the group, stands alone and detached from the rest on top of the group, extremely powerful. Hanuman made himself powerful, stood tall, alone and detached from the rest of the monkey troops, provided that leadership to monkey troops. Hence Hanuman is called vRsa-kapi.

Hanuman - The inheritor of vAyu

Hanuman is son of Kesari and Anjana. But Hanuman inherits the property of vAyu. Hence hanuman is also called vAta-atmaja, vAyu-suta etc.. (inheritor of vAyu).

The five properties of vAyu

There are five properties of vAyu (air or gas or molecular cloud or ensemble of molecules). They are

1. There are no interactive forces (i.e., attraction or repulsion) between the particles of a gas. Particles of gas are detached from each other, without any bonding between them. Hence they expand and contract easily.

2.  Any energy addition increases the average kinetic energy of the gas molecules, translating as temperature, kick-starting burning processes and bringing to life newer forms of matter.

3.  Gases consist of particles (molecules or atoms) that are in constant random motion. Hence they acquire the ability to move across the space easily like a messenger from one location to another.

4.  Gas particles are constantly, elastically, colliding with each other, but there is no net loss of energy from the collisions, as they transfer energy between them. This means their internal energy is not dissipated away easily.

5. Though the actual particles of gas are very small in volume (very meek and weak), together they occupy a hugely disproportionate volume, becoming a great force to overcome mightiest of the forces. They are an example to how a loosely bandied force can overcome mightiest of mightiest, clean up everything, when these gas molecules accumulate energy over a period of time.

The five characteristics of Hanuman

Hanuman had all these five properties of vAyu as his five characteristics. Hence he is described as 'vAta-atmaja', 'pavana-putra', 'vayu-suta' etc etc.. How..?

1. Hanuman stood tall and alone from the group of his monkeys, without any other bonding or attachment, only devoted to the cause of Rama. He was vRsa-kapi or alpha-male in that respect of his group. 

2. Hanuman could do acts that bring back the near-dead to Life by bringing saMjivanam.

3. Hanuman could traverse the space easily from one place to another.

4. Hanuman's internal energy never dissipated away. Even after being captured by Ravana, he never gave up, fought back, escaped and burnt down the glorious palace of Ravana.

5. Hanuman lead a troop of meek monkeys to destroy the mightiest of danavas.

The above 5 characteristics of Hanuman map to the 5 properties of vAyu.

Summary of Hanuman pancharatnam

Hanuman pancha-ratnam talks about these five characteristics of Hanuman, which map to the five properties of vAyu as mentioned above.  In each characteristic there is a 'ratnam' of learning for us. Hence there are totally five ratnams or five learnings and hence the name pancha-ratnam.

A heart that meditates Hanuman (the vAyu amsam), the first messenger of Sitapati, originates tears of bliss, hairs bristle and desires for being detached in the Universe. 

Hanuman, whose face is like a young red lotus, body filled with essence of grace, the charming greatness, the fortune of anjana, gets sanjivanam or brings life. 

Hanuman, who moves faster than the arrow of manmatha, whose noble eyes are wider than lotus petals,  who has a conch-shell neck, who is the fortune of vAyu, who has blazing, reflecting lips is our support/shelter that we can depend on.  

Hanuman removed the distress of Sita by showcasing Rama's opulence by his actions (even after being captured by Ravana), tearing down the glorious palaces of dasamukha, with his shining body. 

Hanuman lead a troop of meek monkeys to extinguish the mightiest of danavas, like sun extinguishing kumuda flowers by its rays. Like vAyu with tapas/heat over a period becomes powerful, Hanuman over a period converted a set of weak monkeys into believing themselves as a powerful force. 

The 'ratnam' of learnings from Hanuman pancharatnam

What we learn from Hanuman is performing without attachment, in a detached way, just devoted to the cause we took up, standing alone, if need be. This is the first 'ratnam' of learning.

When we perform without attachment, devoted to the cause, we can bring back life, even to the dead. This is the second 'ratnam' of learning.

When we perform without attachment, devoted to cause, bringing back life even to dead, we reach any place faster and become dependable like Hanuman. This is the third 'ratnam' of learning.

When we perform without attachment, devoted to cause, we are able to break our chains and bring out the opulence of the cause we serve, destroying the pride of opponents. This is the fourth 'ratnam' of learning.

When we perform without attachment, devoted to a cause, we can convert a troop of weak and meek into a force that can overthrow the mightiest of the mightiest. This is the fifth 'ratnam' of learning.

Hanuman Pancharatnam translation

Sloka 1

vītākhila-viṣayecchaṃ jātānandāśra pulaka  matyaccham ।

sītāpati dūtādyaṃ vātātmajamadya bhāvaye hṛdyam ॥ 1॥

பற்றற்ற நிலை தேடும்    ஆனந்த கண்ணீர் எழ  மெய்  சிலிர்க்கும் 

சீதாபதி முதல்தூதன்       வாயு அம்சத்தை  தியானம் செய்யவே அகம் 

(or)

விடுபட்ட அகிலம் விழையும்    ஆனந்த கண்ணீர் எழ  மெய்  சிலிர்க்கும் 

சீதாபதி முதல்தூதன்       வாயு அம்சத்தை  தியானிக்கும் அகம் 

vita (free of) akhila (universe) visaya (subject/issues) iccham (desires) jAta (arising) ananda asru (joyful tears) exhilaration (pulaka) thought/thinking (matya)  clear (accham) messenger of rama (sitapati duta) the original/first/chief (adyam) wind/vayu (vata) children/inhering the properties (atmaja) I meditate on (bhavaye) in heart (hrdayam)

Meditating the vAyu atmaja, the one with property of vAyu, the first messenger of Rama, our heart desires detachment from matters of Universe, tears of bliss originate, hairs bristle.

Hanuman make us desire detached state. (like the gas particles themselves are not attracting or repelling each other, existing without any bonding between them).

Sloka 2

तरुणारुण मुख-कमलं करुणा-रसपूर-पूरितापाङ्गम् ।

सञ्जीवनमाशासे मञ्जुल-महिमानमञ्जना-भाग्यम् ॥ २॥

taruṇāruṇa mukha-kamalaṃ karuṇā-rasapūra-pūritāpāṅgam ।

sañjīvanamāśāse mañjula-mahimānamañjanā-bhāgyam ॥ 2॥

மென் சிவக்கும் கமல முகம்  தயை பொழியும் அவன்  அங்கம் எங்கும் 

எல்லாமும் உயிர்ப்பிக்கும்   உன்னத அழகாகும்  அஞ்சனா செல்வம்  

young red lotus faced (taruna aruna mukha kamalam)  full of juice of grace (karuna rasa pura) that fills in every part (puritapa angam) I desire sanjivanam (sanjivanam azase) charming (manjula) greatness (mahimanam) fortune of anjaa(anjana bhagyam)

Face like a young red lotus, body filled with essence of grace, desiring sanjivanam (giving life to everything), the charming greatness, the fortune of anjana.

Hanuman brings to life.(like the gas particles that acquire energy, excite and bring to life new particles and matter forms)

Sloka 3

शम्बरवैरि-शरातिगमम्बुजदल-विपुल-लोचनोदारम् ।

कम्बुगलमनिलदिष्टम् बिम्ब-ज्वलितोष्ठमेकमवलम्बे ॥ ३॥

śambaravairi-śarātigam ambujadala-vipula-locanodāram ।

kambu galam anila adrṣṭam bimba-jvalita oṣṭham ekam avalambe ॥ 3॥

மன்மத பாணம் விட வேகம்         தாமரை இதழ் நிகர்த்த கண்ணுடை தேகம் 

சங்கு கழுத்தோன்  வாயு வரம்    உருவம்  ஒளிரும் உதடுடையோனே ஆதாரம் 

enemy of zambara (zambara vairi) arrow (zara) fast moving (ati gama) lotus petals (ambuja dala) wide (vipula) eyes (locana) noble (udAram) conch (kambu) neck (gala) air/wind (anila) luck/fortune (adrstam) blazing reflection (bimba jvalita) lips (ostham) the one (ekam) support/shelter (avalambe)

Fast moving than the arrow of manmatha, noble eyes wider than lotus petals,  conch-shell neck, the fortune of vAyu, the blazing, reflecting lips is our support/shelter.

Hanuman moves at highspeed like arrow of manmatha. (like the particles of gas that randomly move, constantly)

Sloka 4

दूरीकृत-सीतार्तिः प्रकटीकृत-रामवैभव-स्फूर्तिः ।

दारित-दशमुख-कीर्तिः पुरतो मम भातु हनुमतो मूर्तिः ॥ ४॥

dūrīkṛta-sītārtiḥ prakaṭīkṛta-rāma vaibhava-sphūrtiḥ ।

dārita-daśamukha-kīrtiḥ purato mama bhātu hanumato mūrtiḥ ॥ 4॥

சீதையின் துயரம் போக்கி  ராமர் மகத்துவம் செயலால் வெளிக்காட்டி 

தசமுகன் புகழ் நீக்கி   கோட்டை துகளாக்கி ஒளிரும் அனுமன் மேனி 

remove/repel/make distant (durikrta) sufferings (arti) making visible/manifesting (prakati krta) exhibiting/bringing out opulence of rama (rama vaibhava) tearing apart (dArita) the dasamukha (daza mukhah) glorious palace (purato kirtih) my sun (mama bhatu) hanuman murti

Removes the distress of Sita by showcasing Rama's opulence by action, tearing down the forts of dasamukha and thus his glory, Hanuman's body shines yet all through

Hanuman tears down mighty glories. (like the gas particles that collide, but do not lose net energy overall)

Sloka 5

वानर-निकराध्यक्षं दानवकुल-कुमुद-रविकर-सदृशम् ।

दीन-जनावन-दीक्षं पवन तपः पाकपुञ्जमद्राक्षम् ॥ ५॥

vānara-nikarādhyakṣaṃ dānavakula-kumuda-ravikara-sadṛśam ।

dīna-janāvana-dīkṣaṃ pavana tapaḥ pākab puñjam adrākṣam ॥ 5॥

வானர கூட்டம் வழிநடத்தும் குமுதமலர் சூரியனாய் தானவர்க்கு தெரியும்

எளிய மக்களை காக்கும் வாயுவின் கடுந்தவப் பயனான  தோற்றம் 

leader of the vanara groups/masses (vanara nikara adhyaksam) for the night-blossoming flowers of danava kula, looks like morning sun /closes them (danava kula kumuda ravikara sadrsam) protecting the weaker people (dina jana avana) I see the cooking/result of initiation of multiple of penances of pavana (diksam pavana tapa paka punjan adraksam) 

The leader of the monkey troops is like the sun for kumuda flower to dAnavas. He protects the weak and is seen as the result of accumulated penances of vAyu.

Hanuman leads set of  meek monkeys, but overcomes mighty danavas (like gas particles that are very small in their own volume, but together occupy a great volume)

Sloka 6

एतत्-पवन-सुतस्य स्तोत्रं यः पठति पञ्चरत्नाख्यम् ।

चिरमिह-निखिलान् भोगान् भुङ्क्त्वा श्रीराम-भक्ति-भाग्-भवति ॥ ६॥

etat-pavana-sutasya stotraṃ yaḥ paṭhati pañcaratnākhyam ।

ciram iha-nikhilān bhogān bhuṅktvā śrīrāma-bhakti-bhāg-bhavati ॥ 6॥

தூய்மை ஆக்குவோன் வழி வந்த  அவன் புகழ் விளக்கும் பஞ்சரத்னத்தை

நாட்பட முழுதும் ரசிக்க    ஸ்ரீ ராம  பக்தியெனும் ஆனந்தம் துய்ப்பரே 

This stotram of son of pavana (etat pavana sutasya stotram) one who reads this called the pancharatnam (yah patati pancha ratnam akhyam) for a long time completely enjoys (ciram iha nikhilan bhogan), with that enjoyment sri rama bhakti also manifests (bhunktva sriram bhakti bhag bhavati)

Whoever reads this pancha-ratnam of the scion of pavana (the purifier) over a period of time enjoyingly, rama bhakti manifests in that person.

If one reads this pancha-ratnam, daily, enjoyingly, they will enjoy the bliss of Rama bhakti.

इति श्रीमच्छंकर-भगवतः कृतौ हनुमत्-पञ्चरत्नं संपूर्णम् ॥

iti śrīmacchaṃkara-bhagavataḥ kṛtau hanumat-pañcaratnaṃ saṃpūrṇam ॥

ஸ்ரீ சங்கர பகவத்பாதர் அருளிய ஹனுமத் பஞ்சரத்னம் (இவ்வாறு) முழுமையுறும் 

Thus ends the hanumat pancharatnam of sri sankara bhagavat paadah.