Glossary

The divine vanara (monkey) devotee of Rama and the central figure of Bajrangi. His name comes from the Sanskrit 'Hanu' (jaw) and 'man' (disfigured) — referencing an injury in his childhood. He embodies the ideal devotee: boundless courage, perfect selflessness, and absolute surrender to the divine.

'Son of the wind' — one of Hanuman's most beloved names. Pavan means wind; putra means son. Hanuman is the son of Vayu, the god of wind, which accounts for his extraordinary speed and his ability to leap across oceans. The Hanuman Chalisa opens by invoking him as Pavanputra.

'Son of Anjana' — a name for Hanuman derived from his mother. Anjana was a celestial nymph reborn as a vanara due to a sage's curse. This name is especially beloved in South India, where Hanuman temples frequently use it.

'Remover of troubles' — one of Hanuman's most invoked titles, especially in times of crisis. Sankat means trouble or danger; mochan means one who liberates. The Bajrang Baan is recited specifically to call upon Hanuman as Sankat Mochan.

The primordial sound — considered the sound of the universe itself. It appears at the beginning of most prayers and mantras as an invocation of the divine.

A sacred word, syllable, or verse used in meditation and devotion. Repetition of a mantra is believed to invoke divine presence and purify the mind.

A devotional hymn of exactly forty verses. 'Chalis' means forty in Hindi. The Hanuman Chalisa was composed by the poet-saint Tulsidas in the 16th century.

The 16th-century Hindi poet-saint who composed the Hanuman Chalisa and the Ramcharitmanas — a devotional retelling of the Ramayana in Awadhi, a dialect of Hindi. By writing in the language of ordinary people rather than Sanskrit, he brought the stories of Rama and Hanuman to every devotee.

A four-line verse in a specific meter widely used in Hindi devotional poetry. The Hanuman Chalisa is composed almost entirely of chaupais.

A two-line couplet with a distinct rhyming meter. In the Hanuman Chalisa, dohas appear at the beginning and end, bookending the main chaupais.

A Sanskrit verse in the anushtubh meter (8 syllables × 4 lines). Shlokas form the backbone of the Ramayana, Mahabharata, and most classical scriptures.

A devotional song sung while waving a lamp before a deity. The Hanuman Aarti is typically sung at the close of worship to honour Hanuman ji.

A devotional composition of eight verses. 'Ashta' means eight in Sanskrit. Each verse praises a different aspect or name of the deity.

Literally 'the arrow of Bajrang' (a name for Hanuman meaning 'the thunderbolt-coloured one'). It is a powerful petition prayer asking Hanuman to swiftly remove obstacles and bestow protection.

The fifth chapter of Valmiki's Ramayana. 'Sundar' means beautiful; 'kand' means chapter. It narrates Hanuman's journey to Lanka in search of Sita — the most celebrated episode in his story.

The ancient Sanskrit epic by the sage Valmiki, narrating the life of Rama — his exile to the forest, the abduction of Sita by the demon king Ravana, Hanuman's mission to Lanka, and Rama's ultimate victory. Sundarkand is its fifth and most celebrated chapter. Tulsidas retold it in Hindi as the Ramcharitmanas.

A devotional song in any Indian language. Unlike aarti (which is part of worship ritual), bhajans are sung freely as an expression of love and devotion.

Devotion — the path of love and surrender to the divine. Bhakti requires no ritual expertise or scholarly knowledge; it is open to anyone who approaches God with an open heart. Hanuman is the supreme exemplar of bhakti — his total dedication to Rama is the ideal that all devotees aspire to.

A small clay oil lamp lit during worship. The flame symbolises the light of knowledge dispelling the darkness of ignorance. On Bajrangi, 'Offer a Diya' is a way to support the seva.

Selfless service. In the devotional tradition, seva is the act of serving God or the community without expectation of personal gain. Bajrangi is built as a seva.

A salutation or obeisance to the divine. Many prayers open with a vandana — bowing in reverence before beginning the main text.

A blessing or grace received from the divine. In practice it is food offered to the deity and then distributed to devotees — a tangible form of divine grace.