5 Unbelievable Life Lessons To Learn From Lord Hanuman
Last Updated on February 1, 2023
Hanuman, a Hindu god and a divine Vanara(monkey), is one of the central characters of the Hindu epic Ramayana. Depicted as the companion of Lord Ram, Hanuman is known for his strength, devotion, service, and wisdom.
But how can a monkey be divine? I know you might be thinking about this, but Hanuman is no normal monkey; he has something unique in him which makes him God. This article will discuss what lessons we can learn from Lord Hanuman and what characteristics he possesses that only a few are aware of.
So let’s get started.
Life Lessons From Lord Hanuman
1. Be Humble Even When You Achieve Everything
श्री गुरु चरण सरोज रज, निज मन मुकुर सुधार |बरनौ रघुवर बिमल जसु, जो दायक फल चारि |
Shri guru charan saroja-raj nija manu mukura sudhaari.Baranau Raghubara Bimala Jasu jo dayaka phala chari.
Having polished my mind-mirror with the pollen-dust of my guru’s feet.I bask in the unblemished glory of the lord of the Raghu clan (Ram), the bestower oflife’s four fruits.
Hanuman Chalisa starts with these lines, which talk about respect to the guru’s feet, which is Lord Ram for Hanuman. Hanuman had Nidhi and Siddhi (Siddhis refer to powers that enable one to manipulate one’s body and one’s ecosystem and Nidhis refer to secret treasures.) He had everything which one desires from physical power to mental strength.
He could change shapes and was blessed by many gods, but he served Lord Ram not because he wanted something from him; he served him because he found him wiser.
Had powers like (Anima), expand one’s size (Mahima), make oneself heavy (Garima), make oneself weightless (laghima), acquire anything from any space (Prapti), satisfy any desire (Prakamya), duplicate oneself (ishtva), and dominate all (Vastva).
Just imagine yourself, imagine you have so much power I am damn sure at some point of time it will consume you, you will think you are God. You will become arrogant, violent, and egotistic.
Learn to be humble even when you have everything because that’s what makes us human, and that’s what transforms Vanara(normal animal nature) to Nara(human).
Everybody in the world is seeking happiness, and there is one sure way to find it. That is by controlling your thoughts. Happiness doesn’t depend on outward conditions. It depends on inner conditions. – Dale Carnegie
Lesson: Strive to control your emotions, desires, and pleasures like Lord Hanuman, no matter where you are Lanka(the land of Gold) or forest(the land of evenness), be equipoised. Remember, a person who loses self-control can be easily manipulated and controlled by persons serving their own selfish needs.
2. Hunger For Knowledge
Though wiser than the wisest, Hanuman Ji had immense knowledge about the scriptures, the four Vedas, and the six shastras, and still wanted to learn from Lord Ram.
There is also a story that goes like when he was a child. He was promised by the Sun God(Surya Devta) that he will be his guru when the right time comes.
When the right time came, Hanuman Ji went to the Sun God and asked if he can be his guru, God replied that “how can I be your teacher? I move through the heavens radiating the life-giving life?”
Hanuman Ji replies, “Dear God, I can understand that it is your dharma to perpetually move through the heavens, and I will always be grateful for your life-giving light. If you agree to be my guru, I will move through the sky with you.”
God agreed but said to him he must face him if he wants to know the mantras of the Vedas. Hanuman Ji replied by saying that I will move backward. Surya Devta was impressed by seeing Hanuman’s zeal to learn.
Lesson: This is another life lesson that Lord Hanuman teaches us, the lesson of never-ending learning. Be a student forever, and you’ll be the wisest. As Mahatma Gandhi said it right: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
3. What Goes Around Comes Around
There is a story b about Lord hanuman; when he was young, Lord Indra attacked Hanuman with his thunderbolt(Vajra) because Hanuman Ji went unconscious. Hanuman Ji was deeply hurt, but his goodness and the good work he did came in handy.
All the gods came, and goddesses came to bless him and give him powers and many boons. Similarly, we should do well, too, not by expecting something in return or because of those expectations, but we must do it because it is our dharma.
Lesson: The one who carries good deeds in life, good things happen to him.
4. Devotion Towards Purpose
The purpose gives our lives meaning. A story from Ramayana can easily make you understand this point.
When Lord Ram and Goddess Sita returned from Lanka to Ayodhya, the people of Ayodhya celebrated it like a festival.
Lord Rama distributed gifts to all the monkeys who had served as warriors in his army, and while doing so, he noticed his fervent devotee, Hanumanji, and asked him:
“O mighty Hanuman, how am I to repay you for all you have done for my family and me?”
Hanuman replied: “I desire nothing, Prabhu!”
Seeing this conversation, Maa Sita removed a valuable necklace of pearls from her neck and offered it to the humble Sri Hanuman.
Sri Hanuman received the necklace with great respect from Mata Sita but broke the pearls with His teeth.
Sita, and other ministers sitting in the council-hall, were quite astonished at this queer act of Sri Hanuman.
Some wondered why the noble warrior Sri Hanuman was behaving like a monkey.
Sita asked Hanuman, “O mighty hero! What are you doing? Why do you break the pearls?”
Sri Hanuman said, “O Mother! Indeed, it is the most valuable necklace as it has come to me through Thy holy hand. But I want to find out whether any of the pearls contain my beloved Lord Rama. I do not keep a thing devoid of Him. I do not find Him in any of the pearls.”
The mystery of human existence lies not in just staying alive, but in finding something to live for. – Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Lesson: Like Hanuman was devoted to his purpose of serving and devoting his life to Lord Ram, strive to be like him and devote your life to any purpose, a purpose which makes you a better human, a purpose which brings smiles on others face, a purpose that helps you find your real self. The story of Hanuman Ji gives us a life lesson that life is meaningless if one has no purpose of becoming a better self.
5. Live a Simple Life
A simple life doesn’t always mean living without a home or necessary things. It means living without the thought of being richer, wiser, and living a better life than others.
Most of us buy a new car on EMI to prove to our friends or neighbors how capable we are or how good we earn.
This is a life of misery because it is just like living for others. Hanuman Ji is different, though he had everything.
He had no pride in being bigger, better, or more powerful than the other.
He had great powers without the thirst for material wealth; he was just selflessly devoted to god, devoid of ego.
Lesson: If you buy expensive things to satisfy your ego, stop it; if you are someone who reads and gains knowledge, just to put down someone else by pretending to be wiser; stop it, be like Hanuman. Remember that what you gain from the outside can easily be taken away from you, but what you gain from inside, the knowledge you used to become a better being stays forever.
Thanks for reading; if you liked this article, comment down below. It motivates me to create better articles for you.
Fantastically simple and well written
You made my day man thanks.
Thanks it was amaging to learn this all. insightful 🙂
Thanks Nischal, your comment made my day.