INTERVIEWER:
Gurudev, my respects to you.
GURUDEV:
My blessings to you, son.
INTERVIEWER:
Gurudev, we have noticed lately that although many people are watching your videos, for some reason, the view counts seem to be decreasing or stalling. Do you have any thoughts on this?
GURUDEV:
Yes, I have been following this as well. I've noticed that when an episode gets high viewership, it suddenly gets suppressed or "frozen" for three or four hours. Other episodes continue normally, but those specific ones are held back. I am not sure if it is an issue with YouTube's algorithm or if someone else is behind it, but it is definitely happening.
INTERVIEWER:
Gurudev, many of those who watch your channel have requested that you share some knowledge about Pawan Putra Hanuman—Hanumanji.
GURUDEV:
Certainly. First, the name "Hanuman" is actually a bit of a colloquial term. We usually prefer to say "Bajrangbali" or "Sankat Mochan." The word "Hanu" refers to someone with a large jaw. You might have heard the expression, "What a 'Hanu' he has become!" It's just that.
GURUDEV:
As for his lineage, you likely know his mother was Anjana and his father was Pawan Dev. Bajrangbali was born from the womb of Anjana through the grace of Pawan Dev. There is a saying that "Ramayana existed before Ram." Someone once asked about the Valmiki Ramayana, which is in Sanskrit. It is quite concise and doesn't include every detail we know today, like the later stories of Luv and Kush or certain rituals. Later authors expanded the epic into the grand Mahakavya we know today.
GURUDEV:
From a very young age, Pawan Putra was exceptionally proficient in all forms of knowledge. He is known as "Ashta Siddhi" (possessor of the eight supernatural powers) because he mastered things that an ordinary person could never achieve. He received blessings from Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar (Shiva), which is why he is the "Mahabali" or "Sankat Mochan" we revere today.
GURUDEV:
In this age (Kalpa), he is believed to be still alive. He is "Chiranjeevi." It is said he was born about 10,000 years ago during the Treta Yuga, but he remains present. Those who worship him or recite the Ramayana know that he loves to hear the stories of Lord Ram. He often appears in disguise wherever the Ramayana is recited.
INTERVIEWER:
Is this a belief or a proven truth, Gurudev?
GURUDEV:
It is the absolute truth. He appears in disguise. He is so fond of hearing the Ramayana that he will be there. There is a famous story about Tulsidas. When Tulsidas was reciting the Ramayana, Hanumanji would attend in the guise of a frail, old man with wrinkled skin.
GURUDEV:
Tulsidas was once feeling despondent because he hadn't had a vision of the Lord. A spirit living in a Banyan tree, which Tulsidas had nurtured with water, told him, "Do not be sad. Observe the old man who arrives first and leaves last during your recitals. That is Hanumanji. Hold onto his feet."
GURUDEV:
Tulsidas did exactly that. After the recital, he grabbed the old man's feet and begged for a vision. Initially, Hanumanji resisted, but eventually, he revealed his true, magnificent form to Tulsidas. This is why we say that wherever there is Ram-naam, Sankat Mochan is present. People may not recognize him, but if the Ramayana is recited with true devotion, he comes.
GURUDEV:
Many people worship him on Tuesdays with offerings of chickpeas, jaggery, and bananas—things he is said to enjoy. If you recite the Ramayana after such worship, you will surely receive his blessings. His spirit is restless only for the name of Ram.
GURUDEV:
There are many stories about him. Once, when he was very young but already quite powerful, he saw the sun rising. He thought it was a giant, delicious piece of fruit or bread. Being able to fly, he leapt into the sky to catch it. Even today, scientists are researching the sun, but Hanumanji reached it in the flesh!
GURUDEV:
As he approached, it was the time when Rahu was supposed to "consume" the sun (an eclipse). Hanumanji saw Rahu and, thinking he was interfering with his meal, grabbed Rahu by his hair and shook him, warning him never to touch the sun again. Indra witnessed this and struck Hanuman with his thunderbolt (Vajra). Hanuman fell, but Brahma revived him with holy water.
GURUDEV:
His contribution to the Ramayana is unparalleled. When Ravana kidnapped Sita, it was Hanumanji who befriended Ram and leapt across the ocean to Lanka. He met Mother Sita and eventually set Lanka on fire with his tail. Because the soot blackened his face, he is sometimes called "Mukhpoda Hanuman" (Burnt-faced Hanuman). When he expressed concern about his appearance to Mother Sita, she blessed him, saying all monkeys of his kin would have black faces, so he would not stand out.
GURUDEV:
He also saved Ram and Lakshman when they were kidnapped by Mahiravana and taken to the underworld (Patalpuri). Hanumanji disguised himself as a fly to enter the chambers and eventually defeated Mahiravana.
GURUDEV:
And then there is the "Setu Bandhan"—the building of the bridge to Lanka. Two monkeys in the army, Nal and Neel, were gifted architects. When they threw stones into the water, the stones floated. I actually have a piece of such a stone; if you put it in water, it stays on the surface. Scientists have now confirmed the existence of a submerged bridge between India and Sri Lanka, just as described in the texts.
GURUDEV:
Everyone helped in that war, but without Hanumanji, Ram's mission would have been much harder. He is the ultimate devotee, always chanting "Jai Shri Ram." He could even tear open his chest to show that Ram and Sita resided in his heart.
INTERVIEWER:
Gurudev, we must conclude that someone who can lift an entire mountain in one hand—as he did with Mount Gandhamardan to save Lakshman—must be an incarnation of God himself.
GURUDEV:
Yes, similar to how Lord Krishna lifted Mount Govardhan on his little finger to protect the people of Mathura. Krishna and Mahabali are part of the same divine essence. Hanumanji remains with us in this Kalpa, healthy and alive, though very old now—nearly 9,000 to 10,000 years old.
INTERVIEWER:
Is he still here for the welfare of humanity, Gurudev?
GURUDEV:
I cannot say exactly why he chooses to stay, but he is here. Perhaps to witness more, or perhaps to show us more. But the Ramayana is incomplete without him. Everything we know of Ram, Lakshman, and Sita today is, in many ways, thanks to his devotion and strength.
INTERVIEWER:
Our respects to you, Gurudev.
GURUDEV:
My blessings to all.