He fought in Rama’s struggle against Ravana, the demon king. He razes the palaces of Lanka and rescues the beautiful Sita. He shrinks to the size of a cat, or grows to the height of a mountain.
One of the central heroes of the Ramayana epic, an ancient Hindu text, Hanuman marks one of the most glorious and righteous of Hindu heroes.
He is enshrined throughout India and beyond, worshipped by the devout, and prayed to by wrestlers, appealing for strength. Why not enshrine Hanuman with a personal tattoo and carry his blessing wherever you go?
Because of his shape-shifting powers, Hanuman is portrayed in several varying ways. One of his most popular is known as Panchamukhi, in which he bears five faces. He assumed this form to kill Ahiravana, a black magician of the Ramayana war. To do this, he discovered that, to kill this dark magician, he must simultaneously extinguish five lamps facing in different directions.
Each of his five faces blew out the lamps, and Ahiravana was finished. His original, or Sri face blows East, and removes all sin and purifies the mind. Narasimha blows South and removes fear in battle and ensures victory. Garuda blows West, driving away evil spirits, poisons, and effects of dark magic. Varaha blows North to counteract negative influences of the planets. Hayagriva blows upwards and confers victory and knowledge, and ensures you will marry well and make many babies.
A Hanuman tattoo will look beautiful, and act as spiritual talisman wherever you go. “Bow down to Hanuman, who is the slayer of demons,” the Ramayana says, “and who is present with head bowed and eyes full of flowing tears wherever the fame of Rama is sung.”
