||om tat sat||

Ashtha Siddhis-

The Eight Siddhi's of Hanuma

In Hanuman Chalisa we hear "Ashtha Siddhi Navanidhi ke daataa.." What are these eight Siddhi' or powers of Hanuman ?

These have been listed in the lore as;

Anima, Mahima, Garima, Laghima, 
Prapti, Prakamya, Vasitva, Ishitva 

These Siddhis with slight variations are described in many books like Maha Bhagavatam, Patanjali Yogasutras. etc.,

Our focus is about Hanuman's display of those eight Siddhies in Ramayana.

These are probably demonstrated  at many points in Hanuma's legends.

Hanuma's stories are covered in many different books.

These are amply demonstrated in Ramayana which has Hanuman as one of the primary heroes.

In the following we will use Ramayana as the source.

1 The First Siddhi we talk about is Anima.
Anima is the ability to become very small.
This is well described in Sundarakanda as Hanuma enters Ravana's Lanka.

Hanuma as usual goes on a deep dive about how to get into Lanka without alerting the Rakshasas. Then decides to adopt a small inconspicuous form.

'తదహం స్వేన రూపేణ రజన్యం హ్రస్వతాం గతః' 

Since he should not enter in his own form, he will make himself smaller 'హ్రస్వతాం' to avoid detection and then enter Lanka. Valmiki describes his form.

వృషదంశక మాత్రస్సన్ బభూవా ద్భుత దర్శనః|
He makes himself into a small cat, looking wonderful (అద్భుత).

This ability is also demonstrated in Hanuma's encounter with Surasa. In this encounter both increase their size to hundred Yojana's. Then intelligent Hanuma transforms himself to 'అంగుష్ఠమాత్రకః' that is as small as a thumb. Then he jumps into Surasa's mouth and comes out unscathed fulfilling the boon of Brahma

2 Mahima, ability to expand and grow.

This is seen many times. When he jumped across the ocean. This is also seen in the Sarga on burning of Lanka. One place we quote here is the occasion when Hanuma shows his real form to Sita, who laughed at his claim that he can carry her back to Prasravana mountains where Rama is waiting. He assumes a form as big as a Meru mountain.

మేరుమందర సంకాశో బభౌ దీప్తానలప్రభః|
అగ్రతో వ్యవతస్థే చ సీతాయా వానరోత్తమః||

Hanuman increases his form to equal the size of Meru mountain and stands before Sita. Sita gets convinced after that. So much so that she ultimately tells Hanuma that only he can do what is needed to get her out of Lanka.

3. Garima, ability to become very heavy.

This is seen the battles with Rakshasas in Lanka.
Again, we are taking one of the instances in the battles. In the battle with the five Generals of Ravana, Hanuman plays with Durdhara, and simply falls on the Durdhara with his full weight.

'నిపపాత మహావేగో విద్యుత్రాశిర్గిరావివ'

 The force of Hanuman because of his weight is such that the chariots became pieces, all the horses too died and Durdhara also lost his life with the impact.

There is a more popular story in the lore about the encounter of Hanuma and Bhima. When Pandavas were living in the forests, Bhima encounters a monkey with its tail spread across the path he was to cross. Bhima asks the monkey to move its tail away from the path. The monkey says he is too old and cannot move his tail and asks Bhima to move his tail. Bhima tries nonchalantly and fails. Then Bhima uses more and more power and is unable to move the tail and is stunned to realize that there is somebody more powerful than him. Then Hanuma reveals himself and blesses the Pandavas. 

4 Laghima, the ability to become light and move fast

'శరాణామంతరేష్వాశు వ్యవర్తత మహాకపిః' (48.30)

This is again seen in the battles with Rakshasas.

In the battle with Indrajit, Indrajit sends a torrent of arrows. Hanuman with his ability to move fast and light moves between the arrows, avoids the torrent of arrows. Indrajit unable to think of any plan finally decides to use Brahmastra.

5 Prapti, ability to acquire anything from anywhere.

In the battle of Lanka, Indrajit's tricks make the whole Vanara army along with Rama and Lakshmana fall into a swoon. To restore life as per the advice of Sushena, Hanuman was to bring Sanjivini. Hanuman brings the whole mountain from Himalayas.

6 Prakamya, ability to realize anything desired. Some explain this as never being frustrated in achieving any desire (prākāmya-siddhi), or to assume any shape or form one may desire (kāmāvasāyitā-siddhi).

The search for Sita was a desire and Hanuma never got frustrated and achieved the desire of finding Sita. On the other hand, we can see it as a power to assume any form one may desire. That too is established in Sundarakanda. Hanuman says this himself to Sita,
'మమేయమసహాయేన చరతా కామరూపిణా|'.
He came alone and was able to move around because of his ability to assume any form he desires.

7. Vasitva, being one's own master; power or domination over.
In the battle with Indrajit, Indrajit uses Brahmastra.
Hanuma can be unaffected by the same because of a boon from Brahma.

But he decides that he obey the Brahmastra out of respect, though he can be free of it. In that sense he is his own master.
మయాత్మయోనేరనువర్తితవ్యః |

Deciding to obey Brahmastra as matter of respect Hanuma showed his power.

8 Ishitva, means Supremacy. Self-control.

The complete Sundarakanda is a testimony for the Ishitva of Hanuma.

Thus, Hanuma demonstrates all eight powers.

|| om tat sat ||
info@kasarabada.org

||om tat sat||

|| om tat sat ||
info@kasarabada.org