Do you know the Panchmukhi Hanuman story and its significance? There are many devotees across the globe that worship and believe in Pachnamukhi Hanuman. And this occurs due to a reason. People have faith in him because there are a significance and symbolism to it. In the following excerpt, you would understand in greater depth about Panchamukhi Hanuman. It will also make you aware of its origin, history, and even relevance in today’s times. We will also discuss Panchmukhi Hanuman Benefits in brief.
Tracing Back Its Origin – Panchmukhi Hanuman Story
To begin with, Hanuman is the incarnation of the tenth Rudra or a part of Lord Shiva, who is said to have eleven Rudras in total. He was born to Kesari, the king of monkeys and Anjana. As the son of Anjana, Hanuman is also known as Anjaneya. Well, he is definitely the god incarnate of might and mind.
The Panchmukhi Hanuman story took its shape in the Rama–Ravana Lanka yudh or war. Hanuman assumed his Pancha Mukhi or five-faced form to kill Ahiravana. Ahiravana was that powerful demon and a black magician. He was a possessor of a mysterious weapon, the Nagapasha. This weapon could dart that, which would secretly inject serpent poison into the human body. Yes, you heard that right!
In that time, Ahiravana, the brother of Ravana, took Rama and Lakshmana to the netherworld as captives. While, on the other hand, the other two were sleeping at night. The only way to kill Ahiravana was to extinguish the five lamps lit up in five different directions, simultaneously. To accomplish this almost impossible task, Hanuman took a Pancha Mukhi form and blew out the lamps in one go. Yes, only one go! Rakshasa Ahiravana was dead and thus, Hanuman was able to give freedom to Rama and Lakshmana. This is the story of Panchmukhi Hanuman.
The Five Faces
The five faces of Hanuman are the following:
- An eagle, Garuda which is facing the west,
- A boar, Varaha, facing the north
- A horse, Hayagriva, facing the sky
- A lion, Narasimha, facing the south
- The fifth being the original Hanuman, facing the east.
The Panchamukhi Hanuman has ten arms holding ten different weapons, including his weapon, the gada. One worships this form of Hanuman in both South India as well as in North India. This is undertaken to protect from a variety of afflictions.
Lord Hanuman
The face towards the East is Hanuman’s original form. It is the Kapimukha or monkey face, whose worship removes all blemishes of one’s past deeds and confers purity of mind. Devotion to this face appeases the Saturn as well. Along with it, it also protects its affliction.
Lord Garuda
The west-facing Garudamukha drives away all the evil spells. The black magic influences and the negative spirits are also a part of this. Believe it or not, it flushes out all poisonous effects from the human body. Nonetheless, it also protects one from troubles and miseries brought about via one’s spouse.
Lord Varahamkha
The north-facing Varahamukha wards off ill effects caused through the negative impacts. These negative influences of planets are extremely adverse. And they are present in one’s birth chart. It also confers all eight types of prosperity, that is, the ashta aishwaryas. Last but not the least, this mukha also provides relief from sufferings created via the planet Rahu.
Lord Narashimhamukha
The south-facing Narashimhamukha is the most important face of Panchamukhi Hanuman. This has the power to dispel the fear of enemies and one’s negative people in life. It also bestows victory over every opposition. Besides, it can mitigate sufferings caused via the bad effects of Mars, the mangal dosha.
Lord Hayagriva Or Urdbvamukha
Lastly, the sky-facing Hayagriva or Urdhvamukha confers knowledge. Yes, it gives one a more positive vibe. It confers victory, a good spouse, and also saves one from the curse of being childless.
Epitome Of Wisdom
Well, one of the most famous pilgrimage centres is the Hanuman Dhara Temple, at Chitrakut in central India. It is said to remain the resting place of Lord Hanuman. People also believe that after the coronation of Lord Rama, Hanuman made a humble request. The request was for a place where the burn injuries on his tail could heal. This was the same injury which he got during the Lanka yudh. Rama then shot an arrow into the ground and a stream of water came out from that spot. The Panchmukhi Hanuman story then continues.
Then Rama told Hanuman to rest there and cool the burning sensation in his tail with the waters. A 40-foot-tall monolithic green granite idol (green stands for wisdom) of Panchamukhi Hanuman was present in Thiruvallur, at Tamil Nadu. This was also known as Rudravarnam in olden days. Those days, Hanuman was Surya’s disciple. He had a great command over Sanskrit and his pronunciation was simply flawless. Even today, he is another word or name for the epitome of wisdom.
Panchmukhi Hanuman Benefits
There are benefits of placing a Panchamukhi Hanuman at home. It protects you from evil and bad forces, destroys fear, and removes Vastu doshas.
