Hanuman
Indian mythology · deity · devotion, strength, service
The vanara (monkey) hero who leaps the ocean to find Sita and burns Lanka with his flaming tail. In Valmiki he is a mighty ally; in later Bhakti tradition he becomes a god in his own right, the embodiment of selfless devotion.
Stories
Hanuman's Leap to Lanka
Searching for the abducted Sita, Hanuman leaps across the ocean to Lanka, finds her captive in Ravana's grove, allows himself to be caught, and escapes by burning the city with his flaming tail.
The Building of the Bridge
The ocean itself yields to Rama's resolve: with Sugriva's armies, Angada's vanguard, and Jambavan's counsel, the vanaras hurl stones that float, and a causeway grows across the strait to Lanka. Vibhishana, cast out for honest counsel, crosses to Rama's side and is promised the crown.
The Sanjivani Mountain
Indrajit's serpent arrows leave Lakshmana dying on the field, and the healing herb grows on one Himalayan peak a night's flight away. Hanuman, unable to tell which herb is which, uproots the entire mountain and carries it back across the sky before dawn.