‘Hanuman Chalisa can teach us to be good human beings’

Professor of computer science and an astrologer and scholar of mythological history, Prabodh Vekhende has recently given his interpretation of Hanuman Chalisa in Hindi. “I want people to understand and imbibe the virtues of Lord Hanuman,” he says.

Barkha Mathur

Few things can be more calming than a religious chant. And few compositions from the Hindu scriptures are as comforting as the Hanuman Chalisa. Composed by Goswami Tulsidas in the 16^th century, it is in the form of forty verses in praise of Lord Ram. It is also the most chanted mantra across India and is offered as a prayer to gain strength, power and to ward off negative energy.

From among the millions of deities in the Hindu religious pantheon, the favourite is undoubtedly the monkey god Hanuman. Across the nation from North to South Lord Hanuman has the maximum number of temples devoted to him and the god goes by numerous names like Anjaniputra, Maruti, Anjaya, Pavanputra, Bajarangbali, Sankatmochan among others. He is perceived as the redeemer, one who can risk his own self to protect others, who can solve all problems and is considered to be Mahabali. It is perhaps for this reason the Hanuman Chalisa, remians the top choice as a prayer.

“Agreed that there are crores of devotees who chant Hanuman Chalisa every day, but how many have understood what the chaupais (the couplets) mean? asks Prabodh Vekhende who has recently given an interpretation of Hanuman Chalisa in Hindi in a book, “Hanuman Chalisa ka Saral Nirupam,” which he has authored. Vekhende, a professor of Computer Science, has taught in the leading engineering colleges of Nagpur, and is a scholar of jyotish (astrology) and mythological history of ancient India, out of choice. “Interpreting Hanuman Chalisa was my calling as I felt compelled to take up this task. There was no other choice except this,” he says.

Drawing analogies from everyday life Vekhende has explained the different characteristics of Hanuman as humble, noble, learned and powerful. “These are my interpretations. Others can bring theirs if they understand the text,” he says. “We read religious texts with bhakti and by rote. It is only when we understand the meaning that we can imbibe it and improve ourselves,” feels Vekhende. Extolling the virtues of Hanuman, Vekhende adds, “Hanuman is known for his loyalty and devotion towards Lord Rama. But first he was a matrubhakth who worshipped his mother and all that he perceived as manifestations of motherhood. He showed the same devotion towards Sita and also towards his motherland,” says Vekhende.

Worshipped to ward off fear and negativity, Vekhende says, “Hanuman was perhaps the only one who remained untouched by remorse or dejection amongst all the icons we worship. Ram, Krishna, Shiva have all been known to suffer from some form of depression at one time or the other but never Hanuman. He was extremely knowledgeable and knew how to dispel negativity in a moment. “I have met many persons who were on the brink of depression and had suicidal tendencies, whom I have been able to pull back only by explaining the resilience of Lord Hanuman,” says Vekhende.

Prabodh Vekhende says that he has not translated Hanuman Chalisa but has simply interpreted it in Hindi for the purpose of comprehending its underlying message. “Hanuman Chalisa is intact in its Braj and Awadhi dialect. I have not dwelled upon word by word meaning of the chaupais. What I have attempted is to explain the thought behind each of the forty chaupais,” he says. The main purpose says the author is to explain Hanuman Chalisa beyond the purpose of devotion or bhakti. “Every learned person tends to explain the entire Hanuman Chalisa from the point of view of a devotee or devotion which is either bhakt or bhakti. I have tried to explain what a true devotee should imbibe from this. Hanumanji had immense gyan (knowledge) and bal (might) but still remained humble. He never preached or tried to teach. He just listens. Even in the Ashok Vatika where he meets Sita, he only listens to her woes and not once tries to tell her what to do or what not to do. These qualities of being a good listner and then doing the needful should be imbibed by his devotees, only then will the society change for the good,” he says.

Every chaupai of Hanuman Chalisa needs to be given a thought. That is how it should be read. “Every time the interpretation will change in accordance to the mood and feelings of the reader and what he is asking from god,” says Vekhende. Reading it by rote without understanding the meaning of what is being read is a waste of time, he feels. “Hanuman bhakts across India from North to South outnumber every other devotee. But that only makes for a powerful statement of Hinduism. It does not make any qualitative difference to the devotee unless he understands what Lord Hanuman stands for. My book is an effort to bring about that understanding. As only when we practice what Hanumanji can teach us will we be able to bring about a change in our behaviour. Without this understanding, and by only doing bhakti no change for better will be possible and things will remain the same,” he says.

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