Saturday, May 31, 2008

Panchamukha Hanuman

During the battle of Lanka, Mahiravana of Pathala loka (Under world) put Lord Rama and Lakshmana under a spell and abducted the brothers so that Ravana could win the battle. Lord Hanuman entered pathala loka in search of Rama and Lakshmana. He found out that to kill Mahiravana and retrieve his Lord he had to extinguish 5 lamps at the same time. In order to accomplish this, he took the Panchamukha form with Hanuman, Hayagriva, Narasimha, Garuda and Varaha faces and extinguished the lamps. Mahiravana was terminated with immediate effect.



The story apart, Sri Panchamukha Hanuman was the upasana deity of Sri Ragavendra Tirtha, the saint of Mantralaya. The place where he meditated on Panchamukha Hanuman is now known as Panchamukhi, wherein a temple for Panchamukha Hanuman has been built. There is also a shrine for Panchamukha Hanuman at Kumbakonam which I am looking forward to visit.


Sloka (Panchamukha Hanuman Gayathri)

Om Anjaneyaya Vidmahe
Panchavaktraya Dheemahi
Tanno Hanuman Prachodayaath ||


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