Hanuman: An Introduction

by Devdutt Pattanaik

Hanuman, the lord of the monkeys, is one of the few gods in Hinduism to be worshipped across caste lines by followers of the Shaiva, Vaishnava and Shakta orders. This book is an attempt to understand the imagery, ritual and philosophy associated with Hanuman worship in our time. At its heart is a single narrative on the life of the monkey-god woven out of plots and ideas found in the Valmiki Ramayana, Mahabharata, various Puranas and several vernacular Ramakathas. Also included are tales found in Jain Ramayanas and the Ramayanas of South East Asia. Highlights include lucid explanations, a map showing the traditional journey of Rama to Lanka through Kishkinda, the text and translation of the Hanuman Chalisa, and over 100 illustrations, many of them in colour.

Genres: Mythology, Spirituality

134 pages, Paperback

First published December 31, 2001

About the author

Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik (born December 11, 1970) is an Indian physician turned leadership consultant, mythologist and author whose works focus largely on the areas of myth, mythology, and also management. He has written a number of books related to Hindu mythology, including Myth = Mithya: A Handbook of Hindu Mythology, a novel, The Pregnant King, and Jaya: An Illustrated Retelling of the Mahabharata (2010).
He is the Chief Belief Officer of Future Group, one of India’s largest retailers, bringing the wisdom of Indian mythology into Indian business, especifically in human resource management. He also writes a column for the newspaper MID DAY.
He has also written a novel based on a tale from the Mahabharata titled 'The Pregnant King' published by Penguin Books India

Reviews

[Arnav · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although 90% of the book consists of stories of Hanuman, the ending is what is most enthralling to ones who are already familiar with the god-like being.
The author describes Hanuman as the epitome of our mind's potential. This is the part which stuck with me and will stick with me for my whole life. I now find an ideal whom I can benchmark myself, as a student, to.

[Neha Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I gave this book 5* only because of my profuse love for Hanuman..expected more from the author esp after Sita and Jaya.. The remarkable part in the book is when the author describes Hanuman as the epitome of our mind's potential.

[Aarshin Karande · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though rich as a topography on the meaning, symbolism, image, and concept of the Hindu deity, Hanuman, Pattanaik’s book does not provide a deeper exploration of the mystical, ritual, and inspiring dimensions of Hanuman. Consequently, this book reads more as a cultural review on a phenomenon rather than a deep dive into an imaginative mystery. The latter would have been preferable for such a rich subject.

[Anirudh Kukreja · Rating 5 out of 5]

How can I even rate this book? As an ardent devotee, it gives me immense pleasure that I came across such a beautiful collection of stories.
The style of writing is simple, succinct and gets the message across; irrespective of your knowledge (or lack thereof) of our Vayuputra.

[Santosh]

Rahul

[Ajay Sant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sometimes an author may fall short in writing a book not because the content is not good but because the author has set such high expectations for his readers though his previous books that nothing short of amazing is going to satisfy the reader.

Having read Jaya, Sita, 7 Secrets of Shiva, etc I had a lot of expectations from this book but seems that the book reflects on being the early days book of Devdutt Patnaik.

All in all the book is a gentle introduction to Hanuman but it leaves you wanting to know more about him.

[Shubhra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very basic book. Most of the legends provided were not new to me except it gave me a list of books i can dig on if i want to read the subject deeper

[Vlakshmi · Rating 5 out of 5]

First book of his I read, and the best. Inspiring, poetic, and lots of interesting historical aspects.

[Shungith]

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