Hanuman - Etymology and Other Names

Etymology and Other Names

The Sanskrit texts mention several legends about how Hanuman got his name. One legend is that Indra, the king of the deities, struck Hanuman's jaw during his childhood (see below). The child received his name from the Sanskrit words Hanu ("jaw") and -man (or -mant, "prominent" or "disfigured"). The name thus means "one with prominent or disfigured jaw". Another theory says the name derives from the Sanskrit words Han ("killed" or "destroyed") and maana (pride); the name implies "one whose pride was destroyed". Some Jain texts mention that Hanuman spent his childhood on an island called Hanuruha, which is the origin of his name.

According to one theory, the name "Hanuman" derives from the proto-Dravidian word for male monkey (ana-mandi), which was later Sanskritized to "Hanuman" (see historical development below). Linguistic variations of "Hanuman" include Hanumat, Anuman (Tamil), Anoman (Indonesian), Andoman (Malay) and Hunlaman (Lao). Other names of Hanuman include:

  • Anjaneya, Anjaniputra or Anjaneyudu (Telugu), all meaning "the son of Anjana".
  • Kesari Nandan ("son of Kesari")
  • Maruti ("son of Marut") or Pavanputra ("son of Pavan"); these names derive from the various names of Vayu, the deity who carried Hanuman to Anjana's womb
  • Maharudra ("the great Rudra"), from the theory that Hanuman was an incarnation of Shiva (also known as Rudra)
  • Bajrang Bali, "the strong one (bali), who has limbs (anga) as hard as a vajra (bajra)"; this name is widely used in rural North India
  • Sang Kera Pemuja Dewa Rama, Hanuman, the Indonesian for "The mighty devotee ape of Ram, Hanuman"

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