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How Hanuman Got His Name

How Hanuman Got His Name

A little boy did not know that one adventure would give him a famous name. But what happened to him, and why did everyone start calling him Hanuman?

In this story

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The Mystery Behind His Name

Long ago, there was a little boy named Anjaneya.

He was the son of Anjana and Vayu, the Wind God.

Anjaneya was playful, brave, and very strong.

But one surprising childhood adventure would give him a new name.

What happened?

And what name would he get?

Hungry young Hanuman looking around as he searches for something to eat
Young Hanuman Looks for Food

A Little Boy’s Big Adventure

One morning, Anjaneya was hungry.

He looked up and saw the bright red Sun.

To him, it looked like a big, tasty fruit!

So he decided to catch it.

WHOOSH!

Young Hanuman flying through the clouds toward the bright Sun after thinking it is a tasty fruit
Young Hanuman Flies Toward the Sun

The little boy jumped high into the sky and flew toward the Sun.

But someone saw him.

Something Unexpected Happens

Indra, the king of the gods, saw the little boy flying toward the Sun.

He became worried and decided to stop him.

Indra used his powerful weapon, the Vajra, a magical thunderbolt.

The Vajra struck Anjaneya on his jaw.

Indra using his Vajra to stop young Hanuman as he flies toward the Sun
Indra Stops Young Hanuman

He fell down and became unconscious.

His father, Vayu, the Wind God, saw what had happened and became very upset.

Vayu holding unconscious young Hanuman safely in his arms after he falls from the sky
Vayu Holds Young Hanuman

Vayu stopped the wind from blowing.

Without wind, people and animals found it hard to breathe.

The gods quickly came to help Anjaneya.

They blessed him with great strength, speed, courage, wisdom, and protection.

Indra also gave him a special blessing.

Soon, Anjaneya opened his eyes.

Young Hanuman awake beside Vayu as the wind begins to blow again
Hanuman Wakes Up with Vayu

Vayu was very happy and let the wind blow again.

The world returned to normal.

But what happened that day also gave Anjaneya a new name.

The Secret Is Revealed

In Sanskrit, “hanu” means “jaw.”

Because his jaw was struck by Indra’s Vajra, Anjaneya came to be known as Hanuman.

At last, the secret behind his famous name was revealed!

A Name the World Remembers

As Hanuman grew older, he became a great hero and the loyal helper of Lord Rama.

And that is how the brave little boy Anjaneya came to be known as Hanuman.

Young Hanuman stands on a rock holding a golden mace in a green valley.

Moral of the Story

*Being brave is good, but we should also learn to use our strength wisely.

Quick quiz

Test what you learned from this story.

1. What did the little boy think the Sun was?
2. Where did Indra’s Vajra strike the little boy?
3. What does the Sanskrit word “Hanu” mean?

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