Hanuman Chalisa, written by Goswami Tulsidas ji is an exceptional prayer in every sense of the word. Lord Hanuman is a source of infinite strength and wisdom. And as a devotee worships Lord Hanuman by chanting the Hanuman Chalisa, he prays to the Lord to invoke the same strength within him.

It's very important to understand the significance of this strength! It is this strength that enables one to stay cheerful, irrespective of situations one is encountered with in life.

The Divya Hanuman Chalisa starts with the hymn

Sriguru charan sarojraj nijmanmukur sudhar
Barano raghubar bimal yash jo daayak falchaar
This may be translated as

'After having cleansed the mirror of my mind, by using the dusts from the lotus feet of Sri Gurudev, I now go on to explain the flawless glory of Lord Ram, the most excellent of Raghus, which bestows the four fruits.'

As per the hymn, a guru is someone who lets us see, realize and recognize ourselves by allowing us to get over the ignorance in our hearts.

The prayer is about chanting the glories of Lord Rama and Lord Rama is seen as the soul within us. As we chant these glories, we find not just the grace of the deities but also induce their innumerable qualities within being. This brings the presence of Lord within our hearts.

The prayer acts as a reminder, such that we appreciate the presence of Thakur, who is in our hearts. The four fruits referred here are the four purusharthas which are dharma, artha, Kama and moksha. The prayer speaks of fulfillment of dharmic desires and eventually finding liberation. And that is the aim why the prayer is chanted.

The first Chaupai of the 40 chaupais goes as follows

Buddhiheen tanu jaanike, sumiron pawan kumar
Bal buddhividya dehu mohin, harahu kalesh vikar

This may be explained as follows

'I have understood the weakness of my intellect and I meditate on you, O Son of Lord Vayu. Grant me the strength, intelligence and knowledge, such that I overcome all uncertainties within my heart.'

Here, the worshipper recognizes the insufficiencies of his intellect and wisdom, and surrenders to the Supreme Power. He asks God to grant him strength such that he develops into a state wherein he stays stable, even when independent of material possessions.

The intellect as mentioned here is a lot about one's interpretation. If one person tells another that he is very intelligent, one may take it as a compliment, or one may feel that he is being made fun of. The devotee here asks the almighty to grant him the wisdom to see things clearly, without adulterating them with perceptions. And the same requires the grace and blessing of God.

Such strength and intelligence is the best thing one can ask God for. And for the same, we pray by remembering God's life. We need to see Prabhu's life and deeds in a way, that we develop strength and intellect like Kesarinandan Lord Hanuman within ourselves.

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Author's Bio: 

Harshad has been into freelance writing for some time now. Some of the topics he loves to write about are health, wellness, life & lifestyle, fitness & spirituality.