The Story of Hanuman and Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose)

If you have ever been cued into the splits in a yoga class, you have practiced a pose named for a monkey god. Hanumanasana is not just a flexibility goal. It is a story about faith, friendship and forgetting, then remembering, how powerful you really are.

Who Is Hanuman?

Hanuman is one of the most beloved figures in Hinduism. He appears in the Ramayana, the ancient Sanskrit epic attributed to the sage Valmiki, as the loyal companion of Prince Rama. He is born to Anjana and blessed by Vayu, the wind god, which is why he can fly, leap enormous distances and grow as large or as small as he wishes. Temples to Hanuman are found across India and the world, and he is honored for bhakti, wholehearted devotion.

Hanuman’s Childhood: The Boy Who Tried to Eat the Sun

As a baby, Hanuman saw the rising sun and thought it was a ripe mango. He leapt into the sky to eat it. To protect the sun, the god Indra struck him with a thunderbolt, injuring his jaw, and the name Hanuman is often linked to the Sanskrit hanu, meaning jaw.

In many tellings, the young Hanuman grew so mischievous with his powers that a group of sages placed a curse on him: he would forget his strength until someone reminded him of it. This detail becomes the turning point of his story.

The Great Leap to Lanka

Years later, Prince Rama, his brother Lakshmana and his wife Sita are living in exile in the forest. The demon king Ravana kidnaps Sita and carries her to his island kingdom of Lanka. Rama allies with the monkey king Sugriva, and Hanuman becomes his most devoted helper.

The search party reaches the southern shore of India and stares at the ocean. No one believes they can cross it. Then the wise bear king Jambavan turns to Hanuman and reminds him who he is: the son of the wind, capable of anything. Hanuman remembers. He grows to the size of a mountain, crouches and leaps across the sea in a single bound.

In Lanka, he finds Sita in a grove, gives her Rama’s ring as a sign that help is coming and lets himself be captured so he can see Ravana. When the demons set his tail on fire, he leaps across the rooftops and sets Lanka ablaze, then returns to Rama with news of where Sita is held.

Carrying the Mountain

During the battle for Lanka, Lakshmana is gravely wounded. A healer says only a herb called sanjeevani, growing on a mountain in the Himalayas, can save him before dawn. Hanuman flies north but cannot tell which plant is the right one, so he lifts the entire mountain and carries it back. Lakshmana is healed, Rama defeats Ravana and Sita is rescued.

What Does Hanuman Mean for Yogis?

• We forget our own strength. Like Hanuman before Jambavan’s reminder, we often doubt what we can do. Practice and good teachers remind us.
• Devotion fuels effort. Hanuman’s power came from love, not ego. Practicing for something bigger than yourself makes discipline easier.
• Humility. The strongest hero in the story sees himself as a servant.
• Leaps take preparation. Hanumanasana takes most people months or years of patient work, one breath at a time.

Explore more yoga philosophy in our guides to the eight limbs of yoga, the meaning of Om and the chakras.

How Do You Practice Hanumanasana (Monkey Pose)?

Hanumanasana is an advanced pose. It is also a required traction posture option in yoga competitions. Warm up well first with Sun Salutations, low lunges and hamstring stretches.

1. Start in a low lunge with your right foot forward and your back knee on a folded blanket. Place blocks on either side of your front foot.
2. Shift your hips back into Half Splits, straightening the front leg and flexing the front foot.
3. Slide slowly. Walk your hands forward on the blocks and let your front heel slide forward and your back knee slide back.
4. Support your hips. Place a block or bolster under your front thigh or hips so you can relax rather than force.
5. Square your hips toward the front of the mat and keep your back toes pointed straight back.
6. Breathe for 5 to 10 breaths, then come out slowly the way you went in. Repeat on the left side.

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Key Takeaways

• Hanuman is the devoted monkey hero of the Ramayana and son of the wind god.
• He leapt across the ocean to Lanka to find Sita and later carried a mountain to save Lakshmana.
• Hanumanasana, the front splits, honors his leap.
• His story teaches devotion, courage, humility and remembering your own strength.

Frequently Asked Questions

This article is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Check with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new exercise program, especially if you are pregnant, injured or managing a health condition.