Shri Hanuman Bahuk & Shri Ramraksha Stotra: Introduction

Shri Hanuman Bahuk

Around the year 1664 in the Vikrama era, Goswami Tulsidasji had intense pain born out of vaat or wind humour (one of the three bodily humours.Its imbalances are responsible for all diseases according to the science of Ayurveda) hurting his arms and was in agony due to eruptions on the skin. Several cures like medicine, amulets, mantras (incantations of the Vedas' sacred verses) trotak (a raga) were tried but the illness escalated day by day instead of reducing.

Finally dejected Goswami Tulsidasji began a prayer to Shri Hanumanji to be released from this unbearable torture.And due to the grace of Anjani Kumar (a title of Hanumanji, the son of Anjani) the excruciating pain vanished.

This is the same renowned 'Hanuman Bahuk stotra (hymn of praise) consisting of 44 padas (verses of devotional poetry). Innumerable devotees of Shri Hari and upasakas of Shri Hanumanji constantly recite it and are delighted on having their cherished wish fulfilled.Chanting this stotra which grants instant fruition, during a calamity with reverence and implicit faith has proven to be blissful for bhaktas of Ram. We have prepared an English version of the Hanuman Bahuk and hope it will be a great help in grasping the padas for lovers of Ram.

Shri Ram Raksha Stotra

The correct method of reciting the Ram Raksha Stotra

Every day for nine days of the navratras after getting free from daily obligations and bathing, one must wear clean clothes and sit in a comfortable posture on a seat made of kusa grass (a sacred grass used in brahmanical ceremonies) in the hour before dawn. Intently concentrating on the beneficent svarupa of Lord Rama, read this great stotra which grants fruition at least eleven times. In case this is not possible recite it seven times in accordance to the prescribed rules.

The reader of the hymn will be rewarded in proportion to the intense respect he holds for the shaktis or powers of Shri Ram. The 'Ram Rakshakavach' is somewhat lengthy but we can make do with this shorter version.The stotra should be chanted with absolute peace and implicit faith so that we end up knowing it by heart.

Specific purpose of the Shri Ramraksha Stotra:

Aasya Shriramrakshastotramantrasya budhkaushik rishi:

ShriSitaramchandro devta anushtup chanda: Sita shakti:

Shriman Hanuman keelkam ShriRamchandrapreetyeRthe

Ramrakshastotrajape viniyogah: |

Budh Kaushik Rishi is the composer of the Ramraksha Stotra and its deities are Shri Sita-Ramchandra.The metre is anushtup ( a verse of thirty-two letters in Sanskrit), Shri Sita is the energy and Hanumanji is the pivot. The Ramraksha Stotra is used in japa or incantation for pleasing Shri Ramchandraji.

(Every mantra has a deity, energy and pivotal point coupled with its composer, meter and specific usage.)

Meditating on the Mantra

Dhyaaedaajaanu baahum dhritshardhanusham badhhpadmaasanastham

Peetam vaaso vasaanam navkamaldalspardhinetram prasannam |

Vamaankaarooddh sita mukhkamal milallochanam neerdaabham

naanaalankaar deeptam dadhat murujataamandalam Ramchandram ||

Now we begin meditating on the mantra.The one who is holding a bow and arrow, is resplendent in the lotus position, is wearing yellow garments, whose delighted eyes compete with petals of a budding lotus and are focused on the lotus face of Shri Sitaji sitting on his left. Let us concentrate on Shri Ramchandra whose hands are long enough to reach the knee (sign of great warriors), who is the colour of the condensed sky,is adorned with various ornaments, and is wearing thick matted hair.