Speak Like Hanuman: The Lost Art of Thoughtful Speech

In an age of instant messages and impulsive opinions, the ability to speak thoughtfully has become rare—and invaluable. Long before modern self-help manuals, Hanuman demonstrated how words, chosen with care, can win trust and forge alliances.

Hanuman’s Mastery of Speech

Hanuman first appears in the Kishkindha Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana, where the Adi Kavi describes him as vakya-kovidah—one proficient in speech. Other epithets reinforce this image: vakyajna (knower of words) and vakyakushala (skilled in expression).

Interestingly, his physical prowess is revealed only later. Before we see the mighty leap to Lanka or the carrying of a mountain to save Lakshmana, we encounter a different strength—his command over language.

Before becoming Rama’s emissary, Hanuman served as Sugriva’s envoy. Sugriva, wary and exiled, suspected that the two unknown visitors—Rama and Lakshmana—might be agents of his enemy Vali. Hanuman was sent to assess them and report back.

But Hanuman did far more than gather intelligence. Through thoughtful and measured speech, he won their trust and persuaded them to form an alliance with Sugriva—a decisive and mutually beneficial partnership.

(Hanuman carrying Rama and Lakshmana to Rishyamuka: Kalighat painting)

Why Rama Trusted Hanuman

Rama was no novice. As the crown prince of Ayodhya, he had been trained to judge character and intent. Yet Hanuman’s words impressed him deeply.

Hanuman spoke; Rama weighed every word—and found them worthy of trust.

After Hanuman’s address, Rama pointed out to Lakshmana the qualities that distinguished Hanuman’s speech: not a single misplaced or inappropriate word, precision without verbosity, clarity without ambiguity, fluent, delivered in a calm, modulated tone, and perfect harmony between speech and body language—expression, gaze, and gesture.

Such eloquence, Rama observed, could only come from one deeply grounded in knowledge of the Vedas, grammar, and the fine art of diplomacy.

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Relevance

These principles sound strikingly modern.

The lesson is timeless: words, when used thoughtfully, build trust; when used carelessly, they erode it.

One is reminded how easily public figures today undermine trust through careless or contradictory speech. The contrast with Hanuman’s measured words is stark.

The Power of Words

Words are more powerful than warheads. Missiles can be intercepted; words, once spoken, cannot be recalled. They can ignite conflicts—or resolve them.

Think before you speak.
Choose your words with care.

Didn't Kabir, the saint poet, counsel one and all to use words to heal, not to hurt?

शब्द सम्हारे बोलिए, शब्द के हाथ न पाँव। 

एक शब्द औषधि करे, एक शब्द करे घाव।। 

And when words do not serve a purpose, silence is often the wiser choice.

A Head of State recently admonished a very powerful ally for the latter's frivolous, flippant use of words:

“You have to be serious. When you want to be serious, you don’t go around saying the opposite every day of what you just said the day before. And perhaps you shouldn’t talk every day.”

Build Bridges

Speak less, but speak better.

Like Hanuman, let our words build bridges, not burn them.

***

For readers who might be interested, here is a link for a previous blog: Hanuman's Multilinguism:

https://www.pkdash.in/2025/04/hanumans-multilingualism.html

***

Part-II

A few readers suggested that a reference to the Sanskrit text would have been helpful. Here it is:

Rāma praises Hanumān’s  speech

नानृग्वेदविनीतस्य नायजुर्वेदधारिणः ।
नासामवेदविदुषः शक्यमेवं विभाषितुम् ॥

नूनं व्याकरणं कृत्स्नमननेन बहुधा श्रुतम् ।
बहु व्याहरतानेन न किञ्चिदपशब्दितम् ॥

न मुखे नेत्रयोर्वापि ललाटे च भ्रुवोस्तथा ।
अन्येष्वपि च सर्वेषु दोषः संविदितो मया ॥

(Valmiki Ramayana: Critical Edition (Oriental Institute of Baroda) - Kiṣkindhākāṇḍa, Sarga 3 – Text: selected verses)

Padaccheda, Word-by-word meaning, and Translation by ChatGPT

नानृग्वेदविनीतस्य...

• न (na) — not
• अनृग्वेद-विनीतस्य (anṛgveda-vinītasya) — of one not trained in the Ṛgveda
• न (na) — not
• अयजुः-वेद-धारिणः (ayajurveda-dhāriṇaḥ) — of one not versed in the Yajurveda
• न (na) — not
• असामवेद-विदुषः (asāmaveda-viduṣaḥ) — of one not knowing the Sāmaveda
• शक्यम् (śakyam) — possible
• एवम् (evam) — thus
• विभाषितुम् (vibhāṣitum) — to speak

“One not trained in the Ṛgveda, not grounded in the Yajurveda, and not learned in the Sāmaveda cannot speak like this.”

नूनं व्याकरणं...

• नूनम् (nūnam) — surely
• व्याकरणम् (vyākaraṇam) — grammar
• कृत्स्नम् (kṛtsnam) — entire, complete
• अनेन (anena) — by him
• बहुधा (bahudhā) — in many ways / thoroughly
• श्रुतम् (śrutam) — studied/heard
• बहु (bahu) — much
• व्याहरता (vyāharatā) — while speaking
• अनेन (anena) — by him
• न (na) — not
• किञ्चित् (kiñcit) — anything
• अपशब्दितम् (apaśabditam) — mispronounced / incorrect

“Surely he has thoroughly studied grammar; though speaking at length, he has not uttered a single incorrect word.”

न मुखे नेत्रयोः...

• न (na) — not
• मुखे (mukhe) — in the face
• नेत्रयोः (netrayoḥ) — in the eyes
• वा अपि (vā api) — or even
• ललाटे (lalāṭe) — on the forehead
• च (ca) — and
• भ्रुवोः (bhruvoḥ) — in the eyebrows
• तथा (tathā) — likewise
• अन्येषु अपि (anyeṣu api) — in other (limbs) also
• सर्वेषु (sarveṣu) — in all
• दोषः (doṣaḥ) — fault
• संविदितः (saṃviditaḥ) — perceived
• मया (mayā) — by me

“In his face, eyes, forehead, brows—or in any other part—I perceive no defect (while he speaks).”

***

 

Hanuman’s Multilingualism

The politics over language is currently raging with the central government insisting on a pan-India 3-language policy, and a Southern state swearing by a 2-language formula.

How was the linguistic diversity during the Ramayana period, and how did people manage to communicate? Sanskrit was used by the few learned, but the commoners spoke in diverse vernacular languages.

What languages did Hanuman speak? What was his mother tongue? It depends on Hanuman’s place of birth about which there are rival claims – Nashik, Thirumala Hills, Hampi, and others. Kishkindha, the kingdom of Bali and Sugriva where Hanuman served is believed to be Hampi, Karnataka.

Hanuman had a boon which enabled him to assume any shape at will. It may be inferred that he was multilingual with competence in all languages and dialects spoken in Bharata-varsha.

Valmiki highlights Hanuman’s multilingualism and his great skill in the use of language suitable for the occasion.

(Hanuman Conversing, Tamilnadu, 11th Century; 

Source: metmuseum.org)

Valmiki introduces Hanuman in Kiskindhakanda. Sugriva, defeated by Bali and hiding in Rishyamuka mountains, sends Hanuman as his emissary to seek Rama’s help. Hanuman assumes the form of a mendicant and addresses Rama and Lakshmana with a fine and respectful speech after which Rama tells his brother:

नानृग्वेदविनीतस्य नायजुर्वेदधारिणः ।

नासामवेदविदुषः शक्यमेवं विभाषितुम् ॥ २८ ॥

(Kiskindhakanda -Canto III)[i]

‘The way (this emissary) has spoken is not possible for one who has not mastered Rgveda, Yajurveda and Samaveda.’

It is evident that Hanuman had spoken in elegant, flawless Sanskrit.

Later, Hanuman reaches Lanka and spots the distressed Sita in Ashok-van. Before addressing Sita, he speculates about the appropriate language for the occasion.

Sundarakanda: Canto XXX

यदि वाचं प्रदास्यामि द्विजातिरिव संस्कृताम्।

रावणं मन्यमाना मां सीता भीता भविष्यति ॥ १८ ॥

'If I speak in Sanskrit like a brahmana, Sītā will get frightened thinking me to be Ravana.’

Ravana was a brahman, and a reputed scholar. He, too, had the ability to assume any form at will.

अवश्यमेव वक्तव्यं मानुषं वाक्यमर्थवत्।

मया सान्त्वयितुं शक्या नान्यथेयमनिन्दिता ॥ १९॥

‘Only by using the language of the common people may I succeed in consoling this irreproachable lady.’

What language did Hanuman use to address Sita? Was it Maithili, Sita’s mother tongue; or Avadhi, Rama’s mother tongue?

Valmiki does not specify. But it is beyond doubt that Hanuman was multilingual.

May Lord Hanuman bless all on Hanuman Jayanti!  

***

Postscript

Ancient India was Multilingual

Valmiki composed Ramayana in Sanskrit, the language of the elites and the learned; but the epic acknowledges a multilingual subcontinent.

Sheldon Pollock in The Language of the Gods in the World of Men quotes from Bhoja’s Sarasvatikanthabharana which mentions six languages – Sanskrit, Prakrit, Apabhramsha, Paishachi, Shauraseni, and Magadhi - each with six varieties.

“Heavenly speech ["Sanskrit"] is worthy to hear, the best Prakrit is mellifluous by nature, Apabhramsha is lovely, Paishachi can be used to compose enchanting literature; the language of the people who dwell in Mathura ["Shauraseni"] and that of the people of Magadha are appealing to the clever. He who can compose in them all is the most successful, the very king, of poets.”

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[i] Ramayana quotes are from Srimad Valmiki-Ramayana (Gita Press, Gorakhpur)

The Fallen Demon

Ram Leela

Padmashri Haldhar Nag, the popular Sambalpuri poet, folk-singer, and theatre-artist, in his customary role in the village Ram Leela as Lankeshwari - the guardian deity of Ravan’s golden Lanka - is happy to be defeated by Hanuman who unfortunately had a minor wardrobe malfunction, but handed over his unstuck anga vastra with nonchalance to a boy while simultaneously thwacking him with his gada made of cardboard.

Ram Leela is not yet dead, not in Delhi, in several parts of the country, not in Haldhar’s village - Ghess, near Bargarh, Odisha. But, why has the veteran performer not been invited to play Sita, or even Ram; owing to the colour of his skin?

At a village near Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, the villagers are in mourning on Dussehra day. Ravan, a Kanyakubja brahmin, is our ancestor, they say. Ram-Ravan epic war, a feud between Kshatriyas and Brahmins for the top slot?

Tallest Ravan

Our Ravan was the tallest in the country, proclaimed the Organising committee of Dwarka, New Delhi: 211 feet tall, built by 40 workers over a period of four months, and costing forty lakhs. The tallest Ravan of Madhya Pradesh – 150 feet – was at Kolar, Bhopal. How very interesting that the tallest Ravans of MP, and India were at the capital cities!

No organising committee ever boasts that their Ram is the most valiant, powerful, and handsome. Ram, being an  avatar of Vishnu, is the Supreme One; so, all actors playing Ram in the thousands of Ram Leelas in the country are equal. All Ravans are equal, but some more equal than others! Evil keeps evolving, morphing, transforming, and transmuting; is that why Ravan gets taller year by year?

Ravan and his fellow demons  are granted a brief life-span of about two weeks every year. At Bhopal, the fabrication commences near EPCO premises. Business is brisk, all sold out a day before Dussehra. We supply Ravan to as far as Betul, Itarsi, and Vidisha, said one of the sellers. Small to large, modest height to tallest; Evil comes in many shapes and sizes!

(Representational Image, Source: ndtv.com)

Bagh Mugaliya’s Demons

A day before Dussehra, the little girl announced, ‘Uncle, Ravan has arrived?’

How do you know?

I saw him with my own eyes. He is lying in Dussehra maidan. Do you know, he came in several pieces – the body without the head, one big head with a crown, and a cardboard with heads painted on it.

Oh, why did they not get a whole Ravana?

He was brought on a tractor. His extra heads would have fallen off on the way. There are too many potholes on the road.

At Bhopal, Dussehra morning began ominously with a little drizzle, soaking the effigies of the three asuras, and worrying the organisers. Mercifully, the sun shone brightly during the day, and the effigies were dry and good to burn by the evening.

The old couple went up to the terrace about 7.30 pm, as usual, to watch Ravan dahan, and the fireworks. Why are so few people this year, she asked? It’s not yet time for the funeral, he said. The speeches went on for another hour. No VIP this year, no election round the corner, he said.

The crowd was getting restive for real action now, so the key actors in the Ram Leela – Ram, Hanuman, Ravan, Kumbhakarna, and Meghnad were granted about ten minutes to spout their climactic dialogues. Ram’s dialogues could not be heard; Ravan spoke little, and his loud peals of laughter were more comic than terrifying. Hanuman swished his tails at young kids who shrieked in mock horror. If Ram resented the speakers eating into his time for angry last words to Ravan, he didn’t show it, for he knew his Ram ban- the deadly fire arrow- would kill Ravan, not the speeches.

At the maidan, there were three effigies – of Ravan, Kumbhakarna, and Meghnad. Ravan, the tallest, had a cardboard attachment with nine extra heads painted crudely, but had more firecrackers stuffed inside as befitted the fallen king. Unfortunately, when Kumbhakarna exploded, the impact toppled Ravan, as though he was overwhelmed with sorrow, and suffered a stroke at the death of his beloved brother. Ravan must fall to Ram’s arrow, and not die from a fall; so, he was revived, made to stand again, and while several volunteers held on to ropes wound around Ravana’s waist to keep him standing, Ram hastily shot his arrow of fire to set the demon aflame. However, the unanticipated tumble had dislodged the strategically placed fire-crackers, and the combustion was uneven and irregular. While the other two demons had been burnt reasonably well, the half-burnt Ravan looked angry and humiliated. Don’t I deserve a proper funeral, he seemed to ask Ram, where is your rajdharma?

Once the fireworks ended, the crowd began dispersing. Good had vanquished Evil. Parents returned home after having bought for their pestering kids big red ballons, shrill whistles, and Dilli Ka Laddoo.

Ignoble Death

A rather forlorn park in a colony, neither fancied by the aged walkers since the terrain was uneven and risky, nor by kids as the few amusement-equipment were tattered. A solitary senior citizen walked mindfully in an area flattened with a little roller by  kids who had improvised a pitch and practiced cricket on holidays.

Two young kids raced into the park, rode the not-yet-broken swings; after a while, practised cricket shots with the jugaad bat and a rubber ball, but soon quarrelled over who would bat or bowl.

Next, they spotted the cadaver at a distance, by the little heap of stone chips where three street dogs lay soaking in the sun. One kid tried to lift the half-burnt effigy but failed after which both manoeuvred with a stone and stick and propped it up. What are they up to, wondered the lone walker, maintaining a discrete distance.

They hurled a few stones at the effigy but the scaffolding stood unfazed, tall, and imperious despite his half-burnt body, full of contempt and scorn for these tiny tots.

The taller kid said, we need bigger stones. They found the right size at a little distance, and struggled to carry one each with both their hands. At the count of three, we hit him hard, said the leader, and began counting. Both released the stones in sync, and the demon toppled. They whooped in joy. Let’s kill him again, said the younger kid. They had tasted blood, and it felt good. They repeated the game. The second toppling was easier. Role-playing to tackle evil when they grow up?

How do they know it is Ravan, wondered the walker? This park is not the Dussehra maidan, which is more than a hundred metres away at west of Laharpur nullah. Who might have brought the half-burnt effigy here, and why? Isn’t it inauspicious to touch a corpse?

The disgrace of being dragged to an unknown venue by characters not part of the Ram Leela, and the final humiliation of being stoned to death by little kids was too much for the fallen demon king to bear. He fell apart, and scattered his bones. All that remain at the park are pieces of half-burnt bamboo sticks, and the skull.

***

 

(Padmashri Haldhar Nag as Lankeshwari in Ram Leela of Ghess)

 

 

 

Jagannatha and Rama

Both Jagannatha and Rama are revered gods for Hindus, but are they the same deity? This question has bothered many devotees including Gosvami Tulasidas, the Sant-Kavi who in the sixteenth century composed Ramacharitamanas, recited even today with deep devotion and love by the Hindi-speaking population.

Tulasidas once came on a pilgrimage to Sri Kshetra, Puri, and when he visited Sri Mandir, he was sorely disappointed not seeing any likeness of his dear Rama in the Daru vigraha of Jagannatha. Lord Rama, the avatar of Vishnu, was the Supreme Being for him. Rama had been so named because of his charming, captivating visage. Rama casts a magic spell, as it were, on his devotees. In Jagannatha, Tulasi could not see Rama’s strong arms stretching up to the thighs (ajanulambita); nor his fearsome bow and arrows (dhanurdhari Rama). Jagannatha had only two stumps in place of hands, so how could he hold anything at all? Rama’s beautiful eyes were lotus-shaped, kamalanayan; Jagannatha had two oversized pupils with no eyelids. No, the illiterate locals might believe Jagannatha to be the Supreme God, but he did not look like Vishnu or Rama, concluded Tulasidas.

Gosvami was an earnest devotee, and well-versed in the Vedas, Upanishads, and the puranas; yet he could not see through God’s maya and leela. Maybe, he momentarily forgot that the Vedas and the Upanishads had contemplated the Supreme Being as nirakara (formless) and nirguna (attribute-less) brahma. Only much later, the puranas had visualised the Supreme Godhood as one with four arms (Vishnu), and also with many arms, bellies, mouths, and eyes – aneka-bahudara-vaktra-netram[i] (Bhagavad-Gita: 11.16); the expansive and inclusive Hindu mind seeing no conflict or inconsistency in a Supreme Being who is simultaneously apanipada[ii], without hands and feet, which Jagannatha’s vigraha demonstrates, and a terrifying vishwaroopa with countless hands and legs.

After the darshan, as a sad and crest-fallen Tulasidas proceeded to the exit, a pilgrim rudely bumped into him nearly toppling him down, and immediately thereafter a monkey snatched his prasad, the half of the coconut he had offered to the deities.

Tulasi did not have a pleasant visit to Sri Mandira, and went to sleep a troubled and dissatisfied devotee. Rama appeared in his dream, and asked his devotee, ‘Did you have a good darshan at Sri Mandira?’ ‘O, Lord, why are you teasing me, don’t you already know?’ asked Tulasi. ‘O, dear bhakt, how could you NOT see me in Jagannatha? That’s why I had to send Vibhishana to give you a jolt of realisation, and Hanuman to snatch your prasad. Go there again tomorrow, and you will see better,’ said Rama and vanished.

The next day, Tulasidas went for his second darshan. After the darshan, as the overwhelmed Sant-Kavi made for the exit, tears of joy rolled down his cheeks, the pilgrim who had bumped into him the other day stood near the Simhadvara to bid him adieu with a pranam, and the monkey was grinning from ear to ear.

(Image Source: https://twitter.com/SJTA_Puri/)

Gosvami Tulasidas remembered that Rama had blessed Vibhishana with immortality and had instructed him to worship Jagannatha, the kuladevata of the Ikshvaku dynasty! (Shloka 30-Sarga-108, Uttara Kanda, Valmiki Ramayana, Gita Press).

It is believed that every day the first worship of Jagannatha is performed by Vibhishana, and his fresh flower offerings are found when the garbha griha is opened in the morning.

***

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[i] BHAGAVAD-GITA: CHAPTER 11 VERSE 16

अनेकबाहूदरवक्त्रनेत्रं

पश्यामि त्वां सर्वतोऽनन्तरूपम् ।

नान्तं न मध्यं न पुनस्तवादिं

पश्यामि विश्वेश्वर विश्वरूप ॥ ११-१६॥

anekabāhūdaravaktranetraṃ

paśyāmi tvāṃ sarvato’nantarūpam

nāntaṃ na madhyaṃ na punastavādiṃ

paśyāmi viśveśvara viśvarūpa

 

I see Thee of boundless form on every side, with manifold arms, stomachs, mouths and eyes; neither the end, nor the middle, nor also the beginning do I see; O, Lord of the Universe, O, Cosmic-Form.

SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA

Source: https://shlokam.org/bhagavad-gita/11-16/

[ii] Mundaka Upanishad

यत्तदद्रेश्यमग्राह्यमगोत्रमवर्ण-

मचक्षुःश्रोत्रं तदपाणिपादम् ।

नित्यं विभुं सर्वगतं सुसूक्ष्मं

तदव्ययं यद्भूतयोनिं परिपश्यन्ति धीराः ॥ ६॥

yattadadreśyamagrāhyamagotramavarṇa-

macakṣuḥśrotraṃ tadapāṇipādam .

nityaṃ vibhuṃ sarvagataṃ susūkṣmaṃ

tadavyayaṃ yadbhūtayoniṃ paripaśyanti dhīrāḥ .. 6..

By means of the Higher Knowledge the wise behold everywhere Brahman, which otherwise cannot be seen or seized, which has no root or attributes, no eyes or ears, no hands or feet; which is eternal and omnipresent, all-pervading and extremely subtle; which is imperishable and the source of all beings.

Source: https://shlokam.org/texts/mundaka-1-1-6/