Jai Hanuman!
Lord Hanuman, is the much loved Hindu deity of devotional love (Bhakti), and the devoted protector of Sita and Ram. Their undying pure love is so powerful and inspiriting that Hanuman will stop at nothing to protect them from harm. There is a classic image of Hanuman tearing open his chest, and there where his heart would be, is a tiny Sita and Ram!
Hanuman is the second in my series of Hindu deities that I’ve painted. After starting with Ganesha, I decide to paint Hanuman because I found his personal story so powerful. I had taken a 40 day challenge to repeat his mantra everyday and I was about a week into that when I came upon an online telling of the Ramayana by one of my kirtan friends. I started the painting about the same time that this six week long story began. Once a week I would tune in and work as hanumans’s story was told. I absolutely fell in love with his fantastic tale.
“Warrior Heart” A portrait of Hanuman, 30x40 inches, acrylic on canvas
Hanuman the all-powerful. The playful, the fierce yet peaceful warrior. When Sita is kidnapped by the evil Ravana and held captive on the island of Lanka, he must find a way to get there and help Ram save her. Hanuman feels helpless when he can not find a way to reach the island of Lanka. In a moment of despair, Hanuman sits on the waters edge of southern India and prays to Lord Shiva for assistance.
In this moment, Shiva reminds Hanuman who he is and what he is capable of; he is limitless and all powerful…all he needs to do is remember who he is and believe in himself. When Hanuman reconnects to his true nature he feels reborn and can now access his full potential. He then proceeds to take a mighty leap and fly across the ocean to Lanka.
While flying across the ocean Hanuman encounters a large and powerful demon who wishes to stop him so hanuman grows the size of a giant and defeats the demon. Once he reaches the island he encounters a demon guardian so he shrinks to the size of an ant and sneaks into Ravana’s palace. Soon he finds where Sita is being held captive in a prison…
A lot happens on Lanka and a huge battle is fought to keep Sita prisoner but Hanuman calls in the whole monkey army who soon arrive with Ram and his brother. In the end Ravana is killed, and Ram and Sita are reunited. Hanuman, even in this moment of triumph remains humble and will not accept a reward for his deeds. He only wants to bow at the feet of Sita and Ram whom he worships with pure devotion.
After 31 days of working with the Hanuman mantra Om shri Hanumate namah, and about three weeks of that period devoted to painting his portrait, and listening to the Ramayana, I’m excited to unveil “Warrior Heart”, my tribute to this fierce but loving warrior, the leader of the monkey army, Lord Hanuman.
I’m pretty happy with how this turned out and it’s been a very rewarding journey. I’ve come out of it not just with a nice painting but a new ally as well. A reminder of what devotion can look like. Jai Hanuman!
I love the playfulness of the Hindu deities and their stories like the one told in the Ramayana. I see these stories as powerful myths that each illustrate an element of the human condition. I like that in working with these deities thru mantra meditation (japa) we can be reminded of powerful lesson that will help us develop our spirit and inspire us to do the often difficult work it takes to progress along the spiritual path. Sacrifice, compassion love and devotion. We can call on these powerful allies when we need strength, and who doesn’t need a little help at times?
I followed this painting of Hanuman with Lord Shiva the destroyer and then Lakshmi the goddess of abundance. There’s far too many Hindu deities for me to keep track of but I plan to eventually paint more of these loved characters, like Kali and Saraswati.
All of my deities paintings are available as giclee prints. They’re available on canvas, paper or even metal. Check my store or message me directly to learn more.
Thanks for reading this post. Do you identify with Hanuman? What do you love about his story? Comment below!
Linked below is a limited 24x32” canvas giclee, beautifully printed by a small local print shop.