To truly know the significance of Hanuman Chalisa one needs only hear the words of Neem Karoli Baba, one of the most mystical voices of the 20th century. “Every line of the Hanuman Chalisa,” he said, “is a mahamantra (a great chant).” Certainly, Goswami Tulsidas’ Hanuman Chalisa is filled with lofty, spiritual thought, giving us glimpses of Hanuman the devotee but also his ultimate transformation into Hanuman the deity.
This book, Hanuman Chalisa, a Bhakta’s Quest for the Divine is a perceptive commentary on these oft-recited verses. It is unique for a variety of reasons. It underlines the deep, philosophical foundation of this text, as also the life lessons that Hanuman’s character unfolds for us, making Hanuman Chalisa as relevant today as when it was first written. The book is significant also because it uses story-telling as a means to comprehend Tulsi’s words, through a cornucopia of tales from The Ramayana, The Mahabharata, The Puranas, folklore, oral traditions, magazine articles and even anecdotes from supplicants.