What was the activity of Maruti (Son of Vayu - Hanuman) due to which he got the name Hanuman?

 

While introducing himself to Sita, Shri Hanuman says in 35th Sarga of Sundara Kanda (Valmiki Ramayana), as follows:

तस्य अहम् हरिणः क्षेत्रे जातो वातेन मैथिलि |

हनूमान् इति विख्यातो लोके स्वेन एव कर्मणा || ५-३५-८२

"O Seetha! I am born in the womb of the wife of that Kesari, the monkey, by the grace of the wind-God. By my activity alone, I am renowned as Hanuman in this world."

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Here, Shri Hanuman was not saying that as his jaw was broken by the Vajra of Indra, he got the name Hanuman.

He was saying that by his activity alone, he is renowned as Hanuman in this world.

Till Kishkinda Kanda Shri Hanuman was not introduced in Valmiki Ramayana. And, only in the Sundara Kanda, his capacity was fully introduced by the Sage.

Then, what was the activity of Shri Hanuman, due to which he got the name Hanuman?

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In the 66th Sarga of Kishkinda Kanda, Jambavan briefly narrates the birth story of Shri Hanuman.

When Shri Hanuman was a boy, he has seen the just risen sun in the vast of forest, and deeming it to be a just ripen reddish fruit, and thinking it to be a best catch, he hopped up and flew three hundred yojana-s towards sun on the sky.

Upon seeing him, Indra catapulted his Thunderbolt at Shri Hanuman.

त्वाम् अपि उपगतम् तूर्णम् अंतरीक्षम् महाकपे |

क्षिप्तम् इन्द्रेण ते वज्रम् कोप आविष्टेन तेजसा || ४-६६-२३

Then, his left cheekbone, is broken and the impact of the thunderbolt made Hanuman unconscious.

तदा शैलाग्र शिखरे वामो हनुर् अभज्यत |

ततो हि नाम धेयम् ते हनुमान् इति कीर्तितम् || ४-६६-२४

Then on observing that he is mutilated, highly infuriated is that Air-god and that tempestuous Air-god has not physically circulated throughout the triad of worlds.

When the triad of worlds is being roiled with breathlessness, all the administrative gods of universe are bewildered, and they started to supplicate the Air-god for his grace.

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Thus, it is clear that some activity of Shri Hanuman done or being done at the time of Indra hitting on his jaw, was the cause for Maruti getting the name Hanuman.

In spite of going through Valmiki Ramayana repeatedly, I could not find answer to this riddle, but found in the Rig Veda.

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Rig Veda is a spiritual treatise.

Rig Veda 4.18 is a Sukta composed by Ṛṣi vāmadeva gautama.  It narrates the spiritual journey of a seeker, in esoteric manner.

Till Rig Veda 4.18.8, the Ṛṣi vāmadeva gautama narrates the spiritual journey upto the culmination point and the status of the seeker who is about to getting merged into ABSOLUTE CONSCIOUSNESS or ADITI.

At that point, Rig Veda 4.18.9 mentions in esoteric manner, vyaṃsa smitting the spiritual seeker upon the jaw..." (Hanū) - vyaṃso nivividhvām̐ apa hanū jaghāna.

ममच्चन ते मघवन्व्यंसो निविविध्वाँ अप हनू जघान । अधा निविद्ध उत्तरो बभूवाञ्छिरो दासस्य सं पिणग्वधेन ॥
mamac cana te maghavan vyaṃso nivividhvām̐ apa hanū jaghāna | adhā nividdha uttaro babhūvāñ chiro dāsasya sam piṇag vadhena ||

English translation:

It was not because of me that the cobra, having pierced you down, smashed apart his jaws (to swallow) you, o bounteous one. Then, (though) pierced down, having gotten the upper hand, you utterly crushed the head of the Dāsa with your murderous weapon.

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We have to remember that Vyaṃsa was not defined in Rig Veda, as to who he was.

According to my understanding Vyaṃsa means - "one who is shoulderless," "fragmented," or "wide-apart.".

Vyaṃsa striking the new born Indra upon the jaw..." (Hanū), may mean, the last traces of ignorance or illusion or attitude of diti – separateness in the spiritual seeker, trying to pull down the Illuminated mind from moving in to the fold of ADITI - infinite consciousness.

Then, Indra strikes back upon the head of the Dāsa - babhūvāñ chiro dāsasya sam piṇag vadhena  - It indicates that the spiritual seeker regains and strikes back on the head of Vyaṃsa, ie., completely eradicates the remaining illusions or ignorance with in oneself.

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Thus, Shri Hanuman might have been attacked by the last traces of ignorance or illusions lying within himself, in order to pull him back into the realm of ignorance OR into the domain of DITI. However, Shri Hanuman overcame those illusions and entered into the domain of ADITI and experienced BLISS – Brahma gave boons to Shri Hanuman.

That is Shri Hanuman’s deed - स्वेन एव कर्मणा – which brought the name Hanuman.