ॐ आञ्जनेयाय विद्महे
वायुपुत्राय धीमहि ।
तन्नो हनुमत् प्रचोदयात् ॥
Frequently asked questions about Hanuman Gayatri Mantra
What is a deity Gayatri?
A mantra cast in the pattern of the Vedic Gayatri - vidmahe, dhimahi, prachodayat - with the deity's names in place of Savitr's. So this one meditates on Anjaneya, the son of Vayu, and asks that Hanuman impel the reciter.
How is it different from the mool mantra?
The mool mantra is a salutation; a Gayatri form is a meditation with a request in it. The Gayatri form is the one used in havan and in a fuller upasana; the mool mantra is what most keep for daily japa.
When is it chanted?
At dawn on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and at Hanuman Jayanti, in a count of a hundred and eight. It is also used as the japa mantra during a Hanuman havan, with an offering at each repetition.
Does chanting it need initiation?
No. The deity Gayatris are publicly available and widely chanted; only the Vedic Gayatri itself carries the initiation debate, and the Gayatri mantra page sets that out.
What is Hanuman worship asked for?
Courage, strength, protection and freedom from fear - and, in the classical register, relief where Mars is afflicted, since Hanuman is held to govern Mangal's force. Check the placement on the Manglik dosha calculator before assuming it applies to you.
About the Hanuman Gayatri Mantra
The Hanuman Gayatri Mantra - the Gayatri-form prayer for meditation upon Lord Hanuman, the son of the wind.
Meaning
"We meditate upon Anjaneya, the son of Vayu; may that mighty Hanuman inspire and illumine us" - a Gayatri-style invocation of Hanuman's strength and grace.
Benefits
Chanted for courage, strength, focus and protection; invoked to overcome fear, obstacles and weakness through Hanuman's blessings.
Word by Word Meaning
Anjaneyaya vidmahe - "We know (vidmahe) Anjaneya," Hanuman as the son of mother Anjani. Vayu-putraya dhimahi - "we meditate (dhimahi) upon the son of Vayu," the wind god who gave him speed and strength. Tanno Hanuman prachodayat - "may that Hanuman impel and illumine (prachodayat) us."
Like all Gayatri-pattern mantras, it moves in three steps - knowing, meditating, being inspired - so the mantra is itself a compact meditation: first the mind turns to Hanuman, then it rests on him, then it asks to be moved by him.
How to Chant
Chant it at dawn or dusk, 11, 21 or 108 times, on Tuesdays and Saturdays especially. Face east at dawn, keep the body clean and the recitation steady and unhurried - Gayatri-form mantras are traditionally chanted softly rather than loudly. It combines naturally with the Hanuman mool mantra: the Gayatri to invoke and meditate, the mool mantra for the running count.
Who Chants It, and When
Those facing examinations, interviews, competitions or physical challenges chant it for focus and nerve; devotees of Rama chant it because Hanuman is held to be present wherever Rama is remembered, and his Gayatri is a doorway to that service. It is open to all, without initiation. During Hanuman Jayanti and the month of Chaitra, daily recitation is considered especially fruitful.
The two names the Gayatri chooses are deliberate. Anjaneya, "son of Anjani," remembers his mother's long penance and presents Hanuman as grace won through devotion; Vayuputra, "son of the wind," names his inheritance of prana itself - breath, strength and speed. Meditating on both names together, the practitioner asks for the two things Hanuman uniquely joins: tenderness of heart and unbreakable strength. Reciting the mantra before pranayama or exercise, honouring the Vayu connection, is a modern practice with old roots.
Several variant forms of the Hanuman Gayatri circulate - some meditate on Vayuputra, others on Ramadutaya, the messenger of Rama - and all follow the same three-step pattern, so any received form may be kept with confidence. What the tradition asks is consistency: the same form, the same count, the same hour, until the mantra begins to repeat itself in the background of the day.
The Hanuman Gayatri Mantra above is given in both Devanagari (Sanskrit) and Roman transliteration so you can read it in whichever script you are comfortable with - switch between the two using the buttons above, share the link, or download a PDF.
A mantra is a compact formula for japa, not a long hymn. Forty-verse hymns live under Chalisa; lamp-songs under Aarti; longer stotras under Stotram. Browse every formula on the Mantra index. Count repetitions with the online japa mala counter.
