मनोजवं मारुततुल्यवेगं
जितेन्द्रियं बुद्धिमतां वरिष्ठम् ।
वातात्मजं वानरयूथमुख्यं
श्रीरामदूतं शरणं प्रपद्ये ॥
Manojavam Marutatulyavegam
The Manojavam Marutatulyavegam - the celebrated dhyana (meditation) sloka on Lord Hanuman, swift as thought and the wind.
manojavam marutatulyavegam
jitendriyam buddhimatam varishtham ।
vatatmajam vanarayuthamukhyam
shriramadutam sharanam prapadye ॥
Frequently asked questions about Manojavam Marutatulyavegam
What does this verse say?
Swift as thought, rapid as the wind, master of the senses, foremost among the intelligent - son of the wind, chief of the vanara host, messenger of Rama: in him I take refuge. Four qualities, then the surrender.
Where is it from?
It is the closing verse of the Sundarkand recitation and part of the standard Hanuman stuti, so most people meet it at the end of a Sundarkand path. It is recited once or thrice rather than counted.
Why is jitendriyam singled out?
Master of the senses - the verse praises his self-control before it praises his strength, and puts buddhimatam varishtham, foremost of the wise, next. It is a deliberate correction of the idea that Hanuman is only power.
When is it recited?
At the close of a Sundarkand or Hanuman Chalisa reading, on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and before setting out on a journey or a difficult task, which is where its refuge-taking fits naturally.
Can it be used as daily japa?
It can be repeated, but it is a shloka of refuge rather than a japa formula. For a counted practice use the mool mantra or read the Chalisa, and keep this verse to close.
About the Manojavam Marutatulyavegam
The Manojavam Marutatulyavegam - the celebrated dhyana (meditation) sloka on Lord Hanuman, swift as thought and the wind.
Meaning
"Swift as the mind, equal to the wind in speed, master of the senses, foremost among the intelligent - to that son of Vayu, chief of the monkey host and messenger of Rama, I bow."
Benefits
Recited for strength, intelligence, self-control and swift help in difficulty; a favourite meditation verse to begin Hanuman worship and the Sundarakanda.
Word by Word Meaning
Mano-javam - swift (java) as thought (manas). Maruta-tulya-vegam - equal (tulya) to the wind (maruta) in speed (vega). Jitendriyam - he who has conquered (jita) the senses (indriya). Buddhimatam varishtham - foremost (varishtha) among the intelligent (buddhimat). Vata-atmajam - son (atmaja) of the wind god. Vanara-yutha-mukhyam - chief (mukhya) of the monkey (vanara) host (yutha). Sri-Rama-dutam - the messenger (duta) of Sri Rama. Sharanam prapadye - I take refuge (sharanam) in him.
The verse honours Hanuman's four glories in a single breath - speed, self-mastery, intelligence and service - and ends not with a request but with surrender: "I take refuge."
How to Chant
This is the traditional dhyana (meditation) verse recited before beginning the Hanuman Chalisa, the Sundarakanda or any Hanuman puja - recite it once or three times with folded hands, then begin the main practice. On Tuesdays and Saturdays, many recite it 11 times before Hanuman's image with a sesame-oil lamp. No initiation or restriction applies.
Who Chants It, and When
Students recite it before study for its prayer to the "foremost among the intelligent"; travellers before journeys, invoking the swiftest of messengers; and readers of the Sundarakanda open every sitting with it. As a refuge verse it is also chanted in plain fear or worry - three slow repetitions before sleep is a widely kept family practice.
The verse's order of praise carries its teaching. Speed of thought and wind comes first, but it is immediately balanced by jitendriyam - mastery of the senses - and crowned by intelligence; power in Hanuman is never separate from restraint and discernment. And the final title is not warrior but duta, messenger: all of it in Rama's service. The tradition holds up this sequence as the model of usable strength - swift, controlled, intelligent, and offered to something higher than itself.
The verse is drawn from the concluding prayers associated with the Ramayana tradition and is often printed at the head of Sundarakanda editions. Learning it by heart takes an evening - four lines, one image each - and reciting it from memory before the day's first task is the simplest complete Hanuman practice a busy person can keep.
The Manojavam Marutatulyavegam 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.
