Upanishads · Tārasāra 2.8
॥
Devanāgarī
मकाराक्षरसंभूतः शिवस्तु हनुमान्स्मृतः । बिन्दुरीश्वरसंज्ञस्तु शत्रुघ्नश्चक्रराट् स्वयम्
Transliteration (IAST)
makārākṣarasaṃbhūtaḥ śivastu hanumānsmṛtaḥ | bindurīśvarasaṃjñastu śatrughnaścakrarāṭ svayam
Word-by-word
SanskritIASTMeaning
म-कार-अक्षर-संभूतःma-kāra-akṣara-saṃbhūtaḥarisen from the syllable 'm'
शिवः तु हनुमान् स्मृतःśivaḥ tu hanumān smṛtaḥŚiva is recalled as Hanumān
बिन्दुः ईश्वर-संज्ञः तुbinduḥ īśvara-saṃjñaḥ tuthe dot, called Īśvara
शत्रुघ्नः चक्र-राट् स्वयम्śatrughnaḥ cakra-rāṭ svayamŚatrughna, himself the sovereign of the disc
Translation
«Arisen from the syllable 'm' — Śiva, recalled as Hanumān; the dot, called Īśvara — Śatrughna, himself the sovereign of the disc».
Version
3dcfbfccd298 · published Aug 12, 2026, 5:00:00 AM UTC
Available inRUENPage between verses with
The identification of Śiva with Hanumān is a commonplace in Indian tradition: Hanumān is called a rudra-avatāra, a descent of Rudra. It is worth noting that here this identification works in the Vaiṣṇava direction, not the other way. In books we have read before, Viṣṇu was placed in Śiva's retinue; here Śiva is placed in Rāma's retinue — and, moreover, as a servant.
Let us say this without triumph, for the device is the same one, already discussed more than once: every community places its own at the center. But there is here also something that deserves attention in its own right, and it must be stated. Hanumān, in tradition, is the model of a servant; and that the greatest of the gods is depicted in this role is not a demotion, but an elevation of service itself.
The Vaiṣṇava side insists on this and speaks of Hanumān especially. He asks for no reward; offered blessings, he answers with a request always to hear the story of Rāma; and when asked who he is, he answers with the famous words: "in body I am Your servant, in mind I am Your part, in essence I am You Yourself." This answer deserves examination, for it is, in essence, the whole Vaiṣṇava teaching in three lines. Identity is acknowledged — "in essence I am You Yourself" — and it is placed third, after service and after being a part.
That is, identity abolishes neither service nor distinction, but underlies them; and a person who knows of it continues to serve.