A Copperimage of Panca-mukhi (Five-faced) Vira-Hanuman

Summary

The article presents a detailed description and interpretation of a rare copper image of Pañca-Mukhi (five-faced) Vīra-Hanumān, sent for identification by Miss A. J. Kelley, Lady Superintendent of the Primary Department, Nizam College, Hyderabad. The object is notable for its minute craftsmanship, iconographic uniqueness, and ritual associations within South Indian religious tradition. Physical Description The image stands 3.3 inches high and is attached to a small spoon one inch in diameter, designed for ritual use. • The front face is that of Hanumān (the monkey god)—fierce, with bared teeth and a protruding tongue bearing the mystic letter “Ram” (రాం) in Telugu script, inscribed upside down. • The other faces represent: o Narasimha (the Man-lion) o Garuḍa (the Bird-god) o Varāha (the Boar-god) o Hayagrīva (the Horse-headed god) — positioned at the top. • The figure has four visible hands holding the Śaṅkha (conch) and Cakra (discus), while two hands are folded in devotion, as typical in Hanumān iconography. • The tail ends in a cobra’s hood, a symbol explicitly mentioned in the accompanying Dhyāna-śloka (meditation verse). • The body is adorned with a pitāmbara (yellow cloth), neck garland, anklets, and arm ornaments. • Mystic syllables (bīja mantras)—Om, Rum, Mum, and Hrīm—are inscribed at various parts: shoulders, back, and the hollow of the spoon. These correspond exactly with the mantra described in the text. Scriptural and Iconographic Basis The accompanying Dhyāna-śloka (quoted from the Vīra-Hanumad-Kavaca in the Stotra-Mahodadhi, a Sanskrit hymn collection) provides the canonical imagery of the deity: • Five faces, ten hands, and fifteen eyes. • Each face faces a cardinal direction: o East — Monkey o South — Man-lion o West — Garuḍa o North — Boar o Top — Horse • The deity holds symbolic items: sword, shield, book, nectar pot, goad, plough, serpent, and tree, among others. This visualization matches the physical features of the artifact, confirming its identity as Pañca-Mukhi Vīra-Hanumān. Associated Mantras The paper reproduces and translates the invocatory mantra addressed to the five-faced Hanumān, enumerating the five deities’ faces and invoking protection, prosperity, and destruction of evil influences. Examples include: • “Om Rum Rum Rum Rum Om” — invoking power and consecration. • “Om namo bhagavate Śrī Vīra-Hanumate” — the core salutation repeated multiple times for ritual efficacy. • Certain mantric syllables (Hrīm, Phat, Ghe Ghe) correspond exactly with the letters inscribed on the spoon’s surface, as verified in the text. Ritual and Cultural Context The final section explains that every Brahmin household traditionally keeps household gods worshipped daily with flowers and water. • Holy water (tīrtha) is poured into a metallic vessel containing such a spoon, whose handle or stem is designed not to be touched by hand. • Common decorative motifs on spoons include serpent hoods, lotus buds, or Kṛṣṇa figures. This artifact is unique, however, because it combines the spoon with the full five-faced image and inscribed mantras—an extremely rare feature in domestic or temple worship. • The article notes that temples dedicated to this specific form of Hanumān are exceptionally rare, with one known example on the banks of the Tungabhadrā River in Bellary District (Karnataka). Figures and Visual Evidence • Figures 1–3 (p. 179–180) illustrate the image from different angles, clearly showing the five faces and the spoon base. • Figure 4 (p. 181) presents a full front view, confirming all iconographic details described in text. Scholarly Note The author credits Mr. R. K. Murthi, M.A. for supplying the photographs used in the paper. He remarks that this rare composite icon demonstrates the syncretic merging of Vaishnava and Śaiva motifs, reflecting medieval South Indian craftsmanship and theological imagination.