India, May 21 -- By Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik - Author, Speaker, Illustrator, Mythologist

There are two forms of Hanuman. In one he sits at the feet of Ram, an obedient assistant. This is Ram-dasa Hanuman. In the other, he stands alone, displaying ten hands and four extra heads: that of a lion, an eagle, a wild boar and a horse. This is Maha-bali Hanuman. The former indicates submission to authority. The perfect follower. The one who is reactive. The latter indicates the embodiment of authority. The powerful leader. The one who is proactive.

This transformation of Hanuman is described not in the classical Sanskrit Valmiki Ramayana but in the later folk Ramayanas, after 1200 AD. The former form helps Ram rescue Sita from Ravana of Lanka. The...