Do we like them?

Do we like Hanuman?

A character from Ramayana (ancient Sanskrit epi)

Our score: 10 out of 10. Yes, all the way. He is strong, clever, humble and loyal, and he uses his powers to help others, not to gain anything for himself.

The Ramayana follows Rama, a prince of Ayodhya forced into a 14-year forest exile with his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana. When the demon king Ravana of Lanka abducts Sita, Rama needs allies to find her. Hanuman is a monkey of divine birth, the child of the Wind God, and he becomes one of them. He is the general of the monkey king Sugriva, and he is also the one who introduces the brothers to Sugriva.

Hanuman has huge strength, the ability to take any form he wants, and a sharp mind. The epic also describes him as polite, learned and well-spoken. He takes the lead in the search for Sita, and the Sundarakanda, one book of the epic, is his story. In it he makes a mighty leap across the sea to Lanka, faces down demons on the way, and finds Sita. He then causes serious trouble in Ravana's city before he heads home with the news. Later traditions made him the model devoted follower, and temples and prayers across India still honor him.

He scores a 10 because his power never goes to his head. He wants nothing for himself. He takes on the hardest jobs, stays loyal when things look bad, and is gentle with those he is protecting. The one real quibble is the destruction he causes in Lanka. Even that is aimed at Ravana's side, and it serves a rescue.