O Hanumanta! Salutations to you!

वन्देऽहं तं हनूमानिति महितमहापौरुषो बाहुशाली |
ख्यातस्तेSग्रोSवतारः सहित इह बहुब्रह्मचर्यादि धर्मैः ||
सस्नेहानां सहस्वानहरहरहितं निर्दहन् देहभाजाम् |
अंहो मोहापहो यः स्पृहयति महतीं भक्तिमद्यापि रामे || 17 ||

In the first 16 shlokas of Sri Hari Vayu Stuti, Sri Trivikrama Panditacharya primarily describes the glory of the moola roopa of Vayudeva or Mukhyaprana. From shloka 17 onwards he begins his prayers to the three avataras of Vayudeva viz. Hanuman, Bhimasena and Madhwacharya. Five shlokas starting with this one are dedicated to sing praises of the Hanuman avatara.

In the first of these five shlokas, Sri Panditacharya offers his salutation and describes the various special qualities of Hanuman.

यः ते हनूमान् इति अग्रः अवतारः तं अहं वन्दे

“That which is your first avatara, by name Hanuman, I offer my obeisance to the same”

He then describes various glorious lakshanas or auspicious attributes of Hanuman.

O Hanuman! You possess great valour महापौरुष which is sung (recognized) by all महित.

O Hanuman! You possess exceedingly broad shoulders बाहुशाली (you are extremely strong).

O Hanuman! You are enjoined सहित with great many बहु auspicious attributes धर्मैः like extreme celibacy and others ब्रह्मचर्य आदि.

(Note: The word ब्रह्मचर्य can also be understood as ‘conduct becoming of one who is or who is to be Brahma’. Since Mukhyaprana will adorn the position of Brahma in the next Kalpa, this description is very apt).

O Hanuman! Day after day अहरहः and with extreme care (or tolerance) सहस्वान् you destroy निर्दहन् the dangers and undesired state अहितं of the beings देहभाजाम् who are filled with devotion सस्नेहानां (towards you).

O Hanuman! You relieve अपहः people from great dangers अंहो and also cure them from false and illusionary understanding of things मोह.

O Hanuman! To this day अद्यापि you seek स्पृहयति extreme devotion महतीं भक्तिं towards Rama रामे.

The shloka can be summarised thus:

“O Lord Hanuman! I offer my salutations to you. You possess immense valour and strength which is glorified by one and all. You possess in abundance great many auspicious qualities including that of extreme Brahmacharya. With great affection and care towards your devotees, you rid them of dangers and ill-effects. You relieve people from wrong and illusionary knowledge. Although you are already a great devotee, you keep seeking ever-increasing bhakti towards Lord Rama”

May Sri Vayudeva bless us with numerous satvika gunas and abundant devotion towards Sri Rama through the contemplation of this shloka.

Sri Krishnarpanamastu.