Hanuman's Version of Ramayana – Written Much Before Valmiki

1. The Divine Poets: Valmiki and Hanuman
In the vast ocean of Hindu literature, few epics shine as brightly as the Ramayana. Retold across millennia, cultures, and continents, this divine story has taken countless forms. But not every version was meant for the world. Some remained hidden, like silent prayers offered in solitude. Among them was the Hanumad Ramayana—written not with ink, but with nails; not on paper, but on mountain rocks; not for fame, but for love. Long before Valmiki penned his celebrated Ramayana, Hanuman had already inscribed his version—a scripture born out of pure devotion and witnessed by the very eyes that lived every moment of Rama's life.

Maharishi Valmiki, revered as the Adi Kavi or the first poet, was not always a sage. Born as Ratnakara, a highway robber, his life changed upon encountering the great sage Narada. Renouncing his sinful ways, he immersed himself in meditation and eventually received a divine blessing from Lord Brahma. This blessing gave him Divya Drishti, the ability to see all the events of the Ramayana unfold as if they were happening before his eyes.

With this divine vision, Valmiki composed his Ramayana—not as a mere observer, but as a seer of cosmic truth. But for all his divine insight, he did not live these moments. He witnessed them from afar. There was one who lived them, who breathed them, who bled for them.

2. Hanuman – The Devotee Who Lived the Ramayana
Unlike Valmiki, Hanuman was not a spectator. He was a participant. The son of Vayu, the wind god, Hanuman was no ordinary devotee. He was a scholar, a warrior, a sage, and above all, a servant of Shri Rama. He watched the epic not through visions but with his own eyes. He felt the tremors of war, the silence of exile, and the tears of devotion.

Moved by the glories of Rama, Hanuman composed his own version of the Ramayana. This was not for public reading, nor for scholarly acclaim. It was for himself—a way to relive those sacred moments again and again. He wrote it using his nails on the cliffs of the Himalayas. This monumental work, known as Hanumad Ramayana or Hanuman Natak, lay hidden in the silence of stone, away from human eyes.

3. When Sages Met – Narada, Valmiki and the Revelation
Many years later, once Valmiki had completed his Ramayana, he was visited by Rishi Narada—the cosmic messenger, the wandering minstrel of the gods. Valmiki eagerly presented his epic to Narada, hoping for his approval. Narada smiled, read parts of it, and then casually remarked, " It is excellent. But Hanuman's version is even more beautiful."

Valmiki was taken aback. Hanuman had written a Ramayana? He had never heard of it. His curiosity now matched his devotion. He could not rest until he had seen this mysterious composition.

Determined to find Hanuman and read this divine version, Valmiki embarked on a pilgrimage. Crossing rivers, forests, and valleys, he finally reached the snowy peaks of the Himalayas. There, in a quiet cave surrounded by echoes of silence and devotion, he found Hanuman—immersed in chanting Rama's name.

With humility and reverence, Valmiki greeted him and asked, " Is it true that you have written the Ramayana?"

Hanuman smiled gently. Without saying a word, he carried Valmiki to the top of a ledge. Before them lay vast stone walls, cliffs upon cliffs engraved with divine verses—Hanuman’s Ramayana.

4. The Hanumad Ramayana – A Work of Love
Valmiki began reading. He walked from one rock face to another, climbing, descending, scanning every inscription. Sometimes he laughed aloud at Hanuman’s witty anecdotes. At times, he wept uncontrollably at the depth of emotion. Each verse radiated bhakti, power, and simplicity. This was not mere literature. This was devotion crystallized into words.

It was a Ramayana like none other—devoid of ego, brimming with love. Hanuman had not tried to impress anyone. He had simply remembered Rama and written what he had seen, felt, and cherished.

But as he finished reading, Valmiki fell silent. His joy was overtaken by sorrow. Hanuman, concerned, asked, " What troubles you, O Sage?"

Valmiki replied, "I am overwhelmed. Your Ramayana is far superior. Now, who will read mine? I spent years writing it, hoping it would live on. But yours... yours should be read by the world."

Hearing this, Hanuman smiled again. Without hesitation, he began smashing the rocks with his mighty fists. He destroyed every trace of his own Ramayana and hurled the shattered stones into the river below.

Valmiki watched in shock. " Why would you do this?" he asked.

Hanuman bowed and said, " You need your Ramayana more than I need mine. You wrote it so the world remembers you. I wrote mine so I could remember Rama."

5. Fulfillment – Tulsidas and Hanuman
Valmiki, deeply moved, blessed Hanuman. He said, " O mighty son of Vayu, in another age, I shall return to glorify you. I will sing your praises and teach others to do the same. I will retell Rama’s story in the language of the people, so every soul can know him."

In a later era, Valmiki was reborn as Goswami Tulsidas. This time, he spoke not in Sanskrit but in Awadhi—the tongue of the people. His Ramcharitmanas would become one of the most revered scriptures in Indian history.

But Tulsidas’s devotion was incomplete without Hanuman. From Hanuman Chalisa to Hanuman Bahuk, from Bajrang Baan to his many dohas, Tulsidas worshipped Hanuman with unmatched intensity. Hanuman was no longer just a character in the epic. He was the bridge to Rama.

One of the most beautiful stories from Tulsidas’s life happened on the banks of Chitrakoot. A great congregation of saints had gathered. Tulsidas was quietly grinding sandalwood paste.

Suddenly, a divine-looking young boy appeared. He approached Tulsidas and asked, " Can I have some sandal paste?"

With loving devotion, Tulsidas handed it over. The boy smiled, dipped his finger in the paste, and gently drew a tilak on Tulsidas’s forehead.

In that sacred moment, Tulsidas realized—this was none other than Shri Rama.

The event is immortalized in a doha:

"चित्रकूट के घाट पर हुई संतन की भीड़,
तुलसीदास चन्दन घिसे, तिलक देते रघुबीर"

Translation: On the banks of Chitrakoot, there is a huge gathering of saints. Tulsidas is busy grinding sandalwood, while Rama anoints his forehead with a Tilak.

6. The Legacy of Devotion – Why Hanuman’s Ramayana Still MattersWhy should we remember a scripture that was never published, never shared, and ultimately destroyed? Because it teaches us the purest form of devotion. Hanuman didn’t write for fame. He didn’t seek immortality. His was a love that didn’t need witnesses.

In an age where ego drives creation, Hanuman’s sacrifice reminds us that some of the greatest works are done in silence. Some of the deepest truths are not published but lived.

Hanuman’s Ramayana is not gone. It lives in every chant of the Hanuman Chalisa, in every leap of faith we take, and in every act of selfless service.

The Hanumad Ramayana may no longer exist in stone. But its essence pervades every retelling of Rama’s story. It lives in Valmiki’s verses. It breathes in Tulsidas’s dohas. And it resounds in the hearts of devotees who call out to Rama with the same love as Hanuman.

Hanuman never needed his version to be read. Because true devotion doesn’t need an audience. It only needs the beloved.

In a world obsessed with being remembered, Hanuman chose to remember.

That which is not written may yet be the most eternal.