It’s impossible to say exactly how powerful is Hanuman. It can only be estimated. Nothing is impossible for him because he is God. To this day, no one has been able to describe the extent of his strength fully. People have written down only as much as they could.
How Powerful is Hanuman?
Hanuman Ji is divine, and therefore, there is no limit to his strength. Tulsidas, while describing his power, wrote in the Hanuman Chalisa: “Tīnhũ lok hāṅk te kā̃mpai.” Meaning, you are so mighty that your roar makes the three worlds tremble. A small part of Hanuman Ji’s strength is also described in the Puranas and in Valmiki’s Ramayana, which inspired what I have written below.
Measurement of Hanuman Ji’s strength in the scriptures
A strength equal to one elephant is called a gaj. One who has the strength of 1,000 elephants is called a diggaj. One who has the strength of 10,000 diggaj is called a mahagaj. One who has strength equal to 10,000 mahagaj is called Airavat. One who has strength equal to 10,000 Airavata is the king of the diety, Indra. An amount of strength equal to 10,000 Indra exists in a single hair (rom) of Hanuman Ji.
Description of Hanuman Ji’s strength in the Sundara Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana
The description of Hanuman Ji’s strength appears in the Sundara Kanda of the Valmiki Ramayana. Seeing Sita Mata distressed in Lanka, Hanuman Ji becomes deeply sorrowful. He says to the goddess, “O Devi! Sit on my back, I will bring you to Shri Ram Ji in the next moment.”
Sītā Ji argued, “The demons will notice when you carry me on your back. They will attack with weapons and missiles. I will be torn to pieces and fall down. Your effort will be wasted. How will you fight the demons alone?”
Hanuman Ji smiled and replied, “Don’t worry about the demons ‘na Rāvaṇa sahastraṃ meṃ yuddhe pratibalaṃ bhavet.’ Not even a thousand Ravanas together would be a match in battle. These demons are nothing but field radishes; don’t concern yourself about them.”
When Hanuman Ji had answered Sita Ji’s first concern, she raised another objection. She said, “When you carry me while flying at such great speed, how will I withstand that powerful gust of wind? That blast of air will take my life.”
Hanuman Ji replied, “Mother! I will take very good care of you. You will not feel the force of the wind at all.”
Sita Ji said, “From above, when we look toward the ocean, I will be terrified and my life will leave me. And if some demon attacks and I jump off your back, I will become food for the sea-creatures. Then your effort will be in vain.”
Hanuman Ji said, “We have answers to all your worries. I alone am enough to deal with the demons, I will not let you fall, you will not feel the wind’s force, even Ravana will not be able to do anything. Now there is no obstacle. So, O Mother, come with me.”
The Mother said, “Even now there is one obstacle. I am devoted to my husband (pativratā). I cannot willingly touch another man. Ravana brought me here secretly and by force.”
Hanuman Ji replied, “You are my mother, and you have also accepted me as your son. For an ascetic, even looking at a woman made of wood is forbidden. Yet if he were to touch his own mother, his righteousness would not be destroyed. Therefore, O Mother, your vow of fidelity will not be violated by my touch.”
He then added, “Mother, if you are not willing to come with me happily, there is no problem. Give me a token from you. Lord Shri Ram will arrive very soon, destroy the wicked demons, and take you away from here.”
Description of Hanuman Ji’s strength in the Valmiki Ramayana (at the time of Lakshman’s crisis)
At that time everyone is overwhelmed with grief, asking who will bring the Sanjeevani from the Himalaya in such a short span. Then Hanuman Ji says, “Drop a few mustard seeds into a cauldron of boiling oil. They won’t even have time to become cooked. Tell them I will uproot Mount Meru and bring it here.”