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Hanuman’s Eight Siddhis and Nine Nidhis — What Chalisa Verse 32 Means

Verse 32 of the Hanuman Chalisa says: “Ashtasiddhi Nav Nidhi Ke Data, As Var Deen Janaki Mata” — “You are the giver of the eight supernatural powers (Ashtasiddhi) and the nine divine treasures (Nav Nidhi) — such a boon was given to you by Mother Sita.” This single verse contains a complete map of spiritual and material abundance. Here is what every term in it means.

The Context: Why Did Sita Give Hanuman This Boon?

After Hanuman found Sita in Lanka and delivered Ram’s message and his ring to her, Sita was overwhelmed with gratitude. Before he left, she asked what gift she could give him. Hanuman replied that the sight of her — and through her, Ram — was itself the greatest gift. But Sita insisted, and blessed him: “May you be the giver of the eight siddhis and nine nidhis to all devotees who seek Ram’s grace through you.”

This episode is described in the Ananda Ramayana. Its significance is that Hanuman’s power to bestow siddhis and nidhis is not self-assumed — it is a specific gift from Sita, Ram’s own shakti. Approaching Hanuman for material or spiritual attainment is therefore approaching through Sita’s own blessing.

The Eight Siddhis (Ashtasiddhi)

The eight siddhis are supernatural attainments described in the Bhagavata Purana (11.15.4–5) and in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. They are powers over matter and space that come as a byproduct of deep spiritual realisation.

# Siddhi Sanskrit Power
1 Anima अणिमा To reduce oneself to the size of an atom — to become infinitely small
2 Mahima महिमा To expand oneself to infinite size — to fill the universe
3 Garima गरिमा To become infinitely heavy — immovable
4 Laghima लघिमा To become infinitely light — weightlessness, ability to levitate
5 Prapti प्राप्ति To reach or obtain anything anywhere — ability to touch the moon with a fingertip, acquire what is not in one’s possession
6 Prakamya प्राकाम्य To fulfil any desire — ability to achieve any wish without obstruction
7 Ishitva ईशित्व Mastery over creation — the power to animate, direct, and control all elements and beings
8 Vashitva वशित्व Power to bring all under one’s influence — to draw beings and situations under one’s will through spiritual power (not manipulation)

Hanuman demonstrated all eight in his service to Ram. He used Anima to enter Lanka invisibly, Mahima to expand his body when challenged by Surasa, Laghima to leap across the ocean, Prapti to find Sita anywhere on earth, and Garima when his tail (bound and set alight by Ravana’s men) became so heavy that the soldiers could not move it. He used all eight not for personal gain, but in service.

The Nine Nidhis (Nav Nidhi)

The nine nidhis are the divine treasuries presided over by Kubera, the god of wealth. Unlike the siddhis which are yogic powers, the nidhis are forms of abundance — they represent different dimensions of material and spiritual prosperity. Their names come from the Vishnu Purana, the Mahabharata, and various Purana texts.

# Nidhi Sanskrit Domain of Abundance
1 Mahapadma महापद्म Great lotus treasury — gold, royal wealth, and the accumulated merit of lifetimes
2 Padma पद्म Lotus treasury — silver, purity of wealth acquired through righteous means
3 Shankha शङ्ख Conch treasury — gems and jewels, wealth of beauty and adornment
4 Makara मकर Crocodile treasury — commercial wealth, the prosperity of trade and business
5 Kachchhapa कच्छप Tortoise treasury — grain and agricultural wealth, food abundance, nourishment
6 Mukunda मुकुन्द Liberator treasury — gems and precious minerals; also associated with spiritual wealth and liberation
7 Kunda कुन्द Jasmine treasury — the wealth of purity and moral clarity; some lists give this as Nanda (bliss)
8 Nila नील Blue treasury — iron, authority, and the power of governance and administration
9 Kharva खर्व Small treasury — the abundance that comes from simplicity; minerals of the earth

Note: The exact list of the nine nidhis varies slightly between different Puranas. The list above draws primarily from the Vishnu Purana and the Mahabharata (Santi Parva). Some texts include Padmini and Mahapadmini as variant names.

What This Verse Means for the Devotee

The verse is often cited as a basis for approaching Hanuman in matters of material difficulty. The logic in devotional tradition is this: Hanuman holds the siddhis (all spiritual power) and the nidhis (all material abundance) as gifts from Sita. A sincere devotee who approaches Hanuman, reciting his name and the Chalisa, is approaching the very source of both kinds of abundance.

This is why Chaupaai 32 is specifically recited by devotees facing financial difficulties, seeking business success, or seeking advancement in any worldly matter — alongside the equally firm understanding that Hanuman bestows these not as rewards for transaction, but as expressions of grace toward sincere devotion.

Hanuman’s Own Relationship to the Siddhis

Crucially, Hanuman himself never used the siddhis for personal benefit. He possessed all eight and never exercised them except in Ram’s service. This is what makes him the trusted giver: a being who has complete power and is completely free from the desire to use it for himself. The Bhagavata Purana (11.15) teaches that the siddhis themselves become obstacles to liberation if they are sought as ends — Hanuman demonstrates, by his own life, that they are servants, not masters.

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Ashtasiddhi Nav Nidhi Ke Data, As Var Deen Janaki Mata. Jai Bajrang Bali!