Panchmukhi Hanuman brass murti, 8.5 inch

The five faced form has a specific story behind it, and it is worth knowing before buying an image of it. In the Ramayana episode from which it comes, Hanuman takes five faces in order to extinguish five lamps at once, each burning in a different direction, in order to break a spell. The faces are usually given as Hanuman himself facing forward, Narasimha to the south, Garuda to the west, Varaha to the north and Hayagriva looking upward.

That origin explains why the form is associated with protection in particular rather than with strength generally. Five faces means nothing can approach unseen from any direction, which is the whole point of the image, and it is why households that keep a Panchmukhi murti usually place it where it looks outward rather than tucked into a corner.

Four kilograms is a serious weight for a domestic shelf, and it is the practical fact that should govern the purchase. Spread over a base of a few inches, this is a point load that will visibly bow a thin particle board shelf within a year. Check what the mandir is actually made of, and if the shelf spans more than about two feet without support, put the murti directly over an upright rather than in the middle.

The antique finish is a deliberate surface, not age. The brass is chemically darkened and then the high points are brought back, which produces the depth you can see in the photographs around the faces and the ornament. It looks better than new bright brass to most eyes, and it is fragile in one specific way: ordinary brass polish will scrub it off in streaks and cannot be undone.

Hanuman is honoured across the traditions and in the Vaishnava lines especially, being the model of a servant's devotion to Rama, so he is a natural presence in a Braj household. Those households arrange a shrine in a settled way, giving the focus to the divine pair and ranging other murtis beside them, which is worth bearing in mind when a piece of this size is being placed.

Something worth saying about buying at this weight and price. A four kilogram murti is an heirloom rather than a purchase, and households that own one tend to keep it for generations. That is a good reason to buy carefully, compare castings and look at the faces closely, and it is not a reason to stretch for one. A small murti kept attentively is worth more than a large one bought in a hurry.

What to look for before buying

Check the shelf before the murti. Four kilos over a small base is more than most ready made mandir shelves are designed for. Look at the material and the span: solid wood at a short span is fine, particle board over two feet is not, and glass shelving should be treated as out of the question. It is far easier to check this before ordering than to discover it when the shelf has taken a permanent bend.

Count the faces in the photograph. Panchmukhi means five faces, and on a well cast piece four are arranged around the central one with the fifth above. Some cheaper castings blur the outer faces into the mass of the crown so that they are barely readable. Zoom in and check that each face is distinct with its own features, because that detail is the entire point of the form and it is where a rushed mould shows first.

Look for casting flaws at the join lines. Large brass pieces are cast in sections and joined, and the joins are usually along the sides of the base and behind the arms. On a good piece those are dressed back until invisible; on a poor one you can see a raised line or a filled pit. Ask for a photograph of the back if the listing does not show one, since that is where the finishing is skipped.

Keeping it, and where it sits

Wipe it with a dry cotton cloth and leave it at that for as long as possible. Antique brass needs less attention than bright brass, not more, and most of the damage done to pieces like this comes from cleaning them rather than from neglecting them. A weekly dusting keeps it exactly as it arrived.

Do not use commercial brass polish on the antique surface. It is an abrasive, and it will take the darkened layer off the raised areas first, leaving bright patches against dark recesses that read as damage rather than as patina. Once that has happened the only remedy is to have the whole piece stripped and refinished.

If it is bathed as part of a daily routine, dry it thoroughly afterwards, paying attention to the recesses between the faces and under the arms where water collects. Standing moisture in a crevice is what produces the green deposits that are so hard to clean out later, and a minute with a soft dry cloth prevents all of it.

Move it with both hands under the base and never by an arm or the crown. At this weight the thin projecting sections carry a lot of leverage, and brass will bend rather than break, which is worse: a bent arm on a cast murti cannot be straightened without damaging the finish around it.

None of this is required. What Maharaj Ji actually asks for is set out on the teachings page, the sayings he repeats most are on the quotes page, and the stotras are free to download as PDFs. If you are planning to visit Vrindavan, read how to meet Maharaj Ji first.

Also worth reading: common questions , and the teaching itself.