What is the right way to chant the Hanuman Chalisa for maximum benefits

Lord Hanuman, the one who is a devotee before being a God, is one of the most powerful, and full of wisdom. Lord Hanuman is known to be the epitome of devotion, courage, and selfless service, and it was all evident during the Ramayana where he went above and beyond to serve Lord Ram.
Today, people from all over the world worship him for his attributes. Plus, it is also believed that Lord Hanuman is always listening to his bhakts, removing obstacles, granting strength, and providing protection from evil.

It is said and believed that to please Lord Hanuman is the easiest. He is happy and content with pure devotion to him and to Lord Ram. And so, to receive his blessings, his devotees do the most simple tasks. For example, reading the Hanuman Chalisa, maintaining celibacy as he was a Brahmachary, fasting on Tuesdays, doing Ram jap, and the likes.

The Hanuman Chalisa, written by Tulsidas ji, is a forty-verse hymn that talks about and praises the virtues and deeds of Lord Hanuman. It is one of the most powerful and sacred prayers dedicated to Lord Hanuman and the different verses are the different attributes of him. From his ability to fight off evil to his blessing of retrieving the Sanjivani for Lakshman, it is the Hanuman Chalisa that packs it all in one simple book.
But often, when people are in a rush or they do not have a Guru to teach them how to pronounce it right, they tend to skip words, mispronounce them, or just not know the right meanings.
Here are a few things that should be kept in mind when reciting the Hanuman Chalisa.

One of the first things to do is to begin by sitting in a comfortable and meditative posture. Sit with your legs crossed, your hands in front of you, your spine straight, and your mind having an image of Lord Hanuman.
This posture and visualisiations will help you focus your mind so that distractions don't come in your way and the image of Lord Hanuman in your head will help channel the energy towards the prayer.

Before the starting of the chaupai, there is one Doha and then one at the end. The starting one says ‘Shri Guru Charan Saroj Raj..’ and the one at the conclusion says ‘Pawan Tanaya Sankat Haran..’, one should make sure that they never skip reciting the two dohas from the Chalisa. The two dohas invoke the power and blessings of Lord Hanuman and thus should never be skipped.

People prefer to chant the Hanuman Chalisa or any other shloka or mantra in their mind. And while the silent recitation is good when it comes to keeping the mind focused, Hanuman Chalisa should not be recited inwardly. As mentioned in the Chalisa, it is a ‘Paath’. And a paath should be read aloud while feeling the vibrations and the energy that it emits.

So, whenever chanting the Hanuman chalisa, make sure to read it aloud or play it on your speaker or phone in a volume that you’ll be able to hear it loud and clear and the positivity will surround you.

In the daily hustle and grind, the time we give to God is very limited. And so, most people only chant the Chalisa once or twice. But, it is said that Hanuman Chalisa should be chanted more times. As the Chalisa says ‘Jo shat baar paath kare koi, chhuthi bandhi Mahasukh hoi’. Which means, the person who chants the Hanuman Chalisa 100 times will be rid of any bondages and problems and will receive immense happiness.

As we read, memorise, and keep reciting the same words and sentences over and over, we usually do not focus on the meanings. And so, Guru Rambhadracharya ji had given a very important point to keep in mind, some years ago. He had said that while reciting the Chalisa, the name of Tulsidas ji should be replaced with your own name. The chaupai that states ‘Tulsidas sada hari chera’, should be replaced with the chanter’s name.

A common experience among many is that they can recall being taught the Hanuman Chalisa pretty early in age. But today, it is not the same. Be it Hanuman Chalisa or the Mahamrityunjay, very few children know the importance, correct pronounciation, or meaning of these very important mantras.

A right time to teach a kid Hanuman Chalisa would be as early as when they 4 or 5 years old. Especially lines like 'Tum rakshak kaahu ko darna' or 'Bhoot pisaach nikat nahi aave' are not mere sentences, they are strong words that make children and adults believe in Lord Hanuman's strength and power.