Birth of Sri Hanuman Ji
Anjana, who became the mother of
Hanuman Ji, was one of the sixteen matrikas. The matrikas are adored and
worshipped ladies of celestial, astral and material planes of the universe.
Once Anjana assumed the form of a lady tourist visiting Svah planet, a few
million miles beyond the polestar. She arrived in the assembly of Indra, the
king of Svah planet. Some how the king was attracted to her and requested her
to make love with him. She rebuked him severely and said, who would like to
make love with you, a fallen one with the signs of a thousand eyes!”
King Indra could not bear this
insult and cursing her, he replied, “You are very vain because of your beauty.
You will be born in the monkey faced Vanara race”.
While Indra was cursing Anjana,
Anjana’s dearest friend Adrika (out of love for Anjana), tried to insult Indra
by meowing like a cat. Indra then cursed her saying, “You will become cat faced
in your next life!”
In course of time, both friends were
born as the twin daughters of Kunja, a Vanara knight. When they grew up,
Keshari, a famous knight of the Vanara race. Married both of them. Then, one
day while, Keshari was in meditation at the southern seashore, Maharishi
Agastya became the atithi of Keshari. Both of Keshari’s wives welcomed the
unexpected guest and served him whole heartedly. Agastya was highly satisfied
and told the wives to ask for any boon they wished.
“I want the mightiest son, who will
be highly bold and strong in the world. Totally devoted to universe welfare,”
Anjana requested.
“So be it,” Maharishi Agastya
approved the wish for both of them, and in due course of time, Anjana gave
birth to Sri Hanuman Ji who became all powerful and Adrika gave birth to a son,
Adri by name, who became governor of all the goblins.
Soon after Maharishi granted the
boon, Maharishi Agastya realized that Lord Shiva himself was going to be born
as the son of Anjana. He ordered her to go to meditate on the hill Venkatadri
in Vrishabhachal on the bank of Akashaganga. This was the most appropriate
place to materialize her desire. Thus, one day, she was absorbed in a long
meditation, the wind God appeared and said, “Adorable devi, I am pleased with
you. You will attain a mighty son, one who will not be affected by any weapons
whatsoever. I shall become your son myself. He will be equal to me in power and
speed. Thus saying, the wind God infused his light into mother Anjana.
Great souls seldom move from their
celestial abodes unless there is a mission for them to fulfill. Then the whole
creation awaits their advent. In the same way, there were do many reasons for
the advent of Sri Hanuman ji. The natural instinct of Keshari was to wander
around to different holy places, and when ever found a scenic garden he used to
sit in long meditation. Once, while he was residing in Gokarna (a holy place of
Lord Shiva near Goa), he found a great monster, Shambasadana, continuously
persecuting the holy saints who were residing there. Keshari confronted this
monster and hit him forcefully with his fist. There was a great wrestling match
and at last Keshari was successful in slaying him.
All of the rishis were extremely
happy with Keshari’s feat and blessed him so that he might attain an almighty,
enlightened son, who would become very hot tempered to any unjust act. They
then offered a very powerful mantra of Lord Shiva. After Keshari had been
repeating this powerful mantra, Lord Shiva appeared and blessed him, and Lord
Shiva’s light entered into Keshari’s body. Keshari felt as if he was no longer
a mortal. When the rishis saw him full of effulgence they suggested that he
return to his home.
At the same moment, Anjana returned
home after receiving her boon from the wind God. When she saw her husband after
such a long time she was filled with rapturous joy and fell down at his feet.
Keshari was overwhelmed with love. He raised her u with his two arms and
embraced her, and for some time they became one in that universal silence.
Keshari did not remain Keshari and Anjana was no longer Anjana, they became one
in love trance and in that love trance Shiva’s light, which was abiding in
Keshari was transmitted to Anjana. She felt as if bathed in effulgent bliss,
light, and grace. Now Keshari became as he was before the visit of Lord Shiva.
All of Lord Siva’s effulgence was transmitted to Anjana.
Anjana abandoned that special simple
dress which she had adopted in the time of separation from her dear husband.
She wore instead a gorgeous silk sari, golden necklaces, a crown earrings
embedded with gems and jewels. She was adorned beautifully! The husband and
wife began to enjoy in the groves on the top of the mountain.
On the planet Bramha, which is
situated about one hundred and sixteen million miles above polestar, there was
a nymph whose name was Suvarchala. She was very fond of blossoming, fragrant
flowers. Once she rushed to some flowers in the assembly of Bramha. The
creator, Brahma, is found of good manners and certain formalities and was not
pleased with Suvarchal’s impulsive action he cursed her saying. “You, being
born into the race of gods, possess no patience, so you will become a crow”,
Suvarchala repented and, falling at
his feet, asked for a pardon from Lord Brahma, He mercifully forgave her and
said, “In the silver age, on planer Earth, king Dasjaratha will receive a bowl
of diving rice pudding after his ceremony of putreshthi yajna. He will then
distribute it among his three queens. You woll take away queen Sumitra’s share,
and then by the touch of that divine, blesses rice pudding you will attain your
original form and come to my planet again.”
The time described by Brahma arrived
and king Dashatatha was performing his fire sacrifices festivity on the bank of
the holy Sarayu river. It was definitely an interplanetary festivity. King
Dasharatha fed millions of guests. He offered almost all of his property and
empire to enlightened rishis, which they, in turn, gave back to him after
accepting a small exchange.
A huge masculine form then arose
from the sacrificial fire with a bowl of celestial rice pudding in his hand.
His body was red like ultraviolet rays. He had long golden hair, a long beard,
and large eyes. He spoke like a rumbling cloud, saying, “My dear king
Dasharatha, the gods of higher planets are highly satisfied with you because of
your sacrificial festivity, and they have sent you this rice pudding, let the
queens respectfully eat it and then they will give birth to four incomparable
babies who will redeem the earth from all the evil forces.”
The whole assembly of saints, kings,
and rishis were all silent while the king was distributing the rice pudding
among his queens. As soon as the king placed a protion in the open palms of
Sumitra, Suvarchala, in her form as a crow, jumped as it. She held it fast with
her legs and beak and flew away high into the sky. Kousalya ans Kaikeyi, the
other two queens, shared their porting of pudding with Sumitra. Thus Sumitra
gave birth to two babies.
As soon as the crow rushed to the
open sky there arose a heavy wind and hurricane. The bird stumbled and the rice
pudding was touched by her body. Immediately she regained her celestial form
and the body of the crow fell down to earth. The wind god then took the bowl
pudding and appeared on the hill top groves where the couple, Anjana and
Keshari, was wandering. The wind told Keshari and Anjana that he had come there
to offer them with celestial rice pudding,
“Allow Anjana to eat it and she will
give birth to the mightiest child, a boon I was granted her some time ago.”
After receiving the order from her
dear husband, Anjana accepted the bowl of rice pudding. Feeling much joy she
put it against her heart and head and then wind
God disappeared. Anjana ate the
pudding and became pregnant. Soon after, as demigod races do not require the
full nine months in womb, she gave birth to Sri Hanuman ji on Tuesday, in the
month of October. This is why all great devotees of Sri Hanuman ji observe a
fast on Tuesdays. Then take only fruits and milk products, and communicate with
Sri Hanuman ji.
Sri Hanuman ji was born completely adorned
with golden crown, gemmed earrings, underpants and sacred thread. He was
yellowed eyed and there was golden hair all over his body.
