The courageous, intelligent, radiant and powerful Deity Shri Hanuman

1.Story of the birth of Maruti in Valmiki Ramayan

The story describing the birth of Maruti is given in Kishkindha kand, sarga 66 of the Valmiki Ramayan

1A. With the blessings of Deity Maruti was born
to Anjani a courageous, intelligent and radiant son

There lived a celestial beauty called Punjiksthala. Due to some curse she had assumed the form of a monkey. Once assuming a human form, embellished with fine clothes and jewellery she was roaming around in an orchard on the mountain. Deity Marut blew off her clothing which revealed her beautiful body. Enticed by her he embraced her. She fearfully uttered ‘who is ruining my chastity, unto my husband ?’  upon which Marut replied ‘Do not fear I am not ruining your chastity, I am embracing you in the mind. You will give birth to an effulgent, intelligent, radiant, powerful, valorous son.’ Later Anjani did give birth to such a son.

Reference : Valmiki Ramayan, kand 4, sarga 65, shloka 16

1B. Struck by Indradeva’s thunderbolt, Maruti takes the jolt on his
chin and thus gets the name Hanuman (the one with extraordinary chin) thereafter

At the time of His birth the sun was just beginning to rise. Seeing the red ball and presuming it to be a ripe fruit to eat Maruti leapt towards the sun. Angered by this Indra flung His thunderbolt on Him. This thunderbolt capable of razing huge mountains to dust was borne by the powerful Marutiraya, simply to honour it, on His chin with a pretence of fainting. Ever since He was named Hanuman. Hanuman originates from हनुः अस्य अस्ति इति । meaning His chin is extraordinary. He was also named Vajrang (one with a body like a thunderbolt) Bajrang is a dialect of that.  Due to His leaping towards the sun soon after birth His spiritual energy (kundalini) was awakened. This leap towards the Brahmarandhra depicting awakening of spiritual energy, is worthy of narration.

2. A Radiant son born to a radiant, brave mother like Anjani

2A. Shrirama meets Mother Anjani at the request of Shri Hanuman

On Their way back to Ayodhya after annihilation of Ravan and purification of Sita, Prabhu Shriram halted for rest at Rushaymukh mountain for some time where Hanuman’s revered mother was performing austerities. Hanuman requested Prabhu Ramachandra to give darshan (vision) to her. So accompanied by Lakshman and Sita, Prabhu Ramachandra went to meet her. However before that Maruti requested the three of Them to not sing His praises in front of His mother.

2B. Anjani mata was disheartened after learning that inspite
of Hanuman being there, Prabhu Shriram took the trouble of annihilating Ravan!

Shriram, Lakshman, Sita and Hanuman offered obeisance to Anjanimata and gave a brief account of annihilation of Ravan and the battle. However during the conversation forgetting Maruti’s instructions they praised Hanuman a lot. Any other mother would have been elated to hear her son’s praises but Anjani was upset that Maruti instead of annihilating Ravan Himself had troubled Shrirama Prabhu to do it. Losing her temper she said,

हा कां माझ्या उदरी आला । गर्भीहुनी का नाहे गळाला ।
आपण असतां कष्टवीला । स्वामी कां राम ॥
माझी ये दुग्धाची हे प्रौढी । कळिकाळाची नरडी मुरडी ।
रावणादिक बापुडी । घुंगुर्डी काय ? ॥
क्षणामधे रावण वधुनी । जरि कां आणिता राघवपत्नी ।
तरि पुत्राचा माझे मनी । उल्हास होता ॥ – Samarth Ramdas (Reference : Anjani Geet, Ovi 8 ते 10)

Meaning : Why did this Hanuman take birth in my womb ? Why did I not have a miscarriage ? When He is so valorous why did He give Bhagwan Rama the trouble of annihilating Ravan ? My milk had the prowess to even destroy Kali, the time influence, then who is Ravan before that ? Had Hanuman annihilated Ravan in a moment and released Mother Sita from his clutches then I would have been proud of my son.

2C. Sitamai explaining to enraged Mother Anjani that Marutiraya
did not annihilate Ravan as He had no permission from Shrirama Prabhu

When Mother Anjani bellowed and released milk from her breast it trespassed the stone wall in front and entered the three continents. Encircling Lanka with her plait she lifted it. All including Prabhu Ramachandra were astonished. They praised her and Sitamai satisfied her by telling that Maruti had not annihilated Ravan on His own as He had not been granted permission by Shrirama Prabhu. It’s no surprise that radiant Deity Hanuman was born to a courageous woman like Mother Anjani !

Dr. R. S. alias Dada Ghate

Reference : Masik Adimata, April 2004