25. Birth of Hanuman (Devotional)

      Hanuman is an incarnation of Lord Shiva. He is son of Kesari, a male vanara (monkey) and Anjana, a female vanara. Anjana in her previous life was servant for celestial beings. She born as a female vanara due to a curse. according to that she should give birth to Shiva's incarnation to get rid of the curse. So Anjana and Kesari prayed Lord Shiva to beget him as their son. As explained in Birth of Rama, Dasaratha performed Putrakamisti  yagna to get kids. Then Yagna purush gave him nectar by drinking which any lady can get kids. An eagle snatched a part of the pudding and dropped it where Anjana was meditating and Wind god delivered the drop to her outstretched hands by taking which she gave birth to Hanuman. Thus Lord Shiva incarnated as a monkey. Hanuman also known as Pavana Puthra (son of Pavan means wind).

      The birth of Hanuman released Anjana from the curse. Before she returned to heaven, she told Hanuman that fruits as ripe as the rising sun would be his food. One day mistaking the glowing Sun as his food, Hanuman leaped for it. After reaching near to Sun, he realised that it is not a fruit. Sun knew that he is incarnation of Shiva. They became good friends. As Hanuman came to outer space and disturbing the flow, Indra struck him with his thunderbolt and hurled him down to earth. Wind god saved him and took him into a cave. As wind was not around,, all life panted for air and Brahma had to beg him to return. In order to appease him they conferred a lot of boons and blessings on his foster child that made Hanuman invincible, immortal and super powerful.

      Hanuman asked Sun to be his master to which Sun refused saying that he has to roam every second on his chariot. Hanuman increased his size and kept his legs on east and west side and got ready to listen from Sun. Sun got impressed and taught him all Sasthras. Sun considered the manner in which Hanuman accomplished his studies as his tuition fees but when Hanuman requested him to accept something more than that, Sun asked Hanuman to assist his son Sugriva, by being his minister and compatriot. Hanuman was mischievous in his childhood and sometimes teased the meditating sages in the forests by snatching their personal belongings and by disturbing their well-arranged articles of worship. Finding his antics unbearable but realizing that Hanuman was just a child, the sages placed a mild curse on him by which he wont know his own ability unless reminded by another person. From then Hanuman was behaving just like any other Vanara.

      Once sage Narada infatuated with a princess. He thought that if he looks like Vishnu, princess will choose him to be her husband. So he went to Vishnu and asked for a Hari-Mukh. Hari means Vishnu and Mukh means face. But Vishnu instead bestowed him with the face of a monkey. Unaware of this, Narada went to the princess who burst into laughter at the sight of his monkey face before all the king's court. Narada, unable to bear the humiliation, cursed Vishnu that Vishnu would one day be dependent upon a monkey. Vishnu replied that Narada's request for Hari has the dual Sanskrit meaning of Vanara. Due to this curse only Vishnu had to take Hanuman's help in Ramavatar. Hanuman's mother Anjana gave him a chain to wear on his neck always and told him that who ever can see that chain will be his master and Hanuman should serve him as his life duty. Hanuman was waiting to meet his master to fulfil his life duty.