Sarga 40: The Story of Hamman’s Childhood

Then Rama made a further enquiry of that Sage, whose hermitage was in the southern region and, paying obeisance to him in great reverence, with joined palms addressed him in pregnant terms, saying:—

“Assuredly the prowess of Bali and Ravana was incomparable, yet, to my mind at least, it was never equal to Hanuman’s 1 Courage, skill, strength, tenacity of purpose, sagacity, experience, energy and prowess are all to be found in Hanuman!

“When beholding the Ocean, the army of the monkeys was in despair, that long-armed hero consoled them, traversing a hundred leagues and destroying the City of Lanka. Entering Ravana’s inner apartments, he discovered Sita and encouraged her by his words. Single-handed, Hanuman slew those who marched at the head of the enemy forces, the sons of Ravana’s ministers, the Kinkaras, and thereafter, when he had broken his fetters and admonished Dashanana, he reduced Lanka to ashes as Pavaka the world. Such feats were never surpassed by Indra, Varuna, Vishnu or Kuvera. By the might of his arms, I have conquered Lanka and regained Sita, Lakshmana, my kingdom, friends and kinsfolk. Who but Hanuman, the companion of the King of the Vanaras, would have been capable of obtaining tidings of Janaki? But how comes it, that in his devotion to Sugriva, he did not consume Bali at the time of the quarrel, as a fire a shrub? It seems to me that Hanuman was not yet aware of his powers when he witnessed the King of the Monkeys, whom he loved as his own being, set at nought! Recount to me in detail and candidly everything concerning Hanuman, O Blessed and Illustrious Ascetic, O You whom the Gods revere!”

Hearing these sagacious words, the Sage, in Hanuman’s presence, answered:—

“What you have said regarding Hanuman is true, O Prince of the Raghus! I deem none is equal to him in strength or surpasses him in swiftness and intelligence but formerly an irrevocable curse was pronounced on him by the Sages, on account of which, that hero was made unconscious of his great power, O Scourge of your Foes.

“In his childhood, O Mighty Rama, he did something of which I cannot speak, so puerile was it, but if you so desirest, O Raghava, I will disclose it to you.

“There is a mountain named Sumeru that Surya gilds as a boon; there Kesharin, the sire of Hanuman, dwells. Vayu begot a wonderful child on his cherished and illustrious consort, Anjana, and she brought that son, whose colour was like unto an ear of com, into the world. Wishing to pluck some fruits, that lovely woman penetrated into a thicket, and the child, who in his mother’s absence suffered greatly from hunger, began to emit piercing cries, like unto Karttikeya in the Shara Wood.

“At that moment, he observed the sun rising like unto a bunch of Java flowers, and, eager for food, he imagined it to be a fruit and rushed towards it. Turning to the rising sun, the child, himself like unto the dawn, wishing to lay hold of it, sprang into the sky.

And Hanuman’s bounds, he being but a child, greatly astonished the Devas, Danavas and Yakshas who reflected,

‘Neither Vayu, Garuda nor even thought itself have the velocity of this son of the Wind who has leapt into the sky. If, whilst still a child, the speed of his flight is such, what will it not be when he attains his youthful strength.’

“Now Vayu followed in his son’s wake lest the sun should scorch him and protected him with his cooling breath. Thus Hanuman, rising in space, traversed thousands of leagues and, on account of his sire’s power and his own guilelessness, drew near to the sun.

“‘That little One is not conscious of his error’ reflected Surya, ‘we must act accordingly’, and he refrained from consuming him.

“Now on that very day that Hanuman sprang into the sky to seize hold of the solar orb, Rahu [i.e., The demon who causes the sun’s periodic eclipse.] had prepared to take hold of it himself and, coming in contact with that child in the sun’s chariot, Rahu sprang away in fear, he, the scourge of the sun and moon.

Provoked, that son of Simhika went to Indra’s abode and, scowling, said to that God, who was surrounded by the Celestial Host:—

“‘O Vasava, in order to satisfy my hunger, you didst bestow the sun and moon on me, why hast you made a present of them to another, O Slayer of Bali and Vritra? To-day, which is the time of the conjunction, I had gone to lay hold of the sun when another Rahu approached and seized it.’

“Hearing these words of Rahu, Vasava, astonished, rose up from his throne and bearing his golden diadem, went out. Thereafter he mounted Airavata, foremost of elephants, who was as high as a hill or the peak of Mount Kailasha with his four tusks, running with mada juice, enormous, richly caparisoned and whose golden bells rang merrily.

“Then Indra commanded Rahu to precede him and directed his course to where Surya and Hanuman were. Thereupon Rahu set out with all speed leaving Vasava far behind and the child, Hanuman, beheld him as he drew near, whereupon he let go of the sun and, taking Rahu to be a fruit, once more bounded into the sky to seize Simhika’s son.

“Observing that Plavamgama loosing his hold on the sun in order to throw himself upon him, the offspring of Simhika, of whom the head alone remained visible, taking refuge under Indra’s protection, in his terror, cried out ‘Indra, Indra’ without ceasing, and Indra, recognizing the voice of Rahu ere he was able to discern him, answered his appeal, saying ‘Have no fear, I am about to slay him!’

“Meantime, beholding Airavata, Maruti reflected ‘O, the lovely fruit!’ and threw himself on that Lord of Elephants and while he sought to take hold of Airavata, his form fearful to behold suddenly appeared over Indra and his followers. Thereafter as he rushed on Saci’s consort, Indra, not unduly angered, with his finger loosed a thunderbolt that struck Hanuman and, at the impact, the child fell on a mountain, in his fall breaking his left jaw. Seeing his son lying inanimate under the stroke of the thunderbolt, Pavana was enraged against Indra, and the God Maruta, who penetrates and infuses all beings, withdrew into a cave to which he bore his child. Thereafter, as Vasava restrains the floods, he caused immense sufferings to all beings by preventing the passage of excreta and urine in them.

“On account of Vayu’s wrath all creatures on every side were deprived of their breath so that their joints were dislocated and they became as blocks of wood. All sacred studies, the holy syllable ‘Vashat’, religious ceremonies and duties being suspended by Vayu’s displeasure, the Three Worlds became a hell.

“Then all creatures with the Gandharvas, Devas, Asuras and men, in their affliction and the desire to become happy once more, hurried to Prajapati; and the Gods, their bellies swollen, with joined palms, said to him:—

“‘You have created four kinds of beings, O Blessed One, You are their protector. You have given us Pavana as the Lord of our lives, why nevertheless, has he who had become the Ruler of the Vital Breaths, now brought about this misfortune in the manner of a woman in the inner apartments?’

“Hearing these words of all the beings, Prajapati, who was their protector, said to them, ‘It is true!’ and added

‘Learn the reason which incited Vayu to anger and has caused this impediment. O Beings, this I have probed for myself. The Foremost of the Gods, this day, caused his son to fall at Rahu’s instigation, whereupon that God of the Wind became enraged and Vayu, though bodiless, circulates in every body. A body bereft of Vayu is like a piece of wood, Vayu is the vital breath, Vayu is felicity itself, Vayu is the universe; without Vayu, the whole world cannot be happy; now that the universe is bereft of Vayu it is deprived of life; all creatures without breath are as boards. For not having honoured the son of Aditi, we must seek out Maruta, the author of our ills, lest we perish!’

“Thereupon, accompanied by all beings, Prajapati with the Devas, Gandharvas, Serpents and Guyhakas approached Maruta in the place to which he had borne his son, whom the King of the Gods had struck down.

“Meanwhile, perceiving the offspring of Sadagati[1], radiant as the sun, fire or gold, in that dark cave where he had been withdrawn, the Four-faced God was moved with compassion as also the Devas, Gandharvas, Rishis, Yakshas and Rakshasas.”

Footnotes and references: [back to top]

Sadagati—A name of Vayu, the God of the Wind, meaning ‘Ever-going’, his son being Hanuman. The Wind God is also known as Vayu, Kesarin and other titles.