Jaya Guru Datta

Let us now make attempts to understand the incidents leading to the birth of Lord Hanuman.

We discussed that vānara Kunjara, who obtained Anjana in adoption, offered her in marriage to vānara Kesari. For a very long time Anjana and Kesari remained childless. Their royal priest Maharishi Matanga advised Anjana to begin austerities seeking progeny. With the permission of her husband, she went to Vŗshabhadri i.e. Tirupati mountain, and began penance seeking blessings of Lord Shiva.

Penance (tapas) itself is tremendous energy. For this reason, ajapa-japa is recommended. Ajapa-japa means to chant the mantra with every inhalation and every exhalation endlessly. Japa performed at all times without break is called Ajapa-japa. It itself becomes a great penance.

Penance is of three types a) Mental penance b) Verbal penance – in this the person barely moves his lips while chanting the mantra. c) Loudly chanting the mantra. Among these three, mentally chanting the mantra within himself is most-supreme. Verbal penance takes the second place while loud chanting obtains the last place. Hence, chanting the prayer mentally is always the best! Going by the same logic, mental sins are the worst. Punishment is inevitable for mental sins. Verbal sins may perhaps be pardoned however mental sins cannot be.

Let us return to the story. Anjana was engaged in deep mental penance on Vŗshabadri mountain. During this period, Wind-god Vayu would send her a fruit every day, which she consumed as food for the day. Barring this fruit, she would not consume anything. From this we understand why Hanuman holds fruits very dear!

One morning, Vayu pulled from himself the divine radiance (Shiva tejas) which he was carrying and transforming it into a fruit he sent it to Anjana. As per her daily practice Anjana ate that fruit. A little while thereafter she realized she was pregnant and she panicked unable to understand how it was feasible when she was engaged in total penance.

Exactly at that moment a celestial voice was heard, ‘Anjana, do not panic. This is Shiva’s will. From your womb a supreme Mahatma is to take birth’. The celestial message was audible even to her husband Kesari. Hearing this message, the couple were ecstatic that they had been blessed by the Lord.

Thereafter, on the auspicious day of Vaiśakha Krishna dasami (tenth day of the waning fortnight in the month of Vaiśakha), which was a Saturday, Anjana devi gave birth to a boy. The Lord had arrived!

The boy emerged from Anjana’s womb wearing a sacred thread, golden earrings and silken clothing. His jaws were very wide.

Let us continue tomorrow.

Jaya Guru Datta