With Rama and his brothers born in Ayodhya, the epic now turns to the forests, where a divine child is about to arrive, destined to become Rama’s mightiest devotee. Anjani, the wife of Kesari, performed a severe penance for seven years on the hills called Rishiparvat, in order that God, Siva, might be pleased to bless her with an immortal son. Siva was pleased with her and said, “An immortal son will be born to thee as thou wishest. He will be a part of my body. I, therefore, tell thee to sit here in meditation and swallow up anything that falls into thy hands, so that thy wish may be fulfilled.” So saying, Siva disappeared. The pinda from the bill of the ghar fell into the hands of Anjani, and she swallowed it up as directed by Siva.

The ghar was a devangana, who had become a bird by the curse of Indra. This god was displeased with her because she did not dance properly; and it was appointed by Bramhadev that she would be released from the curse as soon as the pinda fell into the hands of Anjani. The devangana was accordingly released from the curse; and after her release she went to Indra.

Anjani, after a period of nine months, was delivered of a powerful son called Maruti. He was a monkey and had a long tail. When he saw the light, he was hungry; and when he did not get anything to eat, he went to devour the sun, taking him for a fruit. At that time Rahu also came there to devour the sun, when Maruti said to him, “Who art thou? I have come here first to devour the fruit.” So saying, he broke the head of Rahu with his tail and, catching him by his feet, flung him down. Ketu then came to help him, but he was also severely beaten by the monkey. In the meantime, Maruti was brought down by his father, the wind.

Thus was born Hanuman, the monkey child of boundless energy, who would one day serve Rama with unmatched devotion. Until next time, Jai Shree Ram!

|| OM SAI SHRI SAI JAI JAI SAI || 

|| SHRI SATCHIDANANDA SADGURU SAINATH MAHARAJ KI JAI ||

Note: This narration is based on Ramavijaya: The Mythological History of Rama (Bombay, 1891, Dubhashi & Co.), a public domain text shared here for free reading.